The Fruits of the Spirit, Nourished by the Vine

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Galatians 5:22-23; John 15:1-17

John 15:1-1-2

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

(ESV)

We live in a post-Genesis 3 world and why we see so much evil and tragedy in the world.  When many in the world hear the Gospel, their objection is often why they would want to follow a God that allows such evil in the world.  Genesis 3 records the account of the fall of humanity and humanity’s separation from God that resulted in a curse coming upon the world.  Therefore, the cause and source of evil and tragedy in the world are not God but a result of humanity’s fall.  While God could have eliminated the curse by destroying the world including humanity in the garden, he instead promised a savior to lift the curse (Genesis 3:15).  We have the benefit of hindsight and know that the promised savior is Jesus Christ who came, died on the cross, and resurrected from the dead to remove the curse of sin from all who accept Him as their savior.  However, the curse on the world remains and will not go away until the return of Christ (Revelation 21:1-4). 

In the interim between the first coming of Christ to remove the curse of sin and the second coming to bring a new heaven and earth with God dwelling on earth with humanity, the church has a calling to spread the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  During this interim period, God’s people live as ambassadors in a foreign land (2 Corinthians 5:20).  An ambassador’s purpose when serving in a foreign land is to promote the benefits of the culture of their native land to those in the foreign land in which they serve.  To accomplish this, the Bible encourages Christians to demonstrate the Fruits of the Spirit in how they live (Galatians 5:22-23). 

However, the lure of the flesh can cause believers to go back to living according to the way they once lived as natural-born citizens of the world.  Romans 12:2 reminds Christians of the need to lose conformity to the world in which they once lived and to instead experience transformation in their thinking to thinking and meditating on the things of God.  Christians experience this transformation as they connect regularly with the vine, Jesus Christ, and allow the vinedresser to prune the unfruitful branches of conformity with the world so the branches connected to the vine are more fruitful.  Connection with the vine involves becoming a disciple through, evangelization, equipping, encouragement, and empowerment. 

1)      Evangelization – This is the beginning of the process of discipleship.  Jesus told Nicodemus that unless one is born again, they will not see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3).  Nicodemus mistakenly interpreted this to mean one experiencing physical birth once again (John 3:4) but Jesus is referring to spiritual birth (John 3:5).  Since all have sinned, all reading this need to experience this spiritual birth by confessing Jesus as their Lord through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 10:9-10).  Those experiencing this new birth gain citizenship in the Kingdom of God.  However, we still live in the world in which we were once citizens and retain characteristics of our citizenship in the secular world, something the Apostle Paul alluded to in His life (Romans 7:15).  After evangelization, it crucial for Christians to experience ongoing equipping to serve effectively as ambassadors for Christ. 

2)   Equipping – This is the ongoing process of discipleship as one evangelized experiences transformation from conformity to the world and conformity to God’s way of thinking.  This is the process of transformation alluded to in Romans 12:2.  This is the process of connecting to the vine of Jesus who is the Word of God that became flesh and came to be with us (John 1:14).  However, this equipping process can be painful as it not only requires a connection to the vine to produce the fruits of the Spirit but the pruning by the vinedresser of unfruitful branches that rob the fruitful branches of nourishment (John 15:2).  Equipping Christians occurs through the practice of the spiritual disciplines of study and meditation on the Word of God and regular prayer or communication with God.  It is also vital for Christians to have a regular association with other believers through attendance at church or a Bible study teaching the Bible. 

3)      Encouragement – Jesus told his followers that in this world we would have trouble but that he overcame the world (John 16:33).  This statement from Jesus was actually prophetic for at the time he said this, he had not overcome death by resurrecting from the dead for Jesus first had to experience the tribulation of the cross and death to overcome death.  However, our hindsight once again lets us know that Jesus did overcome death on the cross with the encouragement that the same power of the Holy Spirit that resurrected Christ from the dead lives in us giving life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11). 

4)         Empowerment – This is an often-overlooked aspect of serving Christ, but one Jesus stressed in Acts 1:4.  God’s people find themselves in a battle, a battle requiring different weapons (Ephesians 6:10-20).  Ephesians 6:18-20 concludes Paul’s teaching on the armor of God with the need to pray for all the saints and form Paul to the Ephesians for boldness in declaring the Gospel while imprisoned as an ambassador in chains.  Peter is an example of how one afraid to admit to being a follower of Jesus when it could have meant joining Jesus on the cross (Matthew 26:69-75), to one boldly declaring the Gospel to an audience people that had possibly called for Jesus’ crucifixion 50 days before (Acts 2:14-41).  Disciples for Christ need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to skillfully use the weapons of the armor of God and be effective in spiritual warfare (Acts 1:8). 

A disciple of Christ is one that has accepted Jesus as his or her savior and followed through on their acceptance of Jesus by dedication to study and obey the Bible, finding regular encouragement through association with other believers in church, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit to declare the Gospel in how they live and what they say.  If you are reading this and have not taken the first step in discipleship by accepting Jesus as your savior, I invite 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.

For those that just prayed, I encourage you to follow through in discipleship by equipping yourself through studying of the Bible, finding encouragement through regular association with other Christians at a local church, and asking God for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for boldness to live for Christ in a post-Genesis 3 world.  Following through in discipleship makes a Christian a fruitful believer, something a post-Genesis 3 world needs more of.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Out with the Old and in with the New

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text: Mark 13:14-27

Mark 13:26-27

 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

(ESV)

I enjoy watching home improvement shows, not that I am a great handyman you would hire to make improvements to your home, but out of admiration for those with the talent to make home improvements.  One observation that I have made in watching these shows is the need for demolition or the removal of the old and before the building of the new.  Romans 12:2 tells believers in Christ of a needed mind improvement to rid their minds of the old carnal way of thinking and to replace it with new godly thinking based upon biblical truth.  Mark 13:14-27 describes global renovation with the rise of the Antichrist through deception but ends with his demolition at the return of Christ and the establishment of a new renovated godly kingdom. 

Mark 13:14-27 is a continuation of Jesus' teaching regarding the signs of the end of the age.  In Mark 13:1-13, where Jesus answered their question with signs of trouble God’s people will experience as the end of the age.  In Mark 13:14-27, Jesus teaches of a coming abomination of desolation that will usher in a period of great tribulation upon the world (Mark 13:14).  This coming event is so significant that the Jesus asks us to contemplate its meaning.  Matthew 24:15-16 parallels the statement by Jesus in Mark 13:14 with an additional reference to the prophet Daniel regarding what is meant by the abomination of desolation.  According to the prophet Daniel, this abomination of desolation is,

1)      A person that will make a strong covenant with many (Daniel 9:27) – The context of Jesus’ teaching in Mark 13 is the disciples' observation of the beauty of the Temple with Jesus foretelling of the Temple’s destruction at the hands of the Romans (Mark 13:1-2).  Jesus’ mention of an abomination of desolation is a reference to Daniel’s prophecy of a future leader who would desecrate the Temple by doing away with the regular burnt offerings and sacrifices done in fulfillment of Jewish law (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).  While Jesus' pending death on the cross would do away with the need for these sacrifices (Hebrews 7:27), the individual referred to by Jesus and Daniel is Antichrist who denies Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22).  This individual is not eliminating the sacrifices to point people to Jesus for salvation but instead bringing desolation to the Temple by setting himself up as Messiah.  His covenant is a deceptive covenant that Jesus cautioned his followers about in Mark 13:21-23. 

2)      A person who will profane the Temple by taking away the regular burnt offerings (Daniel 11:31) – The burnt offerings and sacrifices were a regular occurrence at the Temple and most likely occurring as Jesus walked through the Temple grounds with His disciples.  In fact, since this event occurred around Passover there were most likely more sacrifices offered then at other times during the year.  While the need for these sacrifices was coming to an end with the sacrifice of the Son of God for the sins of the world (Hebrews 7:27), they were still how God’s people at this time expressed their honor of God as their God.  Jesus is warning his people that only His death could fulfill the law of God and that anyone else claiming to be Christ and ending these sacrifices is a false Christ and someone to guard against and flee from (Mark 13:14-23).    

3)      The desolation of the Temple will last 1290 days (Daniel 12:11) – False christs and false teaching are nothing new for the Apostles warned the early church about such teaching (Galatians 2:4; 2 Peter 2:1-2).  However, the abomination of desolation is a false teacher also referred to as the Antichrist who will deceive many.  Daniel 9:27 says the Antichrist will make a strong covenant for one week and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice.  The reference by Daniel to a week is not a reference to a period of seven days as we define it but a period of seven years.  For the first half of the seven-year period, the Antichrist will establish himself as a global leader having all the answers and deceiving many into believing he is christ. However, midway through this seven-year period, the Antichrist will desecrate the Temple, revealing he is a false christ, but a false christ with great worldly power and authority.  Thankfully, God cuts his reign short with the return of Jesus with great power and glory (Mark 13:20, 26).

While it is interesting to focus on the abomination of desolation in Mark 13:14-27, the main purpose of the passage is to not allow ourselves to be deceived and to have hope that even when the world situation seems hopeless as it will during the 1290 days of desolation, Jesus will return in great power and glory.  However, to participate in the glorious reign of Christ, one must accept Jesus’ invitation to join Him for he will not force Himself on anyone.  Perhaps you are reading this and feel the need for forgiveness or the need to have a closer, more personal relationship with God.  If that is you, 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.

Law enforcement that detects counterfeit currency does not receive training that focuses on recognizing counterfeit currency but extensive training to recognize genuine currency.  The same holds true for students of the Bible for the more knowledgeable one becomes of biblical truth, the more readily they will recognize false teaching.  It is therefore crucial that God’s people devote time to the study of scripture so they can quickly run from false teaching.  Everyone reading this, especially those that just prayed, is urged to devote time daily to study and meditation on the Bible and find a church or bible study teaching the Bible so they can recognize and run from deception.  These are deceptive times but those that know the truth will be set free (John 8:32).  May God bless everyone reading this post and may we all grow stronger in our knowledge of biblical truth. 

Ambassadors of Preservation and Illumination

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Matthew 5:13-16

2 Corinthians 5:20

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

(ESV)

One of the most spiritually moving things one can experience, is a candlelight service.  These services generally occur during Christmas and serve as a visual illustration of how the small light of a single candle can illuminate a dark room and how sharing that light multiplies to fully illuminate the room.  However, if the light lacks a lasting quality due to the candle being short, the room will return to darkness before the light spreads to everyone in the room.  For God’s people to serve as ambassadors of preservation and illumination requires balancing the preservation of biblical truth under the illumination and empowerment of the Holy Spirit (John 4:24). 

The text of Matthew 5:13-16 occurs in the context of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  This occurs near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, providing a foundation for the other teachings and miracles that would occur.  Jesus uses the symbols of salt and life to illustrate the importance of preserving scriptural truth and letting the light of godliness shine for all to see.  Jesus would later encounter the women at the well and teach that true worship of God occurs in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Jesus teaching to the woman at the well builds upon the foundation of salt and light provided in the Sermon on the Mount with salt symbolizing the importance of preserving biblical truth and light reminding us to declare biblical truth in love and grace through the illumination and empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 16:14; Romans 1:1-5).  God’s people are more effective in fulfilling the “Great Commission” when they become familiar and proficient in using the tools of salt and light.

1)      Salt (Matthew 5:13) – During the time of Christ, people did not have the luxury of refrigeration to preserve food and depended on the use of salt as a preservative.  This differs from our view of salt today as something only used to add flavor to food.  Those listening to Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee would have equated Jesus' symbolic use of salt as a call to preserve the biblical truth as it is tasty to the soul.  God’s Word is the guardrail that keeps our way pure quenching the thirst for God in our souls (Psalm 42:1; 119:9).  As ambassadors for Christ, God’s people must be diligent students of the Bible allowing biblical truth to fill the void in their souls and not attempting to fill the void with the things of the world (Romans 12:2). 

2)      Light (Matthew 5:14-16) – We live in an extremely dark world that is in dire need of the illumination of the light of the Gospel.  God’s people that are students of the Bible must not fear to let the light of the Gospel within them shine, bringing illumination to a dark world.  Fortunately, this does not require one having great theological knowledge for even the light of a small candle can illuminate a dark room.  The woman at the well took the nugget of the light of truth she received from her encounter with Jesus and lit up her community by sharing it with others (John 4:25-26; 28-30).  The woman at the well was not someone with great theological knowledge but someone that experienced the light of God’s grace and shared it with others. 

If you are reading this and have had an encounter with Jesus in your life and accepted Jesus as your savior, I encourage you to let that light shine by sharing it with others, telling them what Jesus has done for you.  For those that have not had an encounter with Jesus and accepted Him as savior, I want to share some of the light of the Gospel in my life.  Raised in a godly home where I went to church each Sunday, my life had the appearance of one having their act together and having favor with God.  While the atmosphere of a godly home is a good thing, it can also lead to one believing their good works and lack of involvement in the grievous sins of the world give them favor with God.  However, the biblical truth is that salvation is a work of God’s grace through Christ and not our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9).  The Bible also teaches that everyone has sinned and that all sin comes with a death penalty (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  However, our situation is not hopeless for Jesus took our death penalty on the cross so that we might be saved (Romans 5:8).  Realizing the salt of this truth illuminated by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, I prayed to accept Christ in my home and made that public through baptism and teaching in this blog.  Perhaps you are reading this and have the fortune of an upbringing in a godly home but have never formally accepted Jesus as your savior and now feel the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus as your savior.  If that is you, 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 now invite everyone, including those that just prayed to, like the woman at the well, share the candle of the light of the Gospel in their lives with others.  I also invite you to take in the preservative and tasty salt of God’s truth through regular study of the Bible both through individual study and study under the leadership of one possessing theological knowledge in a church or bible study that teaches the Bible.  This will not only preserve the light of the Gospel in your life but increase its brightness.  I encourage everyone to become ambassadors of preservation and illumination bringing salt and light to a lost world.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

Signs Pointing to God’s Glorious Return

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 13:1-13

Mark 13:12-13

 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Signs are all around us.  We see them on the road as we drive providing direction on where we are and where to go and keeping us safe by telling us when to stop, when to yield, and how fast to go.  The weather provides signs that tell us of a coming storm or a sunny day.  Our bodies even provide signs of potential health issues, directing us to seek professional help from a doctor.  In Mark 13:1-13, the disciples ask Jesus for signs pointing to the end of the age.  Jesus provides seven signs that can be troubling for those that do not know Jesus as their savior but that let believers in Christ know that the day of Jesus’ glorious return is approaching where the evil in the world is defeated (Revelation 19:11-21).  Until then, God’s people are to spread the good news of the Gospel so others can become disciples and join us in eternity with Christ for God does not want anyone to perish (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Peter 3:9). 

We live in a divided world dominated by hatred, including hatred aimed at believers in Christ.  While the signs provided by Jesus in Mark 13:1-13 are troublesome, Jesus did say we would experience trouble in the world but also reminds us that He overcame the world with his death, burial, and resurrection (John 16:33).  These signs should not create anxiety and fear but instead interpreted to provide encouragement as the signs point to the imminent return of Jesus.  These signs indicate trouble but also encouragement by pointing to the soon return of Jesus. 

1)      False teaching leading people astray (Mark 13:5-6) – False teaching is nothing new with the Apostle Paul warning his protégé Timothy (1 Timothy 4:1-5).  Peter also warned the early church about false heresies that even deny Christ (2 Peter 2:1-3).  The extremes in the church today are moralism which goes against the gospel of grace by giving the impression one must earn their salvation through moral living or the liberal interpretation of grace that does not preach about sin giving the impression all are saved regardless of sin in their lives.  It is important to remain grounded in the Word of God and the Gospel to avoid falling into the trap of false teaching. 

2)      Wars and rumors of wars (Mark 13:7) – Wars have been present in the world throughout history.  Presently the United States is engaged in conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan with rumors of potential conflict in Iran.  Instantaneous communication through social media and the Internet means that the world instantly knows of any new war or rumor of war.  This is a two-edged sword for not only are wars escalating, but the world instantly knows of any new war or rumor of war.  However, this is a sign of the pending return of Christ that can bring comfort to Christians but also a reminder to pray for those serving in the military that protects us. 

3)      Natural disasters (Mark 13:8) – My family and I went through the Pompeii exhibit in Phoenix a couple of years ago.  The exhibit included some of the victims of the volcanic eruption that are frozen in time because they had no warning of their impending doom.  Each year in the United States, people living on the east coast and Gulf coasts must prepare for possible evacuation during hurricane season.  Fortunately, meteorologists can fairly accurately track hurricanes, providing ample warning unlike the total surprise of the victims in Pompeii.  Fortunately, instantaneous communication via the Internet and 24-hour news mean warnings go out to potential victims.  However, this is also a two-edged sword for it creates the perception these disasters are dramatically increasing in frequency and intensity.  Natural disasters are a reminder of the fallen and cursed world in which we live and reminds us that when Jesus returns, the curse on the earth will cease and natural disasters will end. 

4)      Legal persecution for faith in Jesus (Mark 13:9) – Legal persecution for one’s belief in Christ is not something new for even Jesus did not escape legal persecution and went on trial twice prior to his crucifixion (Matthew 26:57-68; 27:11-26).  Even in countries like the United States where there is constitutional protection of religious expression, legal persecution exists limiting the expression of religious values and beliefs that can even cost someone their livelihood.  (1)  While these legal persecutions can be personally and financially devastating, they are an example of one placing their treasures in something of eternal value and not giving in to legal pressures to renounce or back off in expressing a belief in God. 

5)      The global spread of the Gospel (Mark 13:10) – While the technology that has made communication instantaneous means the rapid spread of news of wars, rumors of wars, and natural disasters, it also presents an opportunity to spread the good news of the Gospel.  The objective of this blog is to provide a tool for building a Godly worldview in a world dominated by ungodliness.  I often provide an opportunity for readers to make a decision to accept and follow Jesus and encourage readers to share these posts with their friends who do not know Jesus as their savior so they have an opportunity to accept Him. 

6)      Persecution by family and friends (Mark 13:12) – The toughest and most emotionally devastating persecution is that coming from close friends and family.  While social media, email, and the internet allow instantaneous connection with friends and family across the world, it also presents an opportunity for persecution from these same friends and family.  However, persecution coming as a result of sharing the good news of the Gospel with a friend or family member is not actually a rejection of us personally but rejection of Christ who died for them to make a pathway towards eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).  When persecuted for a belief in Christ it is important to remember the qtip, quit taking it personally, and pray for them for as long as they are alive, they have an opportunity to accept Christ. 

7)      Hatred of Christians (Mark 13:13) – The eternal fate of Satan is the pit of hell (Revelation 20:7-10).  Aware of this there is animosity between Satan and the people of God.  This is not surprising and was foretold in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15).  As Christians, we need not fear hatred by the world for we know that in the end, we inherit eternal life with Christ.  Instead of reciprocating the world’s hatred of Christians with more hatred, Christians should love those in the world by praying for them to accept Jesus as their savior and join us in eternity. 

Perhaps you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your savior by asking Him to forgive your sins.  If I am speaking to you, 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.

If you just prayed, know that your sins are totally forgiven, and you now have a bright future of eternity with God your creator.  You can now look at the signs Jesus mentioned with joy and expectation for they mean Jesus will return to straighten out what is wrong in the world, a glorious world you will now be a part of.  I encourage everyone to grow stronger in their relationship with God through prayer, study and meditation on the Bible, and association with other believers in Christ at a local church teaching the Bible.  May God bless everyone reading this and may you view the signs of the end times with joy as they point to the return of Christ. 

1. Fox News. Oregon bakery owners pay more than $135G in damages over refusal to make cake for gay wedding. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, December 29, 2015. [Cited: September 10, 2016.] http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/29/oregon-bakery-owners-pay-more-than-135g-in-damages-over-refusal-to-make-cake-for-gay-wedding.html.

Identity in Christ: God’s Minister of Reconciliation

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

2 Corinthians 5:17-18

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.^[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation

(ESV)

A fresh start, that is what God provides by His grace to those choosing to make Jesus their savior.  I remember growing up and having the pastor of my church having people share their testimonies of how they came to accept Jesus as their savior.  For some these stories were stories of great transformation from lives of sin or addictions to a renewed life as a devout Christian, but for others, the stories were more about a process of salvation usually from someone raised in the church coming to realize their need for a savior through the accumulation of teaching in their life.  Having been one raised in the church all my life my testimony leans more toward a process with the accumulated teaching bringing me to the realization I need Jesus in my life.  I used to have some doubts about my salvation since it was not some instantaneous process and dramatic change in life but as 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, we all are viewed by God as new creations when we accept Christ and have a new identity of one reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross with a new identity. 

Because of this new identity of reconciliation to God, we are now called to a ministry of reconciliation or a calling to spread the Gospel message by how we live and what we say so others can experience reconciliation with God (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  However, for one to be an effective minister of reconciliation for God, one must have an intimate relationship with God which involves experiencing forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and trust in God. 

1)      Forgiveness:  After the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, all of humanity fell under the curse of sin that carries with it a death penalty (Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; 6:23).  The only hope for humanity is forgiveness from God that can only occur through the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22).  The Levitical rituals involving animal sacrifices were symbolic of forgiveness of sin through the shedding of blood but since these animal sacrifices under the old covenant were only symbolic, it was necessary to perform them continually (Hebrews 9:18-21).  However, under the New Covenant, we have a high priest who knew no sin and once and for all entered the most holy place, sacrificing not just the symbolic sacrifice of animal blood, but his own blood (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:11-14).   Not only did Jesus sacrifice his own blood initiating the will of God to once and for all forgive humanity of their sins, but He resurrected from the dead to administer forgiveness to all who want to receive it (Hebrews 9:15-17). 

2)      Reconciliation:  Forgiveness only requires one person forgiving someone who has wronged them, but reconciliation is when one accepts forgiveness from someone they have wronged.  Reconciliation to God requires action on our part but that action is simple for it only requires believing and confessing that belief (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10).  This action on our part results in us having a reconciled relationship with God and gives us a ministry of reconciliation as we become a witness of a life reconciled to God by how we live and what we say (Acts 1:8).  However, to achieve a deeper and more intimate relationship with God requires trust.

3)      Trust:  The Church is not a building, but a gathering together of believers in Christ.  References in Scripture of the Church as the bride of Christ, therefore, indicates the desire of Christ to have intimacy with those believing in Him similar to the intimacy between a man and a woman (2 Corinthians 11:2).  However, the bride must prepare herself for her wedding day (Revelation 19:7).  This preparation includes the development of trust, or faith, in the bridegroom Jesus Christ.  This is the major part of the ongoing sanctification process that involves our learning to surrender more and more control of our lives over to God out of trust He has our best interests in mind (Jeremiah 29:11). 

Potential for a deeper relationship or intimacy with Christ began at the cross with God forgiving the sins of humanity with reconciliation to God occurring as we accept God’s gift of salvation.  God has already forgiven our sins and now waits on us to reach out to Him for reconciliation.  If you are reading this and have never reached out to God accepting his gift of forgiveness, I invite 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.

Those that have a reconciled life with God must prepare for the bridegroom by developing trust.  Trust in a relationship comes through spending time with each other and communicating with each other.  We spend time with God through worship which includes the spirit of offering praise to God and study of the truth of God’s Word (John 4:24).  This development of trust is an ongoing process in the life of one professing faith in Jesus as Savior and crucial in the development of a deeper and more intimate relationship with Christ.  A dark and divided world dominated by hatred needs more ministers of reconciliation who have accepted forgiveness from God, experienced reconciliation to God, and are developing greater trust in God.  The challenge for believers reading this, including those that just prayed for reconciliation to God, is will we become effective ministers of reconciliation by developing intimacy with God through the development of greater trust in God.   

Arrogance Versus Humility

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:43-44

And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

(ESV)

This election year in the United States is shaping up to be one of the most contentious in the nation’s history.  Never before has someone ran for President under impeachment.  This coupled with weak candidates running in opposition to the impeached incumbent means the opposition party has little to do but run negative campaigns attacking each other and the incumbent president.  Fortunately, in the United States the final determination of who will lead lies in the hands of the voters and why I urge all reading this in the United States to be sure they are registered to vote in both their primary elections and the general election this year so their voice is heard at the ballot box. 

As we observe the attitude of elected officials and those running for office, there appears to be no lack of arrogance and little humility.  Officials and candidates arrogantly present themselves as the final arbiter of wisdom and what is best for the nation and its citizens with no humble consideration of voters who determine their election to office.  In this election, voters must elect candidates that not only say they have the interests of constituents in mind but have demonstrated the ability to deliver on those promises.  As we reflect back on the accomplishments of the last three years of the Trump Administration, we have to admit he has delivered on his promises of a thriving economy, more jobs, and making America great and why my intention is to not only vote for his reelection but to vote for a representative and senator that supports his agenda. 

In Mark 12:38-44, Jesus provides two examples that contrast arrogance and humility, illustrating the superiority of an attitude of service and humility over a noisy and arrogant attitude.  Unfortunately, in a world of social media and 24-hour news, the noisy arrogance receives most of the attention.  Fortunately, a quiet and humble person receives Jesus’ attention and will receive a greater reward.  Jesus views arrogance and humility as,

1)      Arrogance (Mark 12:38-40) – Jesus is nearing the time of His crucifixion.  During His ministry, he has had numerous confrontations with the religious leaders of His time (Mark 2:6-12; 7:1-8; 8:11-13; 10:1-12; 12:13-17).  However, in Mark 12:38-40 Jesus provides insight into the source of these confrontations, arrogance in the hearts of these religious leaders.  Jesus points out how the scribes like to parade around in their robes, be honored in the marketplace, and have seats of prominence in the synagogue and feasts.  These scribes are more interested in receiving glory than giving glory to God.  As one of these religious leaders, the Apostle Paul understood the destructiveness of one having religious arrogance due to having extensive knowledge of Scripture leading to his acceptance of his “thorn in the flesh” as God tempering any religious arrogance in his life (2 Corinthians 12:7). 

2)      Humility (Mark 12:41-44) – In contrast to the arrogance of the scribes, Jesus points out the humility of the widow.  While the widow's gift was small in number, it was large and loud in worship and sacrificial love for God.  Jesus did not hear the loudness of the giver's arrogance in her gift but the loudness of a heart of humble and sacrificial obedience to God.  This widow worshipped God with her giving, worshipping in spirit and truth.  Her worship was in the spirit of the sacrificial love of God based upon the biblical truth of giving cheerfully to God (2 Corinthians 9:7; John 4:24). 

During this election year in the United States, I urge citizens to remain prayerfully diligent by praying for leaders and for civility during the contentious election process.  We must be prayerfully diligent in praying for each other that we remain strong physically, mentally, and most important spiritually during this process.  I especially urge Christians in the United States to take up their shield of faith because in these contentious times there will be no shortage of fiery darts fired at Christians for their beliefs that expose the darkness of the world (Ephesians 6:16; Romans 13:12-14).  However, as we let the light shine in our dark world, we must not become like the scribes parading about in arrogance but instead, be as the widow by living and speaking the truths of God’s Word and bringing its light to a dark world by pointing the lost to salvation in Christ (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20; Psalm 119:105).  If you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your savior, inviting the Light of the World into your life, I invite 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.

Congratulations, the light of Jesus Christ is now present in your heart.  Those that just prayed and those that have been believers for some time are encouraged to fan the flame of the light of Christ in their lives by prayer, study, and meditation on the truth in God’s Word, humbly applying it to our lives.  My prayer is that this fanning of the flame of God’s grace in the lives of believers will bring light to a dark world.  May God bless everyone reading this. 

Identity in Christ: God’s Masterpiece

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

(ESV)

I must confess that when it comes to creativity and the ability to create a work of art, I am lacking.  Because of this lack in my life, I have great admiration for those that have the talent to create works of art and blessed to have a wife and son that have this gift.  As I am writing this, I see a ceramic eagle made by my son and two angels made by my wife.  Not only are these works of art something I can admire for their creativity and workmanship, but they also serve to remind me of how much I love them both and remind me to pray for them. 

While God blesses some with creativity in their lives while others lack creativity, we all lack the ability to force ourselves into obedience to God leading to our salvation from sin.  This is because our default nature is one of disobedience to God and obedience to the spirit of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-2).  So ingrained in our nature is this spirit of disobedience that God gave us His Son Jesus in human form and with Jesus giving up His life to make a path towards righteousness for humanity.  After choosing this new path of righteousness, our life purpose changes from conformity to the world system we once followed to transformation through the conviction, counsel, and empowering of the Holy Spirit as we pray, study, and meditate on God’s Word (Romans 12:2). 

Thankfully, our justification and righteousness, or right standing with God, is not because of our works but because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross and our choosing to believe and accept what Jesus has done (Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10).  However, our belief in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross must grow from a self-serving belief to receive eternal life to a loving and transformative belief based upon a realization of the depth of God’s love for us.  So deep is this love for fallen humanity the God did not hesitate to give His only Son Jesus who as God knew no sin and yet willingly took the cup of wrath for humanity on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 3:16; Matthew 26:39).  In the eyes of God, we are all a masterpiece of His creation and worthy of the price of sacrificing His son Jesus for our redemption. 

As I look at the ceramic pieces created by my wife and son and admire their beauty, I also recall the work they put into creating these masterpieces.  Each of these pieces began as greenware which is very fragile and contains rough edges.  The first step in transforming the greenware into a masterpiece involves cleaning the rough edges.  This requires the use of a knife with care taken not to break the fragile piece of greenware while removing the rough edges.  When an individual accepts Christ as their savior, they are like a piece of greenware that has the shape of the masterpiece it will become but with rough edges.  Removal of these rough edges comes through undergoing the knife of trials in our lives understanding that the trials are tools in the skillful hand of God and are designed to remove the rough edges without destroying us (Jeremiah 29:11). 

After cleaning, the greenware goes into a kiln where heat transforms the fragile greenware into a strong ceramic piece or bisque.  This is a picture of how the Lord can use trials and struggles in our lives to not only remove the rough edges in our character but also produce perseverance and strength (James 1:2-4).  These trials and struggles also produce endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:1-4). 

The last step in the creation of a ceramic masterpiece is painting the piece to transform the piece from a boring piece of white bisque into something beautiful.  A life made strong through enduring the struggles of life should be a fruitful life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  Like a beautifully crafted and painted ceramic piece, the world needs more fruitful believers that have undergone the knife scraping off rough edges of character and the fire of trials producing strength of character. 

Everybody experiences struggles and trials in life.  Our choice when a struggle or trial comes is to either become bitter or become better.  For Christians, the struggles are part of God’s plan for their lives and designed to remove the rough edges of character and produce strength of character (James 1:2-4; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 5:1-4).  When viewing the struggles in life from this perspective, they are not something we should be bitter about but something making us better.  I pray that those reading this would become stronger through the struggles in life and view them as part of the transformation process of Romans 12:2 that brings from conformity to the world through obedience to Christ and His Word.  May God bless everyone reading this.