The Law of Consequence
Text: Galatians 6:7
The context is quite interesting. Paul is making a series of closing remarks, exhortations, and one of these closing remarked is about the maintenance of the ministry. He seems to be saying that if someone is teaching the Word, he should be supported and helped by those who are being taught. This is the context in which he says, “You reap what you sow.” Now, let’s see:-
1. The Science of Sowing and Reaping. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
This is an established natural scientific principle, and one that is indisputable, that whatever you plant in the ground will sprout and grow up to be the same thing as what was planted. You reap what you sow, potatoes, grain, flowers, etc etc. It works every time. It’s a basic fact of life that is often used in biblical illustrations too. Used to illustrate the severity of a master, reaping what he did not sow, used as a warning to Israel that what the sow they will not be able to reap because of their unfaithfulness, used as an exhortation to cheerful giving, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Psalm 126, Genesis 8:21 -22 Now, in the context of this basic, natural law, notice some points that Paul draws from it:- Read more…
Fearless!
Text. Matthew 10:26-30
The disciples are being sent into a world that contains great dangers for them. They will be hated by everyone in the world. Yet despite all of that, they are being tasked to preach the Gospel despite the fact that doing so will inflame and antagonise the world even more! Surely a better approach would be for the disciples to keep their heads down, preach behind closed doors, don’t offend anyone. Just keep a low profile, for that’s the way to survive in such a dangerous world, is it not? Jesus certainly didn’t envisage that His disciples would do anything of the sort. Here he tells them to stand up and shout! Read more…
Disciples in Danger!
Text. Matthew 10:16-22
I’m not a great fan of ‘rap music’ but I came across a ‘rap’ called ‘Exile Dial Tone.’ Here’s just some of the words:-
We’re part of a culture, that really loves to hate us, Every chance they get, they attempt to isolate and debate us. It’s not that they don’t like us. It’s just they don’t like God in us, It’s common knowledge and oddly enough, it makes a lot of sense to a lot of us. We completely understand because we use to occupy the same space. And lived in a similar type state until we tasted of God’s grace. So we continue loving this world that so easily rejects us … What always makes for a better presentation than bark and bite Is a proper understanding of living life filled with salt and light. So we walk this fine line of walking in light of God’s kindness And live with a sense of worldliness without the fear of compromising Loving God and neighbour until Christ comes to split the sky. Or die in this society hailing Jesus as Messiah. Yup! (https://humblebeast.com/artists/beautiful-eulogy/)
How true is all of that? It’s NEVER been any different, and it never will, until Jesus returns. Let’s see how Jesus prepares his disciples for the hostile environment that they will be living and working in… Read more…
Peter’s Perplexing Passage. Part Two.
Baptism, Cleansing and the Resurrection of Christ.
Text: 1 Peter 3:18-21 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, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Peter makes a definitive statement – he says, ‘Baptism… saves us!’ Now, let’s ask a perfectly legitimate question. HOW does baptism save us? Peter’s next phrases give us a clue… Read more…
Peter’s Perplexing Passage – Part One.
Text: 1 Peter 3:18-22
1 Peter 3:18-22 are one single body of teaching, staring in 18 with Peter returning once again to the suffering of Christ on the cross, and ending in verse 22 with his glorification. In between these two positions comes two major teaching points; Christ’s death preaching the greatest sermon ever, and illustrated for us in the sacraments, in particular baptism. Let’s see what we can learn from it…
PART ONE: The Ungrateful Dead!
Peter’s readers must prepare to suffer persecution, and the way to face persecution is to be living in humble obedience to the Lord, to continually have in our minds the extent of his suffering for us. It is with this fact that Peter begins this difficult passage… Read more…
The Ethics of Evangelism
Text. Matthew 10:8b-15
Jesus has called his disciples, and now they get some really practical good advice for ministry, part of their ‘Seminary Evangelism Module’ – and its not just good advice for them, but for us also as we seek to represent the Saviour in this godless world. Read more…
Calling, College, Credentials.
Text. Matthew 10:1-4
Matthew is very methodical. In chapter nine, where we have spent a couple of weeks, we have seen his ministry beginning to attract the attention of the enemies of the gospel, and we have read about the first stirrings of the Pharisees against him, united in a plot with some of the disciples of John to question the religious actions of his disciples, accusing them of not being good enough Jews, trying through that accusation to undermine the teaching ministry of Jesus, – implying that he’s not teaching his disciples well enough, not properly disciplining them. In chapter 10, Jesus begins to prepare his disciples for ministry. Before we see his special instructions, his teaching on their ministry, lets see how he chooses and calls them…
1. Calling. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples.
He called his disciples. What kind of call? Did he shout for them, ‘Hey, Peter, James and John, – come on over here, I’ve something I need to tell you…’. I think this ‘calling of the disciples’ is much more significant and meaningful than that. προσκαλεσαμενος. It’s the suffix, the ending of that complicated word that intrigues me. It’s an imperative. It’s more than a request or even a command, its a summons. When he called them, they were compelled to come, it was non negotiable. They came, because God’s sovereign will dictated that they would come to Jesus and serve him. Read more…
