Cleansed by the Blood, Empowered and Led by the Spirit, Living and Declaring God’s Truth.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Acts 2:1-13

Acts 2:7

And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

(ESV)

As the world and the United States begin to come back from the shutdown brought on by the coronavirus, the church has an opportunity to do what the Church in the Book of Acts was able to do, turn its world upside down (Acts 17:6).  Sadly, the Church today is not turning its world upside down and, in many instances, tries to appear like the world as a means of being hip and attracting new members.  Many churches and ministries do not even preach about sin anymore because they may offend someone.  (1)  The biblical truth is that the Gospel message is designed to offend people as it brings them face-to-face with sin in their lives and their need for the blood of Christ to cleanse and forgive them of their sin (Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 9:14; Romans 3:23).   The Church is also powerless as it ministers with hip programs that make the church appear busy with ministry, but does not wait for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded His Disciples to do before His ascension (Acts 1:4).  The Church as a catalyst for revival is a four-layered process involving repentance, empowerment, Spirit-led ministry, and truth or resting in the Lord.

1)      Repentance (Mark 1:4) – Before the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus (Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:2-3).  That path was a path of repentance.  The word repentance used in Mark 1:4 is mentanoia meaning a change of mind and a change in the inner man.  Revival will begin in our land as God’s people have a change of mind to commit to God’s will and not their self-interests.  The only way this can occur is for a change in the inner man something only possible as we accept Jesus as our savior and allow the Holy Spirit to change our lives through the study and meditation on God’s Word. 

2)      Empowerment (Acts 1:8) – Christ commanded the disciples, just before his ascension, to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).  Jesus went on to teach the disciples that when they received the Holy Spirit they would receive power to be witnesses of the resurrected Lord beginning in Jerusalem then into Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).  Since that time, the Gospel has spread to almost every part on earth but in many Churches today, the preaching lacks power.  Jesus told the woman at the well that true worshippers worship God in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).  The preaching of the Word of God is part of worship and must come from a foundation of truth but to be effective, the preacher must seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit as he or she ministers to have effectiveness.  The Church has an abundance of truth available but lacks power. 

3)      Spirit-led ministry (Galatians 5:18; Romans 8:14) – Galatians 5:18 teaches that the people led by the Spirit are not under the law.  However, spirit-led ministry is not spiritual anarchy devoid of law, but ministry presented by one who is a son of God (Romans 8:14).  One led by the Spirit of God is not interested in their self-interests but one sensitive to What God wants them to do.  A minister friend of mine shared a story with me last week about an old-time evangelist he knew as a young man who was conducting a service.  Just before the preacher was to come to the pulpit to speak, a singer sang a very moving song.  As the preacher approached the pulpit,  he asked the singer to sing the song again.  The preacher ended up asking the singer to sing the song several times and after the last time noticed the alter at the front of the church was full of people praying and that no one was left in their seats.  After everyone finished praying and returned to their seats to hear the message, the preacher came up to the pulpit and dismissed everyone. Telling them to come back the next night.  This preacher knew that the Holy Spirit was leading the service at that point and that there was nothing more he could add.  The Holy Spirit is not a force or ghost but is God and when He moves, we must get out of the way and allow Him to lead.

4)      Truth (John 4:24, 8:32) – Truth is the component that brings stability to the ministry.  A ministry based solely on Spirit is a ministry designed to make people feel good as their spirits are lifted but once the euphoria of the emotions and good feeling runs out, one is left empty seeking more.  We are to seek God as a deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1) but the context of Psalm 42 is one seeking intimacy with God while downcast in his soul (Psalm 42:5) and not one seeking some emotional high or good feeling.  Seeking God for an emotional high or good feeling is comparable to using God as a drug to make us feel good.  We must not seek God for good feelings of euphoria but instead seek an intimate relationship with God through study and meditation on the truth contained in the Word of God. 

Let us take a moment and have everyone consider the components of a campfire.  The fire begins with piling up some wood, adding some smaller scraps of wood or kindling, adding some lighter fluid as a catalyst to help the fire get started, and a spark or match to ignite the fire.  The pile of wood is the truth or foundation that will keep the fire burning.  The kindling is the leadership of the Spirit which ignites the truth of the pile of wood.  The lighter fluid represents the empowerment of the Holy Spirit what will bring direct heat to the kindling and ignite the truth with repentance the spark that begins the process.  For revival to come to our land, the Church must repent, allow the Holy Spirit to empower every area of their lives, allow themselves to be led by the Spirit of God, and declare God’s truth whenever the Holy Spirit opens the door to do so.  My prayer is that as the world begins to open up after shutting down for covid19, the church will repent, receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, be led by the Spirit, and go and declare and live the truth of God’s truth in their lives.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

1. Idleman, Shane. Joel Osteen: Preach God's Truth; Don't Avoid Sin, Repentance. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, May 29, 2016. [Cited: March 30, 2017.] http://www.christianpost.com/news/joel-osteen-truth-sin-repentance-160365/.

Preparation of the Heart

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Joshua 1:10-18

Joshua 1:10-11

And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, ¹¹ “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”

(ESV)

In a chaotic society with rapid change, it becomes difficult to prepare.  Most of us gave no thought to preparing for a pandemic and why there was a run in stores on cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer when the pandemic broke out, but I still don’t understand the run on toilet paper.  While there have been racial riots in the United States before, the tragic death of George Floyd shocked us but even more shocking were individuals taking advantage of a tragic death to further a political agenda.  The ensuing riots mean that many reading this, including me, now live under a curfew at a time when we were beginning to feel comfortable going out after a pandemic.  At times like these when changing events make planning and preparation difficult, it becomes even more important to prepare our hearts by spending time with the Lord for while events going on in the world may surprise us, God is not surprised and has plans for our good and not our destruction (Jeremiah 29:11).

Joshua has been to the Promised Land before and was one of two returning with a positive report believing God would help Israel defeat the giants in the land (Numbers 14:6-8).  However, Joshua and Caleb found themselves in the minority with the other 10 spies giving a negative report (Numbers 13:30-33).  It is not unusual for one believing in Jesus Christ as his or her savior to find themselves in the minority for we are foreigners living in a corrupt world but can have courage in knowing we will meet God and receive a new body from God (2 Corinthians 5:1-10).  Even though Joshua lived under the Old Covenant of the law, he had spent forty years with Moses in the wilderness (Exodus 24:12-14; 33:11) and during that time God prepared his heart for this moment when he would lead Israel into the Promised Land.  Followers of Jesus Christ can follow Joshua’s example of preparing our hearts by,

1)      Spending time with God (Exodus 33:11) – During the time of the Exodus, God spoke to Israel through Moses.  In Exodus 33:11, Scripture tells us that Joshua would not depart from the tent of meeting when Moses would enter the tent to hear from God.  I had a conversation this week with a pastor friend of mine who shared an incident that occurred when he was first starting in ministry.  He shared how he came into the Church early one day and heard the senior pastor speaking to someone in his office.  As he approached the office it became apparent the senior pastor was praying.  My friend, like Joshua, stood outside the door and heard the pastor fervently pouring his heart out to God.  This event left a lasting impression on my friend by stressing the importance of preparing our hearts by spending time with God. 

2)       Joshua remained true to his calling from God (Joshua 1:1-9) – Joshua has received a commission from God to lead the people of Israel into the promised land.  While Scripture is unclear as to what was going through the mind of Joshua after receiving this calling, he may have remembered the bad report of the 10 spies and feared a mass revolt as the people crossed the Jordan and saw the enemies they would face.  This could explain why God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6,7,9).  Hearing three times from God to be strong and courageous and forty years spent with Moses outside the tent in the wilderness in heart preparation converge at this point to empower Joshua to lead.  Joshua may have had doubts based upon what occurred after his first visit to the Promised Land, but after hearing from God himself, he has the courage to approach the officers of the people.  Even if it meant going in alone, Joshua was not about to abandon the calling God place on his life. 

3)      Steps out in faith (Joshua 1:16-18) – Joshua’s commitment to his calling is contagious with the officers of the people not cowering in fear like the 10 spies giving a bad report (Numbers 13:30-33) but instead vowing to go with Joshua (Joshua 1:16-18).  The officers of the people have caught a good contagion of faith that will lead to the occupation of the Promised Land. 

As the year 2020 began, we did not envision or prepare for a global pandemic that would shut down the country, including houses of worship.  We did not envision that after the pandemic went away and the country reopened, that we would face racial riots across the nation that led to many needing to shut down again under a curfew.  However, God’s people should never shut down but constantly prepare their hearts.  God’s people must spend time with God, not just on Sunday, but throughout the week through prayer, study, and meditation on God’s Word.  God’s people must not be fearful of fulfilling their calling from God for fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7) but remain strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9).  God’s people must then take the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) and step out knowing God is with them wherever they go (Joshua 1:9).  In a chaotic world, God’s people have a calling to take the Gospel to the nations (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  My prayer is that God’s people would courageously step out like Joshua and share the Gospel message with the lost in the land.  The question we all must ask is do we have the courage and faith to step out. 

Called by God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Acts 1:12-26

Acts 1:21-22

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

(ESV)

This past weekend was one of great joy, accomplishment, and chaos in the United States.  The nation is experiencing great joy as things shut down begin to open up.  For me and my wife, this meant returning to Church and sitting down for breakfast at a restaurant for the first time in over two months.  The great accomplishment for the nation was the successful launch of two American astronauts from American soil in an American built rocket, potentially freeing the nation from the need to depend on the Russians to launch American astronauts to the International Space Station.  The chaos of riots indicates the nation needs revival as people believe they can end evil with evil (Romans 12:17-21). 

In obedience to the Lord (Acts 1:4), the disciples stay in Jerusalem and enter the upper room, devoting themselves to prayer (Acts 1:12-14).  While the primary reason for entering the upper room was to receive the promised Holy Spirit, the Disciples believe they have some unfinished business to tend to, replacing Judas.  The question is was Matthias God’s choice or the choice of the disciples.  While his choice came after prayer (Acts 1:14), the choice of Mattias came after they cast lots, or as we might say today, flipped a coin to determine which of the two men chosen would replace Judas.  This is unlike the selection of the Twelve by Jesus (Mark 3:13-14), as Matthias was the choice of the remaining eleven Disciples and with no mention of Matthias after his selection, indicating he was not God’s choice. 

God’s choice to replace Judas would come later on the road to Damascus when Saul had an encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:1-9).  Not only did Saul’s encounter with Jesus indicate He was the replacement of Judas, but it also illustrates the change one can experience in their lives when they encounter Jesus.  After the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60), Saul whose name would later become Paul was on a mission to bring Christians from Damascus to Jerusalem as prisoners (Acts 9:1-2).  However, after encountering Jesus, Paul went into the synagogues and proclaimed Jesus instead of gathering up Christians as prisoners (Acts 9:19-22).  Such is the change one experiences when they meet the Lord. 

The Apostle Paul also illustrates that one does not need to have a physical encounter with Christ to experience a life-changing experience in his or her life for Paul’s encounter occurred after Jesus had ascended to be with the Father.  This gives everyone hope for while we will not physically encounter Jesus and become one of the twelve Apostles because God has filled these positions, we can have a life-changing experience.  This is the mission of the Church and what a world in chaos from Covid19 and now riots and civil unrest needs but is the Church ready to courageously stand up for the truth of the Gospel.  Sadly, in many ways, the answer is no.  To prepare for revival, the church must do more than address administrative issues as the Disciples did when selecting Matthias and have a renewed encounter with God through the Holy Spirit, empowering the church to spread the Gospel to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). 

Jesus told the woman at the well that true worshippers worship in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23).  While well-organized programs and operations can help the Church function more efficiently as an organization in declaring the truths contained in the Bible, it is powerless without the power of the Holy Spirit in each individual in the Church.  A Church declaring truth with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is a Church where people can experience a life-changing encounter with God. 

The Church must move beyond just a social club where people gather weekly, to a triage center where hurting people have an encounter with God.  While encountering God begins with one making a public declaration of their faith in Jesus as his or her savior, it continues as the church disciples them by equipping them with knowledge of the truth in the Bible, encouraging them to be courageous when facing adversity, and empowering them with the Holy Spirit to resist evil and declare the truth in an evil world.  The world must see the church combat evil with the truth of the Gospel.  Revival will occur in the world as the Church ministers with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in declaring the truth of the Gospel not through dependence on efficient and entertaining programs. 

I encourage everyone reading this to wear the belt of truth through diligent study and meditation on the Bible (Ephesians 6:14) and seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to skillfully and powerfully use the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).  For those reading this who may have never made a public declaration of faith in Jesus as his or her savior, I invite you to do so by praying with me now,

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

A world in chaos needs an encounter with Jesus but cannot have one unless the Church points them to Jesus.  When I speak of the Church, I am not speaking of a building pointing people to Jesus for the Church is not the building but the people in the building who follow Jesus.  The question all followers of Christ must ask is will they be active and Spirit-filled participants in spreading the Gospel or spectators.  The call of God in each believer's life is to be active participants (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20) so do not be a spectator but be active disciples of Christ. 

God’s Commission: Equipped, Encouraged, Empowered.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Joshua 1:1-9

Joshua 1:2

“Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

(ESV)

Matthew 28:19-20 represents Jesus’ final instructions to the Church as He is about to leave to be with the Father.  This parallels what Joshua experienced with the death of Moses as the responsibilities of ministry now fall upon him.  In each instance, the successor(s) are asked to continue the work of their predecessor.  For the disciples this involves making disciples through evangelization evidenced by water baptism, equipping them through teaching the commands of God contained in the Bible, encouragement that God is always with them, and empowerment through the Holy Spirit. 

The same four E’s of discipleship are present in God’s commission of Joshua as we see a belief in God by Joshua through serving as a dedicated assistant of Moses (Joshua 1:1).  God then equips Joshua through giving him a calling to lead the people into the Promised Land, encouraging Joshua to lead through study, meditation, and obedience to the Word of God, and empowerment knowing the Lord will be with him wherever he goes.  While the commission of Jesus in both Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19-20 was given to the eleven Disciples, the spreading of the Gospel and the disciples made by it continue in the Church to this day.  Every believer in Jesus as their Savior has a calling to participate in the spreading of the Gospel and just like Joshua, must have the courage to,

1)      Serve within our calling from God based upon our gifts (Joshua 1:6; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11) – Both Joshua and Caleb demonstrated an ability to see beyond the challenges of a situation to a belief God could overcome the challenges (Numbers 13:25-33; Numbers 14:5-9).  Both Joshua and Caleb possess the gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12:9) believing God has the power to overcome enemies that appear overpowering.  David also demonstrated this gift as he faced Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31-37).  Those in ministry will face challenges that could even be life-threatening as they were for the early church, but God has equipped each believer with a unique set of spiritual gifts.  The key is for each believer to find their gifts through wise counsel from elders in the church (1 Timothy 4:14-15). 

2)      Live spiritually disciplined lives in obedience to God and His Word (Joshua 1:7-8) – God encourages Joshua to be strong and very courageous by being careful to do according to all the Law of God given to Moses and passed on to Joshua as his assistant.  Not only does God’s Word bring encouragement (Psalm 1:1-2) to a believer as they minister but also equips them to know the path of their ministry and service to God (Psalm 119:105).  The courage Joshua would receive as he meditated on and obeyed the Word of God would bring him success as he faced the many enemies currently occupying the Promised Land.   

3)      Know God is with us for his Spirit lives within us (Joshua 1:9) – Joshua would find courage through knowing God would be with him wherever he went (Joshua 1:9).  While this seems simple to do, when in a crisis or facing a challenge, it is not our natural reaction with us instead, believing we are alone and must solve the problem using our abilities or gifts.  We can also begin believing we can solve a problem based upon past experience, something Joshua will encounter with Ai (Joshua 7:1-9) with Joshua not inquiring of the Lord first and having the Lord reveal the sin of Achan.  No matter how much we may believe we can handle a situation without first inquiring of God, it is always wise to inquire of God, making Him part of what we do.  This is even more important in ministry. 

Followers or disciples of Christ go through a four E process.  The process begins with evangelism as one is convicted of their sins that separate them from God, carrying a death penalty (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  At this point a person has a choice to accept the gift of grace from God that leads to eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16) or rejection of God’s gift and suffer condemnation (John 3:18).  To accept this gift, one must make a public profession of their belief in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10).  If you have never done so, 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.

The process of discipleship does not stop with evangelism but continues as believers in Jesus as their savior are equipped, encouraged, and empowered to participate in the ministry of spreading the Gospel message and making disciples.  Equipping occurs through the discovery of one’s gifting (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and study and meditation on the Word of God as it enlightens our path (Psalm 119:105).  God’s Word also provides encouragement which for Joshua would have come through studying and meditating on the accounts of how God delivered the Israelites from Egypt.  Empowerment occurs by knowing that God is with us (Acts 1:8).  However, we must not be spectator disciples but active disciples participating in the spreading of the Gospel and making disciples using the unique combination of gifts God has given us.  May God help us get off the bench and into active participation by allowing God to evangelize, equip, encourage, and empower us. 

Waiting: Empowerment and Timing

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Acts 1:1-11

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)

As things shut down in our communities begin to open up, we will begin to feel an emotional high as we once again can go out and have a meal, go to Church, and maybe even eventually attend a sporting event or concert in person.  However, as these venues open, there will be restrictions like social distancing, masks, and even temperature checks requiring our patience to provide assurance these venues operate safely.  For Christians, the concept of waiting is nothing new for we must wait for the empowerment (Acts 1:4-5) of the Holy Spirit and God’s timing to minister effectively (Acts 1:6-7). 

The Book of Acts begins with Jesus promising the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1-5), and the account of The Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:6-11).  This is not the first mention by Jesus of the need for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer and His ascension to be with the Father, for Jesus also mentioned them during his discourse with the Disciples at the Last Supper (John 16:4-15).  The difference in this discourse in the Book of Acts is, 

1)      The disciples have experienced the sorrow of separation from Christ (Luke 23:48-49) – This will not be the first time the disciples have experienced separation from Jesus for they have just experienced a brief separation from Jesus between the crucifixion and resurrection.  The difference this time is the physical separation will be lengthy, continuing to this day, requiring the help of the Holy Spirit who could not come to the disciples, and us, unless Jesus ascended to the Father (John 16:7).  During the coronavirus crisis that separated believers from physical connection with each other, many of us were sorrowful and even wished the Lord would return.  However, that Lord did not return, but we could find comfort in the counsel of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (John 15:26; Nehemiah 9:20). 

2)      The disciples have seen the risen Lord (Acts 1:3) – Jesus not only appeared to the eleven Apostles but also appeared to 500 during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension (1 Corinthians 15:6).  The Apostle Paul even mentioned that some of these 500 were still alive.  Those listening to Jesus in Acts 1:1-9 now have a different perspective than when Jesus spoke to them at the Last Supper (John 16:4-15), but still do not understand what will happen next, still believing Jesus may march into the palace of their Roman occupiers and restore the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6).    

3)      The disciples are ready to hear their role after Jesus leaves to be with the Father (Acts 1:8) – Having seen the risen Lord, the Apostles are almost ready to begin their ministry but one thing is lacking, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  While Jesus was with the Apostles, they had the benefit of God with them in the person of Jesus but after Jesus ascends to be with the Father, they will need God with them in the person of the Holy Spirit before beginning their ministries (Acts 1:4,8).  God knows the severe persecution that lies ahead for those choosing to believe in the message of the Gospel and does not want them venturing out lacking the power of God in their ministry.  When Jesus was physically with them that power came from Jesus as God being with them (Matthew 1:23), but they now need another power source, the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 1:1-11 introduces the Book of Acts and lays out the desires of Jesus for His Church.  The Apostles still believe Jesus might restore the kingdom to Israel after the resurrection but are now ready to discover they will have an active role in spreading the message of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (the Gospel) (Mark 16:15) as well as making disciples through sharing the teachings of Jesus they heard during His ministry (Matthew 28:19-20).  This is still the calling of the Church today and now that churches are beginning to open again, this is a great time to refocus on the mission of the church. 

As part of spreading the Gospel message, I want to extend an invitation to anyone reading this who has not accepted Jesus as their personal savior.  If that is you, please 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.

While publicly professing a belief in Jesus saves us (Romans 10:9-10), it is just the beginning of a relationship with Christ.  As with any relationship, once introduced we must learn more about our new friend and spend time with them.  All we need to know about God is contained in the Bible but the writings in the Bible can be difficult to understand without some guidance from both the Holy Spirit and spiritually mature believers who have spent time studying the Bible.  Therefore, I encourage everyone who just prayed to begin reading and studying the Bible and find a local church teaching the Bible.  We also must spend time with other believers in Christ, found at a local church, since trouble will come in everyone’s life, including those believing in Jesus, for support to get through any crisis (John 16:33).  May God bless everyone reading this post and please invite your friends and family to read this post on Wednesdays as we study the Book of Acts and discover the role of the Church in spreading the Good News of the Gospel. 

Thirsting for God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Psalm 143

Psalm 143:5-6

I remember the days of old;
    I meditate on all that you have done;
    I ponder the work of your hands.
⁶ I stretch out my hands to you;
    my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. 

(ESV)

As things begin to return to normal in many parts of the United States and the world, the scars, and consequences of what has occurred during the coronavirus crisis remain.  There are the physical scars of those who contracted the disease or know someone who did and possibly died as a result.  There are the emotional scars of separation from friends or family due to the need to shelter in place or live under quarantine.  There are also the economic scars caused by the loss of a job or business with little prospects of finding another one or seeing retirement savings disappear in a volatile market.  However, there are also positive consequences as most of us now have a greater appreciation for life, family, friends, and most of all liberty as we have experienced what it is like to lose or be separated from them.  During these times we can either complain or find comfort in something superior to any crisis which for Christians is the Lord and His Word, the Bible. 

Psalm 143 is a Psalm of David and included in the seven Penitential Psalms (Psalms 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143).  However, some theologians like Charles Spurgeon question its inclusion as a penitential psalm stating that it is, “rather a vindication of his (David’s) own integrity.”  (1)  While the psalms penitential nature is possibly questionable, it does represent a prayer of someone in crisis thirsting for and reaching out to God to deliver him from the crisis (Psalm 143:6).  Christians should always be quick to repent of any sin God reveals in their lives, but it is not sin to present our complaints to God for He knows our hearts.  The problem comes when we remain in the complaint instead of reaching out to God in faith, remembering what He has done for us, and His works and promises recorded in the Bible. 

While the time of the writing of Psalm 143 is unknown, some commentaries believe it may have occurred when Absalom rebelled against his father, David, and tried to kill him (2 Samuel 15-19).  During this time David was in both a physical crisis living under the threat of death and the emotional crisis of rebellion from his son.  This is not much different from the physical and emotional stress of an unseen virus and why we can learn much about what our attitude should be during this crisis from the words of the Psalm,  This psalm teaches us that we should,

1)      Pray to God (Psalm 143:1-2) – The psalm begins with David crying out to God for mercy and for God to answer in faithfulness and righteousness and not judgment for David understands no one is righteous before God (Isaiah 54:6; Romans 3:23).  This should be the first action of anyone who believes in Jesus as their savior.  Unlike David, we have the benefit of hindsight for we know God sent His son to die for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).  We also know that even though this world brings trouble, we follow the one who overcame the world, including death (John 16:33). 

2)      Present our complaint to the Lord (Psalm 143:3-4) – There is a theology out there that teaches the presenting of complaints to God represent a weakness of faith that will cause God not to listen to our prayer.  This theology is erroneous for God’s word encourages us to bring our burdens to Him for he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  The Lord also knows our hearts (Psalm 38:9) and therefore knows our anxieties and fears so why not be honest with the Lord and bring them to Him. 

3)      Leave the complaints with the Lord and remember God’s good works and stretch out our hands to him as we thirst for deliverance by God (Psalm 143:6-7).  After presenting his complaint to God, David does not pick it up and take it with him but instead pauses to remember what God has done and the work of His hands.  This includes remembering what God had done for him with his many victories like his victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17).  David also might have remembered The miracles of God recorded in Scripture like the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14).  While it is not a sin to make our complaints known to God, we are not to remain in our complaints but meditate on the promises and miracles of God recorded in Scripture as well as how God has delivered us personally in our lives, beginning with forgiveness of our sins by dying on the cross. 

4)      Declare our belief that God will deliver us from our crisis for we are His children (Psalm 143:7-12) – David once again cries to the Lord for a quick answer declaring his trust in Him as a place of refuge for His soul.  David concludes with Psalm 143:12 expressing faith God will destroy the adversaries of his soul for he is a servant of the Lord.  We too can have confidence in the delivering power of the Lord for we have the same power of the Holy Spirit within us that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) and a glorious future of eternity with God (Revelation 21). 

Psalm 143 presents a pattern of how one thirsting for God should handle a crisis.  It begins with prayer which should be our first response, even a reflex action.  We then should honestly present our complaints to God for he already knows them but not dwell in the complaints but leave them with the Lord.  We should then declare in faith our belief that God has the power to take us through the crisis, knowing we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us and a glorious future of eternity with God. 

If you are reading this and do not know Jesus as your savior, I urge you to pray with me now and bring God into your life during this crisis to give you the strength to come through it,

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.

Next week we will begin a study of the Book of Joshua, studying the book as an illustration of one facing major challenges as he must lead Israel into the Promised Land.  We are beginning to emerge from this coronavirus crisis and can learn much from the courage Joshua found in the Lord as we return to normal so invite your friends to join this blog on Saturdays to participate in the study.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

1. Spurgeon, Charles H. Psalm 143 Bible Commentary. Christianity.com. [Online] Christianity.com. [Cited: May 17, 2020.] https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=spur&b=19&c=143.

Go Spread the News

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Mark 16:14-20

Mark 16:15

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

(ESV)

The closing of the buildings in which the church gathers should not be an excuse for believers to sit on the sidelines.  Jesus’ instructions to the eleven before ascending to be with God the Father do not include a building but are instructions to all believers in Christ to spread the news of the Gospel.  The early church heeded these words of Christ the world accusing of turning their world upside down (Acts 17:6).  The question for the church is would the world accuse them of turning their world upside down or view the Church as trying to get along with the world so as not have the world view the church as offensive.  If revival is to come to our world, it is time for the Church to become offensive to the evil in the world and like the early church focus on its mission. 

Unfortunately, many reading Mark 16:14-20 quickly read through Mark 16:15-16 and focus on the signs listed in Mark 16:17-18.  Like all portions of scripture, the reader must view the text in context, which in this instance is the Great Commission of Christ for believers to go into the world and spread the good news of the Gospel.  In this context, the signs are not the object of the text but instead demonstrations of the power of God at work in those spreading the Gospel as they represent an extension of what occurred in the ministry of Christ, pointing people to the source of the miraculous sign, Jesus Christ. 

After receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and delivering the church’s first evangelistic message (Acts 2), Peter and John enter the Temple and encounter a man lame from birth (Acts 3:1-3).  Peter and John are not wealthy men and have nothing for the man materially, but they do have something far more valuable, access to the healing power of God through Jesus Christ.  Peter honestly tells the man he has no silver and Gold and gives him what he has, healing and orders the man to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 3:4-6).  At this, Peter takes the man by his right hand and the man leaps up completely healed and begins to praise God (Acts 3:7-9).  Recognizing the healed man as the one who regularly sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple asking for alms, the people were filled with wonder and amazement (Acts 3:10). 

What happens next indicates the missional focus of the Disciples on spreading the good news about the Gospel and not having people begin to worship them as the ones that made the man walk.  If we put ourselves in the position of Peter, it would have been tempting for Peter to have the people running to see him in Solomon’s portico lavish praise on him and John as some great prophet who, like Jesus was coming along to help them.  However, Peter had experienced the sorrow of rejecting Jesus in his greatest time of need and also experienced His forgiveness (John 21:15-19).  Peter had also seen Jesus after his resurrection and was present with the 11 when Jesus ascended to be with God the Father (Mark 16:19).  Peter had also experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and witnessed 3,000 people coming to Christ when he shared the Gospel message as he left the Upper Room.  Even the temptation to have people lavish praise on him and potentially large amounts of money could not make Peter deny it was the power of God within him and not his own goodness that caused the miracle of healing for the lame man at the Temple (Acts 3:12). 

Unfortunately, Church history is full of charlatans who have profited from signs and wonders performed in their ministries by allowing the lavishing of praise upon themselves instead of using the sign to point people to Jesus.  This does not mean that signs and wonders cannot occur in the church today but a word of caution not to focus on the signs but to use them as an opportunity to point people to Jesus, the source of any miraculous sign occurring in ministry.  This is especially true in the digital age where word of some miraculous sign can quickly spread globally with people lavishing instantaneous praise on the ministry in which the miracle occurred.  Any ministry experiencing instantaneous praise must like Peter be quick to deflect any praise lavished on them to Jesus through digital media to stay on the mission of spreading the Gospel.

Matthew 28:19-20 records the other mention of the Great Commission in Scripture and add the commission to make disciples of all nations.  However, if someone in ministry instead makes disciples of themselves by lavishing praise upon themselves instead of pointing people to Jesus, they are not fulfilling the Great Commission of Christ.  Instead, those in ministry are to spread the message of the Gospel and lavish praise on Christ for any signs and miracles that occur in their ministry.  Beginning next Wednesday, we will begin a study of the Book of Acts as an example of how the church can be a transformative force in a fallen world.  It is time for the church today to, like the early church, begin becoming a transformative force for good in a fallen world, and instead of using digital media to lavish praise on themselves, use it to lavish praise on Jesus.  Please invite your friends and family to begin following this blog next Wednesday to begin following the example of the early church in turning the world upside down for Christ.