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  • J. Randal Matheny 7:00 am on March 14, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ, plan of salvation   

    If Christ had refused the Cross: Steve Preston’s BibleTalk 

    What If Christ Had Refused To Go To The Cross? by bibletalk on Posterous

    Even though the plan of salvation through Christ had always been in the mind of God (Eph. 3:9), it would have come to naught if Christ had refused to sacrifice Himself. Let us then think about what might have happened if Christ had refused the will of the Father.

    Steve lists three effects too horrible to think about. His last paragraph deserves special attention as well.

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  • John Henson 10:54 am on March 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: cares, Jesus Christ   

    How many times does it ever enter the minds of people that Jesus doesn’t care?

    Through sickness, marital problems, with sin wrecking their minds and their lives and it’s easy to believe the Lord just doesn’t care.

    What if it were possible to prove beyond all doubt Jesus does care? Well, it is.

    The proof is in the parallel passages of Matthew chapter eight and Mark chapter one.

    Jesus had been active. He had cured the demon-possessed man (Mark 1:21). He healed a leper and the Centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:1-5). In all there were 10 miraculous healings performed by Jesus and all on the Sabbath day.

    Why did he do this? And, why did he do all this on the Sabbath?

    Jesus was never too tired to help someone. To him, people are important. Their afflictions drew his immediate attention because he loved them. He wasn’t violating the Law of Moses ― far from it ― he was concerned about people because they are his creation (Colossians 1:15-17).

    On one occasion, Jesus told the Pharisees, “Which of you, if you have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on the Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” (Luke 14:5 NET). They would do that for an animal, but they thought Jesus caring for his creation was wrong.

    That Jesus did all this on the Sabbath was important because as long as there were people who needed help, he would help them. Why? He would help them because he loved them. He loved them all!

    And, so the prophecy of Isaiah 53:4 is noted here: “In this way what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet was fulfilled:”He took our weaknesses and carried our diseases,” (Matthew 8:17 NET).

    So, now, do you believe Jesus cares about you? And, what about the sin that plagues your life and rips your mind in two? When your eyes are wide open at night and your heart hurts because sin has separated you from your God, did you know Jesus cares and wants to do something to help? He does.

    In 1859, William Hunter wrote the words to a great hymn: “The Great Physician:”

    “The great Physician now is near,
    The sympathizing Jesus;
    He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
    Oh! hear the voice of Jesus.

    Sweetest note in seraph song,
    Sweetest Name on mortal tongue;
    Sweetest carol ever sung,
    Jesus, blessed Jesus.”

    All the Lord Jesus wants you to do is obey the gospel. He can help with your hurt and he can cure your sin sickness because he cares about you. He simply wants what’s best for you. Remember when he said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV).

    Isn’t it time to let the Great Physician help?

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 3:05 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, portrayals of Christ, religious icons   

    Representations of Jesus 

    Feminine Jesus

    Remove the beard, and you have a woman

    I tend to shy away from posting or linking to representations of Jesus, first, to avoid any suggestion of veneration or idolatry and, second, from aversion to portrayals that artists make of him. So it is with a bit of consternation that I note I did it today, twice. On my English translation of the Portuguese devotional and on my Facebook profile.

    On the latter, at least, the Byzantine mosaic shows him as a beardless youth—after all, he was not yet 50, as the Jews delighted to point out. So that gives one something different to mull over about our Lord’s appearance, which, in the end, matters not at all. But some portrayals of him don’t agree with the written record at all. The feminine Jesus is one horrible example of that, coming as it apparently does from the distaff-driven Catholicism.

    In our youtube—MTV—cinema world, it stands as no small difference that the gospel is based, not on images, but on words. There are no reliable descriptions of any of Christianity’s major players, much less a graphic image of them. But there are no less than four accounts of the ministry of Christ. That is significant.

    Does anyone else tend to avoid graphic representations of Christ? Is this a hangover from my religious background? Or is there good reason for it, as I’ve hinted at above?

     

     

    • Chad Dollahite 3:45 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      I also have an aversion to them, Randal, mostly for the same reasons as you. I still can’t figure why He is often presented in such an effeminate, almost weak, kind of way. Just going on His early work as a carpenter, as well as the immense physical torture He endured (which killed many before ever getting to the cross), He undoubtedly would have been a rather stout man. In fairness, I have seen some images which present Him as such, but I still shy away from them, again, for the reasons you have given. I love your thoughts here, though…good stuff (as always)!

    • Eugene Adkins 9:07 pm on January 11, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      I admire the hardwork/artwork that’s done of “Jesus” in a respectable way, but I myself am not fond of most interpretations of him nor of the adoration given/offered to them.

    • John Henson 3:13 pm on January 12, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      This is not a very big deal to many people in this country, mainly because they haven’t seen the influence this kind of thing has had on people of other countries. In Russia, the icons of the Orthodox Church are venerated. The images themselves, to them, are divine. In this, the same warnings of Jeremiah 9 and 10 apply: these figures are not God. They are not alive, they have no power, they are not divine.

    • johntpolk2 12:46 pm on January 13, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Randal,
      I agree with your point. God always condemned images of Him or His Creation that would become objects of worship and devotion:
      “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. (Deuteronomy 4:15-19 NKJV) Even in the New Testament it is plainly stated: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (1 John 5:21 NKJV)
      Notice in the Deuteronomy passage, God emphasized that none had seen the “form” of God, thus there should be no attempt at “picturing” God to de-emphasize any attempt to worship the “form” and not God, Himself.
      Then came Jesus Christ who “became flesh” (John 1:1-4, 14), but in “image” (eikon) was like God, and “form” (morphe) like God and man. It is worthy of note that, not one drawing, illustration, depiction of Jesus’ physical body survives from the 1st century. There are representations of Romans and others from that time, but God kept physical depictions of Jesus completely out of the ruins of the day.
      Therefore, only out-dated, completely subjective, and mistaken representations of the physical appearance of Jesus Christ are available today! Christians must bear the “image” (eikon) of the heavenly “Adam,” but all humans bear the “image” (eikon) of the physical “Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:49).
      Since God is not to be physically imaged, and Jesus is God, then surely it should give pause to all those who attempt to picture Him “whom no man has seen or can see” 1 Timothy 6:16.

  • John T. Polk II 8:45 am on December 24, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: "Occupiers", agitators, Jesse Jackson, Jesus Christ   

    It’s pathetic when those who won’t get in Jesus’ “camp” by obeying Him want to lump Him into their “camp” as if He supports their ungodly cause! Jesse Jackson has added Jesus to his list of social-agitators (MLKing, Ghandi, Mandela) and professes Jesus would be part of the “Occupy” demonstrations! http://www.theblaze.com/stories/jesse-jackson-jesus-was-an-occupier/
    By way of rebuttal:
    1. Jesus did not demonstrate against “social injustice” but against hypocrisy. In Mark 7:14-23, Jesus plainly stated that an individual’s sins are caused, not by external, social conditions, but solely by one’s own heart!Thus Jesus was no “Occupier” who blamed others for one’s own individual condition!
    2. In John 12:42-50, Jesus plainly shows the hypocrisy of those who profess they “believe God,” while only stating what they feel the “public opinion” would allow, and refusing to follow Jesus. Jesus showed that God endorsed Him by miracles, and to refuse to follow Jesus is to refuse to follow God! Thus Jesus was no “Occupier” who thought only in terms of earthly, selfish, material gains!
    3. In Philippians 2:3-11, Jesus’ Apostle, Paul, shows that if one follows the mindset of Jesus Christ, there will be NO forcible “takeover” (a.k.a. “theft”) of others’ properties, and no motivation of envy for others’ things. Rather a Christian will learn to be concerned that all men/women learn of, and obey, Jesus Christ’s splendid example! Once again, Jesus was no “Occupier” who thought only in terms of elevating one’s “self” over others’ souls!
    4. If Jesse Jackson had been a disciple of Jesus Christ all the years he has claimed to be a “Reverend” he could not be so ignorant of what the Bible teaches, and surely would not lump Jesus Christ into the camp of social agitators. When Jesus had done the only miracle recorded in all four biographies of Him, the multitude was going to make Jesus “occupy” an earthly throne, but “when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone” (John 6:15). Jesus was no “Occupier” who thought only in terms of elevating one’s “self” over society’s governments without individual conversion to God’s Way!
    Indeed, Jesse Jackson, and all those like him, fail in their feeble attempts to make Jesus like them. Instead, they should make themselves like Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26-29).

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 4:06 am on November 16, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, religious trends   

    Jesus trends 

    The screenshot shows Google’s trends for the phrase “Jesus Christ.” Some surprising results appear, though I have no idea exactly what is being measured here, unless it’s Internet activity surrounding the phrase.

    TrendsFirst the overall activity trend appears to decline slightly, discounting the occasional spikes. That appears to lead to the conclusion that people are talking less about “Jesus Christ” and more about other topics. One can only hope that Christians might be changing that trend, though if my Facebook experience is any indication, the saints talk more about politics and the economy than they do about their faith. What do you think?

    Second, it appears the Salt Lake City Mormons talk more about “Jesus Christ” than any other city, perhaps by sheer volume of conversation, since one would expect that “Joseph Smith” would get more mention among them. Something along the lines of, “Jesus Christ” is not God’s only or latest prophet. Now, if our greatest concentration of saints is in Nashville or Dallas, shouldn’t they be at the top? Dallas was number 8, behind Phoenix, Los Angeles, Seattle (!), and Atlanta.

    Third, English is not the principal language talking about “Jesus Christ.” The Filipinos are very interested in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One assumes that in Tagalog, his name is spelled as it is in English. And they are talking about him more than we are.

    Now look at the trends for the name “Jesus” only. His name is spelled the same in a number of languages, principally Spanish, Portuguese, and, apparently, Tagalog. Of course, one must also take into account that “Jesus” is a name given to men.

    Jesus trendsThe trend is up. More people are talking about Jesus on the web today than since 2004. Can we take that as a good sign?

    Portuguese is the leading language, but Peru is the top country, which doesn’t seem to agree, since Brazil is by far the overwhelming population for Portuguese. And Peru shares its Spanish with many countries. Be that as it may.

    Finally, to my surprise, four of the top seven cities are in Brazil. Shall we send more missionaries and workers for the truth to this enormous country, and to Peru where Jesus is on the lips of many, though in ignorance and perhaps in oaths. But even then, does that not signal a door of opportunity?

    What other insights do you see here?

     

    • Don Ruhl 10:46 am on November 16, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Extremely interesting. How did you get this information?

      • J. Randal Matheny 10:49 am on November 16, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        I plopped the terms “Jesus” and “Jesus Christ” into the Google Trends site. See the link in the first sentence.

  • John Henson 11:06 am on October 19, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    Here’s More Than Hope 

    In John 11:25, Jesus made a simple, yet profound statement.

    “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

    There is so much more than just hope in that statement. There is certitude. Wouldn’t have Job loved to hear that? Job said, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14a). All poor Job could do was hope, yet we have been given a “more sure word of prophecy,” (2 Peter 1:19).

    Take the more sure word of prophecy from Jesus in the New Testament and remember: Jesus is the resurrection and the life. If you have obeyed him, then he is keeping your life hid in God (Colossians 3:3-4). You’re ready.

    If not, then obey the gospel and get ready.

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 4:32 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Bible school materials, , , Jesus Christ,   

    The imperatives of Christ 

    I’m looking at doing a quarterly study for Bible school in SJCampos on “The imperatives of Christ.” Or call it “The commands of Jesus.” A restricted list, obviously. Maybe with an introductory lesson on the nature of the imperative in the gospel, necessity of obedience, something along those lines.

    There’s no attempt here to make Christ’s words weightier than his words through the apostles and prophets, no two-tiered canon, no red-letter Bible ideas. Though his actions and teachings, since he is our Lord and Savior, while he was on the earth, do hold a special interest for the disciple, don’t you think?

    I’m making my list of commands. So here’s my question: What imperatives or commands of Christ would be of special interest to study in a congregation, for Christians today?

     

    • andrewphallenbeck 5:31 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      In my view, Randal, there is a misconception concerning what the Lord taught regarding prayer. Often some teach vigorously a view based upon, not Scripture, but rather what they have been taught. Thanks for your commitment to our Lord!

    • Ruth Atnip 5:39 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      God’s commands on marriage, how to be what God wants men and women to be as husbands and wives. The total message, beginning with what Jesus says about marriage and divorce. Helping Christians to see that marriage is FOR LIFE, and the God Himself does the binding! Nothing short of ‘breaking those vows’ to God and your spouse is even to be thought of as a reason for divorce, not even an abusive husband or wife. Christ tell us that if we live godly in Christ Jesus we will suffer persecution, so any abuse from a husband or wife must be viewed in that light. Also making sure that God does say we can ‘part’ if that abuse gets too severe, but not divorce, but come back together and try to make the marriage a better one. However, it should be pointed out that sometimes during that period of separation, spouses will find that there has been a reason for the abuse. Much to the hurt of a spouse, they may find that they have been being treated abusively because of another man or woman in the picture. All of this needs to be brought out, so that faithfulness can be stressed, to make marriages work, and not fail., This is a huge problem in the church today, even among preachers and elders, and involves also with homosexuality. All about sexual sins is what the church needs most today, in my opinion. The world has gotten almost like Sodom and Gomorrah, and is surrounding the church with much influence coming in with new members. This is why were needs to be a ‘nursery’ – if you will – to immediately ‘feed’ those new ones with the truth of God’s Word IN LOVE, to keep them from slipping right back out into Satan’s grasp again! Make sure ‘evil’ is ‘evil’ int their sight, and ‘good’ is ‘good’ – according to that Word of God, which will feed them from the ‘milk’ stage to the ‘meat’ stage. These are some of the thoughts I had when you presented the question about what to teach a congregation. There should be classes for the different ‘ages’ IN CHRIST – just as where are classes which take into account physical ages. The elders need to drop the ‘title’ ‘feeling’ and ‘adopt’ the ‘work’ —–

      • J. Randal Matheny 5:42 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks for the comments. I need specific passages and commands, in view of what I’m looking at doing.

    • Butch Adams 7:44 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Matt 4:17 – Repent for the Kingdom is at hand. Matt 7:12 – Golden rule. Matt 18:3- become as children.

      • J. Randal Matheny 7:52 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        Butch, we’re thinking alike. Mt 4.17 is on the list. Actually, I taught the whole chapter last night in our home reading group. Golden rule, too, though I had Luke’s version in mind. Will look at Mt 18.3. Thanks for these good suggestions. Not counting the Introduction, I have seven lessons/commandments chosen already, after just a quick thought. Need more though. Thanks again.

    • John Henson 8:07 pm on September 30, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Matthew 22:37; Mark12:30; Luke 10:27: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

    • Ron 5:21 am on October 1, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I think John’s reference is good because it transcends covenants. The first one that came to my mind is John 15:12, which fits nicely with Matthew 22:37. Also, I think John 3:3-5 is tremendously important. Emphasis needs to be on conversion, not baptism.

      • J. Randal Matheny 6:37 am on October 1, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks, Ron, I’ll look at those. You’re right about emphasis needed on conversion. Although this will be for Christians. Last night I added John 13.15.

  • John Henson 9:30 am on September 19, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Jesus Christ,   

    ‘Beauty for Ashes’ 

    The Gospel Advocate Company copyrighted the hymn, “Beauty for Ashes” in 1948.

    Written by Grant Colfax Tullar, the hymn’s first verse is: “Beauty for ashes God hath decreed! Help He provideth for every need; what is unlovely he will restore; grace all-sufficient ― what need we more?”

    The hymn comes from one of Isaiah’s verses that says, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,” (Isaiah 61:3).

    One of the most important aspects of salvation is repentance. Repentance is a change of mind reflected in a change of conduct. It begins with godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10) and leads to a change in the life.

    One must be brokenhearted to repent. One must understand the heavy burden and toll of sin and that it is causing a separation (Isaiah 61:1-2). One must understand sin makes captive body and soul and can continue its bondage in eternity.

    But God has provided a remedy for sin. No matter if your body and spirit are racked by a lifetime of sin, Jesus can, as the song says, restore was is unlovely. He can take our burdens and turn them into peace. He will trade our strife and turn it into concord.

    All he needs is you to come to him brokenhearted and ready to obey.

    Tullar wrote, “God gives for sadness ‘garments of praise;’ (also from Isaiah 61:3) Stars for our twilight, strength for our days; Hope for tomorrow, care for today; Light for our footsteps all of life’s way.”

    Repent and obey God today. He will take your heartache in trade.

     

  • John Henson 9:58 am on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Jesus Christ   

    Jesus’ Authority 

    The question of authority of Jesus and of the New Testament scriptures is central to understanding so many things in religion.

    If Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, then his word is absolute and objective truth (John 14:6) and must be obeyed in all things. If Jesus is not the Messiah, then his teachings must be completely rejected and he must be discredited. Jesus himself claimed all authority (Matthew 28:18ff).

    Jose Elias Roque, on the Mt. Juliet Church of Christ web page, wrote,”When Jesus talked, he touched the hearts of the people and there was no way to say, ‘Look He is wrong,’ because His words came from the Father. But the Jews preferred the words of men and lived like they were authoritative.”

    Bro. Rogue captured the essence of the problems in religion in the past, present and future. People may reject the authority of Christ, but they will find themselves on the wrong side in judgment. That’s a terrible price to pay for wanting to have one’s own way accepting human teaching for the truth. Only the word of Christ and his apostles is truth.

    Jesus said  to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” (John 8:31-32 ESV).

    Not only can we know the truth, we must know it if we are to be saved. Why accept some human teaching for the gospel? That will put you on the wrong side.

    Bro. Rogue’s fine article may be read by clicking this link at the Mt. Juliet church website:  http://www.mtjuliet.org/sermons/archives/003551.html.

     

  • John Henson 4:21 pm on August 5, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Jesus Christ   

    God Is Already There 

    God allowed the exile of the people of Judah to Babylon with a desire to teach them he expected better of them than the idolatry and base lack of respect he had seen.

    It was always God’s intention to have a remnant of his people return because he had plans for them. Ultimately, the remnant would return to their homes and, having learned the hard lessons of exile, they would learn to serve God anew as God intended.

    In the prophets, the Lord God repeatedly reassured his people. In one passage, God said, “Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any,” (Isaiah 44:8 ESV).

    When the exile finally came, people were terrified by what they saw and were afraid of what their captors would do to them, yet God continued to reassure his people. He said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope,” (Jeremiah 29:11).

    It’s easy to be afraid of the unknown. The future seems so uncertain, especially in these difficult times. Whenever we’re tempted to fear, we should remember the God of heaven is with us and wants us to understand he’s on our side.

    It is written, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”(Hebrews 13:5-6 ESV).

    Those who have obeyed God and live their lives in Christ should have no fear of the future. God is already there.

     

    • Mike Riley 4:53 pm on August 5, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Another good article, John! We don’t know what the future holds, but we know “Who” holds the future (Psalm 41:13; Psalm 106:48).

  • John Henson 10:37 am on July 27, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, ,   

    Explaining and Proving 

    When Herbert Lockyer penned his voluminous series, “All the _____ of the Bible,” I wonder, when he began, if the book, “All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible” was going to be one of the largest.

    My volume of the book is 538 pages and Lockyer wasted no space. He pretty much did what the Apostle Paul did in Acts 17:3 when he was in Thessalonica. “explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying,  ‘this Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ,’” (Acts 17:3 ESV).

    Not only was Paul explaining, he was placing the Scriptures alongside the truth that Jesus is the Christ. Of this verse, the eminent Greek grammarian A.T. Robertson wrote, “Paul was not only “expounding” the Scriptures, he was also “propounding” (the old meaning of “allege”) his doctrine or setting forth alongside the Scriptures (parȧtithemenos), quoting the Scripture to prove his contention.”

    We need this kind of propounding today. Many of the Jews expectantly longed for the coming of the Messiah. Are we missing that longing today? Have we become so used to the idea of Jesus that we have forgotten how special his coming to earth was? Is our preaching focusing on the same kind of proving and propounding Paul did?

    It certainly should.

     

  • John Henson 2:12 pm on July 20, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, ,   

    Job’s response 

    There are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, according to the model developed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler.. These are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with loss.

    After the first four losses Job experienced, calamities that came from heaven and earth and all four points of the compass, his reaction was somewhat different.

    The Bible said, “Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground,” (Job 1:20-21a NET).

    The first thing he did was rise. He did not sit, which is what some do when they’re faced with loss.

    Job tore his robe and shaved his head in mourning. These were things people did when they were convicted of sin. People of Job’s day were convinced suffering resulted from sin. Often it does, but it is possible for one to live righteously and suffer.

    Instead of blaming God, Job worshipped. This showed Satan was wrong when he said, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God?” (Job 1:9 NET).

    The Bible teaches that which human reasoning does not: loss can be an opportunity to develop a deeper, closer relationship with God.

    It is also an opportunity for people to see Christ in us, for it is in pain people see what we truly are and that Christ really lives in us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

     

    • Stanley Adams 6:47 am on July 21, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Good thought. As Tom Warren would often quote from a Catholic Philosopher, Suffering is meant to bring us closer to God or to drive us away, it is a test of the will of man, will he submit to God? Suffering is part of the Best Possible of All Worlds

  • John Henson 12:46 pm on July 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ   

    Oh, yes he cares! 

    At a recent funeral, the speaker characterized Jesus at Lazarus’ death in John 11 as being “angry.”

    He said the word in John 11:33 translated, “groaned in his spirit,” in the King James Version, meant he was angry about Lazarus’ death. The reason why is because the same word is translated “straitly (or sternly) charged.” Therefore, because Jesus was translated as stern in both Matthew 9:30 and Mark 1:43, the word should be defined as “angered” in John 11:33.

    Certainly anger can be present at death, since it is one of the stages of grief, but there is more to consider in the passage.

    A reminder of the context of the passage is necessary here. The general emotional state was sorrow. When Mary came to Jesus, the passage tells us, “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled.” The passage itself is the best definition of its terms.

    Jesus cares! The emotions that welled up inside him flowed outside his body as a fountain. One translation said that “Jesus audibly groaned.” His feelings for those who were sorrowed at Lazarus’ death were visible (Jesus wept) and audible.

    This idea was contrary to the Greek notion that the gods were apathetic to humans; caring neither that they live or die or mourn for those who have passed from this life. The true God of creation cares!

    This display of emotion from the Christ is one of the most beautiful parts of scripture and is precious because it shows God cares when we are hurting.

     “Oh, yes he cares! I know he cares!

      His heart is touched at my grief!

    When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,

    I know my Savior cares!”

     

  • John Henson 3:03 pm on June 11, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    Send them away 

    While preparing for Sunday evening’s lesson, a study of Mark 6, something I read moved me to sadness.

    The apostles, who had just returned from preaching a message of repentance and helping the sick and demon-possessed, said something. While I know there is much more here, I was drawn to this something they said as the day grew late.

    “Send them away,” they said of the crowd who had sought out Jesus (Mark 6:36). Perhaps in the weakness of fatigue and hunger themselves, they forgot what their work was all about.

    It breaks my heart to think there are brethren, who for weakness or lack of vision, say this same kind of thing to those who are teaching the gospel, and thereby say this to those who are lost. How can we send them away? They wanted to be with the Master!

    We can’t send them away. We must feed them.

    Jesus couldn’t send them away. We mustn’t either.

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 10:06 am on June 4, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: church literature, Jesus Christ, , perspectives   

    5 pontifications that could change the world. Or not. 

    P. #1. One gets the impression that weather forecasting hasn’t progressed much in the last millennium. The gadget-filled weather office predicted no sun today, with rain. We’ve not a cloud in the sky, and I have to keep the door partially closed for the brightness. This is not the first time this week either. Wonder what chances a gambler would have of beating the weatherman’s odds? When the science gets good enough to get it right nine times out of 10, that’ll be a game-changer.

    P. #2. I can’t get used to writing “millennium” with two l’s and two n’s. In Portuguese it has neither: milênio. Language reform, anyone? If I were to write “milenium,” would you understand? Approve? English spelling could use some cleaning up. That may take some time, however. Something we can do right now would be to reform the quality of our language with more wholesome speech. Would that make much of a difference?

    P. #3. A couple’s meet this afternoon in Taubaté has me speaking. After the suffering come games and refreshments. I like to go from the general to the specific, so I think we’ll go from the character of God’s love to marital love. If we loved as God loves, would that change our marriages, our nations, our world?

    P. #4. Breaking through the chatter of the Internet is a daunting and thankless task. Obviously, if I write something, the whole world ought to flock to read it, right? How we wished it worked that way! As a people interested in communication, specifically, of the gospel, we might want to take a cue from (hold your breath!) marketers. It’s about getting people’s attention. Ethically. Honestly. Directly. Or maybe we just need to study Jesus more. Would that change our approach, get people’s attention?

    P. #5. Remember those tiny booklets or folded pieces of paper called tracts often found in racks hung in a church foyer or stuffed in the purses of little old ladies? Where’d they go? Collecting dust? Are forwarded emails (please don’t!) the new electronic tracts? Who has a better idea? Why can’t somebody come up with a modern version, attractive, pointed, catchy, thoughtful?

     

    • pianobron1 6:54 pm on June 4, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I vote for 2, 3, and 4…as world-changers. Number five is rather a sticky wicket, isn’t it? Great little, but hugely-thought-provoking, article, Randal. Thanks!~Bron

  • John Henson 10:33 am on May 24, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, ,   

    World Turned Upside Down 

    Does the world seem right to you?

    From everything we can see, the world seems to be in its proper place, but it’s not. It’s been turned upside down.

    It’s been turned upside down by sin. Once, the world was a paradise and then sin entered the world. And by sin death came, too. When that happened, the world was turned upside down.

    It took the death of Jesus on the cross and the teaching of the apostles to turn it right-side up. In Acts 17:6, after preaching in Thessalonica, Jews who opposed Paul incited a mob and a riot. The rioters dragged Christians before local officials screaming, “these that have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

    The apostles were helping turn the world right-side up. But the wisdom of men is often true foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:27f).

    Is your world upside down? Take another look; it might be.

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 6:10 am on April 23, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Jesus Christ   

    The saddest Sabbath of all 

    EasterLater, Peter gets restless and goes fishing, back to his old job, John 21:3. But now, between the crucifixion and resurrection, they rest, Luke 23.56. Their bodies, at least, if not their minds. That Sabbath must have been the saddest of all, between death and life. They must still be stunned, wondering how it ever happened. Just a week ago the country was at fever pitch as the Lord entered Jerusalem, swept in by the people’s fervor at seeing their Messiah approach the holy city. Events were finally moving toward their proper goal. Then this. Surely it was a dream — the betrayal, the judgment, the torture, the shame of the Skull. The shame of running, hiding, abandoning the Master. Where did things derail, how did it all go so wrong? Oh, the short-sightedness of human eyes!

    We don’t celebrate Good Friday or Easter, but the prevailing religious climate here has me thinking about our Lord’s death. Anytime is a good time for that, is it not?

    I don’t usually mention such things here on TFR, but considering she’s a Prime Mover in all things Forthright/GoSpeak, it’s appropriate to note that Barbara Ann is celebrating a birthday today, as she treks about Costa Rica. Send her your greetings.

    Three Christian ladies passed away this week: Richard H.’s mom, George Bailey’s wife, Ancil Jenkins wife. Sister Elaine Jenkin’s obituary is on BNc, thanks to Dale Jenkins, the others noted on BNc’s Twitter for now. I didn’t know any of them, unfortunately, but I know family members. And knowing those they touched, what wonderful servants of God they must have been.

    On Resurrection morning, it is the women who are up and doing. To them our Lord first appears. They are the first bringers of the News.

    The pigeons are cooing, the sun rising, a few people stirring already. Most will miss the quiet, more pensive hours of the morning. They’ll slide out of bed after the day is already hot and moving. It’s a holiday weekend, after all.

     

    • Don Petty 7:04 am on April 23, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Randal, the disciples after His death must have acted about like we of this century would have acted. While it was good, we had hope. When things look gloomy, we return to the material thoughts of the past. Doesn’t it seem as though we should look to Him even more strongly when things seem to have turned dark?
      Don Petty, Lewisville (TX) Church of Christ

    • wolfsrosebud 9:14 am on April 23, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Hey,

      Good to see something from you. I’ve gotten involved with two on-line poet groups. It’s been interesting… and a ministry. Some people are really messed up. Have a great Easter.

  • J. Randal Matheny 10:10 am on April 22, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    The virgin birth on ‘good’ Friday 

    In his Christian Evidences column today on Forthright Magazine, our good brother John Henson writes,

    Modernists wish to make Christ an ordinary man and not God our Savior (Titus 1:3, 4). To do this, they preach that while Jesus was a genius, he is just an ordinary man. In order to solidify their doctrine, the virgin birth is the first casualty.

    John does a good job in few words of showing the importance of this essential doctrine. Without it, we’re all just a bunch of moralists, as was Dr. Barclay.

    The virgin birth gives the lie to progressives who love to use 1 Cor. 15 to affirm that only the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are the core of the gospel. Even though the passage itself does not lend itself to such a “core” interpretation, the absence of mention of the incarnation destroys their affirmation. Unless, of course, they deny the virgin birth, which is another ball of wax.

    The incarnation is also the basis for mission. If Jesus became one of us, in order to save, he sends us in the same manner. “Even so,” he said, or as the NET puts it, “Just as” (John 20:21). We see it in Paul’s principle of becoming “all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some” (1 Cor. 9:19-22).

    A friend of mine, who’s now a powerful evangelist used by the Lord, once told me that he had talked with one of the brotherhood’s well known figures in the US, who didn’t realize that Jesus was divine. I was speechless. We need more teaching about Jesus and the major facts and doctrines about his life. So John’s article is a welcome contribution, and recommended for careful study.

     

    • John Henson 10:22 am on April 22, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Thanks, Brother Randal. You surely keep me humble. I appreciate these comments very much.

    • Emmett 5:48 pm on April 22, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I’m not following your logic on how the virgin birth gives the lie to the claim that the death, burial, and resurrection are the core of the gospel. Is that not precisely what Paul wrote?

      • J. Randal Matheny 6:21 pm on April 22, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        The death, burial and resurrection of Christ are not, as progressives claim, the essence of the gospel. They end their declarations at verse 4, which ends with a comma, not a period. Paul includes in his list the many appearances, which prove the resurrection. The incarnation is also central to the gospel, but it isn’t mentioned in 1 Cor 15, which is a situationally conditioned summary, and not a list of those things which are essential to believe. I deal with this a bit more here: http://www.forthright.net/final_phase/the_essential_outline_less_bas.html

  • John Henson 8:10 am on April 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    The Love of God 

    The lyrics for the hymn entitled, “The Love of God,” was written by Frederick M. Lehman in 1917 on a day when he turned his attention to an expression of God’s love.

    Lehman, sitting on a lemon box pushed against a wall, picked up a scrap of paper and modeled the hymn after an old Jewish poem. He said he had seen it penciled on the wall of a room in an asylum. Evidently the patient, Lehman said, must have written the verse in one of his more lucid moments.

    “The love of God is greater far
    Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
    It goes beyond the highest star,
    And reaches to the lowest hell;
    The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
    God gave His Son to win;
    His erring child He reconciled,
    And pardoned from his sin.

    Refrain

    O love of God, how rich and pure!
    How measureless and strong!
    It shall forevermore endure
    The saints’ and angels’ song.”

    The love of God is seen in its greatest, finest and purest expression in the sacrifice of his son, Jesus, on the cross for the sins of all people.

    The Apostle John wrote, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins,” (1 John 4:10). Paul penned, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8).

    It is in Jesus dying on the cross for us ― all of us ― that God’s pure love is seen best.

     

  • John Henson 6:35 pm on April 14, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, loving,   

    The Good Shepherd 

    “Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior;his military power establishes his rule.Look, his reward is with him; his prize goes before him. Like a shepherd he tends his flock; he gathers up the lambs with his arm; he carries them close to his heart; he leads the ewes along,” (Isaiah 40:10-11 NET).

    One of Randal Matheny’s posts on “Quick Bible Truths” led me to this parallel from Isaiah.

    The passage shows the Lord God as a winning warrior and as a shepherd who picks up his lambs and holds them in his arms close to his heart. It may be considered, however, as protection in both ways.

    The context of the passage begins with God telling Isaiah about how the way will be leveled (Isaiah 40:3-4). The Lord God has Isaiah write, “Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken,” (Isaiah 40:5 NASU).

    Don Shackleford, in his commentary on the book, wrote, “This event signified the loss of divine protection for the wicked city (Jerusalem) and his comfort and care for his people.” While our good brother is correct, it means more.

    The inspired writers of Matthew and Luke apply the scripture to the work of John the immerser and the coming of the Messiah (Matthew 3:3; Luke 3:4-6). Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd in John 10.

    “He carries them close to his heart.” Ever think Jesus doesn’t love you? All you need do is draw closer to his tender breast. You know. It’s the one that was pierced for your sins.

     

  • John Henson 2:01 pm on April 11, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    Jesus in Mark 2 

    In Mark chapter 2, Jesus, the untiring servant of God, met a sick man whose bed had been lowered so he might be healed.

    But, one interesting thing in the passage is Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees in the room.

    Though there have been many magicians who have performed illusions of mindreading, and there have been others who appear to do the same, there has never existed a true mind reader except for Jesus Christ.

    Christ had this attribute of God on earth, similar to the ability of omnipresence recorded in John 1 with Nathaniel.

    Jesus dealt with the sick man’s truly deadly disease ― sin ― and then he turned his attention to the thoughts of the Jews.

    The Bible, which gives us the mind of God on the subject, tells us in this chapter the Jews were thinking, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7 ESV).

    This would have been true, except Jesus IS God (John 1:1). Because he is, he did not blaspheme.

    The other truly remarkable thing here is that Jesus says, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home,” (Mark 2:10-11 ESV). Jesus had not only the power to heal this man, but also he had the authority to forgive his sins.

    Jesus had the exousian to forgive sins. This is the same word used in Matthew 28:18 when Jesus said, “All authority has been given me…”

    Yes, Jesus is a Savior who has compassion for men. But, he also has authority over them. His way is the only way (John 14:6).

     

  • Larry Miles 12:01 am on March 16, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ, ,   

    Why Give Up Sin 

    I have been taking the verses and chorus of the song “The World All About Me.” In this devotion I want to discuss the question “Why Give Up Sin?” All Christians should be in “an attitude of gratitude” for what the Lord Jesus has done, is doing, and will do for us.

    The second verse of the song starts off with the phrase “The Lord Jesus died my salvation to win:” This should remind us of the great cost of salvation; not to us, but to the Godhead. Our Heavenly Father loved us so much that He sent His Son to die in my place. The song further says “He went in my stead to Calvary and bled.” He took our place; we do not deserve to be saved. We are reminded of the need for the blood of Christ to be shed for the remission of our sins. (More …)

     

  • Larry Miles 8:19 am on March 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Jesus Christ   

    Let’s Put Jesus First In Our Lives! 

    “The World All About Me” is my favorite song in our hymnal.  It  is  also  know as “I’ll Put Jesus First In My Life.” It was written by James DeForrest Murch back in the 1930′s. I want to use the verses and the chorus to write some short devotionals.

    All of us have priorities in life. We all have “anchors” in our lives. Every priority and anchor that is not grounded in the Lord Jesus will only last through this life. We all need something or someone in our lives that will lead to eternal life.
    The chorus reads as follows: “In all that I say, in all that I do, throughout the world of toil and strife, by day and by night, through trust in His might, I’ll put Jesus first in my life.” (More …)

     

    • John Henson 11:11 am on March 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Well said, brother!

    • Larry Miles 11:15 am on March 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Thanks John for the words of encouragement– there will be 3 more articles in this series– one on Wed, one on Thur and one on Friday

  • John Henson 8:51 am on March 11, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Bartamaeus, Jesus Christ,   

    Consider Mark 10 

    The contrasts in Mark chapter 10 are instructive.

    In verse 35 of this chapter is the request from James and John, the sons of Zebedee, the sons of thunder, who ask Jesus for positions of authority and power in the kingdom. How little attention had these apostles paid to recent events! Jesus had taught earlier in the chapter that to even enter the kingdom, one must become humble and unassuming as a little child. They had failed to understand the truth that Jesus had taught!

    Finally, to cap all of this as a living object lesson is poor, blind Bartemaeus. Jesus and the apostles had been in Jericho where large crowds followed him from the city. The blind man was sitting begging alms when Jesus came and began calling out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people in the crowd told him to keep quiet, but he called to the Master even more loudly. Jesus called the blind man to him.

    Bartemaeus had only one request:  “…that I might receive my sight.”

    What a contrast! THIS was the attitude Jesus had been teaching about all along. The Jews needed this attitude to understand how to rid themselves of a hardened heart. The children were characteristic of the kingdom because of their willingness to come to Jesus humbly and unassumingly. And, in contrast to James and John, blind Bartemaeus asked for mercy to receive his sight.

    May we all learn the lesson of Mark 10, that we might have the same attitude in the kingdom of our Lord and Master.

     

  • John Henson 7:17 am on March 10, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    Oh, what wondrous love! 

    Some of the most amazing aspects of God’s creation are within the lines of Hebrews 2:5ff.

    God made everything because he loved man. “For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking,” the writer of Hebrews 2:5, 8 tells us, “putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Man’s feet.

    God’s creation was not made for the enjoyment of the heavenly host, but it was made and given to man ― to you and me. See how much God loved man! The world and everything in it is a testimony of this love.

    Then, when Adam and Eve rejected and disobeyed God’s command, that love was expressed again as the Lord God moved everything in heaven and earth to reconcile us by the blood of his only begotten son (Acts 20:28). The writer of Hebrews continues, “But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one,” (Hebrews 2:9 RSV).

    Hymn writer William Walker wrote, “What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul? What wondrous love is this, oh my soul! What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul!”

    Indeed, that wondrous love escapes our ability to describe it, doesn’t it?

     

  • Larry Miles 12:41 pm on January 26, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, Teaching Position   

    Where Jesus Sat teaching/preaching 

    Here are 2 instances —-Matthew 26:55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.

    Matt. 24:3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

     

  • John Henson 4:02 pm on January 25, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ   

    Matthew 10 “Fear not” 

    There are three instances in Matthew 10 in which Jesus says, “Fear not.”

    In the context of Matthew 10:26, the Master tells his disciples that they will experience the same kind of persecution he did and that they would be hated just as he was. In the same context, Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 10:28 not to fear those responsible for handing out undeserved punishment. He told them, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

    But the quotation I especially like is in the same context. Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows,” (Matthew 10:29-31).

    We should never feel singled out, alone or unnecessarily punished when people persecute us or if we suffer. Jesus loves us and knows everything about us. He even knows the tears we shed (Psalm 56:8). He knows every details of our lives: even the hairs of our heads are numbered, Jesus said.

    Fear not.

     

  • John Henson 9:22 am on October 30, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Jesus Christ   

    Comfort food 

    If we’re talking about real comfort, then we’re talking John 6:51-58.

    Jesus the Son of God is the only real comfort. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God,” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV).

    God not only comforts us, but he enables us to comfort others. That’s real, satisfying comfort!

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 4:22 pm on October 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ   

    Jesus goes to an isolated place 

    From the devotional based upon today’s reading in Matthew 14:

    With the sad news of John the Immersor’s death at King Herod’s hands, Jesus seeks to get away to an isolated place. The text doesn’t explain the motive behind his action. Mark and Luke connect it with the Twelve’s return from the limited commission. Some see him removing himself from any possible confrontation with or provocation of Herod. Without taking away from the merits of those explanations, it may also be that Jesus seeks time away to be strengthened in company with the Father.

    Read the whole devotional HERE. There’s a nice little quote from Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. And a prayer. And an Action Question. And a Word Cue. You get the picture.

     

  • John Henson 11:21 am on October 8, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, ,   

    Pure religion takes more 

    The religion of Jesus Christ upset the world by showing people it wasn’t enough to just give “lip service” to God. One must give everything.

    In the first recorded sermon Jesus gave, his theme was, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 5:20 ESV). For Jesus, it wasn’t enough for a person to have the Pharisee’s brand of righteousness. No, they must have the real thing.

    Jesus upset the idea that observance of the ceremonial law wasn’t necessarily obedience, and it was obedience to God’s commands that constituted real faith. Much of the book of Romans was written to explain that precept.

    Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”  (Matthew 15:7-9 ESV). Christ challenged almost every word the Pharisees said, because what they professed as the religion of God didn’t go far enough or dig deeply enough for their ideas to be the true religion of God.

    In Acts 17, while in Thessalonica, the Jews incited others to take Paul prisoner, citing that “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also,” (Acts 17:6). Christ had certainly turned their world upside down because he had taught obedience was necessary to please God, not just offering sacrifices from a heart devoted to something other than God (Luke 9:23-27).

     

    • Mike Riley 5:10 pm on October 9, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      I like the soap picture John! The world sure does need to use it (the soap, that is). :)

  • John Henson 12:24 pm on September 28, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    An “Aha!” moment 

    My favorite, “Aha!” moment was when I understood Galatians 3:10-13, courtesy of Professor Ben Gore.

    Brother Gore, who was covering prepositions in Greek class at Tennessee Bible College, showed us this passage this way: since all have sinned, all are under the curse of the law. It was like the sword of Damocles was dangling above my head and the curse of death could cause the sword to drop.

    But, Christ took my neck out from under the curse and put his neck there. Although I’m the one who deserved to die, he took the punishment for my sins. Even though I’m the sinner, he put himself in jeopardy and died for me. So, Verse 13 literally says, “Christ has redeemed us out from under the curse of the law becoming cursed for us…”

    Brother Gore told us about his missionary work in Africa and how one of the nations didn’t have a word for “redeem.” He said one of the people told him the closest idea to it was “he came and put his neck in the noose.” The explanation was that, as you sat captured ready to go into slavery and being tied around the neck, one who loved you could come and take the noose off your neck and put it around his. In that way, people there could understand the idea of the word, “redeem.”

    I’ll always be indebted to Brother Gore for that light.

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 8:06 am on August 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: bumper stickers, Jesus Christ, ,   

    Christianity described 

    Daniel, seems to me that the faith is best described in relational terms. It is above all the restoration of our relationship with God. The great divide among mankind is between those who know him, or are known by him (love that phrase of Paul’s), and those who don’t. Forgiveness is one aspect of that relationship, as is justification, sanctification, and other terms that describe facets of Christ’s redemptive act. Seems also that the best description centers not merely on what has happened to people in the Way, nor what they do, but what God has done in Christ. This is the central event, the main act, the principle truth.

    So my bumper sticker might read: “Christ — where God rights the world.”

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 10:05 pm on July 22, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ   

    Jesus Christ the same 

    The Daily Nudge this morning asked to lift a phrase from the book of Hebrews about Christ. Here’s my choice:

    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!

    It is sandwiched by two fascinating imperatives (Hebrews 13:7-9), which we’ll leave for now. It comes at the end of the book and stands as a testimony, a final reminder, of why the gospel is far and away superior to the law of Moses.

    Animal sacrifices had to be repeated; Jesus is the same.

    High priests had to be replaced; Jesus is the same.

    Temples had to be rebuilt; Jesus is the same.

    Jesus is forever, and he makes faithfulness worth every short moment of suffering, pain and opposition.

    “Take the world, but give me Jesus!”

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 7:07 am on July 22, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ,   

    Daily Nudge: Hebrews on Jesus — and news 

    One more on Hebrews: Pull out a statement about Jesus from the book of Hebrews, one you find compelling, powerful, thrilling. Not a whole paragraph nor verse, just a phrase. And explain it, develop it, envelope it with your impressions and thoughts.

    Our reading last night used Hebrews 1.1-2.4 to great effect. What power in the Word!

    And what news have the churches produced of late?

     

  • Daniel Haynes 4:36 pm on July 18, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ   

    Life without Jesus is like a dry garden baking in the sun. It is foolish to want anything that conflicts with Jesus. What can the world give you without Jesus? His absence is hell; his presence, paradise Augustine
     

  • John Henson 10:26 am on July 15, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Jesus Christ   

    Confidence in judgment 

    If we hold steadfastly to the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus Christ, who has himself passed into the heavens, we will follow also (Hebrews 3:1). We share with him a heavenly calling. The ESV puts it this way, “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.”

    “Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession,” (Hebrews 4:14). If we are faithful to God as Jesus was, we will also pass through the heavens. But, we must hold fast our confession, our profession, of faith even until the last breath. Nothing else but complete faithfulness will do (Hebrews 10:23).

    For this reason Jesus is called the “captain of our salvation” (Hebrews 2:10). He is also called the author and finisher of our faith.” The word “captain” and the word “author” are identical in the original language of the New Testament. It is also the word “ruler.” Jesus goes before us, even as he passes through the heavens, to show us the way (John 14:6). If we hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, we shall follow Jesus even into heaven.

    This is the confidence the writer of the book of Hebrews mentions so many times. It is the confidence the Apostle John mentioned in his book, that “we know that when he appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is,” (1 John 3:2 NASU).

    This is the kind of confidence we see in every person who has followed Jesus.In my life, I’ve seen this confidence in my father, my mother, every faithful gospel preacher and every Christian. This is the confidence all of us must have if we want to see Jesus ourselves one day.

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 6:18 am on July 9, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, ,   

    O Lord, for you a locked door is but an invitation to bring your peace. May our closed hearts be ruptured by your invasion.

    http://twitter.com/unitedprayer/status/18109963369
     

  • John Henson 6:02 pm on May 27, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ, ,   

    When is our moment on the mountain? 

    Going to the mountains in North Carolina was always a favorite vacation for my family. We particularly enjoyed Grandfather Mountain, Maggie Valley and the Blue Ridge Parkway all in North Carolina. When it was time to go home, we never wanted to leave.

    But if we were to continue our schoolwork and our lives, we had to come down from the mountain and go back to work.

    In Luke 9, Jesus spent some time on a mountain being glorified and transfigured. Transfigure means to have one’s appearance changed. Even Jesus’ clothes became white. Peter was so impressed with what happened, he wanted Jesus to allow him to build three “tabernacles,” or tents for the Lord, Moses and Elijah. It was then that God spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved son: hear him!”

    For Jesus, it was time to come down from the mountain. It might have been great to linger in the glorious spotlight, but Jesus was sent to the world to complete his work. So, Jesus decided to leave the mountain and come back down where people needed him.

    Jesus was teaching his apostles an object lesson in what the kingdom meant. Being in the kingdom meant work and service. While the apostles argued about who was going to be greatest in the kingdom (Luke 9:46), Jesus took a child and demonstrated greatness in the kingdom is humbling oneself as a servant. Jesus said, “he that is least among you all, the same shall be great,” (Luke 9:48).

    But, isn’t that what Jesus was pointing to earlier in the chapter when he talked about carrying a cross daily? Didn’t he twice before, in verses 22 and 44, point to the cross and plainly tell his disciples he would suffer and be delivered up into the hands of men who wanted to kill him? But, that was precisely why he came into the world, wasn’t it? He came into this world to give himself as a sin sacrifice for us all.

    Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it,” (Luke 9:24). People hoard their lives, but do not want to lose them. They are not willing to give their lives in the service of God and their fellows. As Christians, we must be willing to spend our lives serving God and people, for that is what Jesus did. If we spend all of our lives in the service of others, are we not like our Savior, who spent his entire life helping us and providing us with forgiveness of sins?

    Isn’t that our moment on the mountain?

     

    • Mike Riley 9:16 pm on May 27, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      Yes, John, I believe helping others is indeed “our moment on the mountain.”

  • John Henson 3:42 pm on May 5, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Jesus Christ,   

    Hard sayings 

    This “Nudge” has been the subject of several books. There are at least seven books available from an Internet bookseller that covers this topic. So, this is a good “Nudge,” and will produce a number of responses. (This was probably premeditated by the “Nudger.” However, we the “Nudged” will attempt to be moved.)

    “I am the bread of life,” Jesus said three times in John 6:35, 48 and 51. That this was a hard saying is documented by the Master’s own disciples in John 6:60 and is one of the reasons why the Jews wanted to kill him.

    Just behold the numbers who do not believe the saying this very day. The Muslims do not. Those who call themselves Jews do not. Atheists do not.

    And when we talk about obeying Jesus’ commands, there are legions who think they are religious, but do not believe and obey. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” (Mark 16:16). If one does not obey Jesus’ commands, then one does not love Jesus, neither does one understand that he is the bread that came down from heaven (John 14:15; John 15:14).

    If a person does not obey Christ, then they are members of the same crowd that walked away from Jesus on that day in John 6. They are not members of Christ.

     

  • John Henson 1:11 pm on May 4, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Jesus Christ   

    “Why hast thou forsaken me?” 

    Of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross there are several that have caught my mind, but the most compelling and heart-wrenching was, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

    Not everyone agrees with me why, but that’s okay. Many people, when they hear Jesus’ statement, point to 2 Corinthians 5:21 and say that’s why. This small article is not intended to be an exposition of that scripture. Suffice it to say I believe what Paul is saying there is a metonymy, a putting of a part for the whole, that Jesus was made to be a sin offering, not literal sin (Hebrews 4:15).

    The act of atonement is happening at the cross, or the process where the justice of God meets the satisfaction of the law’s demands. The soul that sins must die, Ezekiel 18:4, 20 tells us. Jesus had never committed a sin, but died as our sin sacrifice (Romans 5:8-10). The penalty of sin must be paid. Had the penalty not been paid, God’s justice is not satisfied and the law is merely a joke.

    But God allowed his son to die. He couldn’t save him. If WE are to be saved, then God the Father must allow his only begotten son to die for US. Doesn’t this take us back to Gethsemane? Jesus asked, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done,” (Luke 22:42). Certainly, Jesus was faced with his own death, but he was also faced with the prospect that, at some point, he would be separated from his Father.

    Anyone who has ever had to let a family member die knows how difficult it is to let go. But, what if you had the ability to save them? Could you just let them go? God had to do exactly that. He had to allow his son to die so that we could be saved. “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8 NET).

     

    • Mike Riley 1:34 pm on May 4, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      Great observations, John! I’m so thankful that Jesus loved me enough to die in my place for the punishment that I should have received. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

      • John Henson 4:31 pm on May 4, 2010 Permalink | Reply

        Thank you, brother. You are always so kind.

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