The Word Revealed

By His grace God has made Himself known to the world.  The living God spoke with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses to whom He gave His law.  Moses emphasised how accessible and understandable God's law was in Deuteronomy 30:11-14, "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."

God and knowledge of His laws was not in a far off, inaccessible location found by the wisest or most pious among them.  They did not need to develop technology to launch into space to find answers to life's questions, nor did they need to invent submersibles.  They did not need to be professors like Indiana Jones who followed clues, deciphered riddles, found relics and made discoveries to know the exact spot where they needed to dig.  God's people simply were called to love God and do the things He told them to do.  Now we know how easy it is for people to complicate things, and the Law of Moses was no exception.  The Jews went beyond the letter of the Law by defining how to properly do what God said.  Jesus went further still by illuminating the thoughts and intents of our hearts that condemn us as sinful even when we have followed the Law without fail.

Jesus fulfilled the Law and summed it up in a sentence:  to love the LORD with all our hearts and our neighbour as ourselves.  Jesus gave a new commandment, that we would love one another as Jesus loves us.  Our righteousness is not according to the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ who has redeemed and reconciled us to God.  Jesus, the Word of God, has come near us--into our hearts by faith--and provides the Holy Spirit to help and guide us into all truth.  Ironically, we can feel like opportunities for ministry are far off.  We imagine we must have a particular role or ministry in the church to be fruitful, or more education is required for us to understand and enter into the deeper things of God.  People think the satisfaction they long for will be enjoyed after they are married, are in the mission field, are part of a larger or smaller church.  It is a wonder disillusionment does not derail them from faith after they actually have what they sought and still lack peace or satisfaction they assumed was guaranteed.

Though we often complicate things, the truth remains simple and very near us:  our peace, satisfaction and fruitfulness is found in Jesus Christ alone.  We do not need to go to a foreign field to freely serve God, for we can walk in His love to people in our own houses, at our jobs, in our current sphere.  The person who thinks there will be a feeling of accomplishment after preaching the Gospel to 10,000 people in one arena will be disappointed, but we can be blessed beyond words by sharing the Gospel with a friend we are eating lunch with.  We can walk in the light of the Gospel to help mum clean the kitchen, choosing to deny ourselves for the sake of obedience to Christ.  Deuteronomy 29:29 said previously, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."  The secret things only God knows have great allure, but Jesus has revealed Himself to us as LORD and commanded us to love one another.  We can do this today, right where we are, today.  What wisdom and satisfaction we have at hand in Jesus who leads us to do God's will!

Regarding Life with Compassion

Over the years I have seen many short videos of animal rescues that demonstrate the care and compassion of volunteers as well as the amazing turnaround in once neglected animals.  Listless dogs with mange that had been abandoned, abused or cooped up for years slowly start wagging their tails again, enjoying human contact they once shied away from.  After building trust, aggressive snarling is replaced by a show of affection and submission, rolling over for belly rubs.  Rather than culling these domesticated animals, it is heartwarming to see people give their time, money and effort to revive and re-home them.

Pet owners can be guilty of neglect and not provide food, care and attention their animals need for good health and a happy life.  The animal is an innocent victim in this situation, for it could not help being sold,  having fleas, or being chained to a post.  A dog cannot build a shelter to be protected from the hot sun or find warmth on a cold night.  While there are a range of opinions of the care a dog should receive by its owner, all would admit there is a point where an animal wrongfully suffers neglect that is cruel.  Proverbs 12:10 points this out:  "A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."  It might be easier to show compassion on an animal than an adult person since people have the capacity and responsibility to make decisions in consideration of their own health and future.  Following the example of Jesus, we ought to have compassion on all people--even when they have neglected their health, been careless with money or made irresponsible choices.

Spiritually speaking, we were all born into this world slaves to sin.  The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel, and there is nothing pleasant or endearing about Satan's treatment of fallen mankind he seeks to oppress and destroy:  there is no person more proud, cruel or murderous than he.  He is glad to bind people in heavy chains of lies, guilt and shame.  He finds pleasure to watch people suffer from addictions and ruin themselves with pornography, alcohol and pride.  He loves to isolate people and abuse them with deceit.  Jesus came into this world to cause light to shine in the darkness, to set captives free, to raise the spiritually dead to new life, to plunder those awaiting destruction in hell for their sin as His own adopted children and inheritance.  Satan does not want people to know Jesus came to save them, can do so and will for all who trust in Him.  The devil seeks to make humans so jaded and embittered against God by abuse they have suffered that they will not leave the cage of sin even when shackles are removed, the door is open and Jesus beckons with open arms and a loving smile.

Jesus showed compassion which exceeds anything we can muster, for He demonstrated His love by dying in our place on Calvary.  He paid a far greater price than it costs in dollars to save a dog or cat from being euthenised by spilling His blood to atone for our sins.  Jesus did so, not to foster us for a season, but to have a relationship with Him today and spend eternity with Him in heaven.  We are not like His pets or a new "member of the family" but are made co-heirs with Jesus Christ the KING OF KINGS.  When neglected animals receive love and medical care it changes them, and when we are born again by faith in Jesus we are transformed from within.  How grateful and thankful we ought to be Jesus has shown compassion on us, and let us have compassion on those who have yet to receive Him.  God will hold every person responsible for their actions, and He also will reward us accordingly.  Jesus gave His life because He regards ours, and may His life and compassion shine through us.

Receiving the Holy Spirit

Apollos is described by Luke in Acts 18 as an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures, instructed in the way of the LORD, fervent in spirit, one who taught diligently things of God and spoke boldly in the synagogue.  These are stellar attributes, but Apollos only had partial understanding of God's ways because he stopped short of the Gospel.  Apollos only knew the baptism of John and thus his teaching was incomplete.  He preached a baptism of repentance that prepared the way to receive Jesus Christ as LORD and Messiah.  While Apollos responded positively to Aquila and Priscilla who explained the way of God more perfectly, it likely resulted in people missing key doctrinal truth required for salvation.  The following chapter illustrates the repercussions of people omitting important doctrines in teaching.

Paul encountered believers in Ephesus and asked them if they received the Holy Spirit since they believed.  They responded they were not even aware there was a Holy Spirit, for they had submitted to John's baptism--one of repentance.  After being baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, Paul laid his hands on them and they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is the One who baptises with the Holy Spirit, and it was important they received the word of God in preparation to receive the Holy Spirit in fullness and operate in spiritual gifts.  I have no doubt these believers were genuine believers, regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Yet they had never received Him in fullness because they had not even heard of Him and thus did not ask God in faith according to knowledge.  The foundation of our faith is not signs or wonders but on Jesus Christ by faith in agreement with the word of God.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, the gift of the Holy Spirit in fullness received by the 12 believers in Ephesus is available to all Christians today.

Paul presented an accurate summary of the Gospel to the Philippian jailer when he said, "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and you will be saved."  But that was not the end of the conversation or necessary instruction.  Acts 16:32 reads, "Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house."  Knowledge of God and His word preceded being born again and receiving salvation.  This is also true concerning baptism with the Holy Spirit:  it is by God's grace through faith we receive the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses and operate in spiritual gifts He gives according to His will.  A large portion of believers are ignorant of this doctrine and its relevance to them.  Others have heard of being baptised with the Holy Spirit and have no desire to be for countless reason.  Still others have a desire to receive and use a particular spiritual gift, refusing to present themselves before God in humble submission.  Believers can develop a jaded view towards the whole idea of baptism with the Holy Spirit that resembles the woman who was pleased with king Solomon dividing a baby in two because she didn't have her own baby.  I can say this because at one stage I resembled that poor, envious woman.

The desire to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit according to a human prescription that goes nowhere can lead to all manner of responses--coldness, envy, spite, frustration and despair--because it is an impossible code to crack when people do so to accomplish their own ends.  God's wisdom and grace is shown in not immediately granting the demands or desires of such a one, and in doing so reveals their desperate need for Him to even exhibit the fruit of the Spirit Who indwells them and walk in love towards the brethren.  God will patiently go to great lengths to restore embittered and frustrated souls to Himself, even if 40 years in the wilderness or 70 years of captivity is required.  Jesus said in Luke 11:13, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  The gift of the Holy Spirit is for us, our children and as many as our LORD will call.  God has granted Jew and Gentile repentance to life, and Jesus Christ baptises believers with the Holy Spirit to this day.

Praise the LORD God is gracious, compassionate and patient with us!  Countless hardened sinners have been born again, made new creations by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Also many proud, hardened believers have been baptised with the Holy Spirit by His grace, and my life is a testimony of God's love, mercy and faithfulness.  Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?  If you're not sure, today can be the day if you will meet His conditions to ask believing and receive according to His word.

Our Suffering Saviour

"Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

Hebrews 2:17-18

God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and experienced life as a common person.  Conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary, Jesus was carried in the womb and born into this world as a helpless, crying baby.  Whilst we learn often by failure and correction, our righteous Saviour learned obedience by the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:7-8).  He suffered falls, injuries, trials, rejection and grief, yet He continued fervent in prayer and faithful to intercede for others.  Jesus was put to the test in every possible way and has overcome all, our glorious and risen King.

The writer of Hebrews wrote that Jesus was in all things like His brethren, in a human body with physical limitations, under the authority of Joseph, Mary and the Law of Moses.  The book goes on in great detail to show how Jesus was greater than the high priests who offered the sacrifices of clean animals according to the Law for He once for all offered up Himself to provide atonement for sin.  The sacrifice of animals needed to be repeated daily and annually to cover sins, and Jesus established an infinitely better covenant in His own blood that rendered the Law obsolete as a means to approach God.  Jesus opened up a new and living way to fellowship with God by grace through faith in Him that provides spiritual rebirth, forgiveness and pardon of sins, and eternal life.

Verse 18 explains an important principle which is a source of comfort for us:  because Jesus suffered, He is able to help us.  Jesus faced every manner of temptation to sin possible, and yet He remained without sin.  He was put under extreme pressure as He was put to the test and never failed.  Spiritually speaking it would be like putting an object into a hydraulic press and the press breaking from the incredible pressure it created--and the object coming out without a scratch.  But Jesus was not some impervious object:  He was a person made of flesh with feelings, emotions and desires.  With knowledge comes sorrow, and Jesus knew the heart and thoughts of every person.  He was tempted to use His power as God to gain glory for Himself, to humiliate others, to boast in pride, to give place to worry and fear, to satisfy the desires of the flesh or seek comfort rather than submitting to God's will when it meant suffering.

If Jesus had not suffered being tempted, He would not be able to aid us who are tempted.  A prince in a palace who eats royal dainties and is waited on by attendants has no idea of what it is like to live in abject poverty and go hungry for days because there is no food.  Jesus knows what it is like to be hungry, thirsty, tired and sorrowful.  He has personally experienced every temptation to sin and overcame all without sin, so He is able to lead us in the trail He blazed in righteousness.  In fact, Jesus had an infinitely greater capacity to be tempted than anyone else because of the incredible divine power and unlimited resources at His disposal.  We are tempted to lie rather than tell the truth while Jesus could have been tempted to wipe a person's memory of an event, cause them to fall into a coma or drop dead--when He was in another city.

Jesus suffered being tempted, but He did not resist with clenched teeth only focused on Himself.  He was joyful, patient, gentle and kind--all the fruit of the Spirit evident through His life continually even in trials.  He did not commit sin in thought, word or deed and did not leave any good His Father in heaven directed Him to do undone.  Even when it meant going to the cross as a sacrifice for sinners, Jesus did so for the joy that was set before Him.  He wondrously lay down His will in Gethsemane to do the will of the Father and was lifted up on a cross like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.  1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."  With every test and temptation God allows He also makes the way of escape, and Jesus is the Way.  It is Jesus who helps us when we are tempted to bear it even though we suffer, for He is our merciful and faithful High Priest Who suffered for us and has overcome.