February 17, 2008
Scripture:
I’d like to look at one of the lesser types of Calvary in the Old Testament; turn to Leviticus 14. This is the cleansing of the leper; there are three cleansings in Leviticus: the cleansing of the Levites, the leper, and the priests. Read vv. 4–7: “Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: and the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: as for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: and he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.” In light of what we have had this morning, I was thinking of v. 5: the bird was killed over running water in an earthen vessel. A bird’s is usual habitat is in the heavens; here we see the One whose rightful place is in the heavens. Yet He took on an earthen vessel; He became incarnate; a body was prepared for Him. The running water is the Spirit of God. The bird was killed, its blood was sprinkled. I wanted to highlight the thought that He who was so identified with Heaven took on an earthly vessel and was killed. The bird’s blood was sprinkled so that the living bird could be loosed—resurrection. We can see the Lord in type so early yet so clearly in scripture. All this was for the cleansing of the leper. Are we not that leper? Indeed!
EG Hymn 346 – Jesus who lived above the sky,
Prayer
We’ll continue in the book of Acts. In chapter 13, we started Paul’s first missionary journey. When we ended, he was at Iconium. Read Acts
But then trouble comes: the Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who wanted to kill Paul, had followed him to Lystra. When they found him, they stoned him and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead? Was Paul dead? We don’t know, but whether God raised him or simply strengthened him, he got up and went back into Lystra. The next day, he and Barnabas went to Derbe. After preaching the gospel there, they retraced their steps through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. Although many had rejected them, many had been saved as well and they encouraged these Christians as they returned to the coast. From there, they sailed back to Antioch in Israel. That is Paul’s first missionary journey. They told the Christians there what had happened along the way and rejoiced that the gospel had been opened to the Gentiles as well.
I Peter 4:10–14
Peter wrote this largely to Jewish Christians. In Judaism, God established an order of things; different groups had different responsibilities. No one was looking out for each other; they only had details about how everyone was supposed to act. But now these Christians were learning that each Christian has a gift that is to be used to minister to all. Peter reminds them that they were to love one another and take care of each other. Each of us has abilities—talents—and God will match your gift with your ability. These gifts are a responsibility. They are not for us, but for the whole assembly.
V. 11—“oracles” speaks of a divinely inspired word from God. What we say should not be what we think should be said, but what the Lord has for that moment. When a brother speaks, it should not just be an eloquent word from his own knowledge. It needs to be what God would have said at that particular moment and it needs to be true. Yet, not all gifts are of the speaking strain: “if any man minister …” There is much to do otherwise. But all should be done through the Lord and to the glory of God. That is how the Lord lived while here on earth: everything He did was from God and for God. It is also important to note that this says, “if any man minister,” not “if any man be a minister.” This is not speaking of the pastoral role many churches give to a single person. This is speaking of the “gifts of … helps” (I Corinthians 12:28). An example of this might be the women who followed the Lord, “which ministered unto him of their substance” (Luke 8:3).
V. 12—Now Peter is back onto the topic of suffering, reminding us that we shouldn’t think it is strange to suffer for the Lord. He brings us Christ’s suffering in the next verse. The Lord suffered in three ways. He suffered as a martyr, at the hand of man, when they crucified Him. He suffered with man; for example, at the grave of Lazarus, he cried with Mary and Martha. Many times we read that He had compassion on the multitude. Then, He suffered for man, taking away our sins on the cross. As we have seen in Acts with the children, Paul suffered too. It isn’t a strange thing to suffer as a Christian. The Lord has promised we will have tribulation in this world (John 16:33). It is to be expected. Yet, right after the Lord said that, He began to pray. We have that resource too! Yet, we are not just commanded here to “endure hardship”; we are told to rejoice in it, v. 13. In this case, our resource is hope. How else could we explain the faithfulness of some who were terribly tortured for their faith other than to say that they had the hope of a reward?
EG Hymn 216 – Happy they who trust in Jesus,
Prayer