Apicontent

“John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.” —John 3:27

Responding to his disciples’ complaint in regards to Jesus’ following surpassing that of his own, John speaks of the sovereignty of God. Unmoved in the face of the world’s fickle opinions, there was not a hint of jealousy, selfish ambition, or vain conceit in his words. Humility shines forth from a right understanding of God’s ultimate plan.

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans that whatever gift God gives is to be lived out in sincerity and motivated by love in order to serve and edify the body of Christ. Our gifts are given to us in order to be used for the furtherance of God’s kingdom. The love of God expressed through human beings encourages and increases the faith of other believers.

“For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. “And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness. Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.” —Romans 12:4-9

Paul commends the Thessalonians:

“Because we recall in the presence of our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you).
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction. As a result you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” —1 Thessalonians 1:3-7

Take It to Heart

In our verse for today John is clear–God is sovereign over the affairs of men. We must remember that just as the gifts given to us are not our own, neither are our ministries–they are God’s and He will do with them as He pleases:

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants.” —Proverbs 21:1

“There is no wisdom and there is no understanding, and there is no counsel against the LORD. A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the LORD.” —Proverbs 21:30-31

Further Reflections

“Different employments are according to the direction of divine Providence, different endowments according to the distribution of the divine grace. We should not envy those who have a larger share of gifts than we have, or move in a larger sphere of usefulness. John reminds his disciples that Jesus would not have thus excelled him unless he had received it from heaven, and, if God gave him the Spirit without limit, shall they grudge at it? We should not be discontent, though we may be inferior to others in gifts and usefulness, and be eclipsed by their excellencies. John was ready to confess that it was God who gave him the place he had in the love and esteem of the people; and, if now his place declined, God’s will be done! When he has fulfilled his ministry, he can contentedly see it go out of date.” —Matthew Henry

“The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy; he humbles and he exalts.” —1 Samuel 2:7

“After this, Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing. So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified – see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!” —John 3:22-26

For some reason I think my toes are going to be stepped on today! Have you ever longingly looked at someone else’s spiritual gifts and their seemingly effortless ability to accomplish great things for the kingdom of God?

You come away feeling, as my Momma used to say, like “a ne’re do well.” I just recently had this exact experience! Watching wide eyed (and with great appreciation) I watched a friend serve a a delicious “loaves and fishes” meal to more than anticipated–and without one drop of sweat or furrowed brow! The meal came off as smooth as crème brulee! From one that has a difficult time even boiling water, you certainly can imagine my awe! And then there were those who welcomed many visitors into their home with warm hospitality–opening their arms as wide their doors to embrace and encourage the weary. I have to admit, I felt a bit of jealousy–not that they practiced their gifts so superbly, but that I am so want of them! What wonderful ways to show forth God’s love to others!

I can’t help but believe that the same feeling of jealousy was occurring with John the Baptist’s disciples in our verses for today. People were turning to Jesus to be baptized instead of John–and it sounds as if John’s disciples were a bit jealous!

As disciples of Christ, our goal is to point those around us to Him! Our gifts are given to us in order for us to achieve this goal. We are not responsible for the results; we are responsible to be faithful with the gifts God has given us. God may use others to minister to thousands and use us to minister to only a few–but it is our faithfulness that matters in His eyes.

I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians regarding the importance of Christ being preached regardless of the motive behind the preaching:

“Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.” —Philippians 1:15-18

Take It to Heart

Paul rejoiced over the fact that Christ was preached! Indeed, when the church in Corinth began disputing over following Paul or following Apollos–both servants of Jesus–Paul’s response gives us the attitude we are to seek:

“In fact, you are still not ready for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human?
What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters work as one, but each will receive his reward according to his work.We are coworkers belonging to God. You are God’s field, God’s building.” —Corinthians 3:3-9

God gives His gifts to His people specifically for His tasks.

“For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.” —Ephesians 2:10

Further Reflections

“Provided that God be glorified, we must not care by whom.” —Francis de Sales

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” —Edmund Burke

“Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.” —Oswald Chambers

“In Christ’s Kingdom, no work is ever accomplished alone. TOGETHER, is how we fulfill our Lord’s mandate and exemplify His message.” —Olivia Xavier

“I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me.” —Hudson Taylor

“Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.” —John 3:19-21

Whenever I want to see something clearly, I simply bring it into the light. When the light shines upon the object in question, be it matching colors, spots and stains, or a necklace clasp, the light brings clarity and ease to an otherwise muddled and difficult to discern or do task. It is amazing what light exposes–just clean a window and then let the sun shine through–the light reveals the streaks all too quickly! Our spiritual life is no different. Wherever the light of Jesus shines, the darkness in our lives becomes evident. Jesus came as the light for all of us. John tells us:

“In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.” —John 1:4

“The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” —John 1:9

“But Jesus shouted out, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness.” —John 12:44-46

Jesus came to get us out of darkness. Certainly this was what the prophet Isaiah was talking about:

“The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.” —Isaiah 9:2

Just as in creation God brought light out of darkness, He also brought light to our dark world by sending His Son. Paul tells us:

“For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.” —2 Corinthians 4:6

Jesus came to lead people out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness into God’s kingdom of love and light. Paul tells us:

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” —Colossians 1:13-14

Christ’s light came to shine upon the souls of men, yet we read in our verses for today many shunned the very light that would save them. Devoted to darkness, desirous to remain wallowing in their sin, they wanted nothing to do with the light. Not wanting to change or have their evil exposed, they chose to remain in their bondage to sin rather than turn to the freedom and abundance found in Jesus.

While Satan would have us believe the apple he holds out is beneficial and for our best, it will always bring death and destruction. Conversely, Jesus holds out to us life overflowing. As David tells us in the precious words of Psalm 23:

“You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full. Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.” —Psalm 23:5-6

Take It to Heart

“Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12

“Don’t slack off seeking, striving, and praying for the very same things that we exhort unconverted people to strive for, and a degree of which you have had in conversion. Thus pray that your eyes may be opened, that you may receive sight, that you may know your self and be brought to God’s feet, and that you may see the glory of God and Christ, may be raised from the dead, and have the love of Christ shed abroad in your heart. Those that have most of these things still need to pray for them; for there so much blindness and hardness and pride and death remaining that they still need to have that work of God upon them, further to enlighten and enliven them. This will be a further bringing out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, and a kind of new conversion.” —Jonathan Edwards, Advice to Young Converts

“Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth. But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” —1 John 1:5-7

Further Reflections

“Sinners who were wedded to their lusts loved their ignorance and mistakes rather than the truths of Christ. Wretched man is in love with his sickness, in love with his slavery, and will not be made free, will not be made whole. The true reason why men love darkness rather than light is because their deeds are evil. Their case is sad, and, because they are resolved that they will not mend it, they are resolved that they will not see it. Willful ignorance is so far from excusing sin that it will be found to aggravate the condemnation. Christ is hated because sin is loved.” —Matthew Henry

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.” —John 3:17-18

Sent by God on a mission to save, Jesus came not to judge, nor to condemn, nor to pass sentence, but to save. We are told the following in Scripture:

“She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” —Matthew 1:21

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” —Luke 19:10

“If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” —John 12:47

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” —1 John 4:14

Jesus came to save! Jesus came to deliver us from the spiritual death which is common to all men because of Adam’s sin. He seeks to make us whole and to preserve us from danger, loss, and destruction. God’s own arm worked this salvation for us:

“By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” —1 John 4:9-10

God’s purpose in sending Jesus into the world was to save the world through Him. He came peacefully in His first advent, not condemning, even though our hands were stained with sin. Jesus was sent to reconcile the world back to God! Jesus–the Savior for all who believe in Him.

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from God’s wrath.” —Romans 5:6-9

Jesus died in our place. Those who believe in Him are declared righteous–saved from the wrath of God. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, reconciliation occurs between a holy God and sinful man!

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.” —Romans 5:10-11

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” —Romans 8:1-4

Take It to Heart

On the flip side of this verse we are warned of the terrible condition of those who choose to persist in unbelief willful ignorance–standing condemned already. How great the consequence of unbelief! Those who do not believe will one day be confronted with evidence regarding Jesus and all of His righteous acts done on their behalf.

“Your wise men will be put to shame.They will be dumbfounded and be brought to judgment. Since they have rejected the Lord’s message, what wisdom do they really have?” —Jeremiah 8:9

“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life. ” —John 5:24

Further Reflections

“Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” —John 14:6

“No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless.” —Oswald Chambers

“He came into the world with salvation in His eye, with salvation in His hand … God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and so saving it. This is good news to a convinced conscience, healing to broken bones and bleeding wounds, that Christ, our judge, came not to condemn, but to save.” —Matthew Henry

“Israel was totally incapable of helping herself. Only God could help her. This is true of salvation in any era. No one can save himself. Only God can forgive sin and change a person’s heart.” —Bible Knowledge Commentary

“The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience. The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself.” —Oswald Chambers

“No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven – the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” —John 3:13-15

In our verses for today we are presented with the Easter story … couched in unfamiliar words. Jesus was sent from heaven to save us from the sting of death!

The story of the snakes in the desert takes place in Numbers chapter 21. The Israelites were, once again, grumbling and complaining against God and Moses. They were sick of the lack of bread. They were sick of the lack of water. They were sick of the miserable food. And while their bodies were healthy, their attitudes were sick! Taking their eyes off God and placing them on their circumstances certainly did not fare too well regarding their behavior, but their complaining fared even less well with God. I am reminded of the verses in Philippians that have become our family mantra:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.” —Philippians 2:14-16

God was not happy with their stinking attitude and, I might add, He is not happy when my attitude stinks either! In the case of the Israelite people, He sent venomous snakes–biting many among them–causing death. The people turned to Moses immediately, crying that they had sinned and asking for his intersession. Mercifully, God told Moses to make a snake and place it on top of a pole. Anyone who had been bitten could merely look at that snake and live.

“Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became impatient along the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we detest this worthless food.”

“So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and they bit the people; many people of Israel died. Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD that he would take away the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.”

“The LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived.” —Numbers 21:4-9

You know, we often grumble and complain over God’s provisions for our lives as well. We don’t like the house we have, or the car we drive, or the spouse we live with. Our job is too hard, our money too little, our joy depleted. Our children rebel, our health declines, our friends fail us. You name it; we can complain about it. We can call this complaining and grumbling whatever we want, but God calls it sin.

Notice in the passage in Numbers, God did not take the snakes away rather He gave them a way through the snakes. Sin will never be eradicated this side of heaven. Jesus is our only way “through” the “snakes.” We are all born stricken with this sin nature– bitten by the venomous snake of Satan–and in desperate need of a Savior. And just as God in His mercy had Moses craft a snake on a pole to save many who had sinned, He also, in His mercy, sent His Son down from heaven to save all who would believe. Jesus came to reveal God to man and to take away our sin!

Take It to Heart

Jesus, being without sin, took upon Himself all the sins of the world–past, present and future–so that in turn His righteousness could be given to those who would trust in Him by faith.

“ God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” —2 Corinthians 5:21

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9

Further Reflections

“Sin is the deadliest foe we have; it cast our first parents out of paradise; it defaced God’s image in man; it brought pain, sickness, and death into the world, and a spiritual death into the soul; it causes a distance from God, and a dislike to his holy ways; it gives Satan an interest in, and a power over mankind; it once drowned the world, and will destroy it at last; it exposes body and soul to the just judgment of a holy God, and will seek every unpardoned offender into everlasting destruction. How is this deadly foe to be conquered? How is this fretting leprosy of the soul to be cleansed? Reader, be careful in this matter, and seek after a remedy that will be lasting and efficacious. Duties, prayers, tears, sacrifices, morality, and partial reformations, avail nothing in this case; all below Christ Jesus will prove physicians of no value. Jesus is the only Savior; God the Father sent him into the world to save sinners; his name declares the same; he is ‘called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.’ His blood is the only atonement for sin … May we be enabled to look to him, to receive him as our Lord Jesus, able and willing to save to the uttermost.” —K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Nicodemus replied, “How can these things be?”
Jesus answered, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things? I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I have told you people about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” —John 3:9-12

Confessing his ignorance, Nicodemus is clueless over Jesus’ prior explanation of the necessity of being born again in order to enter the kingdom of God. Due to his lack of understanding, this teaching made no sense to Nicodemus, causing him to question the truth of it. Unfortunately, there are times when our ignorance blinds us to the truth. And yet, ignorance of the truth is no excuse for our lack of understanding. Jesus tells us that we fall into error when we do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. We find His words in Matthew:

“Jesus answered them, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. ” —Matthew 22:29

Never forget that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for us. Picking and choosing what we may or may not want to believe or understand is simply not an option. We are to take it as a whole or not at all. Paul tells us:

“Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.” —2 Timothy 3:16-17

King David said:
“The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the LORD's promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.” —Psalm 18:30

Teachers are especially accountable for knowing the truth as they are responsible for leading others. When they wander from the truth, they lead others astray in their wake. Jesus came down hard on the Pharisees in regard to this:

“But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.” —Matthew 23:13

James gives us fair warning regarding this as well:

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.” —James 3:1

Take It to Heart

I am reminded of the prophet Hosea’s words:

“Who is wise? Let him discern these things! Who is discerning? Let him understand them!

For the ways of the LORD are right; the godly walk in them, but in them the rebellious stumble.” —Hosea 14:9

“Lord, strengthen our faith, inflame our love, enlarge our views, support us in trials, guide us by thy counsel, and receive us into glory, that we may sing thy praises to all eternity. Amen.” —K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Indeed, who is God besides the LORD? Who is a protector besides our God? The one true God gives me strength; he removes the obstacles in my way. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.” —Psalm 18:31-33

“If you wish to know God, you must know his Word. If you wish to perceive His power, you must see how He works by his Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.” —C. H. Spurgeon

Further Reflections

“Hence, in our verses for today, Christ gives Nicodemus a reproof for his ignorance. Being one of Israel’s leading teachers he should have understood Jesus’ teaching.“The word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.” —A.W. Tozer

“Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him.” —John 3:1-2

Cloaked in the darkness of night, Nicodemus approached Jesus, the all-encompassing light, cloaked in flesh. Nicodemus was a “Who’s Who” of the Jewish people–a Pharisee, a scholar, a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. He was a man of authority in Jerusalem. This man noticed the miraculous signs Jesus performed. He knew enough to know that these things could not have been accomplished by mere man–the fingerprints of God were all too obvious. “Pala” works–things too hard for man to do–point us to the Creator.

I love how Jeremiah states this fact in his prayer:

“Oh, Sovereign Lord, you did indeed make heaven and earth by your mighty power and great strength. Nothing is too hard for you!” —Jeremiah 32:17

“You did miracles and amazing deeds in the land of Egypt which have had lasting effect. By this means you gained both in Israel and among humankind a renown that lasts to this day. ” —Jeremiah 32:20

Job, after being confronted and questioned by God responded similarly:

“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted; you asked, ‘Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge?’ But I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know.” —Job 42:2-3

Indeed, Jesus speaking to the father of the boy with an evil spirit appears taken aback when the man asked if there was anything Jesus could do to help them:

“Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him? And he said, “From childhood.”

“It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

“Then Jesus said to him, “If you are able?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” —Mark 9:21-24

Later in Mark Jesus tells us:

“Jesus looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God.” —Mark 10:27

The miracles of Jesus prompted Nicodemus to want to learn more. Approaching Jesus at night, he desired to talk with Him alone without the constant interruptions of the public fanfare. While others were perhaps resting, sleeping, or at their leisure, Nicodemus pursued further knowledge.

Take It to Heart

Miracles show us the fingerprints of God, spurring us to seek Him. One of the ways we can do this is by pursuing further knowledge of God through His Word of. We are called to be zealous in this pursuit:

“Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.” —2 Timothy 2:15

“Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.” —Oswald Chambers

Further Reflections

“Here was Nicodemus, a judicious, sensible, inquisitive man, one who had all the reason and opportunity imaginable to examine them, so fully satisfied that they were real miracles that he was influenced by them to go contrary to the stream of those of his own rank.” —Matthew Henry

“If I do not perform the deeds of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” —John 10:37-38

“Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. He did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew what was in man.” —John 2:23-25

Beware of putting your emphasis on the praise of man rather than on the praise of God! It is an easy trap to fall into, often catching us unawares in its vice, tightly turning our motives into pleasing a creature in lieu of our Creator. We are to live our lives for an audience of One. We all live coram Deo–before the face of God–whether we choose to believe it or not. Our opinions and biases do not alter the truth.

Jesus did not entrust Himself to men because He knew them. He was aware of the weakness of some and the wickedness of others. He knew their natures, their dispositions, their intentions, and their affections. He knew them better than they knew themselves. His knowledge came not from others information but by His own omniscience.

As believers, our actions should always be conforming to what God desires of and for us. I am reminded of Peter and John’s words to the religious leaders of their day after being warned not to speak again in the name of Jesus:

And they called them in and ordered them not to speak or at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied,  “Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide, for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” —Acts 4:19-20

Contrast Peter and John’s actions with those of some of the leaders who desired man’s praises over God’s:

“Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess Jesus to be the Christ, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” —John 12:42-43

Take It to Heart

Think for a moment, do you care more about what others think of you than what God thinks?

Fear of man will control us if we do not choose to have the fear of God control us. Proverbs tells us:

“Fearing the Lord is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and more instruction.” —Proverbs 1:7

Jesus said:

“I do not accept praise from people, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God?” —John 5:41-44

Further Reflections

And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.” —Hebrews 4:13

“Be thoroughly acquainted with your temptations and the things that may corrupt you.” —Richard Baxter

“Men who fear God face life fearlessly.” —Richard Halverson

“To inoculate me from the praise of man, God baptized me into the criticism of man, until I died to the control of man.” —Francis Frangipane

“So after he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.” —John 2:22

Hindsight is always twenty-twenty, is it not? As they recalled their Master’s words, the disciples were finally ready to believe the Scriptures and what Jesus had spoken to them. While Jesus had plainly told them what was going to happen, they had not grasped it–they simply needed the light of the resurrection to point them to the truth of it all. The disciples were able to understand the meaning of what Christ did as they reflected upon the Scriptures. God’s Word and God’s work go hand in hand.

“If you wish to know God, you must know his Word. If you wish to perceive His power, you must see how He works by his Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.” —C. H. Spurgeon

In the book of Luke we find Jesus chiding the disciples for their lack of understanding:

“So he said to them, “You foolish people – how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures. —Luke 24:25-27

Unbeknownst to them at that time, the crown always comes by way of the cross. We would do well to remember that in our own lives as well. Paul tells us:

“Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” —2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Considering the harsh travails Paul endured, it is amazing that he could deem them “light and momentary,” yet Paul’s fixed vision of the goal kept his mind in proper perspective. While the torture he endured was supremely difficult, it was nothing in comparison to the glory that he would later receive. We might easily dismiss this if he had not written a considerable amount about what he suffered for the sake of Christ:

“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28

“Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea. I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers, in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing. Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.” —2 Corinthians 11:23-29

Despite all of this, we are told in Acts how Paul continued to preach God’s good news, encouraging and strengthening new Christians!

“After they had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch. They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions.” —Acts 14:21-22

Take It to Heart

“Christians shouldn’t be surprised when, in seeking to do God’s will, we find ourselves trapped in painful, frightening, difficult, or impossible situations. Life is hard–especially for Christians.” —Robert J. Morgan

“Never shall you come into such a position that Christ cannot aid you. No pinch shall ever arrive in your spiritual affairs in which Jesus Christ shall not be equal to the emergency, for your history has all been foreknown and provided for in Jesus … ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’” —C. H. Spurgeon

Further Reflections

“To trust too much upon feeling, disturbs our peace as soon as it is gone; but to rely on the word of God, preserves a settled assurance.” —K. H. Von Bogatzky