Devotional on Isaiah 1:18

by John Young

“Out, Out damned spot I say…”

 This line is from William Shakespeare’s play, “MacBeth.” It is the story of an ambitious man (MacBeth) and his wife, Lady MacBeth. They are hungry for power and have murdered and swindled their way past, around, or over anyone who stood in their way to get what they want.

 This line comes from a point in the play when Lady MacBeth is sleepwalking and she’s lamenting this imaginary blood she has on her hands that she cannot get off no matter what she does.

 I couldn’t help but think of this line as I read Isaiah 1:18:

         “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

It’s hard to understand what’s happening in v18 unless we take a brief look at Isaiah 1 up to this point.

 Israel, as Israel is wont to do in its history, has turned their back on the Lord. The Lord gives Isaiah a vision in which he says of Israel even though he raised them as a father, they have turned their backs on him and don’t even know him, when even oxen and donkeys acknowledge their owners. (v2-3)

 Their spiritual illness is total: The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint. From the sole of their foot even to their heads, there is no soundness in them. (v5-6)

 And as a judgment against them, their country lies desolate and their cities are burned with fire. (v7)

 They are compared to Sodom and Gomorrah (v9-10) and the only difference is that God has mercifully left a few people behind but that doesn’t seem to be based upon those individual’s righteousness as much as it is on God’s mercy.

 And so it seems as though Israel knows a little of their sin and a lot of God’s discipline, so they know that what has happened to them is from God’s hand and they are guilty. So how will they respond?

 They try to sacrifice or “do good” their way out of their guilt. But in v11-15 God says it’s of no use: “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?” “I’ve had enough of burnt offerings of rams and well-fed beasts…” “Who has required of you this trampling of my courts?” He can’t endure their feasts, his soul hates their festivals. When they spread their hands in praise he hides his eyes from them and when they clutch their hands in prayer he can’t even look at them for their hands are dripping with blood.

 So the Lord commands them to “…wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds before my eyes…” (v16)

 But what we see here is very frustrating to hear. How can I ever wash myself clean from sin if I can’t sacrifice my way out of it or “offer” my way out of it or praise my way out of it or pray my way out of it?

 But in v16-17 we see how this can be possible: REPENTANCE! Which entails two things: ceasing to do evil (16), and learn to do good (17). So stop sinning and start obeying the Lord. And then later on in 17, he shows us some examples of what doing good looks like: seeking justice, correcting oppression, justice to orphans and widows.

 But it’s not just repentance, specifically it is repentance before the Lord. (V18) “Come now let us reason together. Or, come now to me and let’s settle the matter.  But wait! What motivation does Israel have to come before this God who has brought all of this on them? What hope would Israel have to come before the one who compared them to Sodom and Gomorrah? Why would they come to him who has harsh words for their worship and hates their offerings? What should they expect to receive?

The Lord invites them to come to him, not with their hands full of offerings and sacrifices, nor with a list of good things they’ve done. Rather they should come to him in repentance and faith: leaving behind their sin; and, seeking to learn from him what is good the way a child learns from his father.

 And the reason Israel, or we, have to come to him is because of his promise in v18: “Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

 I don’t know about you but I have a horrible habit of spilling things on shirts I love and I frequently seem to ruin shirts. This is the picture here: a white robe or a shirt covered in deep dark red wine stains. No amount of washing will ever get it out, it’s just there and it will be there forever. I talked to a guy I know this week who had a whole can of paint spilled in his truck. I don’t care how much you clean it, that paint is always going to be there!

 But if we come to the Father in repentance and faith, he promises to do for us what we are utterly incapable of doing for ourselves: he will cleanse our bodies covered like scarlet in sin and our robes of crimson will be made white as wool.

 We are able to delight in this promise more than Israel ever understood! Because of Jesus’ perfect life on our behalf, he has secured for us a righteousness we could never imagine. And through his death for our sins and his resurrection from the dead, our sins have not only been atoned for but they have been cast away from us as far as east is from west and we are able to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” We have been justified by faith. So we can draw near to this powerful, eternal, righteous God as the children of his we are!

My sin, O the bliss, of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Unintended Consequences

by John Young

Good morning, Beloved!

My favorite book in the Bible is the book of Ephesians. It seems to be the book that always pops into my mind, with its rich theology, its succinct analogies that serve to boggle my mind with God’s eternal purposes in choosing us, and the way that Paul shows our relationships in the church and among other Christians are informed by, and built upon, these deep theological truths and divine actions.

One of the prominent themes of the book of Ephesians is unity. It could be said that 2:11-22 is Christ’s Accomplished Unity, and in chapters 4-6 we see the Christian’s Active Unity. It’s interesting to me that Paul speaks to these Ephesians about the unity we have—that he has with them! I think this is a very important thing for us to consider as a church these days. We tend to think that the only way for us to grow in unity is for us to physically be together…that unity is, by and large, geographical. I would admit that this is the most obvious way for unity to flourish. But I wonder if sometimes we take that privilege for granted and assume that if we’re together then we must be growing in unity. But we talk all the time about how if our conversations are only focused on the Astros or the barbecue we just had or something from the school, then we really aren’t growing together in Christ. Anyone can have those conversations. I wonder if God is not providing us with an opportunity to rely on Christ and his work and to strip us of our normal means of connection so that we may truly grow in unity, even when we’re not together.

That’s why I believe Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is so good for us. So much of it is focused on the church’s unity built upon Christ and what he’s accomplished in us and among us (and you can trace Paul’s argument for this in Ephesians 2). But for our purposes today, I would like to consider how Paul’s unity with these Ephesians is fleshed out in the letter, especially since he’s not physically with them, so how is this unity realized or practiced? We see evidence of the unity Paul has with these Ephesian Christians in a couple of ways: Prayer and Connection.

Prayer

There are two prayers that I direct your attention to: 1:15-23; and, 3:14-19:

1:15-23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

3:14-19

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Observations:

1. Both of these prayers begin with “for this reason.” Paul’s prayers for the Ephesians are rooted in the glory of God: God’s glory is displayed in your salvation…and God’s glory is displayed in your unity and faith.

2. Paul is continuously praying for the Ephesians. In 1:16, he “does not cease to give thanks, remembering them in his prayers.” The NIV says that “I keep asking…” And what is he asking for?

3. Paul prays that the Father may give them the ability to know him better. (1:17)

4. Paul prays that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened to know the hope which he has called them to. (1:18). That their hearts would be encouraged with the certainty of faith that what is promised would become known to them.

5. Paul prays that they would also know the riches of the glorious inheritance. (1:18) So that the things of this earth would grow strangely dim to them and their hearts would be captivated by all that is theirs in Christ.

6. Paul prays that they would also know the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. (1:19-23) The very same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that is being exerted in your life today which enables you to live for him, submit to him as King, delight in him as King, and trust that he is ruler over all.

7. Paul prays that they would be strengthened with that same power so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and that you may know the love of Christ. (3:14-19)

Application:

1. Do Paul’s prayers sound like your prayers? If not, why not? What greater things could we pray for those we love than things like these?

2. How frequently during this time apart are you praying for your brothers and sisters by name in the church? Wouldn’t it be great if we made it a point to pray through the directory just 3 times a week during this time? Think about it, if we were all doing it, you would be specifically prayed for over 150 times per week by our church alone! Might it be that the Lord is using this to turn us into more of a praying church? Think of the web of prayer entangling, interweaving, and bonding us together for his glory.

3. Use Paul’s list of things he prays for, it doesn’t have to be long. And these are great things to pray for…and incredibly meaningful! For instance, it is no small thing to pray to the Lord that they would know him better. It’s a prayer that the Lord desires to answer! I’m reading a book that I strongly recommend, “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortland, where he talks about how Christ is our friend…a friend! (See John 15:15). “Not only does a true friend pursue you; he allows you to pursue him, and he opens himself up to you without holding anything back.”(p.117) “God, in the person of his Son, means that he approaches us on our terms and befriends us both for his and our mutual delight.” (p.119)

Connection

Look at the end of the book at 6:21-22:

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

Observations:

It wasn’t only that Paul prayed for them. He knew they were a relational people. On at least three different occasions Paul speaks in his letters of longing to see his brothers and sisters, but he simply couldn’t do it as they were constrained by time and space. Paul seeks to overcome those constraints here by sending his beloved co-laborer, Tychicus, to them for the purpose of: letting them know how Paul and his friends are, and so that they may be encouraged in heart.

Application:

I can’t tell you how encouraged I have been by having some of you pick up the phone and call me just to see how I am doing, or write me a card, or send a quick text. It has truly been like a refreshing cup of water in a dry desert.

What if, as you worked your way through your membership directory (and if you don’t have one and need one, there’s no shame in asking for one, we can either put it in your mailbox or send you one electronically), you called a person or texted a person on that page you just prayed for or are in the process of praying for? It doesn’t have to be someone you’re closely connected to nor does it have to be a long call or text, just reach out!

Just maybe one of the unintended consequences of this time apart is God is doing for his glory what we thought could only happen if we were together: make us a praying church and a more united church. I’ll pray to that end, will you join me?

Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph 6:23-24)

jy

PS: Book recommendations: In addition to the recommendation above, if you would like to think more about Paul’s prayers, I’d invite you to read D. A. Carson’s book, Praying With Paul.

What is God Doing Through the Coronavirus?

By John Young

Good morning, Beloved! 

I hope this email finds you well and healthy. Instead of giving you some devotional thoughts on a passage of Scripture this morning, I thought I would summarize a portion of a book I commended to you last week by John Piper, entitled, Coronavirus and Christ. By clicking on the link, you can download it for free either to read a pdf, or for your kindle, or as an mp3 to listen to. It’s a very short book; I read it in my devotional time on Sunday morning.

The second part of Piper’s book is entitled, “What is God Doing Through the Coronavirus?” I think this is a very good question for us to consider as we may encounter unbelieving family members that may think this shows that God is on leave or he is not good or he is not powerful or he doesn’t exist! Or we may ourselves may be confused as we trust that God is sovereign over it but don’t understand how we relate to it. This is a valuable exercise for us because if we consider God’s ways, we can be strengthened even in these frightening, disconcerting circumstances.

I don’t believe I am ruining the book for you by doing this…it may actually convince you to read it. Consider it a brief synopsis of a part of the book that will enable you to possibly summarize 6 ways that the Lord is working through the coronavirus.

Now that last part is a very egotistical statement in itself. How can man know what God is up to? How can man search the hidden motivations and mysteries of God. We can be sure that God is accomplishing an immeasurable number of things and purposes.(p.57) For we know that God is sovereign and he isn’t running around after the fact trying to turn things into good…he intends them for good, he means them for good for those who are called according to his purpose. So he allowed the virus, he created the coronavirus, for our good and for his glory. (Read the first half of the book to understand this argument.)

But back to how can we know what God is up to. God has spoken through the Christian Scriptures; he is not silent in what he’s doing in this world; Eph 1:8-9 says that God has lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will.(p.56) So this isn’t man’s idea about what God may be up to. Rather, this is taking Scripture in context and seeing how God might be making connections to the coronavirus in our day. As Piper says, “I will point to what the Bible teaches and then make connections. Yours is to judge what is right.”(p.59)

What is God doing through the Coronavirus?

1. Picturing Moral Horror. God is giving the world in the coronavirus outbreak, as in all other calamities, a physical picture of the moral horror and spiritual ugliness of God-belittling sin.(p.61)

“Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and death spread to all men because all sin.” (Rom 5:2) And because of this all of creation has been subjected to futility (Rom 8:20-22). And yes, even Christians are subject to this futility…death is an earthly judgment against sin. Except for the person who is trusting in Christ, this is not punishment, this is purification.(p.64) For the Christian there is no more condemnation for Christ took it on himself. (Rom 8:1). However, this pandemic is a helpful reminder to us all, both believers and unbelievers of the absolute horror of sin.

We need to see this, and feel this, or we will not turn to Christ for salvation from the ugliness of sin. We may cry out to escape the penalty of sin. But will we see and hate the God-demeaning, moral ugliness of sin? If we don’t, it will not be because God has not provided vivid portrayals of it in physical misery—like the coronavirus. Therefore, God is mercifully shouting to us in these days: Wake up! Sin against God is like this! It is horrible and ugly. And far more dangerous than the coronavirus.(p.67)

2. Sending Specific Divine Judgments. Some people will be infected with the coronavirus as a specific judgment from God because of their sinful attitudes and actions.(p.69)

This does not mean that all individual suffering is a specific judgment for personal sins, consider Jonah who “was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.”(Job 1:1) (p.70) Yet, in Acts 12, Herod did not give glory to God but exalted himself and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. (p.71)

The coronavirus is, therefore, never a clear and simple punishment on any person. The most loving, Spirit-filled Christian, whose sins are forgiven through Christ, may die of the coronavirus disease. But it is fitting that every one of us search our own heart to discern if our suffering is God’s judgment on the way we live.

If we come to Christ, we can know that our suffering is not the punitive judgment of God. We can know this because Jesus said, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). It is discipline, not destruction. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Heb. 12:6).(p.72)

3. Awakening Us for the Second Coming. The coronavirus is a God-given wake up call to be ready for the second coming of Christ.(p.73)

From the very moment Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1:11, we have been hearing of the promise of Jesus’ return, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” And Jesus himself said that when he returns, he will judge the world. (Mt 25:31-32)(p.74)

Romans 8:21-23 suggests that these are the contractions, the labor pains of the coming kingdom. We elders have talked in the last week about locusts infestations, earthquakes, volcanoes, pandemics that we’ve read about in the news…all of which are talked about in Luke 21:11. These are all God’s kindness to us to stay awake!(p.75) You must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Mt 24:44). But we stay awake not in fear but in expectant hope (1 These 5:4-10)

4. Realigning Us With the Infinite Worth of Christ. The coronavirus is God’s thunderclap call for all of us to repent and realign our lives with the infinite worth of Christ. (p.77)

We have considered in the last few weeks how we are exiles and how we weren’t created for this and how fleeting its pleasures and certainties are. We have placed our hope in things that not only will not satisfy us but serve as a millstone around our necks dragging us to idolatry now and damnation for eternity. And not only that, but this pandemic shows us that life itself is fleeting and we are unable to master it. And so this provides us with a fresh chance to repent and see our sin.

This is what it means to repent: to experience a change of heart and mind that treasures God in Christ more than life. “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you” (Ps. 63:3). This was Paul’s faith. It was true in life and death. In life, because Christ is the sweetness of every pleasure, and better than them all. And in death, because “in [God’s] presence there is fullness of joy; at [his] right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11).

The coronavirus pandemic is the experience of loss— from the smallest loss of convenience to the greatest loss of life. And if we know the secret of Paul’s joy, we may experience the loss as gain. That is what God is saying to the world. Repent and realign your life with the infinite worth of Christ. (p.86)

5. Creating Good Works in Danger. The coronavirus is God’s call to his people to overcome self-pity and fear, and with courageous joy, to do the good works of love that glorify God.(p.87)

In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells his disciples to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”(Mt 5:16) Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world, but what is often overlooked is that these good works were to be done even in the midst of suffering. 

Jesus has just said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matt. 5:11–12). Then, without a break, he says, “You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13–16). 

It is not mere good deeds that give Christianity its tang and luster. It is good deeds in spite of danger. Many non- Christians do good deeds. But seldom do people give glory to God because of them. (p.88)

We can serve and love others without regard for our lives or our possessions because we have something more certain and lasting: Christ. We can be generous and giving, seeking to illustrate God’s kingdom and his righteousness because all of these things he will provide to us as well. (Mt 6:27:33)

6. Loosening Roots to Reach the Nations. In the coronavirus God is loosening the roots of settled Christians, all over the world, to make them free for something new and radical and to send them with the gospel of Christ to unreached peoples of the world.(p.95)

This may seem odd: how can we reach the nations if we can’t leave our houses or travel anywhere? But we see the Lord act through unimaginable events to cause his word to go forth. Consider the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts 7 and the persecution against the church in Jerusalem that arose in Acts 8 that scattered believers out of Jerusalem throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, exactly as Jesus predicted in Acts 1:8.

Jesus says, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18) “This gospel of the kingdom WILL be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations’ (Mt 24:14). Not MAY be proclaimed but WILL be proclaimed. (p. 97) God’s ways often include apparent setbacks that result in great advances.(p.97)

Piper offers a story about Pastor Hristo Kulichev, a Congregational pastor in Bulgaria, who was arrested and put in prison. His crime was that he preached in his church even though the state had appointed another man as pastor whom the congregation did not elect. His trial was a mockery of justice. And he was sentenced to eight months in prison. During his time in prison, he made Christ known in every way he could.

When he got out, he wrote, “Both prisoners and jailers asked many questions, and it turned out that we had a more fruitful ministry there than we could have expected in church. God was better served by our presence in prison than if we had been free.”

This is often God’s way. The global scope and seriousness of the coronavirus is too great for God to waste. It will serve his invincible global purpose of world evangelization. Christ has not shed his blood in vain. And Revelation 5:9 says that by that blood he ransomed “people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” He will have the reward of his suffering. And even pandemics will serve to complete the Great Commission. (p.97-98)

May the Lord do all He intends through this trial for his glory and may we be patient and faithful, giving glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Devotional on 1 Peter 1:3-12, Part 2

by John Young

Good morning, Beloved! Yesterday we began thinking about the beginning of Peter’s letter to the Gentile Christians dispersed throughout all the provinces of Asia Minor at the time. They were undergoing persecution and difficulty and lacked encouragement because they were unable to fully realize the work the Lord was doing in their midst. But what we considered yesterday was merely the beginning of the letter! We hadn’t even gotten past the greeting!

Today, I’d like us to think for a few minutes on verses 3-12. Peter offers encouragement found in the Believer’s beginning, middle, and end.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

The Beginning: God has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

This is a new birth rooted not in anything we’ve done but solely the work of God "according to his great mercy”. (v3) Some may read that “born again” and think, “Wow, God’s given me a do-over! What a blessing that is!” And that may be a blessing, but it would be a very short-lived blessing as we would mess that do-over up as well, and the next, and the next, and the next…and then tomorrow’s do overs as well!

Instead the Father has caused us to be born again. He’s given us a new disposition. We talked about that new disposition yesterday in the book of Ezekiel and we find that promise reiterated later on in Ezekiel 36:25-27:

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

And so the Father has not just given us a better life…he’s given us the certain hope of an eternal life…a living hope that doesn’t begin when we get to heaven, but instead begins now with a new disposition: a new heart, a new hope, a new life…cleansed from our impurities and idols.

But this isn’t rooted in our ability to do it…it’s rooted in God’s mercy. The Father has caused us to be born again and this new birth is accomplished for us in Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. And so our encouragement in the faith doesn’t come from us looking at our own lives and spiritual accomplishments. Rather, our encouragement and confidence comes from an empty tomb. Jesus Christ never sinned and yet he died…he was punished in the place of sinners, sinners like you and me who have acknowledged their sin and turned from it in faith toward Jesus Christ, resting in him alone. He took it all…he took all your sin, there’s nothing left for you to pay for. But proof that that sin had been paid for came three days later when Jesus was raised from the dead. The punishment has been accepted. Paid in full. Oh, and by the way…the one writing this letter to us is one of two who ran to the tomb and found it empty. He knows what he’s talking about.

The Middle: God’s power guards you through faith for salvation.

It’s interesting, in v3, we see God the Father causing us to be born again. Here in v5-7, it seems as though the Holy Spirit is the one at work here. He is God’s power who is guarding us through faith…He is keeping us to the end. Through the Holy Spirit we have the mind of Christ and that new disposition and will. He grants us joy in this life and encouragement in the faith.

But that doesn’t mean that we aren’t subject to difficulty…we truly are. We are grieved by various trials…we are in one right now. But the Spirit holds us and keeps us and encourages us while the genuineness of our faith is tested. This sounds like God is testing us to see if we’re the real deal…but rather he’s testing us to ensure and to refine us to make us the real deal. He’s removing all that is foreign to faith the way that dross is removed from silver or gold. So we can look at the experience that we are in today confidently, knowing that we are held fast! We are being sifted so that all that remains is Christ…created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

The End: Christ has stored up an inheritance for us that will be revealed when he returns.

Christ is preparing for us an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. And it is a guaranteed inheritance for we have been given the Holy Spirit as a deposit (Ephesians 1:14) and the salvation that we value so much will finally be revealed at the last time…the return of Christ.

Yes, now we have an inkling of our salvation and we think about it often but we really don’t understand it. I often wonder if we could go back to our lives before our regeneration and just observed the things we thought about that occupied our minds…I think we would be amazed at the effect of the Holy Spirit on our minds and motivations. But that is nothing compared to the day when Christ returns…

1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we  shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

These are indeed great encouragements for our souls but I think the greatest encouragement is God’s motivation for doing this for us. It isn’t because he loved us SOOOOO much that he did this for us…because what happens on those days when I am unlovable? The motivation for God doing what he does not have anything to do with us, but rather it is solely out of his regard for his own glory that he does what he does.

We see it in our passage: in v3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! These things that we enjoy are meant to bring praise to God in heaven. In Ephesians 2:1-7, when Paul talks about how God has made us who were dead alive, he mentions WHY God does what he does in v7 which begins with SO THAT…in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ. And in Ephesians 1:5-6, why did God predestine us for adoption as sons? To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

We see it again in our 1 Peter passage—why does God through his Holy Spirit guard us and refine us and keep us to the end? So that our faith may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ!

And Peter gives us some encouragement that the Spirit is at work in us as we think about v8-9: The love we have for the one we have not seen but believe in by faith gives us encouragement that the outcome of our faith will be a reality: the salvation of our souls.

One final note for this Easter week: As we look at v10-12, we understand that our salvation is dependent upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So much of our faith is theologically informed by the Old Testament writers. They didn’t understand how this would work, they couldn’t understand how a suffering servant could come and save his people. Take the riddle of the Old Testament, as God describes himself to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7 “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…” How does the Lord forgive iniquity and transgression and sin by who will by no means clear the guilty? How can God be both merciful and just?

The events of this Easter week show how that can be…the sinless suffering servant dying in the place of sinners and being raised from the dead so that those sinners may walk in the newness of life…in a righteousness not their own but imputed to them by the Son of God.

These are truly things into which angels long to look…and they are our reality.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Devotional on 1 Peter 1:1-2, Part 1

by John Young

I was blessed by a phone call from Pastor Geo yesterday and we talked about how we are struggling in the midst of the lack of contact and the cares of this world and he mentioned in passing how we are dispersed throughout the area and my mind immediately turned to this passage:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Obviously, the thing that drew me here was the thought that Peter is writing to the elect exiles of the Dispersion. I’d like to briefly consider those three words today and then we’ll consider the remainder of the passage tomorrow. Let’s take these words in reverse:

Dispersion- Peter is writing to a people that are dispersed. They aren’t together. This is a recurring theme in the Old Testament where Israel is scattered “in seven directions” (Dt 28:25), and “their outcasts are in the outermost parts of heaven” (Neh 1:9). 

We can relate to that. We are very mindful of the dispersion. While we are grateful to have this time God has given us, we are definitely aware of the reality that we are not together, God’s people are not together. Sure we may share experiences by listening to the word preached or see each other via a Zoom call or text or call, but we are not together. We truly look forward to that day when we can hug a neck and be together again face to face. But that longing is pointing us to a greater reality.

Israel wasn’t always dispersed, that same verse, Neh 1:9 says, “Though your outcasts are in the outermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen to make my name dwell there.” And this reality is further carried to fulfillment in Jesus when he comes again as he explains to his disciples in Mark 13:26-27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

That sense of connection that we have with one another is the tip of an iceberg that encompasses all the people of God and the glorious union we will have with our God when we see our Savior face to face—free from double mindedness, free from rivalry or jealousy, enabled to fully love one another in purity and humility, and delight in Him for Whom we were created. Instead of looking for ways to insufficiently slake the thirst of unity, it would do our souls good to instead allow that yearning to draw our hearts and minds heavenward and the hope there that awaits us.

Exiles- When we think of exiles, we think of punishment, a divine time out. Exile for Israel meant that they were removed from God’s land for a period of time and had the creature comforts of God’s blessing removed from them. This led Israel to the realization that things were not as they should be. But God promised that this would not always be the case.

In Ezekiel 11:16-17 God says through Ezekiel, “Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them from far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for awhile in the countries where they have gone.” Therefore, say, “Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”

Now, I am not saying that Coronavirus is punishment from the Lord. The connection I would like to make is that the Lord has done a remarkable thing for us in removing so many of these creature comforts and connection points to the earthly world. Right about now, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that this world is not our home. The things we love sit empty: Disneyland is locked up; nary a sport is being played; a playground is not available; the bar is closed; you can’t even go to a store and buy a new outfit! The Lord has kicked away the crutches from our lives and we are dependent upon Him alone.

But our hope is not in things getting back to normal, but rather, our hope is found later on in that Ezekiel 11 passage in verses 19-20, when he brings us to himself, he “will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove their heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statues and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people and I will be their God.”

But what comfort do we have that we will be included in that number? That’s our final word to consider this morning…

Elect- He’s writing to the elect. The elect who owe their status to nothing but the Trinity which we see alluded to in v2: According to the foreknowledge of God the Father…in the sanctification of the Spirit…for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood.

God the Father set his covenantal affection upon you before the creation of the world. Not because of anything done by you but strictly in accordance with his divine will (Eph 1:5) for his glory.

But this love goes beyond that to include the Holy Spirit in the work of sanctification. Therefore, we can never say that salvation is God’s work and sanctification is our work. No, God is working in our sanctification as well.

And it is a sanctification that comes about in our obedience to Christ which is brought about by that Holy Spirit work in accordance with that Ezekiel 11:19-20 passage above. That cleansing new heart and spirit we read about is granted by the sprinkling with the blood of Christ. 

Indeed these are all hopes that we have yet to realize in our awareness but it is a hope that can buoy us during these days of exile and dispersion. Praise God for the work of Christ.

Devotional on 2 John

by John Young

2nd John

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

This is a book believed to be written by the Apostle John to the members of a local church (the elect lady and her children). It’s obviously a very brief book and I must admit that I was drawn to 2nd John because of that phrase there at the end of the book in v12, …I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

Of course, we are all ready for this time apart to be done and look forward to being together again and “for things to get back to normal”…whatever “normal" will look like. As this time apart grows, I realize how much the Lord has blessed us as a church and grown us together. It feels very odd that we are not together. I am thankful that the Lord is doing in us and among us.

We as elders have been meeting and checking in on you to see how you are doing and we can relate to John’s comment there in v4, that we rejoice greatly to find you walking in the truth. We are encouraged not only that you aren’t sick and your needs are being met (and if this email happens to find you in a time of need, please do not hesitate to get in touch asap), but that you are remaining faithful. And in our conversations with you, it is evident that you love one another, and long to be together again soon.

But that’s what I’d like to think about for a few minutes. How do we love one another when we are apart in a situation like this?

In verse 5, we see John give the church a command, that is really no new commandment at all, to love one another. But John is apart from them, so how does John love them when they are apart? In v6, he defines what love looks like for them: that we walk according to his commandments.

In my devotional time this morning, I wrote the following: 

“Father, the thing I ask from you is that you protect me from malaise. I don’t feel like I’m actually doing anything necessarily wrong, but rather, I just feel very reactionary. I’m just doing the next thing in front of me but seemingly with no kingdom purpose. I want to think your thoughts after you—I want to seek good—I want to be of kingdom use to my family. I want to be refined and after what you’re after—your glory."

I don’t know if you have had any of those feelings…I pray you haven’t. But as I look at 2nd John, I believe this is how we love one another: by walking according to his commandments; by fighting against the ever-present temptation to spend our days becoming amateur infectious disease experts and instead endeavor to know the Lord better.

Ps 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

I have been encouraged by the devotionals the elders have sent out and encouraged in my love of the Lord:

• I was encouraged by Pastor Larry in his devotional on James 4:13-17: I recognized that I am quick to trust in things other than God’s grace and consistent character.

• I was encouraged by Pastor Geo’s devotional on Psalm 27, to seek the Lord’s face rather than staring into my fearful circumstances or into the comfort of a full freezer or pantry.

• I’ve been encouraged to memorize Psalm 39:4-8 “…O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!…”

This is how we love each other, by hearing the word and responding to it, growing in our own love of the Lord and then praying for one another that they may do the same. As I pray through the directory, very frequently I’m praying Colossians 1:9-11 for you:

…Asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worth of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…

I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete!

I’m praying for you…pray for me.

Love to you all.

John