Making Jesus Personal

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 19:11-20

 

Acts 19:15

But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”

(ESV)

 

Would there be enough evidence based on how I live my life to convict me of being a follower of Jesus Christ?  While Romans 12:1 makes an appeal for us to present ourselves as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God, we all fall short of this standard and why we must continually sever any conformity to the world and allow God’s Word to renew our minds (Romans 12:2).  The motivation to experience this transformation comes from a life dedicated to achieving intimacy with God and His Word becoming one’s greatest source of peace and joy.  This intimacy with God is key to God performing miracles through the hands of Paul (Acts 19:11) and is something the sons of Sceva are about to learn. 

 

While the exact location of the events of Acts 19:11-20 is unclear, they may have occurred in or around Ephesus due to the events becoming known to the Jewish and Greek residents there (Acts 19:17).  The events begin with God doing extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul with people receiving healing and even the exorcism of evil spirits using handkerchiefs and aprons touched by Paul (Acts 19:11-12).  The sons of Sceva, a group of Jewish itinerant exorcists may have seen Paul casting out demons or others placing the handkerchiefs or aprons on people and invoking the name of Jesus and casting out demons.  As itinerant exorcists, they believe they too can cast out demons by invoking the name of Jesus (Acts 19:13-14).  Unfortunately, their use of Jesus’ name does not bring the desired results with the demon in the man they were attempting to exorcize overpowering them with them running away wounded and naked (Acts 19:15-16). 

 

Once the news of what happened to the sons of Sceva, the Jews and Greeks were full of fear with the name of Jesus extolled (Acts 19:17).  Many of these Jews and Greeks were believers who came confessing their sinful practices (Acts 19:18).  Acts 19:19 provides evidence that the sinful practices divulged by these believers were possibly the practice of magic arts, evidenced by their burning of books.  This repentance from the sinful practice of magic arts and the severing of any ties to these practices by burning their books led to the continued increase of the word of the Lord with it prevailing mightily (Acts 19:20).   

 

The seven sons of Sceva witnessed the extraordinary miracles performed by the hands of Paul through the laying on of handkerchiefs and aprons that healed disease and cast out demons (Acts 19:11-12).  As itinerant Jewish exorcists, they mistakenly believed they had discovered a magic name, the name of Jesus through which they could perform miracles.  Although not stated in the passage, these men most likely profited from their activities and saw an opportunity to make more money (Acts 19:13-14).  However, they would soon discover that the name of Jesus only has power when used by one having a personal relationship with Jesus like Paul (Acts 19:15-16).  Upon seeing what happened to the sons of Sceva, believers who still practiced the magic arts burned their valuable books (Acts 11:17-19).  This commitment of dedication to God by abandoning the practice of the magic arts, causing the word of the Lord to increase and prevail mightily (Acts 19:20). 

 

While Jesus has given the Church great authority and power through the use of the name of Jesus to cast out demons and heal the sick (Mark 16:17-18), this authority and power are reserved for those believing in Jesus’ name.  In Romans 12:2, Paul urges believers not to conform to the world but to experience transformation through the renewing of their minds.  Like the believers in Ephesus who burned their valuable books on the black arts, the church must rid itself of conformity to the world so revival can occur through the uninhibited preaching of the word of God (Acts 19:18-20).   

 

The evidence of one being a believer in Christ is not simply belief, but belief linked to a personal relationship with Christ out of love for what Jesus did for humanity on the cross and by resurrecting from the grave.  Paul had this level of intimacy with God and why his invoking the name of Jesus led to the performance of extraordinary miracles.  The sons of Sceva invoked the name of Jesus but did not have a personal relationship with God through accepting Jesus as their savior, and thus were unable to perform any miracles.  It is also possible they invoked the name for profit and not out of love for Christ.  The lesson learned here is that for one to experience the power of God in their life, one must make Jesus personal. 

 

If you are reading this and have never prayed to make Jesus your savior, I encourage you to do so now by praying for 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.

 

Like any relationship, a relationship with God grows as one gets to know God.  While this may seem impossible, we have the benefit of God’s creation showing his majesty (Romans 1:20), God taking on flesh in the person of Jesus to relate to us (John 1:14), and the Bible (John 1:1).  Believers in Christ grow in their relationship with God through the study of the Bible (God speaking to us), prayer (us speaking to God), and encouragement and direction provided through regular involvement in the local Church.  Do not be like the sons of Sceva who believed in a name without a relationship but be like Paul who had a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Broken Promises

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Jeremiah 11

 

Jeremiah 11:7-8

“For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice. ⁸ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.”

(ESV)

 

Hatred, violence, and uncertainty find reconciliation in the Gospel message of love (Romans 8:28-29), peace (Philippians 4:6-7), and assurance of eternity with Christ (John 3:14-15).  For this reconciliation to occur the Church must have a missional focus on sharing the Gospel message of love, peace, and assurance with boldness and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  For this to occur, God’s people must repent of their Laodicean self-centeredness of believing they are rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing (Revelation 3:17) and reach out to a chaotic world by lifting up Christ who will draw all men into him (John 12:30-33).  God’s people and His Church must repent of its broken promise to reach out to the world with the message of the Gospel and return to its missional focus. 

 

In Jeremiah 11, the Lord points out to Judah their broken covenant with him by reminding them of,

 

1)      The benefits of God’s covenant with Judah (Jeremiah 11:1-5) – The people of Israel which included Judah were promised peace and prosperity in their land provided if they lived obediently to the commands of the Lord and did not worship other gods (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).  In Jeremiah 11:1-5, The Lord is reminding Judah of what they could have had if they would have worshipped God instead of setting up altars to Baal.

2)      The consequences of disobedience (Jeremiah 11:6-17) – Instead of choosing to enjoy the benefits of obedience to God, Israel and Judah have decided to worship other gods and will suffer the consequences of this disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-69).  Jeremiah refers to Judah’s broken covenant with the Lord and provides details of a coming disaster, an attack on the cities of Judah and Jerusalem with the gods they have chosen to worship unable to help.  God is about to show Judah the futility and ineptness of the gods they have chosen to worship (Jeremiah 11:11-13). 

3)      Their unrepentant response (Jeremiah 11:18-23) – At hearing the word from the Lord delivered by Jeremiah, Judah has a chance to repent, but instead they choose to attack the messenger (Jeremiah 11:18-19).  This unrepentant response means Judah will incur the consequences of their disobedience with God protecting Jeremiah and punishing those threatening his life (Jeremiah 11:21-23). 

 

Broken promises have dire consequences in relationships and stand as a barrier to thriving relationships.  God chose the nation of Israel and delivered them from the iron furnace of slavery in Egypt, promising them that they would be His people and He would be their God (Jeremiah 11:4).  God showed His commitment to them by

1)      Providing manna from heaven to feed them as they wandered in the wilderness (Exodus 16).

2)      Providing water from a rock (Exodus 17).

3)      Preservation of their clothing (Deuteronomy 8:4).

4)      Provision of needs (Deuteronomy 28:1-6).

5)      Protection and the defeat of enemies (Deuteronomy 8:7-10).

Unfortunately, the nation of Israel had decided not to obey the Lord their God and now sits on the precipice of expulsion from the Promised Land and exile in a foreign land (Jeremiah 11:9-17).  Israel has broken its promise made to God at Mount Saini (Exodus 19:7-8).  While God was gracious to Israel and did not completely destroy them, but their broken promise has consequences which will include expulsion from the land and a time of exile. 

 

Even though the Church functions under a covenant of grace, it has a clear mission to spread the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  The early Church, although persecuted, turned its world upside down by spreading the message of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:6).  In contrast, many churches today more resemble the Church in Laodicea that said it was rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing not realizing they had become wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked, having lost sight of its mission (Revelation 3:14-22).  The year 2020 should have shown God’s people the need to return to the mission of the Church and begin spreading the Gospel to a world in Chaos and make disciples who will further spread the life-saving message of the Gospel to a world in need.  The Church can no longer say it is rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing (Revelation 3:17) and must return to dependence on God as it lifts up Jesus to a world in need (John 12:32). 

 

God’s promise of salvation for humanity is not an unconditional promise but conditional on one choosing to believe (John 3:16).  The good news is the work has been done by Jesus on the cross (Ephesians 2:8).  We show our belief by making a public profession of belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10).  If you have never made a public profession of faith in Jesus as your savior, I invite you 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.

 

I encourage those that just prayed to share their decision with someone, especially if there is a family member or friend that has been praying for you.  I also encourage you to find a local Church teaching the Bible.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

The Four E’s of Discipleship in Action

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 19:1-10

 

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

(ESV)

 

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave the Church a mission of making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The process of discipleship consists of four E’s, evangelism, equipping, encouraging, and empowering individuals to serve Christ.  The process of discipleship begins when one decides to make Jesus his or her Savior through a public profession of faith in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).  However, for one to fully become a disciple of Christ they must receive equipping, encouragement, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.  Acts 19:1-10 is a biblical illustration of this discipleship process in action and something the Church should model in its discipleship of others. 

 

After leaving Antioch, Paul comes to Ephesus, the place where Apollos had previously been teaching from his knowledge about the baptism of John (Acts 18:24-25).  Upon arriving in Ephesus, Paul encounters some disciples and asks them if they have received the Holy Spirit when they believed, to which they responded with not even knowing there is a Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-2).  Paul then asks them into what they had been baptized to which they replied, “the baptism of John (Acts 19:3).”  Paul then explains that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance and tells them they must believe in the one who came after John and the one John spoke of, Jesus (Acts 19:4; Mark 1:7).  The disciples in Ephesus respond to this new teaching by being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and after Paul lays his hands on them, the Holy Spirit comes upon them (Acts 19:6-7). 

 

Paul then did what he normally did when entering a city, he went into the synagogue and began reasoning with those in the synagogue for three months (Acts 19:8).  However, some in the synagogue remained stubborn in their unbelief began speaking evil of the Way or Paul’s belief Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 19:9).  This caused Paul to withdraw from Ephesus and take with him, the disciples he met in Ephesus to Tyrannus where they reasoned daily (Acts 19:9).  The reasoning in Tyrannus continued for two years and led to all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, hearing the Word of the Lord (Acts 19:10). 

 

In Acts 19:1, we see the apostle Paul returning to Ephesus as promised (Acts 18:21) after his time in Antioch, but instead of going to the Synagogue first as was his custom, he encountered some disciples.  Perhaps aware of the teaching Apollos provided during his time in Antioch, he asks these disciples if they have received the Holy Spirit when they believed.  Their response of being baptized into the baptism of John indicates these 12 men were disciples based upon the teachings of Apollos (Acts 18:24-25).  Paul then equips these disciples by providing more in-depth teaching about Jesus and has these men follow through with baptism into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:4-5).  Paul then lays hands on these men so they receive the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives (Acts 19:6) and then Paul provides encouragement for these twelve men by having them accompany him to Tyrannus where they are involved in spreading the word of the Lord throughout Asia (Acts 19:9-10).    

 

This passage illustrates the process of discipleship, which involves,

 

1)      Evangelization – Because of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, all humanity is separated from a relationship with God for all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23).  Fortunately, God has not left humanity in a hopeless situation and has provided a path to salvation and a restored relationship with God through repentance from sin and belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus providing salvation from sin (Romans 10:9-10).  Evangelization is the door through which everyone must pass to become a disciple of Christ, but discipleship requires equipping, empowering, and encouraging people to dedicate their lives to following and serving Christ.

2)      Equipping – Paul observed that the disciples in Ephesus were unequipped to serve as disciples of Christ for they were only equipped with the knowledge of the baptism of repentance taught by John the Baptist (Acts 19:4).  Paul then taught them about Jesus with them committing their lives to Jesus through baptism into the name of the Lord.  This public profession of faith provided freedom from sin, equipping them to fully serve God.  We too must follow through in baptism to be fully equipped disciples of Christ.

3)      Empowerment – Much debate in the Church exists on the need to speak in tongues as a sign of receiving the Holy Spirit.  While the disciples Paul laid his hands on in Ephesus did speak with tongues, the passage does not say this is a requirement to one receiving the Holy Spirit.  Instead of focusing on the sign, speaking in tongues, it is important to understand why Paul laid hands on these disciples, so they received empowerment by Holy Spirit.  Jesus commanded his disciples to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit before going out into ministry (Acts 1:4, 8).  Paul may have also remembered the recent issues he had in Corinth (Acts 18:1-17), not wanting these new disciples to encounter similar challenges without the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

4)      Encouragement – Paul then takes these new disciples with him to Tyrannus where they receive encouragement through being part of spreading the Gospel throughout Asia.  There is no greater encouragement than seeing God move and being part of it through service.  As disciples of Christ, it is crucial to find a way to serve using the gifts God has given us so we can receive encouragement at seeing God work. 

 

To effectively conduct its mission of making disciples, the Church must make disciples by evangelizing them, equipping them, empowering them, and encouraging them to fully serve the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus told those following him that in this world they would have trouble and also encouraged them by reminding them He overcame the world (John 16:33).  Jesus also told those following him that they must deny themselves and daily take up their cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23).  For revival to occur in our troubled world, the Church must develop more disciples who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as their savior, equipped with knowledge of God’s Word, who are empowered by the Holy Spirit, and who are encouraged knowing Jesus has overcome the world through His resurrection.  I encourage all reading this to dedicate themselves to becoming better disciples of Christ and to prayerfully ask the Lord what He wants them to do to make more disciples for Christ. 

Worshipping the Creator and not Created Things.

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Jeremiah 10

 

Jeremiah 10:11

Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”

(ESV)

 

God created people to worship Him, something enjoyed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  However, when Adam and Eve sinned, they lost their connection with God and the ability to worship face-to-face.  This situation was not acceptable to God and why he promised a Messiah that would restore God’s relationship with humanity and the worship of God (Genesis 3:15).  The Levitical law established worship of God through observance in Israel of feasts like Passover (Leviticus 23) but these did not permanently restore a relationship with God separated by sin.  The role of Israel in God’s plan to restore a relationship with God was to be the nation from which Messiah would come as well as being a people blessed by God through worship of God.  Israel has failed in its worship of God and instead decided to worship idols made by men.  Israel has traded worship of the creator for the worship of created things. 

 

Jeremiah 10 begins with a call to Israel to hear the word of the Lord (Jeremiah 10:1).  The word from the Lord is not to learn the ways of the nations they dispossessed from the land for their ways are vain (Jeremiah 10:2-3).  This vanity is their worship of idols made of wood, silver, and gold which are created by God and fashioned by men (Jeremiah 10:3-4).  Their idols or gods must be fastened with hammer and nails so they do not move and are useless like scarecrows that cannot speak, carried for they cannot walk, and incapable of doing good or evil (Jeremiah 10:5).  The Lord then contrasts these vain idols with Himself, for the name of the Lord is great in might and one the nations of the world should fear (Jeremiah 10:6-7).  The Lord calls out the stupidity and foolishness of those worshipping idols of wood, gold, and silver for they are worshipping a god made of materials created by God by the hands of men (Jeremiah 10:8-10). 

 

The second part of Jeremiah 10 is what the Lord instructed Jeremiah to say to Israel.  These words begin with a declaration of the Lord’s power, wisdom, and understanding that created the heavens (Jeremiah 10:12).  There is power in the Lord's voice with those worshipping idols made by men stupid and without knowledge (Jeremiah 10:13-14).  These idols are powerless for they are creations of a man using materials created by God and will perish (Jeremiah 10:15).  The Lord who is the portion of Jacob, and who formed all things is superior to any idol made by man.

 

The passage in Jeremiah 10 ends with Jeremiah telling the people to gather up their things because an army from the north is ready to come in and destroy the cities of Judah and drive the people into exile (Jeremiah 10:16-18, 22).  Even the prophet Jeremiah is not exempt from being affected by this invasion for his tent will be destroyed, has his cords broken, and he loses his children (Jeremiah 10:19-20).  Those shepherding Israel are stupid for they no longer inquire of the Lord. 

 

The passage ends with Jeremiah reminding Israel that the way of the Lord is not in humanity and that humanity cannot direct their steps (Jeremiah 10:23).  Jeremiah ends by asking the Lord to correct him with justice and not in anger and to pour out his wrath on those that do not call on His name (Jeremiah 10:24-25).  Israel’s sin is deciding to abandon worship of the creator God and replacing it with the worship of useless idols made by sinful men with materials created by God. 

 

The first Commandment tells God’s people to make God the only object of their worship.  However, the religious leaders or shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the Lord (Jeremiah 10:21).  This will have consequences that were foretold in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 and are about to occur with an invasion from the north that will devastate the cities of Judah and the scattering of the people of Judah (Jeremiah 10:21-22).  However, God would later promise His people that His plans for them are for their good and not their destruction (Jeremiah 29:11) meaning that this will end once they turn from the worship of their worthless idols and return to the worship of God. 

 

The Church can fall into the trap of idolatry as it relies on its abilities, talents, programs, and high levels of theological education and loses sight of reliance on God and the need to give Him glory.  While these things are not wrong, the Church, like Israel and Judah, is to make God the object of their worship with a calling to spread the life-saving message of the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  To remain effective in carrying out this mission, the church must ensure it uses its abilities, talents, programs, and theological education to further the spread of the Gospel and make disciples. 

 

Jesus said He was the way, truth, and life (John 14:6) and the only way to eternal life is believing in Him (John 3:16).  Jesus is also God (John 1:1) who created everything on the earth, including the wood, gold, and silver used in the idols worshipped by Israel.  God also gave those in the Church their abilities, talents, which produce the programs and the mental ability to acquire an understanding of theology.  It is idolatry for one to worship these abilities, talents, programs, and levels of education and instead use them to give glory to God and further the spreading of the Gospel and the making of disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  The Church must guard against worshipping gifts given to it by God and instead use these gifts for God’s glory.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Spirit and Truth: A Powerful Combination

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 18:24-28

 

John 4:23-24

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

(ESV)

 

Those in any position of leadership must confront the realization that they will not be around forever.  Part of confronting this reality is the development of future leaders who will continue after the leader is gone.  For the Apostle Paul, this future leader was Timothy for Paul wrote two letters to him providing encouragement and instructions on how to lead the Church once he was gone (1 Timothy; 2 Timothy).  Apollos who had fervency of spirit and boldness is following Paul’s practice of speaking out about Jesus in the synagogues but only knew the baptism of John a baptism of repentance (Acts 18:25-26; Mark 1:4), needing additional knowledge regarding Jesus as Messiah, something Pricilla and Aquila provided (Acts 18:26).  Once Apollos receives the full truth, combined with his fervent spirit, he can boldly refute his fellow Jews by showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. 

 

The passage of Acts 18:24-28 is a pause between Paul going to Antioch for rest and rejuvenation (Acts 18:18-23) and Paul going to Ephesus (Acts 19:1-10).  On his way to Antioch, the Apostle Paul had stopped in Ephesus and visited the synagogues to reason with the Jews (Acts 18:19).  However, when asked to stay longer, Paul declined and left for Antioch (Acts 18:20), leaving Pricilla and Aquila behind (Acts 18:20).  Perhaps in an attempt to fill the vacancy left by the leaving of Paul, Apollos goes into the synagogues to boldly speak of things concerning Jesus (Acts 18:26).  However, Apollos only knew the baptism of repentance from John and needed more knowledge of Jesus (Acts 18:25-26; Mark 1:4). 

 

After hearing Apollos speaking in the synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila take Apollos aside and provide the knowledge of Jesus he lacks (Acts 18:26).  After receiving this knowledge, Apollos wishes to cross to Achaia and receives encouragement with the disciples in Ephesus with them even writing letters to the disciples in Achaia, encouraging them to welcome Apollos (Acts 18:27).  Upon arrival at Achaia, Apollos helps the believers there, by powerfully refuting the Jews in public, going beyond the baptism of repentance from John the Baptist to now showing through Scripture that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 18:28). 

 

Apollos is a Jewish man with a fervency of Spirit and though He spoke accurately about the things of the Lord, he only had knowledge limited to the baptism of John.  The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance (Mark 1:4) which is the first step to one coming to Christ for we have all sinned (Romans 3:23) and must decide to turn from our sin or face death (Romans 6:23).  What Apollos lacked was accurate knowledge that Jesus was Christ who died, was buried, and arose from the dead demonstrating victory over sin (Romans 10:9-10).  After learning and accepting the accurate knowledge of who Jesus was, he becomes bold and powerful in his speaking out and able to refute the Jews in Achaia in public.   

 

The Church has a mission of sharing the truth of the Gospel and a calling to make disciples and baptize them in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  To effectively accomplish this, the Church must achieve a balance of worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23-24).  Worship too heavy on spirit can become worship designed to stir emotions, making people feel good but lacking spiritual truth.  Biblical truth that is theologically and even academically accurate lacks the power to transform lives when it lacks Spirit.  An example is teaching about sin from the pulpit, something some Churches do not do because it does not stir emotions that make people feel good.  However, teaching about sin without also lifting up Jesus and how he went to the cross to forgive people of their sin, is powerless for it lacks the convicting power of the Holy Spirit leading people to believe in Jesus and receive eternal life (John 3:16).  Apollos had fervency of spirit and even a measure of truth about the baptism of John but once he received additional truth about Jesus, became bold and powerful, able to refute his fellow Jews in public.  For revival to occur in the world, the Church must achieve a balance of worship in Spirit and Truth like Apollos received for this is a powerful combination. 

 

The truth of the Gospel message Jesus calls the Church to spread in Mark 16:15 is that due to Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden, all humanity has sinned and lives under a death penalty (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  However, God did not leave humanity without hope and even in the Garden of Eden, promised a future Messiah (Genesis 3:15) who we now know is Jesus who died in place of humanity for their sins (Romans 5:8).  All any person must do is make a public profession of belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that provides salvation (Romans 10:9-10) and receive the gift of eternal life (John 3:16).  If you have never made this public profession of faith, I encourage you to do so 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.

 

For those that just prayed, I encourage you to begin the study of the Bible so you can gain knowledge of the truth by asking the Spirit of God to help you understand what you are reading.  I also encourage you to find a Church teaching the Bible so you can gain more accurate knowledge of the truth and have a place to worship God in spirit and truth.  I also encourage those that prayed to be baptized as a public profession of your new faith in Jesus as your Savior.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Boasting in the Lord

 By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Jeremiah 8:18-9:26

 

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, ²⁴ but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

(ESV)

 

The Bible is God’s word and a source of Godly wisdom, but our study of the Bible can become a ritual in our life as we form the habit of daily reading of Scripture.  While it is important to form the habit or spiritual discipline of bible study, this discipline must involve a process of observation, interpretation, and application to bring about life transformation in one’s life.  Sadly, for Judah, worship of the Lord had become a ritual with their hearts going after the Baals (Jeremiah 9:14).  This has caused Jeremiah to grieve as he knows the consequences of this continued rebellion against God.  Let us apply this process of observation, interpretation, and application to Jeremiah 8:18-9:26 and experience heart transformation and godly application to our lives.

 

1)      Observation – Jeremiah is commonly called the weeping prophet.  In this passage, he makes the case for why he weeps as he grieves the sins of God’s people and the coming consequences.  Jeremiah 8:18-9:16 is Jeremiah speaking his heart and how he grieves what is happening in Israel and Judah, presenting the reason for his weeping.  Even Jesus looked over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, knowing they would reject Him and call for His crucifixion (Luke 19:41-44).  Jeremiah then shares a word from the Lord instructing them to call upon the mourning women (Jeremiah 9:17-22).  These women were professional mourners present in this culture and hired by those experiencing grief to help them with their mourning.  Jesus confronted these mourners when he entered the house of a ruler whose daughter had died, asking them to leave for he understood their mourning was not genuine (Matthew 9:18-26).  Our observations conclude with a Word from the Lord reminding the people not to boast in selfish wisdom, might, or riches but to boast in knowing the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24).  The Lord then ends the passage by saying the days were coming that He will punish those circumcised in the flesh who have uncircumcised hearts (Jeremiah 9:25-26)

2)      Interpretation – The Holy Spirit is referred to in Scripture as the counselor who reveals the truth to us (John 14:26).  The good news for all who have accepted Jesus as their savior is that this counselor is available to all who have received Jesus as their Savior.  It is also beneficial for each of us to have a spiritually mature mentor in our lives that we can run by any interpretation of Scripture to ensure the interpretation aligns with biblical doctrine.  After reading and studying this passage I have arrived at the following interpretations. 

a.       Judah no longer boasts of being God’s chosen people to whom God gave the Law that they promised to keep.  Instead of keeping the law and making God the object of their devotion and worship, Israel and Judah have gone after other gods (Exodus 20:1-6; Jeremiah 9:13-14). 

b.       The Lord tells them to hire professional mourners for He sees no genuine mourning or heartfelt repentance in His people (Jeremiah 9:17-18). 

c.       Circumcision has become a ritual in Israel and Judah with the people losing the symbolism of the ritual as being the removal of one’s fleshly heart of sin to dedication to the Lord (Jeremiah 9:25-26). 

3)      Application - Obedience to God must become more than checking off the box or something we ritually do like attending Church, reading the Bible just to get it done, or praying as a ritual.  Serving the Lord must be a heartfelt way of life as we lose conformity to the world and it's way of life and experience heart transformation through the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2).  The church must not seek to attract people through conformity to the world but instead lift up Christ and let Him draw people in (John 12:32) through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ that transforms one’s life (Romans 10:9-10). 

 

If you are reading this and have never prayed to accept Jesus as your personal savior, I encourage you to do so now 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 everyone reading this to take some alone time with the Lord this week to assess their application of the Word of God in their daily lives.  A world in chaos needs to see the benefits of a life lived in obedience to God and His Word and can only see that as we live lives of obedience.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Taking Time to Rest and Rejuvenate.

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 18:18-23

 

Acts 18:22-23.

When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. ²³ After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

(ESV)

 

Technology like the internet has advantages as it allows one to work or go to school online, eliminating the need to travel from one location to another.  This represents a more efficient use of time but also requires discipline as one learns to work or go to class at home with its distractions.  Parents of young children attending school online can attest to the need for this discipline and the challenge of helping their young children find it.  On the other extreme, working or going to school online can cause one to focus 24-7 on their work and school and not take a break from their work for rest, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.  It is crucial to find a balance between work, education, family, and health in the information age by taking time away from work for rest and rejuvenation. 

 

The Apostle Paul has just experienced persecution in Corinth where he found himself before a tribunal with accusations of “persuading people to worship God contrary to the law (Acts 18:12-13).”  This is a serious accusation that could carry a death sentence and Paul’s execution by to Romans.  Thankfully, for Paul, the proconsul finds no validity in the charges and dismisses Paul from the tribunal (Acts 18:14-16). 

 

After spending many more days with the brothers in Corinth, Paul leaves them and takes Pricilla and Aquila with him as he sets sail for Syria (Acts 18:18).  After arriving in Ephesus, Paul leaves Pricilla and Aquila there and goes into the synagogue to reason with the Jews but leaves after spending only a short time there (Acts 18:19-20).  This is because the Apostle Paul is seeking time for rest and rejuvenation to avoid burning out from ministry.  From this text, we can learn two lessons when it comes to taking time for rest and rejuvenation. 

 

1)      Just do it – The Jews in Ephesus asked Paul to remain with them longer, but Paul declined and instead left for Antioch.  As a man of action when it came to ministry, Paul was most likely tempted to stay with his fellow Jews in Ephesus for ministering to the Jews in the synagogues was a common practice of Paul (Acts 17:2).  However, Paul also knew that even the Lord had to take time off from ministry to commune with His Father (Luke 6:12; 9:18, 28; Mark 6:46).  If Jesus, God in the flesh, took time off to rest and rejuvenate, Paul knew he had too as well.

2)      Have a special place – Antioch was the place from which Paul and Barnabas were sent into ministry and probably had a special meaning for Paul (Acts 13:1).  Paul also knew the disciples in Antioch were eager to hear what God was doing (Acts 14:24-28) and encouraged Paul.  For Jesus, it was not a specific location but any place where he could escape the crowds for quiet time with God the Father in prayer. 

 

The Apostle Paul experienced enormous success during his ministry but also much persecution, especially from his fellow Jews.  The climax of this persecution from his fellow Jews had just occurred in Corinth where the Jews attempted to have Paul executed for inciting people to violate Roman law (Acts 18:12-13).  Paul escapes execution as the proconsul determines Paul has not violated Roman law but is only guilty of questions and names surrounding Jewish law (Acts 18:14-16).  Paul then escapes to Antioch for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation, preparing him for what lies ahead. 

 

In whatever calling God has for his people, they must guard against becoming weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9).  The text of Acts 18:18-23 shows us how Paul would return to Antioch, the place his ministry began, for rest and rejuvenation.  Like Paul and Jesus, we all must have a place we go to for rest and rejuvenation and go there as the Lord leads.  If the years 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it is that life is full of uncertainty.  God’s people, including those in ministry, must take regular time away from the tasks of ministry to find rest and rejuvenation by communing with God and people that encourage us in ministry.  We must also have a special place and special people we can go to for quiet communion with God and encouragement.  Like a cellphone that we must plug into a charger regularly to keep it from going dead, we must regularly plug into the charger of Prayer to God, studying God’s Word, and receiving encouragement from other brothers and sisters in the Lord.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

A New Beginning

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Luke 23:39-43

 

John 11:25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

(ESV)

 

The events of Good Friday have left those believing in Jesus as Messiah with grief and fear.  Grief over the loss of the one they believed was Messiah and fear their belief in Him as Messiah would mean they were next.  For the Jewish religious leaders, the emotions are joy at ending a threat to their religious monopoly turned to fear Jesus’ followers will steal the body of Jesus and claim his resurrection.  For the Roman officials, it is satisfaction at stopping a potential riot turned to fear the stealing of Jesus’ body would cause another riot.  However, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead will end the grief and fear of Jesus’ followers, bring to fruition the fears of the religious leaders along with doubt they may have called for the crucifixion of their Messiah.  For the Romans, the ministry of Jesus will continue with Him for a time and later with his followers who would turn their world upside down (Acts 17:6). 

 

The resurrection of Jesus, establishing Himself as Messiah and the Lamb of God who died for the sins of humanity, leaves every person with the choice of believing Jesus is Messiah and the Lamb of God who died for our sins, giving us eternal life (John 3:16), or rejecting Jesus and self-condemning themselves to death in their sins (John 3:18; Romans 6:23).  The reaction of the two thieves crucified with Jesus provides an example of one person choosing wisely and another making an unwise choice. 

 

Both men had committed crimes worthy of death according to Roman law.  Unlike us who must accept Jesus by faith, they have Jesus the Messiah and Lamb of God right next to them, offering Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.  However, like us they both must decide to believe Jesus is the Messiah or reject him and with their death imminent, must decide quickly. 

 

The first thief chooses to go along with the crowd who see Jesus, the one claiming to be God dying on a cross, and joins in their mocking of Jesus (Luke 23:39).   This man is making an unwise decision for with his death imminent, he will soon suffer eternal self-condemnation (John 3:18) and eternal separation from God.  Belief in Jesus remains unpopular with believers suffering rejection from family and friends for deciding to believe in Jesus as Messiah.  For others, deciding to believe in Jesus as Messiah carries a death penalty with Christianity banned by their government.  However, for one suffering execution on a cross, rejection of Christ and going along with the crowd so they do not suffer rejection is an extremely unwise choice. 

 

The second thief has a greater grasp of the gravity of the situation and sees something special in Jesus.  This passage tells us this man knew Jesus was innocent of the charges against him and did not justly deserve to be there (Luke 23:40-41).  While scripture does not tell us how this man came to understand the charges against Jesus were false and may have been present when Pilate offered to release a prisoner to the Jews at Passover and understood the charges against Jesus were false.  If this were the case, he may have also seen how Jesus did not offer to defend himself, indicating there was something different about Jesus.  He may have also been present at the raising of Lazarus from the dead meaning he knew Jesus has mastery over death.  Whatever the reason, this man chose wisely and asks Jesus for forgiveness and receives it, joining Jesus in paradise (Luke 23:42-43). 

 

The two thieves faced imminent death and had the source of their salvation between them.  One joins the crowd rejecting Jesus while the other seeks, and receives, forgiveness.  We may not be physically at Mount Calvary dying with Jesus, but we are there spiritually for we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and under a death sentence for our sin (Romans 6:23).  Therefore, we must like the thieves choose whether we will remain in our sin and reject Christ dying for our sins or accept Jesus’ gracious gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8).  The evidence of the resurrection three days later provides proof the wise decision is acceptance for it means Jesus conquered death, giving those choosing to believe in Him eternal life (John 3:16). 

 

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, the day set aside each year for Christians to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and a chance to experience newness of life.  I want to take a moment to invite those reading this who have not made a profession of faith in Jesus as his or her savior to do so now by praying with me.  This is everyone’s opportunity to make the wise decision of believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  According to Romans 10:9-10, one does this by making a public profession of this belief.  I invite you 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 wise choice during this time of the celebration of Easter.  I encourage you to make this public by attending Easter services at your local Church, letting the pastor know of your decision.  You can also make this public by sharing your decision with your friends, especially those who have been praying for you, and sharing this post with others.  May God bless everyone reading this post and take time to thank God for sending us His Son and celebrate the victory of Jesus’ resurrection.