June 17, 2012
Scripture:
Ministry:
John also had a vision of the Lord in Revelation 1 and he had a similar experience. v.14-18. Now let’s turn to chapter 4:1a. Isn’t it precious? v1b - 2. Here we have a throne again, but this one is in Heaven. v3. and what was the result? v.10-11. This is a reminder to us again of the awe-inspiring effect of the presence of God. Yet He desires us to be near. This is a portion that is yet to come, but this morning we have had a foretaste of it.
Hymn 20 - What means this eager anxious throng
Prayer
John 9:1-16
We’ve read about Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the nobleman’s son, and the man at the pool of Bethesda. These were individuals whom Jesus helped during His earthly ministry. The next individual who Jesus went to help was a blind man. When reading about blind people in the Bible we can think about how we were blind in sin.
When Jesus talked with individuals, he told them what was wrong (if it wasn’t obvious) and then healed them or told them what to do. The way that Jesus healed this man was quite interesting. Jesus spat on the ground, made mud, and put it on the man’s eyes.
It would seem that putting mud on someone’s eyes would hurt them more, but that didn’t happen. After applying the mud to his eyes, Jesus sent the man to wash in the pool of Siloam. Siloam means sent. The usual gospel message doesn’t tell people to go, but to come. However, God sent Jesus to earth so that we could go to Him for salvation.
Once this man washed in the pool, his eyes were healed. After that, his neighbours hardly recognized him. When we accept the Lord Jesus as Saviour, there should be a big change in us. Our attitudes should change and the way we do things should change. Because of the change they saw, some people asked him how his eyes were healed. It is wonderful when people see a difference in us and ask how and why we changed.
This man knew how his eyes were healed and who had done it, and he told his neighbours. However, some of the Pharisees didn’t like that Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath day. Others Pharisees reasoned that if Jesus was a sinner, how could he heal a sick man?
There’s more to this story, but we’ll have to stop here for today. Next time, we will continue it.
Luke 12:41-59
Last week we were looking at the word spoken to disciples: waiting, watching, and serving.
If we’re to wait and watch, that means that somebody is coming back. We are waiting for the Lord to come at the rapture, but there’s another time that Jesus will come: the appearing, when He comes to reign at the Millennium. Now, because Jesus was talking about this before the Cross the primary application is to His Appearing, and the second application is to the Rapture. It’s lovely to think that things like verse 37 were written for us; and it’s true that this verse applies to both the rapture and the appearing. The Jews struggled with second meanings like this. Many passages in the Old Testament talk of the coming Messiah; but they were expecting Him to come to reign and were ignorant of the fact that He would first come to save the world from sin. They couldn’t believe that the Son of God had grown up among them.
Vv.41-42. We now shift from addressing the disciple to addressing the steward. We are responsible for the things given to us by God. We are called to faithfulness, whether it is of physical or spiritual possessions. Are we careful and wise with what we have been given? The way that we handle our responsibilities now affects the responsibilities we get when the Lord comes. We need to live our lives in the light of eternity. It reminds us of the parable of the talents, and the Lord’s instructions, “Occupy till I come.” We are to do business for God. That puts responsibility on us.
Vv.45-46. We shouldn’t say, “The Lord’s coming will be later in life” or “The Lord delays His coming”. The Lord’s coming has always seemed imminent to the faithful. As Kay Hayward used to say, “Maybe today!” It should be the hope of Christ’s coming that inspires us to do His will.
Verse 46 might refer to those who are professors of Christ, rather than possessors of Christ. Verse 47 likewise refers to the judgement of the unbelievers. It seems that there will be varying levels of judgement depending on the case. It’s all relative to the individual’s responsibility. V48. This verse helps to answer the question: “What will happen to the people who die, but have never heard the Gospel?” There still are small pockets of people today who have never heard the Gospel, but they’re rare.
Vv.49-50. Our Lord came to seek and to save that which was lost, and those who don’t accept salvation will have to accept the consequences. We know what the Lord’s baptism was. It was the cross; it was a baptism of fire and of judgement. Can you imagine how the Lord must have felt to be straightened? He knew the freeing Gospel message that would go out across the world - He would accomplish it and make it possible for any to be justified who accept it by faith - but He couldn’t tell it because the work wasn’t accomplished yet! He could see the need, but He couldn’t preach the Gospel. We have a privilege that the Lord didn’t have.
It was a Gospel of peace that Jesus brought, but it also brought discord between the believer and the unbeliever. As Christ calls out people for Himself, and brings them in from the world, He is also bringing in things that divide. You’re either on the Lord’s side, or you’re not. We can’t agree to disagree on these issues. We can’t say, “I believe this, and you believe that, and both of them are okay.” These are issues of eternity, service, and what we are to do. It does bring a difference. Thankfully, there is no division in Heaven.
Hymn 309 - I think when I read that sweet story of old
Prayer