Distracted By Good

Luke 10:38-42

As Christians, we have many responsibilities that are proper.... As parents, spouses, or children – (see 1 Ti 5:8; Co 3:18-21). As employees, or employers – (see Co 3:22-4:1). Yet sometimes what is good can get in the way of what is better when we fail to properly prioritize our activities, allowing ourselves to be distracted by what is good, missing out on what is better.

A good illustration of this is seen in the story of Martha and Mary, two sisters who along with their brother Lazarus were loved by Jesus (see Jn 11:5). Turning to our text (Lk 10:38-42), let’s examine the example of Martha and Mary. Martha was distracted. She had invited Jesus to her house - Lk 10:38 “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.” That it was her house leads most to think she was the eldest, head of the household. Her hospitality is certainly commendable, a noble trait - Isa 58:7 “Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”; He 13:2 “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” She became distracted by much serving - Lk 10:40 “But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."’ The Son of God, the Messiah, had come to her house - what an honor! There were likely others beside Jesus: His disciples, her family, neighbors. She naturally wanted her sister Mary to help - Lk 10:40. She began to worry and be troubled by many things - Lk 10:41 “But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,” These were not things that were wrong in of themselves, but they took priority when they should not have. These things caused anxiety of mind and distress of spirit! -- Martha allowed that which is good to get in the way of that which is better!

Mary was disciplined. She sat at Jesus feet and heard His word - Lk 10:39 “And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.” Sitting at His feet was the ancient posture of disciples or learners - Ac 22:3 ‘"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.” It indicates she was His disciple, she wanted to learn from Him. She was more concerned about being a good disciple, than a good hostess. She chose the one thing needed - Lk 10:42 “but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."’ In the end, there is one thing that is really necessary. That would be seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness - Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”; 1 Ti 4:7b-8 “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” She chose that which had eternal consequence - Lk 10:42 “but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."’ She chose “that good part, which will not be taken away from her” for Jesus offered blessings that would last - Jn 4:14 “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”; 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”; 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Of which even her sister Martha was aware - Jn 11:21-27 “Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."’ -- Mary had the discipline to seek first things first, putting the better before the good! From the example of Martha and Mary, what lesson can be drawn and applied to our lives...? When we continue this lesson in a second part, we draw some lessons from their example for our personal lives.

The “Me First” Mentality - Cont.

Luke 9:57-62

Let’s consider some ways we can be guilty of the “me first” mentality in our family relationships. Christians have duties to members of their physical families - Co 3:18-21 “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” ; Ep 5:22,25,33 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” – “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” – “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

Many families suffer when people seek their own interests above another:

1.) When husbands and wives are selfish in their dealings with each other.

2.) When parents divorce without regard to the impact on their children.

3.) When children fail to honor and obey their parents.

-- Dysfunctional families abound where the “me first” mentality exists

Our service to the Lord, His church and our families is greatly hindered by the “me first” mentality, and is detrimental to our souls and those around us. How much better, for us to learn and practice the “others first” principle. This principle was taught and exemplified Christ when he came to this earth because He put others first - 2 Co 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”; Mt 20:28 “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."’ We are called upon to adorn the same mind or attitude - Ph 2:3-8 “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” We are to do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit. We are to esteem others better than ourselves. We are to look out for the interests of others. -- Jesus exemplified the principle of “others first” that He desires in us as well.

This principle was exemplified by the Macedonians. Note their great liberality despite their own poverty - 2 Co 8:1-4 “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints--.” Note why they were able to be so gracious in thinking of others first - 2 Co 8:5 “and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” They first gave of themselves to the Lord, then to others! The mentality of “Lord first” instead of “me first” enabled them to put “others first”. Their liberality continued in supporting Paul to preach the gospel – see Ph 4:10-18. Putting God and others first ensured that their needs would be met - Ph 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” -- The Macedonians exemplified the true value of putting “others first”.

Do we have the “me first” mentality...? If we do, we cannot be Jesus’ disciples. If we do, the church and our own spiritual lives will suffer. Do we want to be rid of the “me first” mentality...? The “me first” mentality will be destroyed when we adopt the “others first” principle. The “others first” principle will be developed as we make “the kingdom of God first” - Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” When we truly put the kingdom of God and others before ourselves, then the Lord will see to it that we have the things that we need...! – see Mt 6:30-33; Ph 4:19.

The “Me First” Mentality

Luke 9:57-62

As Jesus went about His earthly ministry, people either wanted to follow Him, or were invited by Him; yet some desired to do so on their own terms - Lk 9:57-62 “As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."’

Note these “me first” terms given. “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” “Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” This “me first” mentality was fundamentally opposed to Jesus’ concept of following Him.... He demanded that one “deny himself” to follow Him - Lk 9:23 “And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” He required that one “hate...his own life also” - Lk 14:26 ‘"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Living in a culture that praises putting self first and then “Looking Out For #1”, it is easy for Christians to adopt this “me first” mentality. Let’s consider some ways we can be guilty of the “me first” mentality. Let’s start with our attendance of congregational services. The Scriptures reveal the example and value of assembling together with other Christians - Ac 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”; 20:7 “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”; He 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Yet many will often put personal interests before opportunities to attend services:

1.) Recreational outings.

2.) Family gatherings.

3.) Elective work or school related activities.

4.) Staying home to read or watch TV.

-- Haphazard attendance is a sign of the “me first” mentality.

Let’s consider some ways we can be guilty of the “me first” mentality in our contribution. Christians are instructed to give of their prosperity to meet certain needs - 1 Co 16:1-2 “Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”; 2 Co 9:7-9 “Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."’

Yet many will give sparingly because:

1.) They want to spend as much as possible on things for themselves.

2.) They have failed to properly budget their contribution to the Lord.

3.) They are burdened with bills for things that are not necessities, but actually luxuries.

-- Negligent giving of our prosperity is a sign of the “me first” mentality.

Let’s consider some ways we can be guilty of the “me first” mentality in our service to one another. God has blessed each of us with gifts to serve one another - Ro 12:3-8 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”; 1 Pe 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Yet many make little effort to do their part in the work of the local congregation:

1.) They do not learn the names of the other members.

2.) They do not seek to find their “gift” or ability God has given them.

3.) Men do not attend the business meetings; women do not teach classes.

4.) They may attend church, but only to receive, not to give of themselves.

-- Lack of involvement in the local church is a sign of the “me first” mentality.

When we continue this lesson we will consider some ways we can be guilty of the “me first” mentality in our family relationships.

Nevertheless At Your Word I Will - Cont.

Luke 5:1-11

What is our willingness to do the Lord’s will in being His disciple? The Lord may ask us to do things we don’t think will work. Such as laying up treasure in heaven, instead of for self - Lk 12:15-21 “And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Luk 12:16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."’ Such as seeking first the kingdom of God - Lk 12:22-34 “And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”; Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The Lord may ask us to do things we don’t yet understand.

Why be baptized for the remission of our sins? - Mk 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”; Ac 2:38 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Why observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week? - Ac 20:7 “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”

Why not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together? - He 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Why singing is commanded, and not playing instruments? - Ep 5:19 “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,”; Co 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Why women are not permitted public roles in worship? - 1 Co 14:33-37 “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.”

Why churches are not to be burdened by familial responsibilities? - 1 Ti 5:16 “If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are really widows.”

For those willing to obey Him, the rewards are great. Our labor is not in vain - 1 Co 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” We can look forward to a great reward (“inherit the kingdom”) - Mt 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”; 2 Pe 1:11 “For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” -- Is our mindset that of being a disciple (“Nevertheless at Your word I will”)?

Are you willing to become a disciple of Jesus...? Are you heeding His call to follow Him? Are you putting Him before family, work, self? Are you willing to adopt the mindset of a disciple by obeying the Word of the Lord, even when it may seem futile or unreasonable? Though it may defy common sense, may we ever say “Nevertheless at Your word I will”...

Nevertheless At Your Word I Will

Luke 5:1-11

Jesus charged His apostles to make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them upon His authority - Mt 28:18-19 “And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”. Teaching them to observe what He commanded - Mt 28:20 “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ -- Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?

The mindset of a disciple was displayed when Jesus called Peter when Jesus was teaching at the Sea of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) - Lk 5:1-3 “On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.” When Jesus called on Peter to let down the net - Lk 5:4-5 “And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."’ When Jesus called on Peter to lay down his net - Lk 5:10-11 “and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” -- Did you notice the mindset of a disciple of Jesus?

We see the mindset of a disciple as we note Peter’s willingness to do the Lord’s word in letting down the net. Jesus instructed Peter to let down his net - Lk 5:4. Peter did not think it would do any good - Lk 5:5a. They had been fishing all night, they had caught nothing. Wouldn’t a fisherman know more about fishing than a carpenter? Yet Peter said, “Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” - Lk 5:5b. Though he did not think it would work. Though it defied common sense, yet note the result of doing the Lord’s word - Lk 5:6-8 “And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."’ The catch was overwhelming for one net, even for two boats. Peter was made aware of his own sinfulness. -- Here we see the mindset of a disciple: “Nevertheless at Your word I will...”

In laying down the net he and his coworkers were astonished at their success - Lk 5:9-10a. Jesus reassured Peter, and then called him and his partners to follow Him - Lk 5:10b-11. Though he did not think he could be any good (“I am a sinful man, O Lord!”). Though it meant leaving behind a successful business and family:

1) Peter left his wife (for the time being) - Lk 4:38 “And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf.”; Lk 18:28 “And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you."’; 1 Co 9:5 “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?”

2) James and John left their father - Mt 4:21-22 “And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”

Yet they left all and followed Him! The result of doing the Lord’s word the Lord called them to even greater service - Lk 6:13-14 “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,” They would receive even greater rewards - Lk 22:28-30 ‘"You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” -- Such is the mindset of a disciple: “Nevertheless at Your word I will...” Peter, together with James and John, illustrate the attitude that must characterize a disciple of Jesus: a willingness to do whatever the Lord says, no matter the cost, even when we don’t understand why...

What is our willingness to do the Lord’s will in becoming His disciple? We may not think we can do any good. We might think we are too sinful, but Jesus calls sinners - Lk 5:8 “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."’, 32 “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."’ Even the rankest of sinners can serve Him - 1 Co 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” We are to follow Him above all (family, work, self). Jesus must come before family, even self - Lk 14:26 ‘"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”; Mt 10:37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”; Lk 9:23-26 “And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Jesus must come before work as well - Lk 14:16-24 “But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" For those willing to follow Him, the rewards are great. In this present time, much more! - Lk 18:28-30a “And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time,” In the age to come, eternal life! - Lk 18:30b “and in the age to come eternal life."’ -- Do we have the mindset to become a disciple (“Nevertheless at Your word I will )? What is our willingness to do the Lord’s will in being His disciple?

We will examine the answer to this question further when we continue the lesson next week.

Five Views Of Mark 16:16 - Cont.

There is another view sincerely held by many, and that is, "he who believes and `is not baptized' will be saved". This view is held by those who believe in salvation by faith "only". That one is saved before baptism. That baptism is not essential to salvation. Jesus and His apostles clearly taught differently. Faith "alone" cannot save. As declared by Jesus - Mt 7:21 `"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."; Lk 6:46 `"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" As taught by His apostles - Ro 6:17-18 "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."; He 5:9 "And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,"; Ja 2:14 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?", 17 "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.", 20 "Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?", 24 "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.", 26 "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."; 1 Pe 1:22 "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,"; 1 Jn 2:3-5 "And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:"

Baptism is essential to salvation according to Jesus - Jn 3:5 "Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."; Mk 16:16 "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."; Mt 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."' According to His apostles - Ac 2:38 "And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."; 22:16 "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'"; Ga 3:26-27 "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."; Co 2:12-13 "having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,"; Ti 3:5 "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,"; 1 Pe 3:21 "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"

Again, I believe that those who hold this view (including personal relatives) are sincere, and are not knowingly twisting the words of Jesus. Yet, I cannot help but think of such people as Paul thought of his brethren in the flesh (Ro 10:1-3 "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.").

This leads us to the fifth and final view, one that I believe we are compelled to accept. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." This view takes the words of Jesus at face value. No explanations are necessary. Jesus says what He means, and means what He says. We have already read previously what the Bible teaches. That one must "believe" - Ac 8:36-37. That one must be "baptized" to enjoy the forgiveness of sins - Ac 2:38; 22:16.

Which of the five views of Mark 16:16 do you hold to? He who believes and is baptized "will not" be saved? He who "does not believe" and "is not baptized" will be saved? He who "does not believe" and "is baptized" will be saved? He who believes and "is not baptized" will be saved? He who believes and is baptized will be saved? -- It should be clear there is only one view which is in harmony with Jesus ' words, as there is only one which does not involve "tampering" with the clear statement of Jesus! But perhaps more importantly, with which of these views is your life consistent? One may hold intellectually to the fifth view:

1) But act as though they believed the second view.

2) How? By never confessing faith in Christ and being baptized!

One may hold intellectually to the fifth view:

1) But act as though they believed the third view.

2) How? For though they may have been "baptized", they are not living the life of faith required of one in Jesus!

One may hold intellectually to the fifth view:

1) But act as though they believed the fourth view.

2) How? For while believing in Jesus, they have never submitted to being baptized!

Only those who have come to Jesus in faith and acted in harmony with His teachings can have the assurance of salvation. The words of the Bible are clear...

"Then Peter said to them, `Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" - Ac 2:38

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." - Ac 22:16

Five Views Of Mark 16:16

How Some People Just Will Not Accept The Obvious

There is a statement of Jesus that is so plain, and yet so controversial that you rarely hear it referred to by denominational preachers, whether it be in their churches or on TV or the radio. That when they do, they feel it necessary to give an explanation that goes against the clear statement of Jesus. I have reference to the words of Jesus as found in Mark 16:16...

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned"

To illustrate what I said earlier, let's take a look at four different views of this verse as taught by men, and then contrast those views with the one plainly stated by Jesus and supported by His apostles in their teaching and preaching...

The first view is one held by those who do not profess to be Christians, but for the purpose of our lesson should be considered. In essence, they would say, "he who believes and is baptized `will not' be saved." Two separate groups hold this view.

Atheists - who do not believe in God, heaven or hell, or salvation of any kind.

Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc., who believe in God (or gods), but who do not believe that salvation is to be found in Jesus and that to believe and/or be baptized is contrary to the will of God.

But those who accept Jesus and the authority of His apostles reject such a view. There is a God who offers salvation (contrary to the views of atheists) - 1 Ti 2:3-4 "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Salvation does come only through Jesus (contrary to the Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc.) - 1 Ti 2:5-6 "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."; Jn 14:6 "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Though I doubt any at present actually hold to this view, there are some who do, and it only begins to illustrate how some are willing to deny the plain statement of Jesus.

Consider a second view, "he who `does not believe' and `is not baptized' will be saved. This view is held by "Universalist", who believe that God will save everyone eventually. To support their view, they will isolate some verses like 1 Ti 2:6 "who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time." But those who know the teachings of Christ and Paul likewise reject such a view. Jesus Himself told that there would be few who would be saved - Mt 7:13-14 `"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Paul warned of those who would not be saved, but face the wrath of God - Ep 5:5-6 "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience."

Most "Bible-believing, professing Christians" would never treat Mark 16:16 the way the first two views do. But as we consider two more views, we may start hitting closer to "home". But please understand...that we do so, desiring to "speak the truth in love"; and we pray that your love for the truth is such that you are willing to seriously consider what follows (see for example Ac 17:11). The third "view" then is "he who `does not believe' and `is baptized' will be saved." This view is held by most who practice "infant baptism." By "baptizing" (actually sprinkling, not immersing) infants incapable of faith they (esp. Catholics) indicate that faith is not essential to salvation. Some (esp. Lutherans) try to get around this by saying that God imparts saving faith to the infant so baptism can still save. By sprinkling or pouring instead of immersion, they also indicate Jesus did not mean what He said (the reason "baptized" above is in quotes).

Speaking the truth in love, we must point out that faith is a necessary prerequisite...

1.) For baptism - Ac 8:35-37 "As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's some water. What keeps me from being baptized?" Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." He replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him."

2.) For salvation - Ro 10:9-10 "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

Sprinkling or pouring is NOT Bible baptism. The Greek word used in the Bible is "baptizo", and it means "to immerse". This is why baptism is described in the Bible as a "burial" - Ro 6:3-4 "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."; Co 2:12 "having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead." Sprinkling or pouring was substituted in the place of baptism (immersion) hundreds of years after Christ and His apostles. By keeping the "tradition of men" by sprinkling or pouring, we fail to keep the command of God" concerning baptism - note Jesus' condemnation of displacing God's commands by traditions of men, Mt 15:3-9 "He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" Therefore, baptizing infants is without scriptural precedent. There are no commands or examples of infant baptism. Since the prerequisites of faith (Mk 16:16; Ac 8:37) and repentance (Ac 2:38;17:30) are beyond the infant's capability, they are not suitable candidates for baptism. I am confident that those who hold to the view of sprinkling infants are honest and sincere. But despite their honest sincerity, they are just as guilty of twisting the words of Jesus as are the atheists, unbelieving Jews (Muslims, Hindus, etc.) and the universalists.

But there is another view sincerely held by many, and that is, "he who believes and `is not baptized' will be saved". This view is held by those who believe in salvation by faith "only". That one is saved before baptism. That baptism is not essential to salvation -- This view is held for all practical purposes by most members of various denominations.

Having looked at four views of Mark 16:16 we will further examine these views looking for harmony the words of Jesus in our next segment of this lesson.

Binding The Hands of Jesus

Mark 15:1

In Mk 15:1, we read of how the enemies of Jesus bound Him in preparation for sending Him to Pilate...

“Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.”

As we read this, it is easy for our hearts to be filled with sadness, and even with a touch of “righteous indignation” for that crowd that bound Jesus in such a way. And yet, there are few today who are not guilty of binding the hands of Jesus in a “figurative” way! To see what I mean, consider some of the various ways we can be guilty today of “Binding The Hands of Jesus”...

We can bind the hands of Jesus by refusing to obey the Gospel. In His great love for us, Jesus stretched out His hands and died for our sins. Even today, through His gospel, He pleads with all to take advantage of His vicarious suffering. He does not want us to suffer for the guilt of our own sins. In truth, then, His “tender invitation” of Mt 11:28-30 is still being offered today. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."’ But when one refuses to obey the Gospel the hands of Jesus are bound! There is no way such a person can then receive the benefits of Jesus death! For him or her, the death of Jesus was in vain!

Is this true of you? It is...if you have not yet accepted the gospel by obeying the commands of Jesus – Mk 16:15-16 “And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”; Ac 2:38 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” And if it is, then you will one day have to face the righteous indignation of Jesus Himself! 2 Th 1:7-9 “and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,”

But even those who obey the gospel can be guilty of “Binding The Hands Of Jesus”. How? One way is by refusing to be transformed. Christ will is that we be transformed. This transformation involves a renewal of the mind - Ro 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”; Ep 4:20-24 “But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” This renewal occurs as we read, study, and meditate upon the Word of God - 1 Pe 1:23-2:3 “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you. So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation-- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”; Ph 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Many Christians neglect the instrument by which we can be renewed. We do not “receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” - Ja 1:21b. Allowing other things to take precedence in our lives, we so “bind the hands of Jesus” that we do not change! Are you/we guilty of this? We are, if we neglect to study the Bible on our own! We are, if we fail to take advantage of opportunities to study with others! Neglect the transforming power of the Word of God, and we are just as guilty of “binding the hands of Jesus” as were those who delivered Him to Pilate!

We can also be guilty of “Binding The Hands Of Jesus” by refusing to pray. Jesus has become our “High Priest.” He became man for this very purpose - He 2:17-18 “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” He’s made it possible for us to boldly approach the throne of grace in prayer - He 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” As our high priest He is able to save those who come to God through Him - He 7:25a “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him,” He “ever lives” to make intercession for us - He 7:25b “since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

When we do not pray as we should Jesus cannot be our high priest, our intercessor! Figuratively, we’ve taken the “praying hands” of Jesus and “bound” them behind His back! Are you/we doing this? If so, what a travesty this is! For here is Jesus, who “lives” to intercede for us, but Who can’t, because we prevent Him from doing so by our failure to pray!

There is yet another way to be guilty of “Binding The Hands Of Jesus” by refusing to do our part in the church. The church is described as the “Body of Christ”… - Ep 1:22-23 “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” As His body, we are individually members of one another - 1 Co 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” As members of one another, we are to care for one another - Ep 4:15-16 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” It is through such “mutual edification”, that Christ provides much of His help for the members of His body!

But when we fail to do our share, again Jesus is “Bound”…! Just as our physical head can do little if our bodily members fail to follow its leading, so it is with Jesus and His church! Jesus could do so much more for His members, if only more of the members did their part! Have you ever considered it this way…? That by failing to do our part, we “handicap” the body of Christ? That because of our neglect, or apathy, or lukewarmness either the whole body of Christ suffers or others are forced to do “double duty” in order to make up the difference?

Yes, there are many ways we can be just as guilty of “binding the hands of Jesus” today as were the religious leaders in delivering Jesus to Pilate! But consider just one more... By refusing to share the Gospel with the lost… Jesus has made His disciples to be his “hands and feet” in taking the Gospel to the lost. Consider Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15-16; 1 Pe 2:9. In every case of conversion recorded in Acts, Jesus used a disciple to tell the good news. Jesus works the same way today! But to the degree that we keep the good news to ourselves we have “bound the hands” of Jesus once again! We hinder Jesus from telling others of His wonderful grace! Are we “binding the hands of Jesus” in this way? Every day, countless souls die with no hope of eternal life. This need not be, if more made sharing of the gospel the primary concern in their lives! Sadly, in too many cases the primary concern of Christians is the pursuit of pleasure and acquisition of worldly treasures!

Yes, one does not have to literally “bind the hands of Jesus” to be guilty of the same sort of offense that we read about in Mk 15:1; as we have seen, there are many other ways as well! Why not today, resolve to “loose the hands of Jesus” so that in us and through us He may accomplish His full desire? Which is:

To save us!

To transform us!

To use us!

Sins Of God’s Grandchildren - Cont.

Malachi 1:1-3:18

Having reviewed the situation and deteriorated relationship between God and His people we will now look at God's `Grandchildren' today. Such were the circumstances in the generation or two that followed the restoration of Israel. Today, many of us are a generation or two removed from a similar restoration by our ancestors. Might we be guilty of similar sins...?

Do we doubt God's Love…? It is not uncommon for some to question God's existence, let alone His love! Especially, if their faith is not a biblical faith. One that requires a firm conviction in the existence of God - He 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.", 6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." One that comes from the Word of God - Ro 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."; Jn 20:30-31 "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Without such faith, they do not experience God's love. For faith leads to obedience - Ro 1:5 "through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,"; 6:17 "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,". And it is in the keeping of God's commandments that we experience His love - Jn 14:21-23 "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

-- Without the same saving faith of their parents, the physical offspring of God's children will never experience the love of God, thereby possibly doubt God's love.

Do we dishonor God's name by attending services and offering spiritual sacrifices, but with little effort? Today we are to offer the sacrifice of praise to God - He 13:15 "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." Yet the praise of God often pails in comparison to the praise of our favorite sports team, movie star, political leader, etc. We too can be guilty of sinning by offering halfhearted worship. For we are to sing "with grace in our hearts to the Lord" - Co 3:16. Will God be pleased with `blemished sacrifices' today?

-- Can one truly expect to receive God's blessings in their lives if they dishonor His Name by offering anything less than our best?

Do we desecrate His covenant by taking marriage and divorce lightly, though divorce and remarriage are strongly condemned by Jesus - Mt 5:31-32 `"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." With one exception provided by the Lord - Mt 19:9 "And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."' Yet divorce and remarriage for unscriptural reasons has become rampant today. Despite the damage it does to the spouse and children. Despite the damage it does to our relationship with the Lord - 1 Pe 3:7 "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."

-- When children of God's children don't have the same faith as their parents or grandparents, we should not be surprised to see a rise in divorce and remarriage.

Do we disparage God's patience by questioning His eventual justice by saying "Where is the promise of His coming?" - 2 Pe 3:3,4 "knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."' We may not say it in so many words, but do our lives reflect as much? We can try God's patience and longsuffering if we continue in sin; if we think lightly of sin - 2 Pe 3:9 "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." God's response will be "the day of the Lord" in which Jesus comes again - 2 Pe 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." God's response will be to judge the world! - 2 Th 1:7-10 "and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."

-- Living like there will always be a `tomorrow', many of God's `grandchildren' give little thought to God's longsuffering and the need to repent.

Do we desert God's ordinances? Are we guilty of deserting or forsaking God's ordinances in His church such as baptism for the remission of sins? - Mt 28:19-20; Ac 2:38. Such as the Lord's Supper in memory of His death? - Ac 20:7; 1 Co 11:23-26. Are we guilty of deserting other commands of our Lord such as the command not to forsake assembling? - He 10:24-25. Such as the command to lay by in store, giving as we prosper? - 1 Co 16:1-2.

-- If we take such ordinances and commands lightly, is that not an indication that we may be God's `grandchildren' instead of His children?

Do we despise God's service? Jesus would have us seek the kingdom of God - Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Do we despise God's service to make His rule and righteousness the first priority in our lives? With the assurance that He will provide for our necessities do we question the veracity of His words? Suggesting that it would be vain to serve God first in our lives? Implicating that those who put jobs or family first will be the blessed ones?

-- Those who are God's `grandchildren' will more likely trust in their own strength than in the value of serving God first.

We can see many similarities in the book of Malachi between those of his day who were a generation or two from the faith of their parents and many today who are `second or third generation Christians' -- Which is why the OT was written and preserved for our admonition - 1 Co 10:11. But notice toward the end of Malachi's message there is hope.... Those who feared the Lord spoke to one another - Mal 3:16a "Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another." The Lord took note, and a `book of remembrance' was written - Mal 3:16b "The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name." The Lord promised to make them His `jewels' and spare them - Mal 3:17 `"They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him."

-- It would become easy to discern between the righteous and the wicked, by their service to God - Mal 3:18 "Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him."

May we likewise encourage one another to serve God from the heart, out of personal conviction, that we may truly be God's children, not guilty of the "Sins Of God's Grandchildren"...!

Sins Of God’s Grandchildren

Malachi 1:1-3:18

The title of our study is actually a misnomer.... For God does not have `grandchildren' per se. He has only `children', who become such through faith in Christ - Ga 3:26-27 "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." -- Yet I seek to stimulate your thinking with this title. True children of God do have children, physical offspring who often appear to follow in the footsteps of their parents' faith. Yet it is not uncommon for them to lack the same conviction. -- It is these `grandchildren' to which I have reference in this study. In the book of Malachi, we find a similar situation.... The restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah occurred several generations earlier. The descendants of those restored Jews did not have the same zeal and focus in their faith. -- Malachi was sent to rebuke the sins of this later generation.

There are parallels today, when children are blessed to have Christian parents or grandparents. The sins of the `grandchildren' of Malachi's day often appear in the `grandchildren' of today. To see how, let's first review the sins of God's "grandchildren" in Malachi's day.

1.) They doubted God's love! They evidently questioned His love for them . God reasserted His love for Israel - Mal 1:2 `"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob,"

2.) They dishonored God's name by offering blemished sacrifices. They offered to God what they would be embarrassed to offer men. The Lord even wished someone would shut the doors so they could not sacrifice - Mal 1:6-11 `"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts."

By offering halfhearted worship. Profaning God's name by saying His service was contemptible and a weariness. Those who continued to bring blemished sacrifices would fall under God's curse - Mal 1:12-14 "But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, 'What a weariness this is,' and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations."

3.) They desecrated God's covenant by marrying heathen women. They dealt treacherously and profaned the covenant made with their fathers by marrying pagan women ("the daughter of a foreign God") - Mal 2:10-12 "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob, any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!" This problem is described more fully in Ezra 9-10; Neh 13:23-24. Malachi prayed that the Lord would cut off from Jacob those who did this – see Mal 2:12; Ezr 10:7-8; Neh 13:23-28. They desecrated God's covenant by divorcing their Jewish wives - Mal 2:13-16 "And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. "For the man who hates and divorces, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."' Despite their weeping, God was no longer regarding their sacrifices. For they had dealt treacherously with the wives of the their youth (i.e., Jewish wives) by divorcing them:

1) Even though they had entered into a covenant (e.g., "Till death do us part")

2) Even though God had made them one (cf. Gen 2:24)

Therefore God hated divorce for it covered one's garment with violence (e.g., against the wife and children). It was treacherous to so deal with one's spouse in that way! - Mal 2:16 "For the man who hates and divorces, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless."'

4.) They tried and disparaged God's patience, wearying Him with their words, especially by questioning His justice. They said that those who do evil is good in God's sight, that He even delights in them. They asked, "Where is the God of justice?" - Mal 2:17 "You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"' God's response was to send His Messenger(s). First, the `messenger' (John the Baptist) who would prepare the way. Then, the `Messenger of the covenant' (Jesus) who would purge His people - Mal 3:1-5 "Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. "Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts."

5.) They deserted God's ordinances God charged them with deserting His ordinances - Mal 3:7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?'" Their tithes (the lack thereof) as a case in point - Mal 3:8-12 "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts." They had robbed God by their failure to offer their tithes - Mal 3:8. For this reason the whole nation had been accursed - Mal 3:9. They were challenged to bring the tithes, and to see the blessings that would follow - Mal 3:10-12.

6.) They dispised God's service. They said it was vain to serve God - Mal 3:13-15. Their words were harsh against God - Mal 3:13 `"Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, 'How have we spoken against you?'" They questioned what profit there was in keeping His ordinances - Mal 3:14 "You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts?" Calling the proud blessed, saying the wicked are raised up, and those who tempt God go free - Mal 3:15 "And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'"

Such were the circumstances in the generation or two that followed the restoration of Israel. Having reviewed the situation and deteriorated relationship between God and His people we will next look at God's `Grandchildren' today.

Does the Lord's House Lie in Ruins - Cont.

Haggai 1:1-15

Is it time to dwell in paneled homes, and let the Lord’s house lie in ruin? Evidently some think so, if they say: “I will serve the Lord as soon as I...”

1) “...finish my schooling”

2) “...get on top of the responsibilities of my job”

3) “...raise my children”

In each case, is not the bottom line the same?

1) The Lord’s house lies in ruin

2) While we go about our own way with our own lives

In Haggai’s day, it was not time to put other things before the Lord’s house; nor is it time to do so today!

1) We must put the kingdom of God first - Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

2) We must put the Lord first - Mt 10:37-39 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Might we need to “consider our ways”? Are things not going the way they should? Perhaps there is a divine reason for the “drought” in our lives? Perhaps the Lord in His providence is telling us something! If we will put the Lord and His kingdom (house) first God will provide our necessities - Mt 6:31-33 “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God will multiply our seed for sowing - 2 Co 9:6-11 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” If we neglect the Lord’s work we won’t have God’s providence helping us; we may even experience God’s loving discipline - Hag 1:9-11; 1 Co 11:31-32; He 12:5-11

We saw that the Jews took to heart the message of Haggai - Hag 1:12 “Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.” What we did not stress was the Lord's response: “I am with you, says the LORD.” (Hag 1:13). The phrase “I am with you” is interesting. It is similar to the promise made by Jesus in the Great Commission - Mt 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ Thus we have the assurance that if we observe all that Christ commanded He will be with us always even as God was with Israel. Yet this blessed assurance is for those who do not let the Lord’s house lie in ruins while they dwell in paneled homes. Are you doing your part to build the Lord’s house?

Does the Lord's House Lie in Ruins

Haggai 1:1-15

About 600 years before Christ, Judah was taken captive to Babylon. Jerusalem with its temple was plundered and burned. Seventy years later, the Jews were allowed to return. It was the Lord's intention that the Jews rebuild the temple. He stirred up Cyrus of Persia to let them do this - Ezr 1:1-5. But once the people returned to Jerusalem, other things began to take precedence. God then sent Haggai to the Jews with a simple message. The message was “Build the temple!” This same message has an application for the church today.

Turning in our Bibles to Hag 1:1, let's take a closer look at Haggai’s message and the attitude of the Jews. “The time has not come for the Lord's house to be built” - Hag 1:2. Their reasoning can be inferred from Hag 1:3-4 “Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” They were too busy building their own homes! They put building their own homes before the Lord’s house! Their attitude is made clear in Hag 1:9b “Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.” While the Lord’s house lay in ruins every one was concerned with their own home!

The message of Haggai is, “Is it time to dwell in paneled homes while the temple lies in ruins?” - Hag 1:4. The Lord’s challenge: “Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!” - Hag 1:5. Things had not been going well - Hag 1:6 “You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” They should have been building the temple - Hag 1:7-8 ‘"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.” Because they had put building their homes before the Lord’s house they prospered little; what little they had the Lord blew away - Hag 1:9 “You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.” The Lord even called for a drought in judgment upon them - Hag 1:10-11 “Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors."’ The preaching of Haggai proved successful; in reverence the people obeyed and completed the construction of the temple (Hag 1:12-15).

Since this was written for our admonition (1 Co 10:11 “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”), let’s now consider Haggai’s message and make a similar application to the church. We face a similar task, although not the building of a physical structure. For God does not dwell in temples made with hands - Ac 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,”. The temple of God is now the church - 1 Co 1:2 “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”; 3:16-17 “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” Though a spiritual structure, God’s temple is still undergoing construction. The foundation is the work of Jesus, apostles and prophets - Ep 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” It grows as people are converted by the preaching of the gospel - 1 Co 3:5-9 “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” It grows internally as those converted do their part - Ep 4:15-16 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” -- So we have a similar task to “Build the temple!” (a never-ending task).

Haggai’s message is very applicable today. Does the Lord’s house lie in ruins, while we run to our own homes? The Lord’s house (the church) does lie in ruins if we allow other things to keep us from doing our part to evangelize the lost. Or if we neglect to do our part in edifying the body of Christ. Whatever our abilities and opportunities, we have a responsibility in the building of the Lord’s house today. It may involve teaching or serving - Ro 12:3-8 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”; 1 Pe 4:10-11 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” It may involve going or sending - Ro 10:14-15 “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"’ Through exercising our abilities we can build the temple of God today; otherwise the Lord’s house will lie in ruins!