The Greatest Of All

Yesterday I preached on God's righteous Servant, Jesus Christ.  Unless God explicitly revealed the truth to us in His Word, it is unfathomable how the God who created all things would humble Himself and become a servant (Philippians 2:5-8), even facing the cross for the sake of sinners.  Jesus Christ has given us an example so we might follow in His footsteps, but has also provided the indwelling Holy Spirit to empower and enable us to walk in righteousness.

In Luke 17:7-10, Jesus appealed to the good sense of His disciples concerning a typical relationship between a master and his servants.  Jesus said, "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? ⁸ But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"  It was customary for servants to prepare for their master, and after serving the master the servants would eat.  It was no badge of honour for a servant to serve his master, for it was his duty to do so!  Servants of God ought not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought because we are responsible to obey God, to love and serve others.  It is what we have been saved by grace to do!  If God is our King, as His loyal subject we should serve Him.

God is in the business of blowing minds, and I love it when God shocks me with a verse I didn't notice before.  The verse which shocked me was one that reversed this natural order of things.  Jesus told His disciples to be free of worldly entanglements and to be ready for Him and in Luke 12:35-37 said, "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; ³⁶ and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them."  Isn't verse 37 astounding?  For the servants who are faithful and ready, the master will gird himself, have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them!  The servants will be served by the master!  This reminded me of the amazing thing Jesus did after the Last Supper before going to the cross.  He directed His disciples to prepare for the Passover meal, and after the meal was over stripped down, put a towel around his waist, and washed all the disciples' feet.  It made me think at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Jesus will not remain seated on His rightful throne, but will serve His servants, and such grace is impossible for me to grasp fully.

God is a glorious King, and He gives us grace upon grace.  The Saviour who insisted John baptise Him to "fulfill all righteousness" and washes feet is the God we are to worship and emulate.  He delights to humble Himself and serve, and what a joy it is to follow in His footsteps as led by the Spirit.  Greatness in God's kingdom is not earned but marked by humility, submission, and obedience to God and others.  When the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest Jesus set them straight in Matthew 20:25-28:  "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 
²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-- ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Hills and Valleys

"Then Job answered the LORD and said: ² "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."

Job 42:1-2

When I injured my knee, I was referred to have scans of various kinds:  an x-ray, ultrasound, and ultimately an MRI.  All of these scans have their purpose and all of them have limitations.  It does no good to have a scan performed unless you have an expert to analyse and interpret it!  After the results were provided to my doctor, she referred me to a knee specialist.  This specialist scheduled me for surgery he later performed, yet he did not do this alone.  A nurse prepared the area for the incision, an anesthetist with an assistant, plus many more people in the operating theatre.  This is an example of how many medical specialists worked together to reconstruct a knee, each having a particular area of expertise.

Similar to this, ancient gods all had particular areas of control.  Some gods were believed to control the sun, caused the rain to fall, brought good luck or fertility, protected the home, healed, and caused lightning to strike.  Different cultures had their own idols and deities they were loyal to through worship and sacrifice.  Among the Greeks and Romans their god resembled our modern-day superheroes, each with "superpowers," strengths, and weakness.  Some can fly, use telepathy, shape-shift, create illusions, and become invisible.  Each has their own area of expertise they use for good or evil.  The Jews were unique among the nations because they worshiped only one God.  This seemed strange to other cultures:  why not have many gods to cover all the bases?  What if the sun didn't rise or crops didn't grow? They didn't realise the God of Israel is the Almighty God who created all things.  There is nothing beyond His view or removed from His awesome power.  He is the eternal, self-existent, and all-powerful God before whom all other spirits and gods are nothing.

The northern kingdom of Israel fought against Syrians who were struck down before them.  The Syrians explained why they lost the previous battle in 1 Kings 20:23, "Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they."  What they didn't realise was the God of the Jews is the God who created all things - the hills, plains, seas, mountains, the sun, moon, and stars.  He is the God of everything and everyone!  1 Kings 20:28 gives us the response of God:  "Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "Thus says the LORD: 'Because the Syrians have said, "The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys," therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'"  The God who knows all things, speaks, and reveals Himself with a mighty hand gave the Jews the victory.  The Jews, Syrians, and all nations of the earth shall know God is LORD of all!

God is nothing like an idol that has areas of strength or weaknesses but is God over all.  After Job received a revelation of God's power he said humbly, "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."  God is able to heal, comfort, and strengthen us in  mind, body, and soul.  He supplies guidance, counsel, and provides for our physical needs.  He is God of heavens, earth, sea, and all that is in them.  He gives wisdom and knowledge, and in Him all things consist (Col. 1:17).  Praise the LORD for revealing Himself to us as the God of the hills and the valleys.  In both good and bad times He is still God, and is able to save and deliver us.

Jesus Paid Your Fee

Today in my travels I came across a sign which made some blasphemous boasts, claiming to do what only my God - the Creator of the world and King of the Jews Jesus Christ - can do.

This "Holy Spiritualist" claims to be able to "Handle Any Problem."  The Bible says the approach of seeking spiritists to solve problems only creates more significant ones!  People can be so desperate for knowledge or to affect the outcome of a situation they will go into financial debt, selling even their souls for guidance and power.  King Saul sought the advice of a medium when there seemed no other option, and he was a fool to do so.  The sign I saw welcomed all religions, but my relationship with the Almighty God prohibits such activity because of the abominable nature of it.  Impostors of the true God have legitimate power, but seeking the aid of unclean spirits always brings a curse with it.

What grabbed my attention was the numerous stickers fixed around the sign, informing potential patrons that Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and electronic funds transfer were all acceptable forms of payment.  I have heard people say things like, "All churches care about is money" and it would be a shame if it was true.  Interestingly I have not heard the same criticism of fortune tellers or astrologers who charge fees for their services.  This advertising offers the false promise any problem can be handled for a fee.  Everything in this world which seems too good to be true often is, but God is not of this world.  He sent Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the world so we could be saved from the devil, sin, death, and hell.  The world offers a grab-bag of solutions for a price, but nothing and no one in this world has the power to save.

The prophet spoke in Isaiah 55:1-3:  "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ² Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. ³ Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you-- the sure mercies of David."  God offers salvation at His own expense.  There is no cover charge to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Only the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ received by faith is able to redeem men from death.  Being "spiritual" cannot satisfy you.  All the power of this world will leave you thirsty for more.  Eat what is good, the Bread of Life Jesus Christ.  Allow Him to satisfy you with the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.  Everyone has problems, and only God is able to save us from ourselves and He has paid this fee at His expense.

The Generous God

I was thinking today of how generous God is.  There are so many generous people God has brought into my life who have blessed me beyond belief.  Out of all we have been freely given by God we should freely give, and what great blessing we receive when we do so.  During this time of the year every time I say "Christmas" it reminds me how God gave His only Son so all could be saved and receive everlasting life through faith in Him, and how thankful I am.

Giving cheerfully and freely is a practical way of giving thanks to God for all we have received.  All we have is a gift from God (James 1:17).  This life and all the facets of it we enjoy are gracious gifts freely given by a God who created and loves us.  Our food, homes, money, and daily necessities are met masterfully by the God who knows our needs and how to best supply them.  I am continuously in awe of the many people God has continued to prompt and provide money on a monthly basis and gifts for my family according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  How I can testify of God's generosity through fellow followers of Jesus Christ of time, effort, service, and love!  There is bountiful wealth God gives which transcends possessions, money, or any earthly security.

In this season when we remember Jesus Christ, the greatest gift ever provided for men, may we be like those wise men who sought Him and bestowed kingly gifts for His use.  Most of us do not have gold, frankincense, or myrrh on hand, but we can offer Jesus our entire selves - our hands, feet, resources, time, our very breath - to the end others will know His love and generosity through us.  God does not desire a "pay back," for how could we possibly give according to His infinite measure of generosity to us?  He is pleased when we respond through giving to others as He has done for us, "paying it forward" in a sense.  Our primary motive is not to be arbitrary social justice but to give freely to others for the LORD's sake, meeting needs and seeking to bless in Jesus' name.  All benefit from this outworking of God's love.  God has purposefully and intentionally caused amazing, miraculous blessing to rain down upon us in our undeserving state.  In light of this reality as we have received, so let us give ourselves.

It is an appalling contradiction for one who has received love, forgiveness, salvation, and new life from Jesus to be miserly.  Again, I am not speaking primarily about money, though our handling of finances can provide an indication of a heart condition.  We are to be bountiful and free concerning the proclmation and living out of the Gospel.  That is the context of the often quoted words of Jesus when He said, "Freely you have received, freely give."  Matthew 10:7-8 told the twelve as He sent them out, "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."  As God has placed upon our hearts let us freely give, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).  Our resources have an end, but God supplies of love, grace, and goods are endless.  God looks favourably upon generosity, and every signpost along that path was well-set by Him.  This is a path without end, and as we walk along this way we can enjoy have sweet fellowship with our loving and generous Saviour.