Joy of Salvation and the Suffering Messiah

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 21-22

 

Isaiah 53:5

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

(NKJV)

 

It can be difficult to find joy in our world with headlines filled with hatred and even horrific news. Recently, there was a stabbing at a high school close to where I live, a high school that I attended for a couple of years. The thought of a young person committing such a heinous crime brings no joy and serves to challenge the Church to have a sense of urgency in proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ. In Psalm 21-22, David praises God for His salvation and then gives us a prophetic picture of the price paid for that salvation.

 

David found joy and strength in the Lord and rejoiced because the Lord gave him his heart’s desires and withheld no request (Psalm 21:1-2). David found his foundational stability in the Lord and, through God’s mercy, refused to be moved (Psalm 21:3-7). David knew the hand of the Lord would find His enemies and those hating the Lord (Psalm 21:8). The Lord will make His enemies like a fiery oven and swallow them up in the fire of His wrath (Psalm 21:9). Even their offspring will be destroyed because they plotted evil that they were unable to perform (Psalm 21:10-11). David knows the Lord will destroy His enemies and exalts the strength of the Lord, singing His praises (Psalm 21:12-13).

 

In Psalm 22, David provides a prophetic picture of the price the Lord paid for our salvation. The psalm begins with the same words uttered by Jesus from the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” The psalm continues with the psalmist asking why God is so far from him and from the words of his groaning (Psalm 22:1). The psalmist cries out day and night but the Lord does not hear (Psalm 22:2). However, the psalmist still knows the Lord is holy and has not lost his trust in the Lord, remembering the trust of the fathers of Israel (Psalm 22:3-5).

 

The psalmist is broken and sees himself as a worm and a reproach of men who ridicule him and his trust in God (Psalm 22:6-8). The psalmist reminds God that it was Him who took him from the womb with God his God since birth, asking God not to be far from him now (Psalm 22:9-11). He then shares his wretched state with God, a condition not unlike that suffered by Jesus on the cross (Psalm 22:12-18). He then asks the Lord to be near to him and to be his strength to deliver and save him, acknowledging that the Lord has answered him (Psalm 22:19-21). Because the Lord has answered him, he will declare the Lord’s name to his brethren and praise the Lord in the middle of the assembly (Psalm 22:22).

 

The psalmist calls on those fearing the Lord to praise Him, for the descendants of Jacob, Israel, to glorify the Lord, and for all Israel to fear the Lord, for the Lord has heard the cries of the afflicted (Psalm 22:23-24). The psalmist’s praise shall be to the Lord in the great assembly, with him paying his vows before those who fear the Lord. He knows the poor shall eat and be satisfied with those who seek the Lord will praise Him (Psalm 22:25-26). All of the world shall turn to the Lord and praise Him (Psalm 22:27-29). What the Lord has done will be passed on to the next generation so they will know what the Lord has done (Psalm 22:30-31).

 

There is joy in the salvation of the Lord, with us exalted in the strength of the Lord. David could find joy in the salvation of the Lord as he saw the Lord deliver him from the many enemies that were against him. This is the theme of Psalm 21, with Psalm 22 providing a picture of the suffering Messiah on the cross. Jesus said the first part of the psalm when on the cross (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Since people in the time of Christ did not have access to the written word of God like we do today, they would memorize entire portions of scripture, including this one. When they heard Jesus say these words, they would have been able to recite the rest of the Psalm and could have realized that the events foretold in this passage were unfolding right before their eyes. We can also interpret this passage as David not talking about himself since the pronouns are capitalized, an indication in scripture that the person referred to is God. The passage does not end in sadness but says that what the Lord has done will be told to the next generation, which includes each of us (Psalm 22:30-31).

 

Jesus died on the cross for the sins of anyone choosing to make Him their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). Jesus suffered a gruesome death on a cross that is recorded in Matthew 27:32-56. This account mirrors the imagery provided in Psalm 22, and why many believe this psalm is a prophecy of the Messiah suffering for the sins of humanity. The mission of the Church is quite simple: to take the message of God coming to us in the person of Jesus and dying for our sins, with eternal life possible for those who believe (John 3:16; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). Unfortunately, many churches today have strayed from their God given mission, with us having three types of churches today,

 

• The trembling Church that is afraid to talk about the need for the Savior to forgive their sins, afraid of offending someone by mentioning they are sinners (Romans 3:23)
• The traitor Church that has turned into a social club or a political organization standing for social justice, usually supporting a woke culture.
• Truth Churches or Churches remaining true to teaching the Word of God and carrying on the mission of the Church given to it by Jesus.

 

We need more truth Churches today who are not afraid to preach the truth of God’s word and remain true to its teachings and the mission of the Church. If you are reading this and have never prayed to make Jesus your personal savior or have drifted away from the Lord, 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.

 

May God convict, challenge, and encourage everyone reading this post. 

Love and Joy Perfected in the True Vine

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 15:1-17

 

John 15:1-2

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He ^[a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

(NKJV)

 

Jesus uses the image of a grapevine with His disciples as an illustration of how they are to live once he goes to His Father. This is an illustration they would have been familiar with, seeing vineyards all around them. The fruit of the grapevine is on the branches, with the branches receiving their nourishment from the vine. If the vine is a good vine providing nourishment, the branches will bear much fruit, but if the vine is not good and provides little nourishment, the branches will not bear much fruit. Jesus wants His Church to remain connected to the nourishing words of the truth from the word of God so the Church can be fruitful.

 

Jesus begins this teaching by saying He is the true vine with His Father the vinedresser (John 15:1). The vine dresser takes away any branch that does not bear fruit and prunes those that bear fruit, so they can bear more fruit (John 15:2). Jesus declares the disciples with whom he speaks as clean because Jesus has spoken to them with instructions to abide in Him so they can bear fruit (John 15:3-4).

 

Jesus is the true vine with us the branches, with those abiding in Jesus the ones that bear fruit with those not abiding in Christ unfruitful because they are apart from the true vine, Jesus Christ, and can do nothing (John 15:5). God the Father, the vinedresser will cast out the branches not abiding in Christ since they are unfruitful (John 15:6). Those abiding in Christ, having His words abiding in them will ask whatever they desire, and it shall be done for them with the Father glorified because they bear fruit and are Jesus’ disciples (John 15:7-8).

 

Jesus loves his disciples just as the Father loves them so we must abide in the Love of Jesus (John 15:9). To abide in the love of Christ we must keep His commandments just like Jesus keeps the commandments of His Father (John 15:10). The reason for Jesus saying these things is so His joy may remain in us and be full (John 15:11). Jesus’ commandment to his disciples is that they love one another just like He has loved us, demonstrating the greatest love one can express, the giving of His life for us (John 15:12-13). Those that keep Jesus’ commandments are His friends (John 15:14). Jesus’ disciples are not servants unaware of what the master is doing, but friends to whom He has revealed what the Father has made known to Him (John 15:15). We did not choose Jesus, but He chose and appointed us so we can bear fruit that remains with whatever we ask of the Father in Jesus’ name given to us (John 15:16). Jesus concludes with another reminder to love one another (John 15:17).

 

The disciples have spent three and a half years with Jesus, who is about to be crucified. He is then going to ascend to the Father and wants His disciples to continue in His words and to love one another. Jesus probably recalls the time when the disciples bickered among themselves over which of them would be the greatest (Mark 9:33-37). In response to this dispute, Jesus teaches them that the greatest is the one who is the servant of all. However, Jesus does not call His disciples servants but friends, friends he loves so much he would lay down His life for them (John 15:13-15). Christ commands that His disciples love each other with the same love He shows to us, His friends.

 

Jesus' words to His disciples apply to the Church today, but the Church is failing miserably in obedience to Jesus’ command to love one another. Throughout church history, there have been divisions or schisms, often over nonessential doctrines, leading to many different denominations that compete instead of having love for one another. This projects an image of competitiveness and even hatred for the world, which does not differ from what they see in the world. Why would one want to come to Christ and be part of a church that is competitive and filled with hate when they can just remain in the competitive and hate-filled world they are in?

 

Jesus taught that the world would know we are followers of Christ by our love for one another (John 13:35). There is no need for churches of differing denominations to compete over people or contributions because Jesus said if the Church lifts Him up, He will draw all men to him (John 12:32). The Church must lift up Christ who loved us so much, He died for us and stop being in competition with each other over nonessential matters.

 

I now want to invite anyone reading this who has not prayed to accept Jesus as his or her savior to pray with me now. I understand this may involve putting past hurts from those in the Church who are competitive or even hateful because Jesus does not condone such behavior and loves you so much, he died for you.

 

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.

 

May God convict, challenge, and encourage everyone reading this post. 

Perfect Revelation and Assurance of God’s Saving Work

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 19-20

 

Psalm 20:7

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

(NKJV)

 

We live in a self-centered world of chaos. In the political world, everyone has the answer, but the more they implement their programs, the worse things seem to get. If any character in the Bible had chaos in his life, it would be David, who started with battling Goliath and then King Saul, who wanted him dead. Not to mention the Philistines and other enemies of David. Yet, as we will see in Psalm 19-20, he found peace experiencing God’s perfect revelation and salvation.

 

The perfect revelation of God is seen in the heavens, which declare the glory of God and show His handiwork (Psalm 19:1). The heavens speak day by day of the glory of God, revealing knowledge night after night, in all languages so that all can understand (Psalm 19:2-3). This heavenly declaration of the glory of God has gone out through all the earth to the end of the world (Psalm 19:4). The sun rises like a bridegroom coming from his chamber or a strong man running a race with nothing hidden from its heat (Psalm 19:5-6).

 

The Law, testimony, statutes, commandments, fear of the Lord, and judgments of the Lord are part of His perfect revelation (Psalm 19:7-9). These things are to be desired more than fine gold and are sweeter than honey from the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). They serve as warnings to God’s servants with keeping them resulting in a great reward (Psalm 19:11). David continues by repenting of his errors he does not understand or those done in secret (Psalm 19:12). David prays that presumptuous sins would not have dominion over him so he can be blameless with his heart’s desire to be acceptable in God’s sight for his Lord and Redeemer (Psalm 19:13-14).

 

David also has assurance of God’s saving work (Psalm 20). The psalm begins with David asking the Lord to answer him in his day of trouble, to defend him, and send help from the sanctuary and strength out of Zion (Psalm 20:1-2). He also asks for the Lord to remember our offerings and burnt sacrifices (Psalm 20:3). He continues by asking that the Lord grant our hearts desires and fulfill all our purposes (Psalm 20:4). We will rejoice in the Lord’s salvation and in the name of our God set up our banners, asking that the Lord fulfill all our petitions (Psalm 20:5).

 

Now David knows the Lord saves His anointed, answering him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand (Psalm 20:6). While some kings trust in chariots and horses, David remembers the name of the Lord (Psalm 20:7). Those trusting in the strength of their chariots and horses are bowed down and fallen with those trusting in the Lord risen and standing upright (Psalm 20:8). David concludes by saying “save Lord” and asking for the King to answer when we call (Psalm 20:9).

 

God’s miraculous revelation and redemption of David from his enemies are the inspiration for many of the Psalms. These Psalms are a raw emotional offering of praise for God’s deliverance in times of trouble and are there to help and encourage us today. Not only did David find deliverance from the Lord for his physical enemies, but he also knew the need to repent and return to God when guilty of sin (Psalm 51; 2 Samuel 12:1-15). It is this eagerness to turn to God in both physical and spiritual danger that caused David to be referred to as a man after God’s own heart and not his perfection (Acts 13:22). May all of us have a heart like David’s and turn to God for salvation.

 

In a world of chaos that does not make sense, it is good to have assurance in God, who is perfect and there to save us. Jesus warned us that we will have trouble in this world and also reminds us He overcame the world by his conquest of death and resurrection from the grave (John 16:33). Unfortunately, many in our world today are like the people Paul referred to in Romans 1:18-32, placing their faith in created things and not the creator. This has led to men having a debased mind not based in the truth of God’s Word, leading to vile sins.

 

In our world today, this has led to the acceptance of a woke culture, even in the Church. This culture condones abortion on demand for convenience, homosexuality and gay marriage, the belief that God can make a mistake in the gender one is born with, and critical race theory, pitting one race against another. I pray for revival to come to the hearts of believers as they repent and return to the truth of God’s Word and experience a renewal of the Holy Spirit in their lives. When this revival occurs in our hearts, it will become contagious as the light of God shines forth from our lives.

 

If you are reading this and have never prayed to make Jesus your personal savior or have drifted away from the Lord, 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.

 

May God convict, challenge, and encourage everyone reading this post.