Diligence & Laziness

September 24, 2023 in Bible - OT - Proverbs, Meditations, Sanctification

Proverbs 13:4 (NKJV) 

4The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. 

Paul writes in Romans 8:29 that God has predestined His people to be conformed to the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Proverbs assist us in that process, directing us in the way of wisdom and teaching us what it is to imitate our Lord’s character. Today we are instructed to be diligent not lazy.

Webster defines “diligent” as “steady in application to business; constant in effort or exertion to accomplish what is undertaken; assiduous; attentive; industrious; not idle or negligent…” The man of diligence is not afraid of hard work and exertion. He remembers that God created man to work. We were designed to fill the earth and subdue it and to exercise dominion over it (Gen 1:28). God did not put mankind in the garden so that he would sit back and eat grapes all week; God put mankind in the garden to work. Adam was to take the order of the garden and extend it to the rest of creation. And though the Fall introduced toil into the world, often causing our work to be frustrating or foiled, work itself is good and noble and right, a holy calling. Consequently, the righteous man is diligent. And God’s promise to the diligent man is that “his soul shall be made rich” – he often enjoys material prosperity but, even in the lack of material prosperity, the character that the diligent develops makes him a rich man. This is not a health and wealth Gospel; this is God’s promise to those who work hard – it is diligence not daydreaming that leads to prosperity and it is diligence not daydreaming that enables us to reflect the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. The soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

The lazy man, on the other hand, desires, and has nothing. So who is the lazy man? Let us reverse engineer Webster’s definition of diligence. Lazy means “unsteady in application to business; inconstant in effort or exertion to accomplish what is undertaken; inattentive; idle or negligent…” The lazy man is full of excuses. Solomon writes, “The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway” (Pr 15:19). In other words, whereas the diligent man clears away excuses and accomplishes the tasks given to him, the lazy man is full of excuses. There is always a reason the work can’t get done, the project can’t get finished, the job can’t be accomplished.

So what of you? Are you diligent or lazy? When you are given a task, does your parent or your boss or your spouse have to remind you to complete it? Children – is your room a pig stie or do you pick it up? Do you do your homework willingly or do you need constant reminders? Are your chores routinely accomplished or just as routinely neglected? Teens – are you wasting an inordinate amount of time on video games or on your phone or on entertainment rather than gaining skills that you can use to start a family and contribute to the well-being of your community? Adults – are you redeeming the time because the days are evil? Are you growing in faithfulness? Diligent in your vocation? Devoted to reading the Word of God and deepening your knowledge of God? Or is there always an excuse?

Reminded that we are to be diligent men and women and children who are attentive and industrious, let us acknowledge that we are often lazy, that we often make excuses when we should take responsibility. And as we confess our sin to the Lord and seek His forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us kneel as we are able.

Taming the Tongue

September 17, 2023 in Bible - OT - Proverbs, Meditations, Tongue

Proverbs 13:2–3 (NKJV) 

2A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence. 3He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. 

Paul writes in Romans 8:29 that God has predestined His people to be conformed to the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Proverbs assist us in that process, directing us in the way of wisdom and teaching us what it is to imitate our Lord’s character. Today we are instructed to guard our tongues.

There is an old Arab proverb, “Take heed that your tongue does not cut your throat.” It is that sentiment that is expressed in our proverbs today. Verse 2 contrasts a fruitful versus a mischievous tongue while verse 3 contrasts a cautious versus an ungoverned tongue. So let us consider the difference between a fruitful, cautious tongue and a mischievous, ungoverned tongue. On the one hand, a fruitful and cautious tongue is one that speaks good, that strives for peace, that exalts God, and that treasures truth. This man weighs his words carefully and speaks only that which is good for necessary edification (Eph 4:29). He knows that “in a multitude of words sin is not lacking” and so he “restrains his lips” (Pr 10:19). The one who speaks thus, who speaks his fruitful thoughts and restrains his foolish and sinful thoughts, will both preserve his life and eat well. He will enjoy a clear conscience in God’s sight as well as, in general, good relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. 

On the other hand, a mischievous and ungoverned tongue is one that spreads gossip, that deceives others, that exalts self, and that treasures personal gain. The one who speaks thus “feeds on violence.” He finds himself at war with his conscience as well as with family, friends, and neighbors. He opens wide his lips – he defines authenticity as the need to speak whatever he thinks, whatever she feels, whatever his passing fancy dictates. So he reveals the secrets of others, betrays friendships, and flatters others for personal gain. Such a person shall have destruction. She will discover that no one trusts her or wants to be her friend.

Solomon writes earlier in Proverbs, “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked” (10:11). So what of you? Are you characterized by a fruitful, cautious tongue or by a mischievous, ungoverned tongue? Have you set a guard on your mouth? Do you weigh your words carefully? When you speak, are your words like the violent thrusts of a sword or the gentle swabbing of a wound? How do you speak to your spouse and your kids? Do you scream and rage and wonder why your family cringes in your presence? Do you multiply words to no purpose? Or do you carefully consider the words you speak and their impact on others?

Teens, you will be particularly tempted by the mischievous, ungoverned tongue. When speaking with your parents, are you careful to show them honor and respect? When you are angry or upset or hurt, do you restrain your lips until you can speak with care? Or do you just vomit out your disrespect and wonder why you keep getting disciplined? When speaking with your friends, do you use foul language to prove how cool you are? Do you make crude, sexual jokes? Do you speak ill of others to try to make yourself look better? Do you spread rumors and gossip? Do you speak one thing to someone’s face and then another behind their back? Do you open wide your lips or do you guard your mouth?

James the Just, the brother of our Lord Jesus, reminds us in his epistle, that

the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell… no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so (Jam. 3:6-10)

But they often are so, aren’t they? We are often tempted by the mischievous, ungoverned tongue. So reminded that we often sin with our tongues, but that God calls us to have a fruitful, cautious tongue, let us confess our sin to the Lord and our need for Him, by the righteousness of Christ and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, to tame our tongues and teach us to use them well. And as we confess, let us kneel before the Lord as we are able.

The Fate of Zedekiah

September 10, 2023 in Bible - OT - 2 Chronicles, Confession, Meditations

2 Chronicles 36:12–13 (NKJV) 

12[King Zedekiah] did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. 13And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel. 

The text before us today speaks of the sad legacy of King Zedekiah, the last of the kings of Judah. Heir to a broken kingdom, Zedekiah hastened its slide into oblivion. Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, had conquered Judah in fulfillment of God’s just judgment. Rather than submit to God’s hand of judgment, however, Zedekiah sought escape by soliciting the help of Egypt. The result was disastrous. Zedekiah watched his own sons slain before his eyes before being blinded and forced to end his days in chains and slavery. The transgressions of Zedekiah stand as warnings to all of us. So let us consider three admonitions which we can gather from this text.

First, Zedekiah failed to humble himself before the Word of God. Our text tells us that “he did evil in the sight of Yahweh his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of Yahweh.” When challenged by Jeremiah, when confronted with the Word of God, Zedekiah chose to follow his own path instead. Like our first father Adam, Zedekiah believed that he knew better than God how to live life. So what of you? How do you respond to the Word of God preached and applied? Do you listen and give heed? Or do you ignore his word in favor of your own opinions? Beware the fate of Zedekiah.

Second, Zedekiah violated his oath. He “rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God.” Zedekiah vowed to remain loyal to King Nebuchadnezzar. However, when Egypt made an offer of help, when a more attractive deal came along, he forsook his oath. So what of you? Are you faithful to your oaths? Do you keep your word even when you swear to your own hurt? Or do you look for paths of escape when the going gets tough? We all make vows and promises – marriage vows, business contracts, military service, membership oaths. In each, we promise faithfulness and loyalty, but we are routinely tempted to act unfaithfully. Beware the fate of Zedekiah.

Third, Zedekiah refused to turn to Yahweh. He “stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh the God of Israel.” When he entered upon the great responsibility of kingship, even when he reached the end of his own resources, he refused to turn to God and seek wisdom from Him. Instead, he turned to foreign gods and relied upon his own wisdom and strength. So what of you? To whom are you turning in your difficulties? Perhaps there are new pressures at work or at home; the children are not behaving as you had hoped; a friendship is under strain; you are facing a hard providence – sickness, betrayal, loss. To whom are you turning? Have you turned to God, prayed to Him, asked Him to intercede on Your behalf? Or have you hardened your heart? Beware the fate of Zedekiah.

These warnings serve as a reminder that as we come before the Lord to worship, we must confess our sins and transgressions to Him, beseeching Him to forgive us for the sake of Christ. We must not stiffen our necks but humble ourselves in His sight. So as we humble ourselves before Him, and as you are able, let us kneel before the Lord.

Let All the People Say, “Amen!”

September 3, 2023 in Bible - OT - Psalms, Liturgy, Meditations, Worship

Psalm 106:48 (NKJV) 

48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord! 

One of our liturgical practices is shouting, “Amen!”, after singing our psalms and hymns. This morning I’d like to remind us why we do this and how we ought to do it. The declaration, “Amen!”, is a means of affirming what has been said. It is shorthand for, “So be it! That’s right! That’s true! I agree with that!” or even, “May that come to pass!” So, in our text today, the people are to say, “Amen!” upon hearing the declaration, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!”

The declaration, “Amen!”, permeates the Scriptures and was foundational to the worship of our fathers. So, after the Israelites entered the promised land, Joshua divided the congregation in two. Half stood on Mount Gerizim and half on Mount Ebal. Then the Levites spoke with a “loud voice and [said] to all the men of Israel:”

15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ 

“And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’ 

16 ‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 

17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 

18 ‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 

19 ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 

20 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

21 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

22 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

23 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

24 ‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

25 ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

26 ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.’ 

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ ” 

The verbal affirmation, “Amen!” is a way of confirming the truth of what has been said or sung. So when we pray or sing and close with, “Amen!”, or when we shout, “Amen!” during the sermon, we are saying, “So be it! I agree with that! May these things truly come to pass!”

So how ought we to speak this “Amen!”? First, make sure you agree with what has been said or sung. Don’t say, “Amen!” if you don’t mean it. Part of our rationale for singing the psalms and other substantive hymns is to protect us from saying, “Amen!”, to things that we ought not affirm. If the preacher were to declare, “Good is evil, and evil is good!” the last thing that you should say is, “Amen!” Say, “God forbid!” or “May it never be!” but don’t say, “Amen!” Why not? Because to say, “Amen!” is to declare that you agree with what was said.

Second, issue your “Amen!” heartily. Either you agree with what has been said or you don’t. If you do, then do it. You’ll note that the “Amens!” in your Bible are typically printed with an exclamation mark. That’s because they are exclamations. And the word “exclamation” comes from two Latin words: ex, which means “out,” and clamare, which means “to shout.” So you’re supposed to “shout it out”! Say it like you mean it. “Amen!”

Reminded that we often approve of things that we should condemn and that we are often tepid rather than hearty in our approval of what God has said, let us confess our sin to the Lord. And as you are able, let us kneel as we confess our sins.

You & Your Household

August 13, 2023 in Baptism, Bible - NT - Acts, Meditations

Acts 16:31–34 (NKJV) 

31So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. 

Later in the service I have the privilege of baptizing several children. Believing that God welcomes not only them but their children into His church, they are bringing their children forward for baptism today. So why do we embrace this conviction?

As we consider this question, it is helpful to remember that throughout redemptive history God has dealt with His people both as individuals and as families or households. His covenants, His relationships with His people, are almost always generational. So, in the beginning of creation, God made a covenant with Adam and all those in him (Rom 5:18). At the flood, God covenanted with Noah and his descendants, rescuing his entire household from destruction (Gen 6:18). Similarly, God called Abram and his household out of Ur of the Chaldees and covenanted to bless all the families of the earth through his Seed (Gen 12:3). God made a covenant with David and his seed, promising that one of David’s sons would always sit upon his throne (2 Sam 7:12). Characteristically, God works not just with individuals but with families, with households. Hence, the final promise of the OT is that God will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers” (Mal 4:6). 

It is no surprise, therefore, that this same feature characterizes the new covenant. Jeremiah prophesied that, in the new covenant, God would give His people “one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them” (Jer 32:39). Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones that come to life closes with the glorious promise, “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes and do them…. and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children forever…” (Ezek 37:24-25a). Similarly, Isaiah promises those who turn in faith to the Messiah: “Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed” (Is 61:9).

When we turn to the pages of the New Testament, therefore, we find our Lord Jesus at work not only among adults but among children and infants. He raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead; he cures a father’s son who suffered from epileptic seizures; He listens to the woman of Tyre who pleads on behalf of her demon-possessed daughter; he raises the only son of the widow of Nain; he blesses the little children and even nursing infants who are brought to Him; He welcomes the praise of children in the Temple as they cry, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Jesus ministers not just to individuals but to families.

Thus, the Apostles did the same. As Paul and Silas proclaim to the Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, you and your household” (16:31). The message they preached to him was the same they preached to Lydia the day before. So, having believed, “she and her household were baptized” (Acts 16:15) just as in our text the jailer “and all his family were baptized” (16:33). God deals with families and welcomes us and our children into His church through baptism.

So what does this mean for us? Parents, it means that your children are not your own. Your children belong to the Lord of heaven and earth and have been entrusted by Him to your care. So you are called, in Paul’s words, “to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4), a vow that these parents will be affirming later this morning. Children, it means that you are not your own but that you belong, body and soul, to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who has claimed you His own in your baptism. So you are called, in the words of the 5th commandment, to “honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and you may live long on the earth” (Ex 20:12).

And so reminded that God deals not just with individuals but also with families, let us confess that we have often neglected our responsibilities as parents and children alike – we parents have neglected to train our children as we ought, and we children have neglected to honor our parents as we ought. And as you are able, let us kneel together before the Lord as we confess our sins.

Six Principles of Worship

August 6, 2023 in Meditations, Worship

Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV) 

15Therefore by Him [Jesus] let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 

As we enter into worship today, I want to direct our attention to six principles for worship that Paul provides in this short verse. Paul writes, “Therefore by [Jesus] let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” 

Paul teaches us, first, that our worship must be Christological. “By Jesus” he writes, we are to praise God. The only way that human worship can be accepted by God is if it is offered through Christ. No one comes to the Father except through His Son (Jn 14:6), for there is one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). God is too holy to look upon sin – and all our worship is tainted by sin. Hence, it must be cleansed by the sacrificial blood of Jesus; only He can make our worship acceptable to God. Our worship must be Christological.

Second, our worship must be communal. “By Jesus, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…” Worship is not a solitary activity. We join angels and archangels and all the host of heaven and the saints on earth to praise God. So David longed to be in the tabernacle, the place where God’s people gathered together for worship (Ps 84). And Paul commands us to share this longing, to long to join God’s people as we worship in Jesus’ Name for there is God’s tabernacle, God’s temple, God’s dwelling place. Our worship must be communal.  

Third, our worship must be continual. “By Jesus, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…” Paul wants worship to saturate our lives, he wants us to be in the habit of worship. We are to gather week by week on the Lord’s Day with God’s people – “not forsaking the assembly, as is the habit of some” (Heb 10:25), but exhorting one another daily. For the worship that we enjoy weekly with the people of God is to seep into our homes, our personal lives, and our friendships. Our worship must be continual.

Fourth, our worship must be sacrificial. “By Jesus, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…” Properly, worship is not a cathartic experience for our own amusement; nor is it a performance for others’ entertainment; it is primarily a sacrificial offering to God. Worship is offered up to God as a pleasing aroma, an offering that brings Him joy and delight. Our worship must be sacrificial.

Fifth, our worship must be vocal. “By Jesus, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of our lips…” As the fruit of our lips, the sacrifice of praise requires our lips to move. We are to sing praises to the Lord. Paul wants us to enter into the presence of the Lord with joyful shouts, celebrating the goodness of the Lord. Our worship must be vocal.

Finally, our worship must be thankful. “By Jesus, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.” Thankfulness is the heartbeat of worship. A man or woman who is not thankful is a man or woman who cannot worship. He might move his lips but his praise just bounces off the ceiling. The resentful, bitter, angry person may grudgingly bow the head and speak the words, but his heart will not utter joyous shouts and so he does not truly worship. Our worship must be thankful.

So hear Paul’s exhortation, “Therefore, by Jesus let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Our worship is to be Christological, communal, continual, sacrificial, vocal, and thankful. So what  of you? Have you come here trusting in Jesus that you might join His people in sacrificial praise, expressing thanksgiving to God with your lips? Or have you come self-righteously, treating God with complacency, believing that you’re not really in need of His forgiving grace and not really required to speak His praise in company with His people? If the latter, then let me urge you to repent and to join us all as we confess our sin to God. As you are able, let us kneel together as we confess our sin to God.

Refusing to Hear the Church

June 25, 2023 in Bible - NT - Matthew, Discipline, Meditations

Matthew 18:15–18 (NKJV)

15“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. 18Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The Scriptures make plain that our love for God is directly connected to and demonstrated by the fruit in our lives (Luke 6:43-49). Love for God is not defined by our feelings but by God’s word: Jesus says that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments (Jn. 14:15; 15:10-17). Because our love for God is revealed in such visible fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-26), Jesus instructs us in our text today how we are to respond when a brother fails to bear such fruit and sins against us.

Last week, we studied this passage in company with 1 Corinthians 5. We saw that following private attempts to confirm that our brother really has sinned and that he refuses to repent, the church is to come alongside this brother publicly and correct him. When the church acts in this way, then the brother is summoned “to hear the church” – to take ownership for his sin, make concrete changes in his attitude and actions, and submit to his brethren in the Lord. This is our calling as disciples of Christ.

However, if he refuses “even to hear the church”, then Jesus instructs us, “let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Mt 18:17). Jesus insists that we are no longer to treat him as an erring brother in need of correction but as an unbeliever in need of the saving grace of God in Christ. This action is a mercy to him for it endeavors to speak God’s own word to the man, warning him that a refusal to humble oneself now will only incur God’s judgment later. After all, Jesus’ command is accompanied by the sober promise that heaven itself will concur in the sentence of excommunication: “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven” (Mt 18:18).

As elders it is our duty to apply Jesus’ words to a member of our church, ——. Last year, we told the church that —— had filed for divorce from her husband and was refusing to seek the counsel of her elders both here at Trinity Church and at ————. We urged her to seek our counsel so that we could assist in the reconciliation of this marriage. We recognize that marriage problems are chiefly the responsibility of the husband to repair and assured her that we would not condone any sin on ——’s part. Despite our assurance, admonition, and then Suspension from the Lord’s Table, —— has refused to listen to the elders. She absented herself from worship both here and at ————. Just last week she finalized the divorce proceedings.

Since —— has refused “to hear the church”, our obligation is to put her out of the church. Therefore, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we, the elders of Trinity Church, hereby excommunicate —— from the church of Jesus Christ and hand her over to Satan, praying that God may yet have mercy on her and restore her to the true faith, that her soul may be saved in the Last Day (1 Cor 5:4-5).

As we do so, we would deliver to you two exhortations. First, remember prayer. As you think of ——, please pray that the Lord would humble her, expose her sin, and bring her back to a true faith in Christ. As you think of her family who remain in the church, please pray that God would empower them, by His grace, to continue to serve the Lord in humility, to honor —— as a mother and fellow image bearer, and to be faithful witnesses to her that they might be a means of touching her heart with the Gospel. Remember prayer.

Second, remember humility. Apart from the grace of God, we none of us would humble ourselves before Him. Our hearts are deceitful, our thoughts are vain, and our consciences are darkened. We all of us stand in constant need of God’s grace and mercy. So if you meet or interact with ——, be gracious, be kind, be loving, express your desire for her restoration, and your commitment to the well-being of both her and her family. Remember that Jesus regularly ministered to tax collectors and sinners, bringing them the truth of the Gospel in the hope that they would repent and turn in faith to Him. —— needs the Gospel. But hear the Word of the Lord: so do you. So beware the lies of the devil, the lusts of your own heart, and the snares of the world. Remember humility.

And so reminded this morning of our call to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, let us kneel and acknowledge our sin to Him, praying for His mercy and grace. And, as you are able, let us kneel as we confess our sins together.

Thankfulness & Contentment

June 18, 2023 in Bible - NT - Philippians, Meditations, Thankfulness

Philippians 4:10–13 (NKJV) 

10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

There is an ancient Roman proverb, “Who is it that has the most? Is it not he who desires the least?” The proverb reminds us that our contentment and happiness are often shaped by our expectations. We imagine that we need more, deserve more, are entitled to more and so we are not content with what we already have. We set our expectations so high that they are never met and so we are never content. And our discontent reveals itself in a lack of thankfulness to others and to God. For thankfulness is an expression of contentment—an expression that the expectations we have set have been fulfilled or even exceeded.

These expectations come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Sometimes they focus on our circumstances – if I only had more money; a nicer car; a newer phone; a bigger house; a larger budget. Sometimes they focus on our relationships – if only I were married; had more friends; had a smaller family or a larger one. We can set unreasonable expectations upon our spouses, our employers and employees, our children, our friends—and so we never thank them for the meal on the table, for the folded towels in the closet, for the daily labor at the office, for the opportunity to work, for the work performed, or for the frequent sacrifices made on our behalf. “It’s his or her job to do all those things,” we say to ourselves, and so we never express thankfulness—never look at others with a twinkle in our eye and a full heart and say, “Thank you.” Our expectations are set so high that no one could ever possibly meet them. Consequently, no circumstances however favorable could contrive to make us content.

Webster defines “contentment” as, “Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate [fitting] degree of happiness.” We see in our text today that Paul’s sense of contentment was not dependent on his circumstances – he had “learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (12). Rather, his contentment was grounded in the empowering grace of Christ, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (13). Therefore, in whatever state we are, whether rich or poor, whether slave or free, whether male or female, whether full or hungry, we too can learn to be content. But note that word, “learn”. Paul learned contentment – this was not something that came naturally to him but that he learned through meditation on God’s promises and walking with God throughout his life. 

Paul learned that what is most important in life is not our circumstances but the God who has given these circumstances to us. Let us ask ourselves, when tempted to be discontent and unthankful, “Is God sovereign? Is God in control of every event in our lives both good and bad? Has God orchestrated our circumstances as He sees fit? Has God promised in Christ to sustain me in the midst of every circumstance?” Clearly the answers to these questions are, “Yes!” And since this is the case, and since the God we serve is the same God of love who has revealed Himself in Christ, ought we not to trust Him? To rest in His good providence and be overflowing with gratitude? True contentment comes not by having high expectations or perfect circumstances but by trusting the goodness of our Heavenly Father.

So what of you? Are you content? Are you trusting in the Providence of your Heavenly Father? Or is your contentment dependent on your circumstances? Reminded of our failure to trust the Lord in any and every circumstance and our failure to be thankful, let us kneel as we are able and confess our sins in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

God’s Sovereign Control

June 18, 2023 in Bible - OT - 1 Kings, Meditations

1 Kings 22:34–35 (NKJV) 

34Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 35The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. 

Periodically, certain events remind us of God’s sovereign control and providential ordering of all things; that there really are no such things as minor decisions or chance events. After all, the decisions that we make upstream inevitably affect what happens downstream.

Some years ago, a tragic accident occurred in the lives of two North Idaho residents, father and daughter, who were riding their motorcycle back from Glacier National Park. While they were driving along Highway 41, a tree fell on their motorcycle and killed them both. Imagine for a moment the slew of so-called “minor” decisions which paved the way for that tragic event – the amount of time spent in the bathroom at the convenience store, the stop to take a picture of the waterfall, the loss of 5 miles per hour while looking at the mountain goat, the acceleration around the car that was going so slow. Any one of those decisions, made differently, would have altered the outcome of the day – and so all those relatively minor decisions proved, in retrospect, to have been incredibly important.

The text before us today reminds us of the same reality. God had warned King Ahab through the prophet Micaiah that if he went out to battle against the Syrians, God would slay him. Endeavoring to foil God’s decree and still accomplish his personal goals, Ahab decided to disguise himself as a common soldier while dressing another as himself. But though the Syrians were fooled by Ahab’s disguise, God was not. And the Scripture uses particularly ironic phraseology to describe God’s sovereign control of this event. “A certain man drew his bow at random” and the arrow just happened to hit Ahab between the creases of his armor so that he died. God’s purpose stood fast; God controls even the so-called “random” events of history.

I draw this to your attention in order to address a nefarious view of God’s sovereignty that is widely embraced in the church today. This view declares that, while God predestines the “major” events in history, He doesn’t ordain the “minor”, day to day events. Why is this such a big deal? Because God’s sovereignty over all events is the basis of our comfort and encouragement amid trials and difficulties. Jesus teaches:

29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29–31) 

If we imagine that certain events come upon us by chance, then we can have no confidence that our Father has crafted each one for our growth in grace. A so-called “minor” trial may just be the one to overthrow our faith and destroy the life that is within us. However, if we know that these events, though seemingly insignificant in light of the major issues of world history, have nevertheless been ordained and decreed by God for our personal growth in grace, then we can face our trials with strength and determination – for He Himself has promised that He will orchestrate all things for our good and for His glory.

And so, how are you doing in the trials that have come your way? Do you view them as gifts from the hand of your Heavenly Father, orchestrated for your ultimate good? For if you do, then you will be able to count it all joy when you encounter various trials knowing that He has crafted them just for you. But if you view your trials as random accidents in a purposeless universe, then you will no doubt respond to them with anxiety and despair. So what does your response to trials reveal about what you really believe about God’s sovereignty? You may call yourself Reformed, or even a “Calvinist”, but are you really? The proof is in the joy in the face of trial, difficulty, and even opposition.

And so, reminded that God is in control of all things and that we ought, therefore, to give thanks always for all things, let us kneel and confess to our Lord that we grumble and act as though the events of our lives were not in His hand.