Security in Christ: The Sufficiency of God’s Grace

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  2 Corinthians 9:8; 12:7-10; Matthew 6:24-34

2 Corinthians 9:8

 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency^[a] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

(ESV)

When believers in Christ think of the grace of God, they often refer to Ephesians 2:8 that reminds believers that their salvation is not the result of their good works but the work of Christ on the cross.  However, after receiving this justification through grace, God does not just leave us alone to continue living our lives as we did prior to committing our lives to Christ.  Instead, God sent the Holy Spirit to live with and in our lives, empowering us as we live for and are witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8). 

Being a witness for Christ includes both how we live our lives and what we say plus, when the opportunity comes, sharing the life-changing message of the Gospel with others.  However, some lead lives on the sidelines in regards to their faith doing little or nothing as participants in spreading the Gospel message as mandated by Christ (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), practicing a useless faith (James 2:20).  While our security in Christ includes justification through salvation from sin, it also includes empowerment and humility to abound or thrive in our work for Christ (2 Corinthians 9:8; 12:7-10) and provision for material needs, freeing believers up to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:24-34).  God’s sufficiency includes,

1)      The tools believers need to abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8) – The justification provided to those choosing to make Jesus their savior is all-encompassing providing eternal life and freedom from condemnation (John 3:16-17).  However, after someone receives Jesus as their savior, God does not immediately transport them to heaven but leaves them on earth to serve as ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).  2 Corinthians 9:8 reminds us that not only does the grace of God provide justification, but also the tools or gifts of the Holy Spirit to make it possible to abound in every good work (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

2)      Protection against destructive pride (Proverbs 16:18) – So powerful are the tools and gifts of the Spirit that their operation in the life of an individual can result in pride with one believing their good works are the result of having some special calling from God.  So prevalent was this danger in the life of the Apostle Paul that God felt it necessary to send a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).  Scripture does not provide specifics as to what this thorn in the flesh was, leaving interpretation open to include anything God allows in our lives to keep us humble.  It may be financial struggles, struggles with addiction, or illness that no matter how often we pray for God to take it away, he keeps allowing it to have influence in our lives.  Instead of simply removing this struggle, God allows it to stay as a reminder of our need to depend upon him for strength and empowerment to carry out His will for our lives, making us strong through Christ and not prideful of our own special abilities or supposed status with God. 

3)      Freedom from anxiety or worry over the cares of life (Matthew 6:24-34) – The people living in the region of Galilee during the time of Christ were mostly poor people that struggled to provide food, water, and clothing for themselves and their families.  Matthew 6:24-34 is part of the Sermon on the Mount and is an illustration and call to these people to free themselves from anxiety and worry by focusing on the kingdom of God.  This is not something that magically happens in the life of a believer for worry and anxiety are natural reactions of our nature and something that only happens in one’s life as they dedicate themselves, and practice a life of total dedication, to God (Matthew 6:24).  This is a life dedicated to serving Christ that like the birds and flowers, trusts God for the basic needs of life. Knowing God will provide our needs with no need to become distracted in serving Christ through worry and anxiety over needs in our lives. 

The process of enjoying the sufficiency of Christ begins with receiving justification from Sin through accepting Jesus as savior.  The bible teaches us that we all have sinned (Romans 3:23), are worthy of death for that sin (Romans 6:23).  However, there is good news for humanity finding themselves in a hopeless life situation for God sent a substitute to die for our sins (Romans 5:8).  Anyone reading this that has not received God’s justification for their sins through grace can do so now by praying and receiving God’s justification from sin,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations, you have now received an introduction to the grace of God and can now experience God's sufficiency in your life through God’s grace.  As the New Year approaches, I encourage those reading this post to make a resolution to become participants and not spectators in the work of the Gospel by discovering their gift (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) and serving as an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).  Believers in Christ must guard against pride by viewing their life struggles as opportunities to trust God and focus on God and not our needs in life by trusting God to meet those needs (Philippians 4:19).  May God grant everyone reading this a happy and safe New Year.  

An Unlikely King

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew 1:23

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(ESV)

During the busyness of the Christmas season, it is easy to become so busy that we forget the true meaning of what we are celebrating.  I found this video from Hillsong and invite you to click on this video link as a way to hit the pause button and take a moment to focus on the baby king born to die for the sins of humanity.  While a baby born to die might seem like a tragedy, this is the climax of a great love story, the story of a loving God and his desire to restore his relationship with His prized creation.  However, a baby, born in a manger in the obscure town of Bethlehem is hardly a place one would expect the savior king to be born. 

Kings also normally come from families of royalty and nobility, but this king is born to a virgin betrothed to a common carpenter, Joseph from Nazareth.  To make the situation even odder, Joseph discovers his fiancée is pregnant.  This describes the context of the text of Matthew 1:18-25 giving us an opportunity to view the birth of Jesus from the eyes of Joseph. 

1)      Joseph receives shocking and culturally unacceptable news (Matthew 1:18-19) – During the time of Joseph, a betrothal could only end through divorce.  This differs from the modern culture in many places where a betrothal or engagement can end simply with both parties simply deciding to break up, ending the engagement.  However, Joseph is a just man and did not desire to bring cultural shame to her and decides to quietly divorce her.  What the scripture does not provide is how Joseph may have felt.  His life has just suffered a major disruption.  He was no doubt planning for a life with Mary, having children, and supporting them by continuing to work as a carpenter in Nazareth.  Scripturally he may have found comfort in Jeremiah 29:11, believing that this devastating change of plans was somehow part of God’s plan.  Joseph may have also found comfort in the life of another Joseph in the Bible who suffered many devastations, later discovering were part of God’s plan for saving Israel. 

2)      Joseph receives an angelic visitation (Matthew 1:20-23) – Just in time to prevent Joseph from divorcing Mary, an angel intervenes.  The angel assures Joseph that Mary has been faithful to him and that the child she is carrying is from God.  The angel then quotes Isaiah 7:14, a prophetic passage Joseph no doubt heard in synagogue.  The reference to the child as Immanuel indicates that this child is indeed God who has come to live with humanity (John 1:1,14). 

3)      Joseph obeys God (Matthew 1:24-25) – We all have the choice of either obeying or disobeying God.  Joseph no doubt faced cultural ridicule at deciding to take Mary as his wife, with some believing the baby was Joseph’s child meaning he and Mary had engaged in premarital sex.  Just as someone today telling someone that they have had an angelic visitation and instructed to do something, Joseph may have suffered the same reticule.  Fortunately for Joseph, he decides to obey God and takes Mary to be his wife, even though possibly not fully understanding why. 

Like Joseph, we may not have a complete understanding of what is occurring in our lives and jump to the wrong conclusion.  This can lead to our making a rash decision that may even go against what God has planned for us.  In the case of Joseph, his rash decision to divorce Mary would have robbed him of the opportunity to be the stepfather for God’s son Jesus and the opportunity to take care of him as he grew up.  While scripture does not provide information about Joseph after Jesus was twelve, we see his concern when they lost him in Jerusalem and caring for Jesus so he could increase and wisdom, stature, and favor with God and men (Luke 2:41-52). 

Jesus is an unlikely king born in a manger under unusual circumstances, but it is these unusual circumstances that tell us He is the Messiah.  After his angelic visitation, Joseph acted in obedience and fulfilled God's will for his life, taking care of God’s Son as he grew up.  I encourage everyone reading this to take time this Christmas to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.  To help with that celebration, I encourage you to watch this video from For King and Country to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Merry Christmas everyone. 

Security in Christ: A Wall of Protection, not Separation.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 3:16-19; Psalm 139

Romans 8:38-39

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(ESV)

The topic of walls is prevalent in the news today.  A google search for just the word wall results in 9 billion hits.  Narrowing the search to “border wall” did narrow it down to 14 million hits so I will see you in about a year while I take time to read each article, only kidding.  The book of Nehemiah in the bible provides a historical account of the restoration of the wall of protection that had broken down in Israel, exposing the nation to danger.  Sadly, however, walls have also been used to keep people in, separating them from friends and family living outside the wall.  Romans 8:35-39 speaks of a wall of protection built and guarded by God that protects the hearts of believers and does not separate but unites those living inside its protection. 

The microphone was not invented at the time the Apostle Paul wrote Romans 8:35-39 but had he stood up in front of a group of people saying what he wrote, he probably would have dropped the mic and left the stage.  The justification given to everyone professing faith in Jesus as savior provides a wall of protection around every believer.  Granted, many believing in Jesus as their savior experience persecution and even death for their belief, making it appear the wall of protection has been breached.  However, even death does not separate a believer from God (2 Corinthians 5:6-10).  However, as believers in Christ, we can step outside the protection of the wall and separate ourselves from the protection of the wall designed to provide protection and not separation.  To ensure we do not step outside the wall of God’s protection we must,

1)      Realize the benefits of staying connected to God (Romans 8:35-39) – The more we take time to meditate and contemplate what the Apostle Paul meant with his declarative statement of nothing being able to separate a believer from the love of God, the more we realize that the ultimate benefit of a relationship with God through Christ is a life of connection with our creator.  When Adam and Eve sinned and God evicted them from the Garden of Eden, they suffered death.  However, this was not instantaneous physical death but spiritual death or separation from God.  So massive is God’s love for humanity that even when evicting Adam and Eve from the Garden, God makes the promise of a savior who will bruise the serpents head but at the expense of the serpent biting the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15).  Genesis 3:15 is a prophetic statement pointing to Jesus who crushed the serpent by resurrecting from the grave as the serpent bruised his heal on the cross.  So deep is this love of God that did not hesitate to send Jesus to die for our sins that nothing or no one, not even death can separate us from it (John 3:16; 5:13; Romans 5:8). 

2)      Rely on the inner strength of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16-19) – While the declarative statement of Romans 8:35-39 brings comfort in knowing nothing can separate s from God’s love, it is not a statement declaring life for a believer will be free from trouble (John 16:33).  This is something the Apostle Paul was all too familiar with through suffering beatings and imprisonment for his faith (Acts 16:37; 2 Corinthians 11:25).  However, even while enduring wrongful suffering for his faith, the Apostle Paul learned contentment for he did not focus on his sufferings but on the prize of eternity in the presence of God (2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Philippians 3:12-14).  Ephesians 3:16-19 reminds us that this contentment is not something coming naturally to a believer but something coming from an inner strength of the heart made possible by the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.  Troubles will still come to a believer in Christ, but they have a wall of protection against hopelessness and despair through the inner strength of the Holy Spirit in his or her life. 

3)      Remain in God’s presence (Psalm 139) – The theme of Psalm 139 is David’s asking God to search his heart for anything that would separate him from an intimate relationship with God.  God’s reason for calling David to be King of Israel was not his great stature or wisdom but that he had a heart that sought and obeyed God (1 Samuel 13:14).  However, David did not have a perfect heart as evidenced by his sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11).  Psalm 139 provides insight into David’s understanding of the need to have a regular heart check-up to ensure he remained within the protective wall of God’s presence for protection against his enemies.  Just as we should have regular medical check-ups with a doctor, a believer in Christ must also have regular spiritual check-ups with God to ensure a healthy heart that loves, seeks, and obeys God. 

These are the three Rs of experiencing connection with God within the protective confines of His wall of protection.  Anyone who wants to can enter this protective fortress for Jesus paid the price of admission on the cross.  All one needs to do is go to the will call ticket window and pick up his or her ticket.  If your ticket is unclaimed at the will call window, I invite you to claim it by praying with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations, you are now living within the protective wall of God’s protection described in Romans 8:35-39.  However, this does not mean life will be free of trouble and instead, that life from this point forward comes with the inner strength to find contentment in Christ through the troubles of life as exampled by the Apostle Paul.  Those living within the protective wall of Christ must also have regular spiritual heart check-ups to ensure nothing comes between them and a healthy connection with God through Christ.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

The Mystery of the Gospel: A Baby King Comes to Save the World.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 12:1-12

Psalm 118:22-23

The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.^[a]
23 This is the Lord's doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.

(ESV)

As I begin this post, I have both good news, and bad news, Christmas is a week away.  For some this news brings anxiety from the thought of having so much to do and so little time left to do it.  For others, the news brings joy at the thought of time with friends and family and the opportunity to give and receive gifts even though there seems to be so little time and so much to do.  The difference in how we receive the news that Christmas is a week away lies in what we focus on.  I want to invite those reading this post to hit the pause button for a moment and focus on the mystery of a baby king born on the first Christmas who would as the lamb of God die for the sins of humanity and rise from the dead in the conquest of death. 

The text of Mark 12:1-12 is one last parable offered by Jesus prior to his death for our sins.  Jesus shares the parable of the tenants with a crowd of people which includes religious leaders, perhaps some of the same religious leaders that questioned His authority (Mark 11:27-33).  In this encounter, Jesus uses the illustration of a vineyard owner who hires tenants to tend to His vineyard while He is away.  As priests and scribes, the religious leaders of the time of Christ were the tenants or caretakers of the things of God in the Temple.  However, beginning with Aaron and the golden calf, those entrusted with tending to the things of God in Israel had demonstrated rebellion (Exodus 32).  This rebellious streak in the nation of Israel continued until there was no remedy with the nation going into exile (2 Chronicles 36:16-21). 

Unfortunately, following in this tradition of rebellion, the priests of Jesus’ time are about to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, this time killing the Son of God.  This is the theme behind the parable of the tenants and represents one last extension of grace to the priests, giving them an opportunity to repent of their intentions to capture and kill Jesus, but their response is an even greater resolve to arrest Jesus.  Once again, preservation of their position and fame as priests has clouded their eyes from seeing that Jesus is the Messiah and about to offer himself up as a sacrifice for their sins. 

We must learn from the rebellion of the priests and not reject the message of the Gospel coming from the Word of God but seek to understand and obey it with the help of the Holy Spirit.  This can be difficult for us for the message does not usually come with great fanfare but from an unlikely source, a baby king born in a manger in Bethlehem.  This is the mystery of the Gospel; God came to fallen humanity as a little baby born to a humble family and not as royalty with great fanfare.  This little baby grew up and performed good works and miracles seen by many that threatened those in high religious and government authority.  However, the baby Jesus had the final word for He did not stay in the grave after his crucifixion but rose from the dead, conquering death. 

I urge those reading this to take a pause from the busyness of the Christmas season and stop to unwrap the gift of redemption offered by Jesus.  We are all in rebellion against God for all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23).  This sin present in the lives of all individuals has serious consequences, death (Romans 6:23).  However, God is gracious, providing the gift of salvation not based upon what we have done but based on the work of Jesus, who came to us on Christmas as a baby king (Ephesians 2:8).  To unwrap this gift requires confessing that Jesus died and rose again to forgive your sins and redeem you from the death penalty, giving you eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10).  Please pause to pray with me and open this gift from God,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Thank you for unwrapping the greatest gift anyone can receive, eternal life through a restored relationship with God your creator.  I invite you to attend the Christmas service at a church teaching from the Bible close by where you live and let one of the pastors know about your decision.  They can pray with you and direct you on how to study the Bible and learn more about God.  Merry Christmas everyone. 

Security in Christ: An Ongoing Work of Perfection

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13; Galatians 5:22-23; 6:9

Philippians 1:6

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

(ESV)

All people, including believers in Jesus as savior, are perfect, perfect messes.  While this statement appears true as we see each other’s and our own faults, in God’s eyes all who have accepted Jesus as their savior are perfect, for God sees them as righteous (Romans 3:21-24).  However, the sanctification component of salvation means we are a work in progress with flaws that require the work of the master carpenter, Jesus Christ. 

In Philippians 2:12-13, the Apostle Paul speaks of believers working out their salvation in fear and trembling.  However, this appears to contradict scripture teaching fear is not of God (2 Timothy 1:7).  Such contradictions, like this one, find resolution through looking at the word in the original text and the context in which the passage occurs.  The word fear in 2 Timothy 1:7 is the Greek word deilias which means cowardice or timidity.  This passage occurs in the context of the Apostle Paul encouraging Timothy not to be timid in preaching the Gospel.  The word fear in Philippians 2:12, however, is the Greek word phobou, resembling the English word phobia.  The context preceding this passage speaks of Christ’s example of humility demonstrated by Jesus leaving His position with God to humbly become one of us and die for our sins (Philippians 2:1-11).  The fear in this context is a phobou or phobia of failing to surrender our lives to God’s will in response to God sending His Son to die for our sins.  Working out our salvation is learning the power of a life fully surrendered to God, following the example of Christ which is our perfect example. 

When one lives a life of full surrender to God, their life will become fruitful or full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control against which there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).  However, living a fruitful life in a corrupt world full of anger will come with persecution and even the risk of imprisonment or death as it has for millions of Christians throughout history.  Even Jesus, who lived a perfectly fruitful life did not escape this persecution and warned his followers they to would have trouble in the world (John 16:33).  The good news in the second half of John 16:33 is that Jesus overcame the world through His resurrection and that through the surrender of our lives to Him, we too can overcome. 

However, just as one must physically take time to rest when one becomes physically tired, one must also spiritually rest to prevent becoming spiritually tired in their ministry for the Lord.  The Bible warns believers twice about becoming weary or tired in ministry (Galatians 6:9; 2 Thessalonians 6:13).  The context of Galatians 6:13 is Paul’s teaching on bearing one another’s burdens as the fulfillment of the law of Christ (Galatians 6:1-10).  In Galatians 5, Paul taught about how Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1-15) and the need to keep in step with the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16-25).  While our justification through Christ because of the work of grace on Calvary sets a believer free from sin, we are not free from becoming weary in spirit as we bear one another’s burdens.  To avoid this weariness in spirit, one must regularly take time to be alone with God, finding rest in His presence through the study of God’s Word and prayer. 

The warning against weariness in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 is in the context of a warning against idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12) or one not having a living faith through his or her good works (James 2:14-26).  However, good works do not provide justification with God, for that is a work of grace accomplished by Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8).  The purpose of our good works for Christ must come from the treasure of our hearts that love Christ and a desire to share that treasure with others (Luke 6:45).  This sharing of the Gospel is also in obedience to the command of Jesus to share the Gospel message with others and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  However, even Jesus took time out of the busyness of ministry to rest in the presence of His Heavenly Father, something we too must practice, to avoid weariness in ministry (Luke 5:16).  While it is not good for believers to be idle in their faith (2 Thessalonians 3:6), we must balance the work of ministry with times alone with God in prayer to avoid becoming weary or tired in ministry. 

Everyone professing faith in Jesus as their Savior is a work in progress.  The purpose of this work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is perfection which will occur at the return of the Lord (Philippians 1:6).  During this sanctification process, a believer will experience transformation in his or her life and become more fruitful (Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 12:2).  While a believer has total justification through the finished work of Grace because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Ephesians 2:8), it is crucial for a believer not to rest on his or her laurels due to their freedom in Christ and instead bring life to their faith through good works coming from a heart that loves God  (Luke 6:45; James 2:14-26).  However, to avoid spiritual heart disease, a believer must regularly detach from the work of ministry to spend time alone with God in the study of the Word and prayer, following Jesus’ example (Luke 5:16).  We are all perfect messes in need of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to clean up the mess.  We may not be perfect but should be making progress towards perfection in our lives. 

The Authority of Christ Questioned

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 11:27-33

Mark 11:27-28

 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, ²⁸ and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 

(ESV)

The divisiveness in the world today is on display, enhanced by the constant coverage through 24-hour news, the internet, and social media.  As these diverse platforms of media compete for the attention of news consumers, they have the temptation to either break a story without thoroughly checking its accuracy or even making up a story to fit a narrative that will attract viewers, listeners, or readers.  It is important for news consumers to check their sources by measuring them up against a reliable standard.  This blog offers links to either the sources or scripture that supports the positions taken precisely for this reason.  Unfortunately, this is often not the case in news media today with it often representing the opinions of the journalist with little or no substantive backing for statements made. 

When Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it was not just the people praising Him that took notice, but also the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees.  These religious leaders thrived on the power and fame of their positions with Jesus warning his followers about their thirst for power and fame (Mark 12:38; Luke 20:46).  Jesus’ confrontation with these individuals in Mark 11:27-33 is just another attempt to trap Jesus into making a statement they could use to accuse Him of blasphemy.  However, Jesus' response is a question, a question the power and fame-hungry people could not answer.  Had the chief priests, scribes, and elders answered Jesus’ question they would have risked,

1)      Violating the first commandment (Exodus 20:2-3) – The text of this post does not let us know if the high priests, scribes of elders believed Jesus was the Messiah or even God himself but they knew what Jesus had said about himself (John 8:12; 10:22-30; 14:9).  They knew Jesus believed he was God, that He had performed many miracles, and based upon the reaction of people as Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem, had a great following.  The followers in the crowd believed Jesus was Messiah with many believing this would be the time Messiah would establish His kingdom on earth.  Granted Messiah will establish His kingdom on earth, but he first had to die for the sins of humanity in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.  However, the chief priests, scribes and elders feared a revolt in the Temple if they would have denied John’s ministry comes from God.  Those believing Jesus was God in the flesh would have viewed this confession by their religious leaders as a denial of God in violation of the First Commandment.  Instead of finding an accusation of blasphemy for Jesus, the mob would have had reason to accuse their religious leaders of blasphemy. 

2)      Losing their fame and the power they held over people (Mark 11:31-32; Matthew 21:25-26) – The priesthood in the time of Jesus was less a religious position and more of a political position with the priests exercising power over the people that saw them as their representatives before God.  However, after seeing the throng praising God during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem these religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus.  Their questioning of Jesus’ authority represents an attempt to show the people he was not someone special, but Jesus' question placed them in a corner.  If they were to answer Jesus’ question as John’s baptism coming from man, they would have been telling the crowd John was nothing special.  However, it was John the Baptist that prepared them for Jesus’ coming and the first to proclaim who Jesus was, the lamb of God who takes the sin of the world (John 1:29).  These people have seen Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead.  In their minds, Jesus was special and worthy of praise as evidenced by their praise as Jesus entered Jerusalem. 

Even though the crowd praised Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, they did not fully understand the proclamation of John the Baptist and instead were looking for Jesus to march into the governor's palace and remove their oppressors.  Instead, they should have realized that it is Passover and Jesus, the Lamb of God is about to be the ultimate sacrifice for their sins (Mark 10:32-34; Romans 5:8).  However, this lamb will not remain in the grave but rise from the dead as a demonstration of His conquest of sin and death (Romans 8:2).  The correct answer to the question asked by the chief priests, scribes, and elders is John’s baptism is of God, pointing to forgiveness of sin and eternal life through belief in Jesus as savior (John 3:16).  I invite those reading this that have not already sought forgiveness of sin by accepting Jesus as their savior to pray with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations on making the best decision anyone can make, the decision to have a restored relationship with the creator lost in the Garden of Eden.  Like any relationship, a relationship with God thrives as we get to know more about Each other.  Since Jesus already knows everything about us, we are the ones that need to find out more about God.  We do this by studying what God has to say to us through the study of His Word, the Bible, and talking to him regularly in prayer.  It is also important to find a church or Bible study where you can be with others who believe in Jesus as their savior so they can teach you and pray with you.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Security in Christ: All Things Work Together for my Good

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Romans 8:28; Genesis 50:20

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,^[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.

(ESV)

Before beginning this study, I want to remind my readers of what occurred on December 7, 1941.  The U.S. President, Franklin Roosevelt called this day a day of infamy in his address to Congress the next day.  In Honolulu Hawaii, the Sunday morning of December 7, 1941, began like any other Sunday morning in the paradise of Hawaii.  However, the dreams of a peaceful Sunday morning soon became a nightmare with a vicious surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.  Over 2000 people, mostly military died on that day and why President Roosevelt labeled the day a day of infamy as he asked Congress to declare war on Japan.  I urge my readers to take a moment to pause to pray those in the military, law enforcement, and first responders who daily risk their lives to keep us safe. 

Romans 8:28 is a promise many go to when things do not appear to be working out as planned.  However, many read this promise and miss the condition that the promise applies to those that love God and have a calling from God.  The good news is that all who have made Jesus their savior demonstrate a love for God when they publicly announce their confession of faith (Romans 10:9-10), further confirming their belief and love for God through baptism (Acts 8:12).  Anyone professing faith in God has a calling to share the Gospel through how they live and what they say (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). 

For those meeting the qualification of believing and having a calling, this promise brings hope but does not mean we will not experience pain when going through a struggle in life, but instead, a promise things will work out in the long-term for our good.  Psalm 73 provides a biblical example of someone who rationalized the appearance non-believers had it better than those placing their trust in God by meditating on how things work out best for God’s people in the long-term.  The psalm begins with the psalmist lamenting the appearance that the wicked seemed to live carefree lives free from struggle. 

The psalm begins with the acknowledgment that God is good to Israel and to those who are pure in heart.  However, he then goes into his lament by acknowledging he almost stumbled due to envy at the material prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:1-3).  The Psalmist continues by telling of his observation that the wicked have no suffering till death, have an abundance of supply, and no trouble (Psalm 73:4-5).  His description of the wicked is people full of pride, violence, a life of folly, malice, threatening oppression, and speaking against the heavens (Psalm 73:6-9).  Those that do not believe in God fill the godless void in their lives by ascribing a level of deity to these individuals based upon their wealth and ease of life (Psalm 73:10-12).  The psalmist concludes this section of the psalm with a lament of living for the Lord and suffering while the wicked appear to prosper (Psalm 73:13-15).  The psalmist continues by claiming that trying to understand this dichotomy is wearisome, until entering the sanctuary of God where God revealed the long-term fate of the wicked to him (Psalm 73:16-17). 

This lament turns to joy at the revelation of the temporary nature of prosperity for the wicked while on earth with an eternity of separation from God (Psalm 73:18-28).  In Psalm 84:10, the psalmist declares his desire to experience just one day in the presence of God over thousands enjoying time with the wicked enjoying their worldly prosperity.  This is eternal security that may come with struggles in this world but has eternal security from the overcoming power of God (John 16:33).  Jesus’ declaration of overcoming the world is a reference to his conquest of death through his resurrection.  The good news for all professing faith in Jesus as their savior is that the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in their hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).  It is this indwelling power in the heart of every believer in Christ that allows them to proclaim that all things, good and bad, in their lives work for their good.  The life of Joseph is an illustration of how events in a believer’s life that appear destructive work to save not only themselves but others (Genesis 50:15-21). 

The truth is that all people experience struggles in life.  Those that do not know Jesus as their savior lack the overcoming resurrection power of the Holy Spirit in their life which can lead to depression or even despair over the challenges and struggles of life.  If that is you, I invite you to pray with me to invite the overcoming power of the resurrected Lord into your life. 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

While the challenges of life will continue, those that have accepted Jesus as their savior have the overcoming power of the resurrected Lord in their life, providing the power to maintain joy during the struggle (James 1:2).  This is due to knowing the struggles are temporary with an eternal future of glory and security with Christ.  This is the only source of eternal security that never fails.  May God bless everyone reading this post.

Turning the Tables

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 11:15-19

Mark 11:15

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

(ESV)

After the triumphal entry with people showering accolades upon Him, Jesus enters Jerusalem and goes to the Temple.  This was not unusual for Jesus would have often entered the Temple to pray since it was His Father’s house.  However, this time is different with Jesus not praying when entering the Temple but driving out those selling animals for sacrifice in the Temple and the tables of the money changers.  Those that were earlier giving Jesus accolades believing he would go in and overturn their Roman oppressors may have believed Jesus was driving out the wrong people, wanting Him to end their oppression.  However, Jesus was at the right place for his main issue was not with the government but the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his time (Matthew 23:1-36; Luke 12:54-56; Luke 13:10-17). 

The account of Jesus entering the Temple is also symbolic of the work of Christ in the temple of the hearts of those making Jesus their savior.  The temple of our hearts has sinful habits and thoughts that require driving out by Christ.  Our hearts also have idols that could take the place of God in our lives that Jesus must overturn for us to have intimacy with God by making Him supreme in our lives.  Since our hearts are in what we treasure (Matthew 6:21), it is vital for believers to allow Jesus to drive out or overturn the tables in our hearts representing anything we treasure more than Christ.  The pattern of the Lord’s Prayer supplies a blueprint for allowing Jesus to perform His transforming work of driving out and overturning by showing us the need to,

1)      Worshiping God so he has prominence in our thinking (Matthew 6:9) – Life is full of distractions, especially in the digital world of cell phones, social media, and the Internet.  While the Bible is one of the things available on these devices, these devices and the digital world have potential distractions.  These distractions can rob us of time thinking about and worshiping God representing a table Jesus must overturn.  To overturn this table, we must make time by disconnecting from the digital devices, making time to focus on Jesus in worship, meditating on what He has done for us. 

2)      Focus on the Glorious future we will enjoy with God (Matthew 6:10) – In addition to distracting us, the prevalence of digital media exposes us to instantaneous news feeds.  These news feeds are mostly negative, causing us to focus on what is wrong with the world and not the glorious future Jesus has in store for us.  Those that previously gave Jesus praise may have become distracted by seeing Jesus drive out those selling animals in the Temple, believing they were helping poor people have something to sacrifice at Passover (Leviticus 5:7).  This is because they were selling pigeons which were the animals the poor would sacrifice (Mark 11:15).  However, Jesus’ calling them robbers indicates they were probably profiting by gouging the poor through charging them an exorbitant price for the animals (Mark 11:17).  However, this may have led to some believing Jesus was a fraud and when urged to call for Jesus’ crucifixion for blasphemy, may have believed they should go along.  If they had instead focused on what Jesus said would occur in Jerusalem they may have understood the stage was being set for Jesus to be sacrificed as the Lamb of God by the chief priests and scribes (Mark 11:18).

3)      Trust God for provision, forgiveness, and deliverance (Matthew 6:11-13) – One of the aspects of living in a free society is the belief that one achieves success through their own efforts.  This attitude of rugged individualism is not inherently evil but becomes an idol in one’s life when it causes them to believe they can provide for their needs in life and do not need God.  Matthew 6:33 reminds us to first seek the kingdom of God, placing God first in our lives so God can supply all we need.  However, we must also forgive others as Christ forgives us (Matthew 6:12).  Placing God first also means trusting God for deliverance from evil and temptation (Matthew 6:13). 

When we receive Jesus as our savior, we receive justification, inherit eternal life, and escape the condemnation of God (John 3:16-17).  However, we still live in fleshly bodies in a corrupt world and have the need for transformation to free us from conformity to the world (Romans 12:2).  In other words, we need to invite Jesus into the temple of our hearts to drive out and overturn the tables of our conformity to the world.  This begins by inviting Jesus into the temple of your heart.  If you have not done so, I invite you to let Jesus in for he sits at the door of your heart knocking (Revelation 3:20) by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

I encourage those that just prayed to find a church or Bible study teaching the Bible.  You should also practice the spiritual disciplines of daily study and meditation of the Bible and daily prayer to ensure God has prominence in your heart.  Also, follow the pattern of the Lord’s prayer to maintain a focus on worshiping God, the glorious future of eternity with God, and learning to trust God for forgiveness (1 John 1:9), provision (Matthew 6:33), and deliverance (Matthew 6:13).  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

A Glorious Future with Jesus

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  John 14:1-2; 1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 13:12

1 John 3:2

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears^[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

(ESV)

Christians, have justification with God because of what Jesus did on the cross (Galatians 2:8; Romans 10:9-10).  This justification means they now have the identity of a child of God that has been adopted into the family of God (Ephesians 2:19; John 1:12; 1 John 3:1; 1 Peter 2:9-10).  For those that have received justification through accepting Jesus as their savior, a process of sanctification begins where a believer grows, develops steadfastness, endurance, character, and hope (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5).  However, without future glorification that includes eternity with Christ, what is the purpose of enduring the sanctification process that produces hope for hope must have something to hope in. 

The purpose of glorification in the process of salvation is giving a believer something glorious to look forward to while enduring the struggles and challenges in a cursed secular world.  Even though the challenges in this world contribute to our sanctification and becoming whole, without the hope of future glorification and eternity with Christ, what is the purpose of enduring the pain and struggle of sanctification.  The thing a believer must do while going through the sanctification process is live with a hopeful expectation of the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  However, as believers live with this hopeful expectation, they must,

1)      Not become obsessed with end-times eschatology (Matthew 24:36) – The study of eschatology or the end times can be intriguing, especially when the world around us seems to be crumbling and Christians anticipate the Lord’s return.  However, eschatology must not become an obsession in one’s life for no one, including Jesus Himself, knows the time of the Second Coming (Matthew 24:36).  Instead, the obsession of Christians should be in establishing intimacy with God in their life finding the strength and resolve to persist even though the world around seems to be crumbling (John 17:25-26).  While we wait for the physical return of Jesus, we can and must enjoy His presence in spirit for that is the strength that produces steadfastness, endurance, and character in the life of a believer. 

2)      Remember the mission of the Church (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20) – Proverbs 29:18 teaches that without a prophetic vision the people cast off restraint.  In the context of eschatology, we can interpret this verse in one of two ways.  First, since we do not know the hour of the Lord’s return, having a vision that the Lord could return at any time causes us to remain diligent in our obedience to God so as not to be lacking at His return.  Second, it explains why the Lord does not let His children know the date and time of the return of Christ, knowing people would throw off all restraint until just prior to the Lord’s return.  God’s desire for the church is that it lives with the hope of the return of Jesus and uses the fact Jesus could return at any moment to create a sense of urgency in spreading the Gospel and making disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). 

3)      Love one another as believers so the world wants what gives us hope (John 13:34-35) – Differing interpretations of what will occur in the Last Days can create divisions in the church.  These divisions revolve around theological opinions over what will happen when Jesus returns for His bride, the church.  The church must not allow differences over theological interpretations regarding when Jesus returns for the church to escalate into hatred for one another, causing the world to see no difference between the church and the secular world (John 13:34-35).  Instead of arguing over what will occur when Christ returns, the Church must unite and focus on bringing as many people as possible with them when the Lord returns. 

The fact is that Jesus is going to return for His bride, the Church.  However, believers must not be like the disciples who looked up into the sky as Jesus ascended and instead be diligent in fulfilling the mission of the Church (Acts 1:6-11).  Jesus did not ascend to the Father and send the Holy Spirit for the Church to argue and divide over interpretations of end times eschatology but instead empowerment to be witnesses pointing people to Christ so they too can share the glorious hope that comes with being a believer in Christ.  In alignment with this mission, I want to invite anyone reading this who has not already done so to ask Jesus to forgive their sins and share the glorious future of eternity with Christ. 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Congratulations and know that you now have justification with God because your sins, no matter how bad they were, have forgiveness from God.  As John 3:16 reminds us, this means you have a glorious future of eternity with God with John 3:17 reminding you that you no longer are under God’s condemnation but have experienced His forgiveness (Romans 10:9-10).  I now encourage you to share the good news with someone by sharing this blog post on social media or by email.  May God bless all reading this. 

Lessons from the Fig Tree

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Test:  Mark 11:12-14; 20-26

Mark 11:20-21

As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. ²¹ And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

(ESV)

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States.  Its history goes back to the time of the pilgrims who were the first Europeans to settle in the country giving thanks to God for His provision.  The tradition of a feast during this time is due to their desire to share the abundance of God’s provision with others.  As those reading this post who live in the United States prepare to celebrate the holiday, I encourage you to pause from the busyness of preparing for the holiday and give thanks to God for all He has done for you, especially for sending Jesus to die for our sins.  I also invite those reading this from outside the United States to join us in giving thanks to God.  I also encourage everyone to make it a habit to daily give thanks to God for all He does for us. 

The text for this post involves Jesus cursing a fig tree and the lessons we can learn from the withered fig tree.  The unusual aspect of Jesus’ cursing the fig tree is that he curses the fig tree for not providing figs at a time when the tree would not normally produce fruit.  The fig tree also teaches us the importance of having faith in God to move the mountains or obstacles that hinder our relationship with God.  The fig also teaches us the need to have forgiving hearts so our prayers to God have no roadblocks on their way to God.  Jesus uses the illustration of cursing a fig tree to show the power of prayer. 

The fig tree teaches us that,

1)      The Lord expects Christians to be fruitful even when out of season (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Timothy 4:2) – Jesus Curses the fig tree for not producing figs during the season when the fig tree would not produce figs (Mark 11:13).  At first, this might appear to be some form of fig tree abuse which today would mean some special interest group would have condemned what Jesus did on social media and possibly even taken some legal action against Him.  However, to truly learn this lesson from the fig tree, we must interpret it symbolically.  The symbol of fruit on the tree refers to one being fruitful as they serve God.  For Christians, these fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  While there is no law against one having these fruits in their lives, a corrupt world may have a corrupt definition of these fruits and make accusations against Christians demonstrating these characteristics in their lives.  However, even in a climate of the misunderstanding of a believer demonstrating these fruits, a believer must demonstrate them as a witness for Christ.  The lesson from the fig tree is that Christians must bear the fruits of the Spirit and preach the Word of God both in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2).

2)      The Lord expects Christians to have faith in God and not the abilities of self or others (Matthew 6:33) – Jesus’ initial response after Peter pointed out that the fig tree Jesus cursed had withered was to “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).  While Peter focused on the withered fig tree, Jesus attempts to change His focus to having faith in God.  While Jesus is God in the flesh (John 1:14), His curse of the fig tree occurred as a man having faith in God the Father to do what He asked.  In Mark 11:24, Jesus expands upon his telling the Disciples to have faith in God by using the illustration of telling a mountain to move with undoubting faith in God.  However, this is not an open invitation to ask God for whatever we desire to fulfill our happiness but occurs in the context of one seeking intimacy with God (Matthew 6:33).  Our faith in God must not be a faith that uses God to fulfill personal gain but instead faith in God as our savior desiring to fulfill His will in our lives, bearing fruit pleasing to God.  The fig tree withered because it did hot bear fruit pleasing to God.

3)      The Lord expects Christians to pray in faith without doubting what they pray for will happen (John 15:7; Matthew 18:19).  A prayer offered with doubt is like one begging for something without the expectation of receiving it.  Unfortunately, our prayers to God are often a form of begging from God with doubt and not something offered with faith that God hears us and wants to answer our prayers.  James 5:16 reminds us that the fervent prayers of a righteous person have great power.  The fig tree teaches us not to pray with doubt but to pray with faith and expectation God hears us and loves to answer our prayers. 

4)      The Lord expects Christians to forgive so nothing hinders our prayers (Matthew 5:23-24; 6:12-15).  While our prayers have power, there is a condition, confession of our sins to one another (James 5:16).  A heart of unforgiveness poisons our fruit making us unappealing to others.  It is also a form of hypocrisy as we are not forgiving others as the Lord has forgiven us.  The fig tree teaches us not to pray with hypocrisy due to unforgiveness in our hearts but to forgive others as per the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12-15). 

Granted the fig tree is not human and incapable of teaching about prayer but makes an excellent illustration of the importance of being fruitful, having faith in God, praying in faith without doubting, and forgiving others.  Jesus was not cruel when he cursed the fig tree for not having fruit out of season but instead used it as an illustration of the importance of having faith in God, praying without doubting, and having a heart of forgiveness like our Savior.  Through following these illustrations, one can lead a fruitful Christian life both in the good and bad seasons of life.