Commitment and Redemption

Jesus is truly extraordinary.  He is a man of authority, power, and divine wisdom.  At His word the blind were made to see, lepers cleansed, and the lame walked.  Jesus knew who He was, why He had been sent by the Father, and what awaited Him on Calvary.  Yet He set his face like a flint and faced struggles and pain, for the joy that was set before Him.  While every other person would have been blinded by their own pain, Jesus saw clearly the eternal victory of not only His resurrection, but the salvation of all who trust in Him. 

I was struck with a statement Jesus made from the cross in Luke 23:46:  "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last."  The heartbeat of the Son of God stopped on that darkest of days.  It seemed death had conquered the One sent to destroy the works of the devil.  The disfigured body of Jesus might have been buried in tomb hewn out of rock, His body wrapped in linen.  But the story was not over.  The Pharisees and Sadducees may have been giving high-fives to each other like the penguins in the Madagascar movies, but their celebrations were cut short with Jesus rising from the dead.  David the sweet psalmist, king, and prophet, wrote something centuries before which Jesus alluded to in His last words.  Christ's crucifixion had been finished, but Jesus was not finished!

Consider the words of Psalm 31:1-5:  "In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness. ² Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. ³ For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me. ⁴ Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. ⁵ Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth."  Death for people on earth is a period at the end of a sentence.  Death in the physical realm is as we say in Australia, a "full stop."  But did you notice in verse five the statement Christ quoted from the cross ended with a semicolon?  There was no full stop between committing His spirit to the Father and Christ's redemption.  The price for sin had been paid, for atonement had been made for all who repent and trust Him.  As a lamb without blemish, Jesus was an acceptable sacrifice for sin.  Jesus had been delivered from His body, and would rise again in a glorified body days later in everlasting, immortal glory.

For a Christian, death of the body is not a "full stop."  Our bodies will cease to function, but those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God will be raised up even as He was.  We will someday ascend to where He is, even at the right hand of the Father.  When Jesus fed the 5,000, He instructed His disciples to gather up all the fragments of bread and fish "that nothing be lost" (John 6:12).  Jesus cares for men more than bread, and implores we who are alive and remain to seek to gather those who are lost and perishing.  Bread has a limited shelf-life, and we only have a short while remaining on earth.  Let's follow the example of Jesus and keep our hand to the plow, for night is coming when none can work.

Levi Lusko: Through the Eyes of a Lion

This morning I finished Levi Lusko's book, Through the Eyes of a Lion.  It was a powerful testimony of God's faithfulness and wisdom gleaned through the unexpected death of his beloved daughter.  It is real, inspirational, and profound.  He wrote, "On the night she went to heaven, I did for Lenya what a daddy should never have to do.  I reached out and closed my little girl's eyes.  What I never expected was that God would use her to open mine." (Lusko, Levi. Through the Eyes of a Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power. T, 2015. 182. Print)  This book is one of those practical, useful keepers I guarantee you will find hard keeping.  Buy two or three copies, and don't be surprised when they are all out on loan.

One particularly poignant moment came when Levi and Jennie received a call from the hospital and was faced with the excruciating request to donate her corneas and heart valves.  It must have been unthinkable.  It reminded me of my cousin Jimmy Thomas who suddenly died from a bee sting.  Death is always a tragedy, and him being a donor to help others became a redemptive aspect of his life - despite unspeakable pain and loss.  In Levi writing this book, in a sense he allows everyone to see his pain and suffering through eyes moistened with tears.  It is an encouragement to take heart in Christ despite the pain and difficulties you have and are going through, and how God is faithful to provide opportunities for you to bless others for their eternal benefit.

C.S. Lewis wrote in The Problem of Pain, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Lusko echoed the words of Lewis and wrote "pain is a microphone" in recognision of the platform and voice God has provided all who have suffered and found light and life in Jesus.  When the time comes for each of us, may we be those brave and courageous souls in our Saviour Jesus Christ who fully give ourselves to Him and others.  Thanks Levi for the book which was over too soon, and to Jesus Christ our inspiration, Saviour, and Redeemer who has defeated death:  the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Fellowship and Communion

"I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"

1 Corinthians 10:15-16

Every word of God is pure, and all have deep significance.  Recently God has been teaching me the meaning of the Greek word often translated "communion" and "fellowship" in the Bible:  koinonia.  According to the Strong's Concordance, the word "koinonia" is translated into English King James Version as:  "fellowship" twelve times, "communion" four times, and "communication," "distribution," and "contribution" once each.  Whereas "fellowship" and "communion" can seem subjective and vague, the last three words effectively paint the picture of koinonia in practice.

"Fellowship" is a word often loosely connected in church circles with gathering with other Christians for worship, or to share a meal or activity.  Koinonia does not occur by virtue of people being in the same building at the same time or doing similar things:  it only happens when we communicate concerning things which glorify God, distribute to one another of what God has provided for us, and contribute to the benefit of others according to the gifting and resources God has freely given.  When the church was first established, Acts 2:42 describes the culture:  "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."  The apostles contributed through the ministry of the Word and prayer, and the people communed with them.  Koinonia is not fostered through receiving, but primarily through giving of what you have received from God.  This is practically seen when disciples sold their properties and laid all their proceeds at the feet of the disciples to disperse to those who had need (Acts 4:32-35).  That is koinonia.

People commonly refer to the Lord's Supper as "taking" or "receiving communion."  Gathering in one accord and eating of the bread which symbolises the broken body of Jesus and drinking of the grape juice (fermented or not) that symbolises the shed blood of Christ is in obedience to Christ's command, that we remember and proclaim His death until He returns.  But "communion" is not a ritual, nor is it simply something to be received.  If we truly desire communion with Jesus Christ, we must communicate, distribute, and contribute.  We are called to offer more than our presence, open mouths, and bellies:  communicating to God through prayer, offering up ourselves sacrificially, freely giving to God all of our lives.  Gladys Aylward calls this, "our completed tithe."  God does not ask for one hand or a finger, for the blood of Christ has purchased our total life, mind, body, and soul for eternity.  Koinonia is giving to God what is rightfully His by practical contribution for the edification of the Body for God's glory.

Koinonia is not what you can receive from God, but what you can give back to Him compelled by His love.  Fellowship and communion at your church is not about rituals, programs, or joint activities, but the giving of yourself, your time, gifts, and abilities to edify others for the glory of God.  The next time you gather around the LORD's table to remember the price He paid for you, will you remember to contribute yourself?  Jesus has given all:  what have you given Him?

Simon the Pedlar

I have been reading through The Sword and the Trowel, a compliation of articles edited by C.H. Spurgeon.  I came across a stirring story written of a common man who refused to pay homage before passing idols.  He was willing to pay with his life for his principles.  The article was titled "Simon the Pedlar" and begins as follows:

"About the year 1553, at Bergen op Zoom, in Brabant, there was a pedlar named Simon, standing in the market selling his wares.  The priests with their idol passing by, the said Simon dared not show the counterfeit god any divine honour; but following the testimony of God in the holy Scripture, he worshiped the Lord his God only, and him alone served.  he was therefore seized by the advocates of the Romish Antichrist, and examined as to his faith.  This he boldly confessed.  He rejected infant baptism as a mere human invention, with all the commandments of men, holding fast the testimony of the word of God; he was therefore condemned to death by the enemies of the truth.  They led him outside the town, and for the testimony of Jesus committed him to the flames.  The astonishment of the bystanders was greatly excited when they saw the remarkable boldness and steadfastness of this pious witness of God, who, through grace, thus obtained the crown of everlasting life.

 Spurgeon continued:

 It is well to review the memory of the brave days of old that we may be inspired with the like uncompromising spirit.  Not a nod of the head or a bend of the knee will the solitary champion concede to the idol before which others prostrate themselves.  His life must answer for his daring, but no entreaties or threats can move him; he can burn but he cannot turn; he can yield his body to the tormenters, but not his soul to the tempter.  Things invisible have nerved his heart against all visible terrors, and the fear of the most holy God has banished from him all fear of men.  He sought not the conflict, but he dared not shun it, and now that the hour is come for witness-bearing, pedlar though he be, he bears himself in a right princely manner, and prove himself one of the nobility of heaven...Short and sharp was the action of the persecutor, swift and sure was the transformation of the pedlar into one of the white-robed throng before the throne.  That calm face was lit up for a few moments with the lurid glare of the blazing faggots, and anon that upright frame fell to ashes about the stake.  Think not that he threw himself away for the Lord, and was lost the Church by his decision; far from it; his death was more useful than his life; for through the page of history speaking from the stake he is to this day right eloquent, and being dead yet speaketh.

 This was written many years ago, yet Spurgeon remains a prophet for our day when he concluded:

In many shapes, in our own land, we are tempted to yield up the completeness of our faith, or withhold our testimony against error; but in any form and from any quarter, this temptation is always to be resisted as we would resist Satan himself.  We have no more right to give up truth than to give away our master's property.  Trimming and temporising, amiable silence, and unfaithful compromises are treason to God, and are devices of the devil to obtain space and place for the propagation of falsehood, of which he is the father; but decision for truth sees through the enemy's craft, and disdains to yield him so much as a single inch of vantage ground.  Charity is a virtue, and also is decision; and the one must never override the other, or it ceases to be true charity.  When believers are steadfast in the truth they impress their age with a respect for their faith, but when they vacillate and yield up their principles the world neither respects them nor their religion.  Men look at weathercocks, but never steer by them.  To the sinful pleasure of the world the believer must not yield; to its carnal customs he must not bow, and into its spirit he must not drink, or it will be all over with the power, and probably with the very existence of his testimony." (Spurgeon, C. H. C.H. Spurgeon's Works as Published in His Monthly Magazine The Sword and the Trowel. Vol. Volume 1. Pasadena, Tex.: Pilgrim Publications, 1975. 154-157. Print.)

Attacks upon the truth of God's Word and faithful followers of Christ is nothing new.  The temptation to bow to the views of others instead of standing resolute on the scriptures is very real.  To stand today still comes at a cost, though burning at a physical stake has fallen out of favour.  If one person who professes to follow Christ could be compared to a weathercock - turning wherever the winds of change blow, fearing to take a stand lest he offend others - it is one too many.  We are to continually point to Jesus regardless of the pressing winds.  Let us be steadfast in faith without vacillation, and thus hold fast to the example of our Saviour and His faithful followers like Simon the Pedlar.