In Every Respect

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. (Hebrews 2:17-18 ESV)

Beloved,

In the movie “October Baby, the officer says to the distraught female lead, “To be human is to be beautifully flawed.” He wanted to comfort the young woman who was trying to process the pain in her life. Although his intention was honorable, was he right? Does being human make us beautifully flawed?

Jesus was truly human and was not flawed. He was a true human that was not affected by the curse of Adam, but was the New Adam who came to perfectly obey God’s righteous law. Jesus is righteous, but

how does He make us righteous? The Scripture says that he had to be made like us in every respect. He had to give to God what we could not give; righteousness. Jesus was truly human, yet without sin and free from the effects of the fall. Jesus was made like us in our humanity yet without the curse of our first parents.

Therefore, Jesus lived as a man, and died as a man. Jesus died as a perfect human substitute for sinners. Jesus, the Righteous One, died for the unrighteous so that we could be brought to God. So in his death and resurrection, God’s wrath is turned from us to the man, Christ Jesus and the righteousness of the man, Christ Jesus, is given to us by faith. The only way for Jesus to become our merciful and faithful high priest was for him to become like us in every respect yet be without sin and to die in our place.

It is astounding that Jesus lived without sin. He was a man like us in every respect. He was tempted and He suffered when he was tempted. Therefore, He is able to sympathize with our suffering and with our temptation because he faced it himself. And yet he does more than just sympathize with us, but is able to help us who are being tempted. Jesus is our Savior, but he is also our example. We must throw aside our flaws and pursue his perfection. We should not rejoice in our flaws, but recognize that our flaws lead us to the Savior and should push us to heaven. We say with Paul,

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus

Beloved, we have not already been made perfect, so let us press on toward the goal of full maturity in Christ. We are not perfect, but let us pursue the One who is.

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

Used By God

“Now in a great house there are vessels not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21

Beloved,

Do you want God to use Park Baptist Church? Do you want God to use our church to reach our community with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do you want God to use us to commend His Name to the world? If you want God to use us, we must make ourselves useful.

In Paul’s charge to Timothy, he gives us a picture of how we can put ourselves in a position to be used by God. God gives gifts to the church for the building up of the body of Christ. If we want to be a vessel for honorable use and useful to the Master, we must cleanse ourselves from what is dishonorable. So how do we cleanse ourselves?

We cleanse ourselves through confession and repentance. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify (cleanse) us from all unrighteousness.” It is impossible for us to cleanse ourselves. We need grace and forgiveness from Jesus Christ, the Righteous (1 John 2:1).

So what in your life is dishonorable? What do you need to confess to the Lord? Beloved, confess your sins to God, who is faithful and just, and He will forgive your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness (all that is dishonorable). So confess your sin and flee from it and then pursue righteousness. God will make you a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy and will make you useful and ready for every good work.

If you want to be used by God, then cleanse yourselves from what is dishonorable and you will be a vessel for honorable use, ready for every good work!!

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

The Grace of the Kingdom of God - Luke 13:10-21

On November 11, 1921 an unknown soldier that died during World War I was brought and interned at Arlington Cemetery in a three-level marble tomb. The soldier represents all of the unknown soldiers whose bodies are not able to be identified. Since July 2nd 1937, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been continuously guarded 24 hours a day 7 days a week. A special unit was created called 3rd US Infantry Regiment in 1948 which bear the responsibility of guarding the tomb. Regardless of the weather, terrorist

attack or natural disaster, this group of dedicated soldiers remains guarding the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The requirements of receiving the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guard Identification badge is so stringent that it is the 2nd least awarded badge in the entire army. These men understand that the soldier they guard could one day be themselves or one of their closest friends. It is a great honor to guard the tomb.

It is a great honor to watch the changing of the guard at the tomb in Arlington Cemetery. There is a profound sense of honor and respect that fills the crowd as one participates in remembering those who have died in service to our nation. It is a humbling experience and leaves you changed. Most US citizens who encounter the tomb have a profound level of respect, but this is not true for everyone. On November 8th, 2011 while one of the soldiers was guarding the tomb, there were tourists who were laughing and not giving due respect to those who have fallen. As the soldier hears the laughter, he stops his march, then turns and shouts, “It is requested that everyone maintains a level of silence and respect.” The crowd went silent. Those who were talking were shamed. They should have known better. The long walk through the cemetery should have prepared them with reverence and awe, but these tourists did not get it. They did not get it, and were shamed because it.

There is a time and a place for people to be shamed. Disrespecting those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country is such a time and place. It takes courage to call people to honor. We are going to look at a scene in the life of Jesus where he demonstrates courage by shaming those who should have known better.

Jesus has just finished a long discourse that begins in Chapter 12:3-13:9. The main point of the sermon is to prepare one’s self for the Day of the Lord. Right before this sermon, Jesus pronounces woes on the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He then pleads with the crowd (and with the Pharisees who would have been in the crowd) to repent or they will all likewise perish. The scene changes in verse 10: “Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.” The “now” shows us a change in scenery, but as you will see, it is giving the people an opportunity to repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.

The Kingdom of God Extended to the Helpless

Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues. Luke mentions in 4:16 that it was his custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach. In that same account in Luke 4 Jesus was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and Jesus found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering the sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-19 (emphasis added).
After reading those words from Isaiah, Jesus looked at the crowd and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus correctly taught from the Scriptures, which means he interpreted the Scriptures in relation to Himself. All of the Scriptures testify about Jesus. Jesus taught the people from the Scriptures then he would perform miracles to verify his claims. Don’t miss this, the Kingdom of God is extended to the helpless, but it is first extended through words. Teaching and sharing Biblical truth is how we extend the kingdom to the Helpless. Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.”

The Bible teaches that we are all helpless, dead in our sins, blinded by the spirit of the age, until our eyes are opened through the Word of Christ. This is why we must preach the Word. Faith in Jesus comes from the hearing of the Word. I pray as you hear this word today that you would have faith and you would realize that every word you hear is the kingdom of God being extended to you. Will you accept it?

Verse 11,

“And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten herself.”
Luke draws are attention to this woman who was there who had a disabling spirit. For eighteen years she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. Understand the context that it would have been very rare for a disabled woman to get close to one teaching in the synagogue. Women were not very highly respected

during that time, and especially those who had a physical deformity. It would have been assumed (as we mentioned last week) that this woman was disabled because of her sin. She was afflicted because of her wrongdoing.

Verse 12, “When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her…” Jesus noticed her. He did not dismiss her because she was a crippled woman, but He saw her. Jesus sees her helplessness. Jesus sees her 18 years of affliction. Jesus saw her. She was not forgotten. Beloved, as Jesus has seen this woman, Jesus sees you. He knows your pain, He knows your heartache, He knows your depression. He knows because He sees you. Jesus looks at you, not with anger, but with compassion. A Rabbi should not be talking to a disabled woman, but Jesus is not your typical Rabbi. We see this as a consistent theme in Luke. Jesus reaches out to the outcasts. The woman did not approach Jesus, but Jesus went to her. Verses 12-13,

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

Jesus does not see faith in this woman. He does not seeing anything that would cause him to extend healing to her, but His grace alone. Grace is unmerited free gift extended by God undeservedly to those who are spiritually disabled. Jesus said you are freed from your disability. The same word for freed her is the same word in Luke 4:18, “to set at liberty” those who are oppressed. Jesus frees the woman from her oppression by her disability. We see from the passage the disability is caused by Satan. She was bound by Satan and has been set free from oppression. Jesus teaches the truth and then shows the truth so that you will believe the truth.

The woman had no problem believing, she was made straight and she glorified God. Imagine, after living 18 years hunched over, to all of a sudden to stand straight. This would have caused extreme joy. The Bible is not a book of rules; it is a book of glory. This book highlights the glory of God unleashed on unrighteous sinners. Have you experienced this straightening?

One of the greatest misconceptions of the world is that they believe they have to get themselves right before they come to God. The exact opposite is true. You are spiritually disabled and unable to straighten out your life. You need God to extend his hand and touch you and set you free from your oppression. The way God extends his healing touch is through his Word. The preached Word is God’s invitation to you to come to Him and He will straighten you up. He will change your life. He will change your desires. He will give you victory over sin.

No soldier who has served in combat is ready for war the day they are enlisted in the army. They go to boot camp. They are tested. They are tried. They have trained. Listen to 2 Timothy 2:1-4:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good solider of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”

We have been enlisted by God as one his soldiers. Our aim is to now please the one who enlisted us in His Kingdom. We do not have everything down day one, but our whole direction changes. We no longer care about civilian pursuits for our aim is to please God. If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, God is extending

his invitation to you to enlist in the kingdom of God through his Word. To enlist in this army you need to do one thing: You renounce your rights as a citizen of this world, and become a soldier of Jesus Christ and a citizen of heaven. Jesus offers himself to you. He offers you his perfect life, his sacrificial death and his death-conquering resurrection. He offers to take all your sin and to give you his perfect record, if you would only enlist in his kingdom, by following him as your King. The invitation is extended…how will you respond?

For not everyone accepts the invitation.

The Kingdom of God Irritated the Hard-Hearted

Verse 14,

But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”

This story is called a mirror account. It is very similar to the story Luke 6 where Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath to expose the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. But why did Luke place this story here at this point in the gospel? The words of the Gospels were inspired by the Holy Spirit, but so was the order and arrangement. Jesus did a lot of miracles and a lot of teaching, but not all his teachings and miracles are explained in the Scriptures. So why is this passage here when it is so similar to the account in Luke 6? I believe it is here to show the continued hardening of the Pharisees against Jesus. They would not listen to his teachings. He just finished a long sermon and specifically shared a story how he was giving more time to the fig tree before it was cut down. Jesus is not cruel, but loving in his warnings. Luke places this story here to show us a tree that does not bear fruit.

The ruler of the synagogue does not address Jesus directly, but indignantly speaks to the people. “There are six days that you can come and be healed, you need to wait on one of those days to be healed.” The ruler cared more about following the tradition of the elders rather than the Spirit of the Law that was given. The elders were so nervous that people would break the Sabbath law that they added restriction after restriction to what was allowed on the Sabbath. The Sabbath became a day of constant rule following rather than rest and enjoyment of God. The Sabbath rest has not ceased in Christ, but redefined to enhance our worship.

We are called to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. We should have a day that we set aside to the Lord for the worship and praise of God; a day to rest, think, and to reflect on God’s goodness to us in Christ. Our culture is so busy that we may need to spend more time thinking about the meaning and purpose of our Sabbath rest. As the summer gets started, our pace naturally slows down, but as our pace slows our worship should increase. Do not allow the summer as a time to hinder your worship, but enhance it.

Jesus sees the hypocrisy in the ruler of the synagogue. He should know the spirit of the law and he should rejoice in God’s power displayed on the Sabbath, but instead he is irritated. He is irritated that God was being glorified through the demonstration of Jesus’ power. Jesus takes this opportunity to shame the ruler and those with him who did not respect the God of the Sabbath. Verses 15-17,

Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Jesus makes a very clear statement that these men cared more about their own animals than they did about a daughter of Abraham. Jesus shames theses Jews who would “set free” their “bound” animals on the Sabbath, but would not “set free” the “bound” woman. They were shamed, because they should have known better. Their hypocrisy was evident to all. They could not argue with Jesus’ logic.

This passage also shows the battle between God and Satan. Satan kept this woman bound for 18 years and Jesus came to set her free. There is a very real battle between God and Satan. Here God’s people were not

fighting with God, but against him. Satan is called the Adversary and in this passage, Jesus calls the Jews adversaries. They were against the things of God. People will either be against Jesus or for Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 2:15 says of the Jews that they,

…killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out (speaking of the apostles) and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to full up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last.

These Jews were not just trying to enforce the Sabbath, but in misapplying it they were fighting against Jesus Christ. They had become adversaries laboring with the great Adversary, Satan.

And here is the scary thing; the Jews really believed they were fighting on the right side. Saul of Tarsus pursued Christians to the death because he believed they were hindering God’s message until one day on Damascus Road when he heard, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” We can know the Bible, but if we misinterpret it, we may be fighting against God. Christianity is not always neat and the Bible is not always easy to understand. There are times we need to be shamed like these Jews so that we would be loosed from our bondage to the enemy. When we realize we have been working astray, we must repent. We must come to our senses and escape the snare of the devil by rejoicing in the repentance offered by God.

Life is a war and we are soldiers; we must make sure we are fighting on the right side. Luke closes this section by connecting this scene with an explanation.

The Kingdom of God Explained to the Hearers

In verse 18, Jesus starts to teach about the kingdom of God. We know this teaching is connected because Luke writes, “He said therefore,” showing that what he is about to say is tied to the previous scene. Verses 18-21,

He said therefore, “what is the Kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

Both analogies explain the kingdom of God to start very small and inconspicuous. A mustard seed is a small seed that grows to a substantial size, even to give room for the birds of the air to find a home. A little leaven is hid in three measures of flour, but when it is fully leavened would have 40-50 pounds of bread. In both cases, it starts small, but grows to substantial size. This is what the Kingdom of God is like. It starts small and inconspicuous, but will grow to cover the whole earth. Habakkuk 2:14, says,

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

But for those who oppose God, who are his adversaries and seek their own glory, the prophet says,

The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory.

The Kingdom of God may start small, but it will fill the earth. No one will be able to hide from the glory of the Lord for it will be like the waters that cover the sea. The whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.

Jesus ties the display of this power in the healing of this woman with the power that is displayed in the Kingdom of God. Jesus freed this woman from bondage to Satan through his power and that power will only grow. Satan’s time is up. The kingdom of God has come. The battle is still raging, but the beginning of the end has come. It is only a matter of time.

At the close of World War II, there were 513 men held as Prisoners of War at a prison camp in Japan. The prisoners had heard that the US forces were making progress, but that the Japan soldiers were executing all the POWs before their retreat. A mixed group of only 320 American and Filipino soldiers outflanked 8,000

Japanese troops to rescue the POWs. One of the rescues, Alvie Robbins, came across a prisoner terrified in the corner of his cell tears streaming down his face, saying, “I thought we were forgotten.” Robbins looked at the man and said, “No, you’re not forgotten. We have come for you.”

Friends, no matter what we face in this life, we must always know that we are not forgotten. The kingdom of God has been extended to us through the Son. Jesus Christ came to rescue us from our bondage to Satan and one day the trump will resound, and the Lord will descend and we will know that we are not forgotten, and we will see our rescuer face to face and hear those glorious words, “I have come for you.” Our God has not forgotten us, but has promised that his kingdom will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Until then, let us fight the good fight of faith as good soldiers of Christ Jesus by making it our aim to please Him who is worthy of our honor and respect.

Doubly Whole

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Beloved,

I once bought a 1993 GMC mini-van. It was one of the worst purchases I ever made. The seats did not match and the sliding door would randomly fly open while I was driving. I bought the car because the advertisement said that it was a light-duty work truck disguised as a mini-van. Unfortunately the ad was wrong. It was a mini-van and not a very good one. It is impossible for a mini-van to be a truck or a truck to be a mini-van. They may serve similar purposes, but they are different vehicles.

One of the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man.

Theologians have referred to this doctrine as the “hypostatic union.” Jesus breaks the mold in that He perfectly exists simultaneously as both man and God. Unlike my van, it was possible for Jesus to be two wholes. He was wholly man and wholly God. Jesus came into our world as God incarnate becoming the God-Man. Why is this doctrine important? Why is it necessary to hold this belief?

Our Redeemer had to be fully God and fully man in order to save us from our sin. He had to be made like man in every respect so that his death would be in place of man. A man had to die for men. Jesus had to be fully God because he had to be the perfect sacrifice for man. Jesus did not inherit Adam’s sinful nature, but was wholly pure and blameless as He was fully God. If we lose Jesus’ humanity, then his death could not pay for man’s sin because he would not have been a man. If we lose Jesus’ divinity, then his death could not pay for man’s sin because he would have sin and therefore his death would not save us.

Beloved, let us not shy away from the complex doctrines of our faith. The Scripture speaks of a child that was given to us and his name shall be called Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6). In this one verse, we see this complex truth on display. Our Redeemer came as one who was fully God and fully man. If he was not both, we would still be in our sins and have no hope of heaven. Praise God for complex truths. Praise God for our doubly whole Redeemer, the God-Man, Jesus Christ.

More on Catechism

Beloved,

Catechism is simply one way to teach Biblical truth in an orderly way. It is usually done in a question and answer format.

Catechisms are nothing new to Baptist Churches. The English Baptists started using catechism in the late 1600’s while our Baptist forerunners adopted the use of catechism in America in 1742. Catechisms are a strategic and orderly way to pass on the key doctrines of the Christian faith. Look at the following verses:

Romans 6:17, “you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were committed.”

1 Timothy 1:6, “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.”

2 Timothy 1:13, “follow the pattern of sound words which you heard from me.

2 Thessalonians, “Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us.”

It has always been the churches job to train the people in the words of the faith and in good doctrine. The catechism is a platform to train our church in this way. I want to return to our Baptist roots by passing on Christian doctrine to the next generation. Psalm 145:4, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”

Can I challenge you to memorize the catechism each week and recite it with your children and grandchildren? Use it as a tool to commend the works of the Lord to the next generation. Our children are learning “doctrine” in our schools and from our culture, but that doctrine often conflicts with the Holy Scriptures. So we must be diligent to train them the words of the faith and of good doctrine for the glory of God.

Never Fail to Fight

Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Galatians 6:6

Beloved,

I often fail at the plans I make. I have so many things that I want to do and so many things that I want to be, but too often I get in the way of my goals. Whether it is my sinful heart, my laziness, my business, or my lack of focus, I too often fail to do what I want to do. In those moments of failure, it is a temptation to throw up my hands and say, “What is the point? Why do I even try?” We have to fight those moments of temptation.

I often fail in catechizing my children. I want to teach them the deep truths of God and ground them in the

God calls parents to teach their children. Parents are to raise their children in the discipline and the instruction of the Lord. The Greek word used in Galatians 6:6 above is the word katecheo which is where we get the word, catechism. The calling to teach is not limited to parents, but all believers. We teach and we are taught. This is how our faith continues from one generation to another.

I know the value of catechism. I believe in it. I know its historical and biblical roots and yet, I am not good it. I fail in making it a priority, but I am not going to give up on it. I am going to continue to fight in systematically instructing my children in the great doctrines of the faith. As I forget what is behind and press on towards what is ahead to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus and continue to strive to catechize my children, I pray you join me in this fight.

Parents we may fail, but let us never fail to try. Do not give up on catechism. If you haven’t started yet, join the journey with me to fight for the next generation in instilling deep truths in our children. I may continue to fail, but I will continue to fight. Failing and fighting is life in a fallen world. We fail, but we continue to fight the good fight of faith. We may fail, but let us never fail to fight.  

historic doctrines of the Christian faith. I set goals and set to work a plan, then life gets in the way and everything stops. We fall behind in our catechism and I am tempted to say, “What is the point? We should just stop trying!!” But we can’t stop trying. We can’t give up on teaching our children. We can’t give up on systematically training the next generation in the faith.

(Find a Catechism here)

“The Crucible of the Lord” Luke 13:1-9

“Why do bad things happen to good people? How could a good God allow that disaster to happen?” These are frequent questions that are raised in our society. These types of questions are commonly asked by those who object to Christianity. “If God is good, then why do bad things happen?” These questions are not new. There is nothing new under the sun, but they have become a lot more common since the Enlightenment. One of the champions of Enlightenment, French philosopher Voltaire, attacked Christianity and the benevolence of God in his popular satire, Candide. The book follows a journey of a young man named Candide as he encounters evil in the world. Voltaire consistently mocks God and the organized church throughout the book. Candide frequently repeats this phrase, “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” It is hard to miss the basic premise of the book: that the world is so full of evil, how can a good God be at the center of it?

Voltaire became one of the leaders in the Enlightenment and his most popular work, Candide, has radically influenced western society. Candide has been taught more than any other work of French Literature.

According to Martin Seymour Smith, Candide is listed as one of the most influential books ever written. It is hard to deny its impact. One of the reasons why the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” is so pervasive is because of books like Candide and the enlightenment ideas that they teach. We have to understand the presuppositions that come with questions like these. Presuppositions are the background beliefs the people assume before they enter into a conversation or dialogue. Our culture has been heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideas without most of us even knowing it. The predominant worldview of western society is rooted in the Enlightenment, which replaced God at the center of the universe with man at the center. The predominant worldview is that reason and faith should be separated, and reason should be the ultimate judge of the universe (i.e. man’s reason should be the ultimate judge).

What is the presupposition that lies behind the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” The presupposition that is behind the question is that there are actually good people. The predominant western worldview believes that every human being is inherently good. So the question is often asked with disdain for the world and for the God who created it. The question presupposes that there are good people and that God is wrong to allow bad things to happen to good people. People want this question answered, but the Bible does not give us an answer to this question. The Bible gives us an answer to a different question, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” The worldview put forward in the sacred Scriptures is that man is not inherently good, but evil. This has been an historic Baptist belief. Prior to the Age of Enlightenment, the doctrine of original sin is explained this way in a document called the London Baptist Confession of 1689:

Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, and threatened death upon the breach thereof, yet he did not long abide in this honour; Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to subdue Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who, without any compulsion, did willfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit, which God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.
( Genesis 2:16, 17; Genesis 3:12,13; 2 Corinthians 11:3 )

Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them whereby death came upon all: all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.
( Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12, etc; Titus 1:15; Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-19 )

They being the root, and by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation, being now conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus set them free.
( Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22, 45, 49; Psalms 51:5; Job 14:4; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 6:20 Romans 5:12; Hebrews 2:14, 15; 1 Thessalonians 1:10 )

From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.
( Romans 8:7; Colossians 1:21; James 1:14, 15; Matthew 15:19 )

The corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.
( Romans 7:18,23; Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8; Romans 7:23-25; Galatians 5:17 )[1]

The church has long held the view that the Bible does not teach that man is inherently good, but evil. Baptists have always believed that, but the greatest challenge today is that the world doesn’t believe it. And sadly, many Baptists do not believe it. If people ask the wrong question, they will never get to the right answer. “Why do bad things happen to good people?” is the wrong question, because it comes with the wrong presuppositions. We have to help people see their presuppositions and help them ask the right question.

Jesus addresses the same problem of faulty presuppositions in Luke 13:1-5. Jesus finished challenging the crowd to prepare for final judgment by settling their accounts with God. He then is interrupted and critiqued by his audience.

The Critique of the Lord

Verse 13:1-2,

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?

The crowd just heard that it was important for them to settle their accounts with God and they respond with a deflection. They attempted to change the subject. They brought up a historical event that happened under [2] The event made an impact on the people and they asked for Jesus’ opinion.

Pilate. This event only is mentioned in Luke, but violence was not uncommon in the region. Jewish Historian Josephus mentioned several major violent incidents that happened during the reign of Pilate.

We know that throughout the gospels it is mentioned that Jesus could perceive people’s thoughts. Jesus knowing their hearts responded to their telling of the event:

Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?

Those who shared the story thought that the Galileans were worse sinners than others (i.e. them). The prevailing thought of the day was that people suffered because they did more bad than others. This is why Jesus was asked in John 9:2 about the blind man, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” People just assumed or presupposed that this man was blind because of his sin or the sin of his parents. The same was assumed by Job by his friend:

Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed. (Job 4:7-9)

The people thought that bad things happened to people always as a response to their sin.

The people that told of the event were trying to divert attention away from Jesus’ challenge to get ready for the Day of Judgment by settling their account with God. It was almost as if they were implying that they did not need to settle their accounts because they were not as bad as those Galileans who died by Pilate’s hands. They heard the message, but thought that the message was for someone else.

How many times have you been listening to a message and thought, “I really hope so-and-so heard that?” Instead of applying the Word to your own heart and listening so you could grow, you attempt to apply that message to the life of someone else. This is what is happening here. The people heard Jesus challenging them to get right with God and they applied the message to other people rather than to their own lives. Jesus makes the same statement about another event in verse 4,

Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them: do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?

Jesus is undercutting the dominant presupposition of the day that bad things happen to people in a fallen world not because they are worse sinners, but that they are sinners. Jesus does more than just attack presuppositions, but reinforces his original message.

The Charge of the Lord

Verses 2-5,

And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (emphasis added)

Jesus does not allow the crowd to avoid the real matter at hand. Are you right with God? Have you repented of your sins?

One of the main problems in American churches is that many people have never truly repented. They believe themselves to be Christians, they attend church semi-regularly, and they even may give a little money to the church, but have never truly repented of their sins. Pastors have preached a gospel without repentance for the last 20 years. During the church growth movement, pastors were trained to not talk about sin and repentance because that would make people uncomfortable and not want to come back. So preachers realized that people were more willing to hear a message of hope and faith than they were to hear and positively respond to a gospel of repentance. The problem is that without repentance, there is no true hope and no true faith. Saying the sinners’ prayer will not get you in to heaven. Saying a sinners’ prayer will not get you right with God. The Bible never speaks about a sinners’ prayer; it speaks about repentance. God does

not want you to merely repeat words, but He wants you to change your life. And to change your life, you have to change your mind about Jesus.

The word repentance comes from the Greek word “metanoia.” “Meta” means “new” and “noia” means “mind.” So to repent is to change your mind. It is to change your mind about Jesus and about sin. In order to truly repent, you have to change your mind about the person of Jesus Christ. He cannot merely be a good teacher, or merely be a prophet. You must view Him as the Lord and Savior of the world and live in light of that reality. One of the clearest signs of true repentance is that a person works to cast off the sin in their life. Proverbs 6:16-19:

There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

To change your mind is to agree with God about what he says about sin. To true repentance is casting off arrogance towards others, lying against a brother and anything that sows discord among the brethren. We do not just agree with God against sin, but fight to kill that sin in our own lives. Repentance is not the absence of struggle, but a renouncement to disagree with Jesus. Pastor JD Greear writes,

Repentance is acknowledging that Jesus is Lord of everything as a matter of who He is. Whatever your disagreement with Jesus, He is right and you are wrong—be that your position on abortion, sex before marriage, homosexuality, generosity, or anything else. While you may not understand all of His ways yet, you recognize that He makes the rules. Period. It means you do the things He says. Jesus said, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)[3]

Jesus is Lord of all. And because Jesus is Lord of all, all must repent. The crowd wanted to divert attention from themselves to what others needed to do and how others were dealt with in their sins. Jesus says very clearly that every human in the history of the world is a sinner and will perish, unless they repent. Jesus is not referring only to a physical death, but an eternal death in a literal hell. Jesus does not want anyone to perish, but that all should reach repentance. Jesus is patient with people, but there will come a day when his patience will end.

The Crucible of the Lord

The great crucible or test of the Lord is the test of your repentance. Will you change your mind about Jesus and repent or not? We all have sinned and we all will face God’s judgment, but the question remains, will you repent? Verse 6-9,

And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Jesus offers a final warning to the crowd through this parable. Every breath you have is an opportunity to repent, therefore every breath you have without repenting is a demonstration of the Lord’s patience. The picture is a fig tree that is bearing no fruit. The man tending the garden asks permission to cut down the tree because it is bearing not fruit and stealing the nutrients from the surrounding trees for he says, “Why should it use up the ground?”

First, notice how verse 8 shows the Lord’s patience towards the unrepentant. The man is told to leave it alone for another year so it can be uniquely cared for to help foster fruit by the Vinedresser. God is going to tend to this tree to loosen the rough soil of the heart and fertilize it with the word to allow for repentance. After a year, if there is fruit, then the tree will remain, but if there is no fruit, the tree will be cut down. We do not deserve this, but he gives opportunity after opportunity after opportunity for repentance. Divine judgment

can sound very harsh and cold, but divine judgment does not occur without a long period of divine patience. If you are not a follower of Jesus, God has shown you patience today so that you would repent of your sins. Do not spurn his warning, repent.

God offers true repentance through His Son, the only Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus died for the sins of the world for all who would turn from their sins and trust in him. He died for you and God raised him from the dead. By turning from your sin and placing your faith in Christ, His death becomes your death and His resurrection becomes your resurrection. There is not a better offer in the entire world. Will you accept it?

As a church, how do we handle our members that bear no fruit? What do we do with the person who never comes to worship? What do we do with the person who never gives? Never serves? Never visibly loves the body?

We first must do all that we can to help them bear fruit. We encourage, we exhort, we love, we pray, we plead, we write notes, we call, we build relationships, we do all that we can. And after a time, we must, for the sake of their own souls, strongly warn them of the coming judgment. We may even have to remove them from the fellowship to model God’s final removal in judgment.

There were people in the crowd who did not want to deal with their own sins and their own repentance. They wanted to shift the conversation to the punishment of the sins of others, but Jesus looks at all of them and says, “I tell you, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” This is Jesus’ response to those who question God’s character in light of evil events. He doesn’t explain the evil events, but calls all people to repentance.

Tragedies happened in a fallen world. Whether it is a bridge collapse in Minneapolis, a tsunami in Japan, or mine collapse in Turkey, tragedies will happen. How will you respond? You could raise your first and judge God in the spirit of the Enlightenment, questioning His wisdom and sovereignty. (Remember God’s response to Job.) Or you could allow these events to serve as a reminder that unless you repent, you will likewise perish. The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:3:

While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape.

Do not misinterpret tragedy. Tragedies serve as a very real reminder that unless we repent, we will all likewise perish.

Beloved, calling people to repentance is not hard or cold or mean, but full of grace. God sent His Son to make a way for you to get right with God. Jesus was crushed for our sins. For those who of us who have truly repented, we have One who has already died in our place. The One who demands and offers repentance is the same One who has already offered His own life for yours. Do not resist his calling. Do not stay in your sins. He is patient with you not wanting you to perish, but to come to Him in repentance. He stands offering forgiveness for your wicked and evil deeds. He stands to give you his perfect record, his perfect life, and his spotless righteousness. Change your mind about Jesus. Confess your sins, call on the Lord and live for His glory. Repent, before it is too late. Jesus is worth it. Do not die in your sins. Repent and come to Christ. Change your mind about Jesus; serve him as Lord and live forever.

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[1] http://www.vor.org/truth/1689/1689bc06.html accessed 5.14.14

[2] Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke: 9:51–24:53 (Vol. 2). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. Commentary on Luke 13:1

[3] Greear, JD. Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart. B&H. Nasvhille 2013. p 64.

The Lord Calls Sinners by David Benson Kiehn

Except from The Lord Calls Sinners

Jesus has Authority Over Disbelief

Verse 42 says,

At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

So we see two particular miracles in this section: the exorcism of unclean spirit and the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. We also see a summary of healing and exorcisms at the end of this day, but we cannot miss the forest in for the trees. Luke wants us to see Jesus’s Authority over demons and disease, but he also wants us to see the power that is in His preached Word.

Miracles are never an end in themselves, but rather they are there to help people hear the Word of the Lord. These miracles confirmed his divinity and fulfilled the prophecy. Luke 7:18-23:

18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

We do not want people merely to be impressed with miracles of Jesus, but we want all to see what the miracles say about Him. The miracles help us see that Jesus is the Savior, the Holy One of God, the Son of God, and the Christ. Look back at verse 32:

They were amazed at his teaching because his message had authority(emphasis added).

And again in verse 36:

All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits” (emphasis added).

The teaching and message of Jesus is all over this passage.

The miracles were there to confirm His message. So what is His message? Verse 43:

I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.

And He kept preaching. He had to preach the good news of the kingdom of God in other towns meaning that He is preaching the good news of the kingdom of God in this town as well. He kept preaching and teaching in synagogues, meaning that He was already preaching and teaching a message with authority about the good news of the kingdom of God.

Throughout this gospel, Luke uses the Greek word “dei,” which is translated “I must.” Those references are very important to help us understand Jesus’ mission. Jesus’ ministry was a preaching ministry. He came to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. He came to announce that the kingdom was here. The True King has established His kingdom. The good news was the reason He came. This world has rejected the authority of the Creator. We have rebelled against God and have gone our own way.

None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one (Romans 3:10b-12).

People may get offended with this message, but God is offended with this world. God hates sin and rebellion, and, as a just God, He has to punish sin. The wages of sin is death. We all deserve death for our sinful rejection of God’s good authority. There was no hope for us for God has given us the sentence of death to pay for our sin, but in His infinite grace and mercy, God sent Jesus Christ to live out our sentence of death.

He came to announce to the world that God has come to rescue His people. He has come to forgive people for their sins and to save them, however, in order to save us, Jesus had to pay for our sin. Jesus perfectly submitted to God’s authority and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Then, God raised him from the dead. Jesus came to preach the good news that if anyone calls on His name and trusts Him as their Lord and Savior that they will be saved.

This is why He was sent. He was sent to rescue us. Maybe you are reading this book and have never bowed your knee to Jesus and submitted to him as your Lord. He is calling you. Turn to Him and be saved. Trust in Him as your Supreme Authority and Creator King.

Jesus was sent to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. This is important, because the only way that we are saved is by believing in this message. Jesus’ authoritative word is the only thing that can cure our disbelief. This is why the main purpose of the Sunday gathering of the church I pastor, Park Baptist Church, is the preaching of the Word of God. We are modeling Jesus Christ. His Word brings life. We must hear and believe, but not us only; Jesus said, “I must go to other towns as well for this is why I was sent.” After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and gave them the same commission. Listen to John 20:21:

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me (to preach the good news of the kingdom of God), even so I am sending you (parenthesis added).

We must preach the good news of the kingdom of God, for that is why we have been sent.

Roger Shelton, a pastor from Nashville, Tennessee, was in Pusan, Korea, on an evangelistic mission. With an interpreter, he visited a man who had creeping paralysis. Both of his legs were paralyzed and the disease threatened his life if no cure could be found. Entering a dimly lighted room, Shelton found the man crouched on the floor. Speaking through the interpreter, he told the stricken man he had come to talk with him about Jesus Christ.

The Korean replied, “I know. I have been waiting for you a long time.” The interpreter responded by saying they had arrived at the appointed time. The Korean explained. “That’s not what I meant. My people are Buddhist, and I have been a Buddhist. But Buddha gives me no comfort.” Then he pointed to a Korean Bible. He noted that he had read through it twice. “It tells of a great one. I have waited for someone to come and tell me more about him.” He said that he had believed that if the Bible was true, God would send someone to tell him.

Shelton told the man about Jesus. He readily believed. As they were leaving, the man thanked them for coming. Shelton said, however, that the man’s final words shook every fiber of his emotional being. “You almost waited too long.”[1]

Friend, God the Father sent Jesus to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, and now, Jesus is sending His Church. Do not wait too long to join this mission. Submit to Jesus, the supreme authority, and help fulfill His mission of sharing the good news of the kingdom of God.

(Buy here or here on kindle)

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^[1] Hobbs, H. H. (1990). My favorite illustrations (184–185). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.

One Way

“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.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Beloved,

I used to live at the end of a gravel road. There was only one way to drive to our house and you had to come down Rickenbaker Road. Rickenbaker was 7 miles long that led you straight to the middle of nowhere.

When giving directions I would tell people, “Drive until you feel you are lost and then keep going.” There were no shortcuts. People wanted to find another way, but you had to take the one road. There was only one way in.

Likewise, there is one way to God. Our pluralistic culture may not appreciate the exclusive claims of the Scriptures, but we must rejoice that there is one way to God. We should rejoice because we do not even deserve that one way. We deserve justice. We deserve the just punishment for our sins from a just God. We deserve wrath, but God gave us way. He gave us one way to God through the man Christ Jesus. There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men. There is one Redeemer. Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all who would turn from their sins and trust in Him.

Our world may want another way; it may want a shortcut. It may want to believe that there is many ways to God, but the Bible makes it very clear that there is only one way to God that is through the man, Christ Jesus. We must contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints in the one, great Redeemer. Our great Redeemer gave Himself so all now have a chance for life through Him. He is a great Redeemer and He is the only Redeemer. Praise God for the one way.

The Reality of our Love

Beloved,

I have a friend who is renting a home that he has been interested in purchasing for the last several months. My friend was going to get the opportunity to purchase the home before it went on the market. The owner wanted to sell the house for close to $200,000, but the appraised value was closer to $150,000. The owner could not believe the appraised value and was adamant that the house was worth $200,000. Unfortunately, no matter how much this owner wants the house to be worth more, the reality is that it is worth far less than he thinks. His reality does not match up with true reality.

Friend, too often we view our love for God and others like this property owner viewed his house. We think that we love well, but the reality of our love may be far less than we think. Our love for God and others is an indicator of our faith 1 John 4:7-8:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

According to God’s Word, how we love proves that we genuinely know God. Early in my marriage I thought I was an excellent husband. I thought I loved my wife well and was a model husband until one day when I asked my wife if I loved her well. After asking, I waited patiently and she responded with a very clear, a very soft, but a very powerful, “No.” My reality did not match up with the true reality of my love. I thought my love was worth $200,000 but in reality is was worth far less.

The reality of our love is important. How do you know if you love well: ask the people who know you best. How would they characterize your love? Is your love patient and kind? Does your love insist on its own way? 

(A quick word of caution, do not ask these questions unless you are ready to truly hear the response. We ask these questions because we want to love better. We do not ask these questions in an attempt to validate ourselves.)

We should be full of love because we are called to walk in the footsteps of our Savior. 1 John 4:9-10,

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God does not merely talk of love, but God shows us true love in sending his Son to die turning God’s wrath from us on Himself. Our love will grow for others when we understand the reality of God’s love for us. We were wretched sinners and yet, the Lord died for us. Those who have been forgiven much, love much. Do you understand the reality of the Lord’s love? Do you understand the reality of the Lord’s forgiveness?

We know the reality of true love because God has loved us through Christ. May the world know the reality of this love in how we love one another!!

A Mother's Heart - 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

Over the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I came home from work and my mother met me in the driveway. She looked at me and said, “David, I might have made a mistake today.” My mother is one of the kindest, most tender-hearted and gracious women I know, but she also has a hard time understanding boundaries. I responded, “Oh no, what did you do now?” She was reading a book called, “A Coach’s Life” about Dean Smith, the famous coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels. While reading the book, my mother discovered that Dean Smith’s daughter, Kelly, went to the same college that I did. Most mothers would have read that and thought it was a coincidence, but my mother thought it was a sign. She decided to write a letter to Kelly Smith telling her all about her great son, Dave. My mother handed me a copy of the letter after she had sent it out to get my approval after the fact. The cover of the letter was a picture of a golden retriever with his head slightly tilted. “Mom this is one of the worse things I have ever seen. I am a college football player and this letter is floating around campus?” She said, “If you don’t like the cover, you are not going to like the letter.”

I opened the letter and began to read, and I quote, “I know what you are thinking, who is Mrs. Kiehn and why is she writing me? Well, I’m writing you because I have someone I want you to meet. Some say he is

like a golden retriever, the real deal, the true blue, too good to be true, you’re wondering? In our life we have opportunities and choices. This is your opportunity, this is your choice. It is your destiny.” The letter was far worse than cover. A few months later, I was back at school only to receive a tap on my shoulder and a young lady said, “Aren’t you the golden retriever?” “Hmmm…yes, yes I am. How did you recognize me?” “Oh your mom sent a family picture. Your little sister is cute.” My mother is a very unique individual. Bless her heart. She also wrote a letter to Dean Smith, himself, telling him all about her great son Dave. Dean Smith wrote her back saying, “In all my 30 plus years of coaching that is by far the weirdest letter I have ever received.” My mother has done some very embarrassing things to me over the years, but all of them reveal the deep love she has for me in her heart. She has always been my number one supporter and encourager. She truly believed that I was like a golden retriever, the real deal, the true blue, too good to be true. She believed the best about her son and wanted the world to know the blessing she had in her children.

Mothers have special hearts for their children. There is nothing like a mother’s love. This is why mothers suddenly get super-human strength and courage when their children are facing terrible danger. Mothers are special. Mothers are truly one of God’s special gifts to our world. We all can learn a lot from our mothers. We can learn compassion, tenderness, sacrifice, love, mercy, and gentleness. Kevin Durant recently won the M.V.P for the NBA and said this in his acceptance speech, “We weren’t supposed to be here. You made us believe. You kept us off the street. You put clothes on our backs. You put food on the table. When you didn’t eat, you made sure we ate and [you] went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. You’re the real MVP.” Kevin Durant echoes the thoughts of many of us. Our moms made us believe and their belief and love for us powered us to achieve more than we could have possibly imagined. The love and support that I received from my mother is the reason I am the man I am today. I learned how to give and how to love by watching her give her love to me.

I pray we will both learn to have a mother’s heart and to have kind of mother’s heart that would please and honor the Lord. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul commends his life to the people because he acted like a mother would with her own children. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8,

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
There are four aspect of a mother’s heart that we should focus on from this passage. First, we should aspire to have a gentle heart.

A Gentle Heart

Paul and his companions had only spent a few weeks in Thessalonica before they had to escape under duress in the middle of the night. Paul and Silas had been jailed at Philippi because of their preaching of the gospel of God. They were eventually released and, in the face of much conflict, they had boldness in God to declare the gospel of God to the Thessalonians. Paul is defending his ministry to the church. He came with integrity and grace to the church. He could have made demands as an apostle, but the scripture says that he was gentle among them. Verse 7,

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

When Paul was thinking about how to reflect his ministry to the church, he was led by the Holy Spirit to the gentleness that a nursing mother has for their own children. There is tenderness and sweetness that is seen when a mother nurses her child. It was a great blessing to watch the joy and gentleness of my wife as she nursed all of our children.

There are many reasons a nursing mother is a picture of gentleness, but one of the reasons is the closeness and the focused attention that occurs during nursing. Mothers are busy. They have a tremendous amount of things on their plates, but when they are nursing things slow down. Their energy and attention is fixed on their child. The closeness and the intimate intentional love is what Paul wants his readers to see. He treated the Thessalonians with a close and intimate love as a mother would give her own children. Remember Paul did not know the people for a long time, but he was gentle among them. He was tender-hearted.

Growing up in our aggressive and achievement oriented culture, gentleness is not often put forward as a virtue. Men do not want to be called gentle. They take it as an insult. Women are encouraged in corporate America to act more aggressively and with less gentleness in order to succeed professionally. As a young man, I viewed gentleness as weakness. I was blinded by cultural norms and did not see the value of gentleness. Gentleness is not weakness, but rather it is a gift from God. Godly men and godly woman should possess a gentle heart. Galatians 5:22-24:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Tim 6:11-12

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit and should be pursued by all the saints. And notice how the pursuit of gentleness is not contrary to the fight for the faith, but pursuing gentleness is connected to the fight of faith. As we are led by the Spirit, we should bear the fruit of gentleness.

One of the reasons we do not have gentle hearts is because we are too busy. Busyness without focus can destroy a gentle heart. You may be asking, “But I thought gentleness was a fruit of the Spirit? How can busyness overpower the fruit of the Spirit?” When we have too much going on and too much stress, it is hard to be patient and gentle. If we are always in a hurry, our tones and our words tend to sound more harsh or sharp than we would like. A nursing mother slows down and focuses her attention on her own children. Our physical bodies and our emotions and attitudes are connected. We are embodied souls. God created us in such a way that our emotions and bodies would be connected. God created us with limitations. A lack of sleep or an unhealthy diet may affect our emotions, because our bodies and souls are linked. So if you do not sleep, you may wake up with less capacity to handle stress so that minor inconveniences or irritations by your family may result in your agitation. How you treat your body affects can affect your mood.

Do you have a gentle heart? Is your speech characterized by gentleness? If not, maybe it is not because you are wicked sinner (although that may be it), but rather that you do not understand your limitations. You are an embodied soul with a limited capacity. And because of our limited capacity, it is important to have a gospel-focused heart.

A Gospel Heart

Paul was consumed by the gospel. He lived with a laser focus on the gospel. He was very busy, for he worked night and day (verse 9) so that he could focus his life on the gospel. Verse 8, “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” Paul was always ready to share the gospel. He lived as a

missionary. He lived to spread the gospel of God to everyone. See how many times he mentions the gospel in this short section:

Verse 2, “We had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.”

Verse 4, “We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak.”

Verse 8, “Ready to share with you not only the gospel of God.”

Verse 9, “We worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”

Paul lived to make the gospel known.

The reason why Paul had a laser focus on the gospel is because He knew the origin of the gospel. This was the gospel of God. This is not the message of a mere man, but this is a message born of God. Paul lived his life and eventually would give his life for this message. Paul teaches what the meat of the gospel is in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10:

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The gospel requires people to turn from idols. Human beings were created to worship and serve God, but in our flesh we serve idols. Idolatry is the extreme admiration, love or reverence for something or someone other than the one living and true God. Idols could be images carved of wood or stone or they could be the idols of the heart: money, relationships, lust, success, comfort, etc. Anything that takes God’s rightful position as first in our lives is an idol.

Our idolatry is rebellion against God and places us under condemnation. The end of verse 10 speaks of “the wrath to come.” The wrath that all humans face is the wrath to come from God Almighty. A holy God has to punish sin. The punishment for idolatry is death and separation from God in a literal hell. Hell is described as a place of unquenchable fire with weeping and gnashing of teeth. If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, understand the great danger you are facing. I spoke with a man this week who did not believe in life after death. He simply thinks we die and cease to exist. Friend, this is not the message of the Bible. The Bible speaks of a wrath to come…but it also speaks of One who came to deliver us from that coming wrath, Jesus Christ whom God raised from the dead. Jesus came and lived a perfect life and sacrificially died to pay the penalty of our idolatry. His death and resurrection gives eternal life for all who would turn from idols to serve the living and true God.

Notice the process in becoming a Christian. First, you recognize you are guilty of idolatry and in danger of the wrath to come. Second, you realize that only Jesus delivers you from the wrath to come by taking the wrath on the cross for you. Third, you turn from idols to God. This is the start of the Christian life. Lastly, you actively serve the living and true God and wait for Jesus to return. The Christian must make a decision to become a disciple. A disciple serves God and waits for Christ’s return. A Christian must choose to start the journey with Christ and must choose to continue on that journey with Christ. Friend, this is not a message from man, but it is the gospel of God.

And because it is the gospel of God, Paul lived his life with a gospel-focused heart. Mothers, I plead with you to be consumed with this gospel. Every parent wants to provide a good life for their children, but sadly most Christian parents do not understand how to provide this good life. We want our kids to experience comfort and joy, but if we do not focus on the gospel, we will lead them directly to the idols of culture. The idols of our culture are success, comfort, wealth, happiness, sports, and everything else that encapsulates the American dream. If you do not teach your children the gospel of repentance and faith, you will lead your children to miss true success in being faithful to God, true comfort in eternal peace, true wealth in being rich towards God, and true happiness in forgiveness.

Our world provides many overt dangers for children, but it is also full of other dangers that subtly serve the spirit of the age and bring our precious children away from Christ. What are you pushing your children to that may lead them away from cherishing Jesus as their supreme treasure? What are you pursuing that may lead you away from cherishing Jesus as your supreme treasure? Focus your life and home on the gospel. And remember a gospel heart is not one of one merely of words, but one of sacrifice.

A Giving Heart

Verse 8,

So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

One of the greatest things a mother to give to her children is her very self. You do not just give your kids your words, but your character, your passion, your joy, your steadfastness, and your love.

Mothers, I know that there are days you feel that you are not accomplishing much with your children. There are days you want to give up. You are going to have days like that, but in those days remember Galatians 6:9:

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

We will reap a harvest. Beloved, press on!! Give yourself to your children. We have many wonderful, godly saints in our congregation that have lived a life of sacrifice for their children. In talking with them, I have never heard any one of them complain or bemoan the sacrifices they made to their children. They considered it a great privilege to lay down their lives for their families. If anything, they wish they could have done more.

We need to learn from mothers like this and follow their example. We need to give not only the gospel, but our very own selves to our children. This is the calling of mothers. Mothers give their youth to their children, they give up their bodies for the children, they give up their hobbies for the children, and they give their very selves so their children would find life. The ultimate goal of motherhood is to help children find life, not the life of the American dream, but the blessed life of God through Jesus Christ. True life is only found in Him. Beloved, we are called to give ourselves for the sake of others. And remember, God isn’t asking you to do anything that He hasn’t done Himself. Jesus Christ gave himself as our ransom so we could live and now, Jesus asks you to follow him in giving yourself so that others could live.

A Glad Heart

The motivation to give one’s self is love. Verse 8,

So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

The life of God is not a life of drudgery, but a life of joy and love. Our love for our families should be the bedrock for our willingness to share all that we have, the gospel and our lives, with our families.

One of the best things I have received from my mother is her love. As I have entered adulthood, I look back and I realize how much she gave to me and sacrificed for me and it was truly amazing. She gave a lot, but it never seemed a burden to her because it wasn’t a burden. It was a labor of love. I have learned to love from my mother. I pray that I would live with my mother’s heart of love. She loved with a glad heart and I pray I do as well. The glad heart of love of a mother to her children is a small picture of the glad heart of love of God to His children.

All of life serves as a reminder of the great love God has given us in Christ. Our mothers demonstrated their love for us, but the truly amazing love of God is demonstrated in, “that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This was not an act of drudgery for our Lord, but one of love. For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross. 1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us.” We see God’s love in the care of our mothers, but that is a window to help us see the ultimate gift of love of the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mothers joyfully give their lives so their children may live; Jesus joyfully gave his life so his children may live; and I pray, that we would be ready to give our lives so others may live.