The passage goes like this: When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses. He was giving, giving, giving His entire life! [i]. (Romans 5:12-21 ESV). They dont want to hear that they are sinners and that their sin is wrong. This points to the linear nature of history God is working toward something. The Bethany mentioned here is not the one across the Jordan. In fact it was common knowledge that there would be a resurrection of the dead on the day of the Lord. For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts! (Isaiah 6:4-5 ESV). (John 17:9-10). Now we come to passage that is so majestic and so profound in its display of Christs power that I can hardly find the right words to describe what we read here. This is not to say that we dont cherish the foundation, of course. This is really a continuation of the New Birth discussion He had before with Nicodemus in chapter 3. The thought, then, might be paraphrased this way: Stop touching me (or, Stop holding on to me), for (gar) I have not yet ascended to my Father i.e. [12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me. And he divided his property between them. This takes discernment, but it will be illuminated (no pun intended) as we read verses 19-21 because while Jesus had not come to judge the world, the very effect of His coming exposed the darkness of this world a world filled with people already under condemnation and headed for damnation. Paul tells us of these truths in Romans 5: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin and so death spread to all men because all sinned for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Let us cease to expect that missionaries and ministers will ever convert the world, and teach all mankind to love one another. We just need to glean a few things to understand the context, Needless to say these great truths these are deep truths and they arent going to make a whole lot of sense to someone still stuck on the basics. All of this when compared to Peters feeble efforts at saving his master surely puts our own human strength into focus does it not? Nor would thieves likely have left the wrappings, containing expensive spices, behind. These are the words and component parts of a person whose heart has been miraculously changed by the Holy Sprit. It is the evidence of faith, and the outward reality of a changed heart within us. Here are seven reasons Spurgeon longed for heaven, and why you can long for heaven, too. [48]If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.. First, Jesus initiates a love for us and then expects us to follow His example: We love because he first loved us. But seeing and intellectually assenting to the reality of Gods power doesnt make you a child of God. Christ inaugurated a kingdom (the already) and with that inauguration has brought forth fruit first by His cross work, and now by His Spirits powerful work here on earth through the spread of the gospel. I think the answer is emphatically no. For our Lord had many times predicted not only His own death, but also His resurrection. The copper snake had the power (efficaciousness) to save all/anyone who looked at it, as does Christ. 2:16). It is easy to fall into a legalistic mindset, so much so that you are unwilling to have a beer with a colleague after work. Charles Spurgeon. And when I heard, and the tear rolled down my cheek, I wiped it away and defied Him to melt my soul. [ix] Again we see the call to Spiritual maturity, which is more than simply intellectual sophistication (Sproul). Jesus calls upon us to be both approachable and loving and also transparently truthful. They said, The Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. They were concerned that the Roman leadership would be disturbed by the commotion of the Jewish citizenry and the potential consolidation of power behind a rebel leader (namely Jesus). [12] Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. The glory of God is of infinite value! So that will make the victory all that much more sweeter when we enter into His presence and He banishes death and sickness once and for all! [47] For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. (Deuteronomy 32:45-47 ESV)[i], For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. Below is a sermon I preached this past week on John 18:1-27. So perhaps its only natural for her to sprint out to see the Lord. This is what R.C. The truth that this conveys is that when human beings are allowed to have everything they naturally want, those natural desires are evil and rebellious not loving and seeking after the will of God. Consider Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith. [17] But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my fathers hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! Even the loss and the letdown. One of the most difficult things to do is confront a brother who has sinned and is in need to rebuke and restoration. (Philippians 2:12-13). When He would have me pray, I would not pray, and when He would have me listen to the sound of the ministry, I would not. Paul understands that the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is the lynchpin of our faith: And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 1087-1088. 23:6-12) and Jesus final appearance before Pilate (Mt. When the author describes the mature the Greek word is teleios(tel-ay-oss), which has the idea of something brought to its end, completeness, it is perfect, it is fully grown, it is consummated. And, they do! Saint Augus-tine, once himself a refugee from God, tersely stated the case long ago : " Thou wast driving me on with Thy Good, and I could not You wish to bring others to Christ, because you yourselves have been brought to life and liberty in him. He knows my actions: When I sit down and when I get up (v. 2); when I go somewhere and when I lie down (v. 3). "The Hound of Heaven" however, is still relevant. But needless to say that the God whose hand was in the suffering and death of His Son is also in your life not just to make you appreciate the good times, but to fashion you after His Son in order that you might have true joy both now and forever in heaven. 314. Sowhat does it mean when John says they are condemned already?, It means that there are some who will never believe. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? The ancients counted one hundred fifty-three varieties of fish! If our spiritual state were to be attributed to ourselves, or to our minister, or to some of our fellow Christians, we might not feel that we were tinder a great necessity to be fruitful; but if Jesus be the gardener, and is to bear the blame or the honor of what we produce, then let us use up every drop of sap and strain every fibre, that, to the utmost of which our manhood is capable, we may produce a fair reward for our Lords travail. That is why John characterizes it as the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Sometimes God gives us the desires of our heart in order to show us that they are foolishness. Well, we certainly make that decision, but not until we are born again otherwise we would never desire to choose to believe. [18] I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. [7]Then after this he said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again.. Make no mistake, every man, whether spiritually alive or spiritually dead, will face the judgment of Christ when He comes back in glory. Carson talks about how some of the Jews thought (superstitiously) that the soul of a body hovers above the body for three days prior to finally departing. (John 13:1), The Powerlessness and Futility of Our Efforts. Chapter fifteen features three parables which showcase many aspects of the character of Jesus, but only one essential truth: God has gone to great lengths to save those who were lost and not thought worthy of the kingdom of God, and finds great joy in doing so! 15:16-19 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. Because the world is mentioned earlier in the verse it must therefore mean that Jesus has in view that everyone in the world will be saved by His death. John here says that, God so loved the world. In the gospel of John, the apostle uses the word world in at least 10 different ways: The word world (Greek: Kosmos) appears 185 times in the New Testament: 78 times in John, 8 in Matthew, 3 in Mark, and 3 also in Luke. http://www.gotquestions.org/phileo-love.html#ixzz3FWIhOYPt. For instance, here they make the false assumption that if Jesus would have continued His ministry that everyone (would) believe in him. This is simply not the case for even those who saw and witnessed His miracles, including this one, first hand did not believe Jesus was the Messiah. Thats probably why she tells Peter in the plural that, they have taken the Lord., This shock is followed by another, the Lords body is gone. I have felt the sting of public reproach, the rejection of so-called friends, and the despair that can set in when ones life is taken stock of and the future may seem bleak. [4] Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. Hes using this Word to do that. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. And that leads the Apostle to his final exhortation. 27:1-2; Luke 22:66-71). In John 11 this is what happens. [iii] Sproul, Everyones a Theologian, Pg. Jesus reply to Peters declaration was to prophecy that in just a few short hours Peter was deny Him not once, but three times. He says, In Pliny the Elders Historia Naturalis he lists all the known fish species at the time. So when the Son willingly took the suffering of that recompense on himself, every footfall on the way to Calvary echoed through the universe with this message: the glory of God is of infinite value! For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. [18]Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. Finally, in the parable of the prodigal son, we see the longsuffering father, effusive with joy and love upon the return and restoration of his long lost son. We weep because we are dying and we live in a dying world. It is a kingdom which will never be shaken. When John saw all these things his mind must have been quickly sifting through all the potential scenarios: grave robbers, Jewish leadership, Romans, revolutionariesor He rose up from death. Therefore it is not a mental, or intellectual issue hes dealing with, nor is it a communication problem with what the author is saying to them, rather it is a problem of the heart. First, the divine imperative, as Augustine termed the creation of the world, is seen here in Christs powerful control over the life and death of His creatures. "The Hound of Heaven" was written by a young man named Francis Thompson over 100 years ago. It takes a lot to get up that early in the morning. Heaven and earth were concerned in this event; it was the turning point of the ages. 11:4 But when Jesus heard it he said, This illness does not lead to death. The choice would be obvious. When Christ says that He is the resurrection and the life, He isnt saying anything new, He is reiterating that life, true life, comes from Him and Him alone. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9 E. No problem, just replace those blocks! If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs. Praise God for his love and grace and the gospel which reminds us everyday that He has saved us for Himself, by Himself, and from Himself. Now it may seem odd to us, who do not have the full picture of the Jewish culture, that Martha would even know such a thing. If you came here a skeptic and have felt your heart strangely warmed but our Lords offer of eternal life, then I encourage you now to repent of your sins. John doesnt give all the details that the other gospel writers do here, and I think James Boice is right that he doesnt do this because his goal is not to focus (as with Luke) on the humanity of Christ (sweating blood for instance), but rather on the power of the Son of God. Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? It doesnt say the entire world would be saved. The sheep was 1 of 100, the coin was 1 of 10, but the prodigal was 1 of 2. 51, [viii] For more on the linear nature of history, see Anthony Hoekemas Created in Gods Image. Listen to the reflections of C.H. The structure is exposed to the elements until the rest of the house can be built upon it. [v] They have become dull of hearing. (nthros no-thross slow, sluggish[vi], indolent, dull, languid). In so doing, He softens our hearts with this love. Only the sovereign grace of God will melt these hearts of stone. Finally, the Apostle does not stop with this exhortation, but goes on to deliver a comforting reminder (read verse 3). Behold, the church is Christs Eden, watered by the river of life, and so fertilized that all manner of fruits are brought forth unto God; and he, our second Adam, walks in this spiritual Eden to dress it and to keep it; and so by a type we see that we are right in supposing him to be the gardener.. He saw the linen cloths lying there, [7] and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. In this case, the disciples caught 153 fish. And where we spend our time and money is an accurate reflection of where our affections truly lie. I know my own and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. [xv] However, we build upon this foundation in order to plumb the deeper mysteries and glories of Christ.[xvi]. While Im not sure if Spurgeon was aware of and influenced by this poem, its hard not to see the parallels!Heres what 1 commentator John Francix Xavier Oonor wrote about the poem: The name is strange. Because it is such a popular verse, people often use this verse as a proof text for universalism this is probably mainly because A. Jesus doesnt claim in this verse exclusivity and B. Was it because they had never heard of the resurrection? Not simply good for everyone, but for those who A) love Him and B) are called according to His purpose. Take note of 1 Cor. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18), We behold that glory today by reading the Word of God. Paul says God gave them up or turned them over to their own desire multiple times in this passage. And they were all together in Solomons Portico. Earlier in John we read Jesus words to Nicodemus: Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3). Ironically, and scornfully, those who claim direct papal descent from this man are the ones starving the church of its food. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. This is the real central point of all of these parables, namely the great lengths to which Jesus has gone to rescue us from ourselves. Section 3 The Sovereign Power of the Son of God. A session of the Sanhedrin (Mt. And thats what this is about. Well, I think that we can easily say that it was worth noting how many fish simply because its a lot of fish! [42] The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. It is overwhelming to me. Jesus, who has dwelt with the Father in unapproachable light from eternity past has cracked open a smidgen of His glory and its enough to level a mob. ***Chapter 18 ought to remind us how much Christ prized us and how little we prized Him. As Paul says: Put your mind and efforts into serving Him and others in obedience and with love through thick and thin. Losing the coin wasnt just a write off, or bad business, it could be fatal. Jesus has now achieved a great victory over Satan, sin, and deathThe Amil says that Satan no longer deceives the nations (20:3) as he did before the coming of Christ. Later in 2 Corinthians 4, Paul describes it in this way: For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:12-15 ESV). But Jesus doesnt accept this, does He? They felt like they had to crucify Jesus in order to keep their place in society Ferguson pointedly states. Well, if the flock is the church then we must necessarily believe the feeding and tending are also metaphorical devices. Wed love to move closer to church and to my work. All nations will call Him blessed. As the days of heaven on the earth. The purpose is so that his prayer and plan might come to pass for us. What resulted from this was a rather lengthy exposition of the chapter, but some refreshed notes which Ive posted below. Without the eyes of Christ you are driving 80 mph through dense fog all the while hoping for the best and yet still surprised when you hit a pole. Why are even his professed followers so cold in their affections to him? Our natural tendency is not to love the light but to run from it, to hide from it and hate it. That is to say that we are called out of the world, we are to not to our minds on the things of the world, and even that the world will hate us.. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9]not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Peter was so wrapped up in his own welfare that when it came to dying for Christ he was far from ready. But the blessing of this passage is the reminder that even the greatest leaders can fall, and even the greatest falls can be restored. And its a goal that positions us well to commune with God. 1:5 indicates His will for our adoption as sons). 18:28-38a), which was followed by Herods interrogation (Lk. Everyman's Library Edition. The heart change that only comes by new birth. [5] It isnt a popular thing to repent of our behavior. A.W. They were vexed to see even more unanswerable proofs that Jesus was the Christ, and irritated to feel that their own unbelief was more than ever inexcusable.. If Jesus had heard the news, then waited two days, then taken a day to travel to Bethany, that means that by the time the messenger arrived at Jesus Lazarus would have already been dead. Autobiography, Vol. If theres a second point, it is that the lowly, the meek, the humble who seek repentance are those who populate the kingdom of God. For if many died through one mans trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And that is the great love of our undiscriminating God. I suppose it is also necessary to address the fact that some say that by the way Mary and Martha address Lazarus as the one loved by Christ, that Lazarus is perhaps the author of this gospel and not John there are other times, of course, when the author refers to himself as the beloved of the Lord. That enclosure needs a gardener. But I dont know that its correct to say that Peter didnt truly love Christ, but rather Christ was setting the kind of example Peter must follow. If you have not come to know Christ personally as your savior, if you have not been made alive from the spiritual death to which you were born into this world, then today is the day of salvation. Moses is talking to God and God says, This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name (vs. 17). He has saved us and not to mope about in introspection for our entire lives, but to love others in service to our Lord. Peter not only denied Jesus, he did so in public. 14:53-65) with frank consensus was followed by a formal decision at dawn and dispatch to Pilate (Mt. By nature the hearts of all people are dull and insensitive to the things of God, nor are people genuinely interesting in hearing and seeing what God has to say to them (Matt. Apart from the Son there will be only darkness. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV). The notes seem extensive, but thats only because Ive included footnotes here for your edification. Peter cannot and will not embrace Christ when the rubber meets the road because he is a fallen man and does not have the restorative power of the Holy Spirit working actively in his life. What a horrific state of affairs! It startles one at first. While Peter is denying, Jesus is embracing who He is and why He came. But after the resurrection, the Christian church received power to reach people of all nations with the message of the gospel. Our Lord has risen He has defeated death! They dont know how to handle their Bible, and consequently they are not living a life in accordance with Gods will they arent pressing on toward completeness (Phil. And on the flip side, perhaps you are willing to eat with them, and youre very approachable, but you dont ever lead them to the reason for the hope within you. God loves the world despite the fact that the world is evil. NOTE: Some of the dispensationalists might argue that God rules spiritually in the hearts of men, but not physically here on earth, and does not rule them in any way other than in their hearts. Apart from Christ we are all lost. Before you are saved you are not good at all you are a child of the Devil (John 8) and you are an enemy of God (as Paul argues in Romans). 11:30-32Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. In 1955, a love letter from Suzanne Kempe to her philosophy lecturer, Thompson's poem is the source of the phrase, "with all deliberate speed," used by the, Thompson's poem was the inspiration for a series of 23 paintings by the American painter, "The Hound of Heaven" is the fifth chapter in, In 1975 "The Hound of Heaven" was mentioned in the suicide note of, Lines from the poem are recited between the discussion during the last scene in "The last enemy", which is the 2nd episode, 3rd season of, In 2002, Katherine A. It is used to justify all manner of incoherent and incorrect doctrine, especially Universalism and Pelagianism. They will do nothing of the kind. In a recent biography of John Stott, Stott refers to Thompson's poem. Start with the modern day Christian classics: Packers Knowing God, Sprouls Holiness of God, Pipers Desiring God, Lewis Mere Christianity, and Schaeffers True Spirituality. I leave his ways to himself, for they are far, far above meThere are windings and tos and fros in his ways, which blind bodies like us cannot see.. Yes while most everyone else in the world is either trying purposefully to spread the word of God, or trying hard to stop the spread of this word, the Catholic hierarchy is content to slow drip the Word to a body that is thirsty and dying of starvation. His grace is so powerful and so effective, that when He calls you, He will not fail in His mission to bring you all the way from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. The Remedy: Discernment Attained by Constant Practice 5:14b. [6] Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He weaves the denials of Peter in with the first part of the Jewish trial of Jesus. If the Romans, they calculated, thought that there was an uprising among the people, they would move to squash it immediately perhaps even scatter the Jews and drive them from the land in order to save them the headache of dealing with them as a nation. Thats just who He is, they probably thought. He was looking at them from the land. Yet at the same time John describes our character as fallen, in love with the darkness, naturally enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Now Jesus, the great Shepherd of His flock, begins his interactions with Peter by asking him if he loves him more than these. In this context Jesus likely means these as the disciples. Christ once again uses the situation to remind them of a spiritual truth that He is the light of the world. There is no one here that has not had to face up to this question. Still, even His great acts were not enough for some to trust that He was who He claimed to be. Then Jesus came announcing the presence of the kingdom. It is therefore comforting and of no small importance that upon His victory the Lord refers to His disciples as those who will participate in the rewards of His triumph. Gods desire and purpose for His image bearers is that we know Him. In our recent Bible study there was a passing comment about Spurgeon describing God as the hound of heaven, citing that God relentlessly pursued him until Spurgeon finally surrendered to him. Now lets examine once again some of the bigger picture here. Supposing him to be the gardener what a garden will he form above, and how shall you and I grow therein, developing beyond imagination. This reminds me of Philip and how he quickly and immediately obeyed the Spirit in Acts 8. Ryken, Commentary on Luke, Volume II, Pg. As far as condemnation goes, John says that Jesus didnt come to condemn the world yet in verse 18 we read that those who dont believe are condemned! Collection administered by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Carson notes how some theologians remark that this power seemed to be so awful (awe-inspiring) that had He not specified the name of Lazarus that all dead people everywhere would have had to obey His fiat. But there are obviously many other benefits to spending time in Gods word, which flow from a renewed mind, and a transformed heart. [14] It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. John tells us of this later: and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. But it isnt a strictly New Testament teaching. And He has provided us a way of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Assuredly, dear brethren, we can trace them to no other source than this, the corruption and vitiation of the affections. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. The poem became famous and was the source of much of Thompson's posthumous reputation. Actually Francis Thompson wrote a poem entitled, "The Hound of Heaven.". Here is what he says: Other expositors, of a more figurative and imaginative turn of mind, go into heights and depths where I cannot pretend to follow them. Charles Spurgeon. Is that not fantastic?! He is a God who has created all of these lost men and women fashioned them with His own hands.
City Of Enoch Taken Up To Heaven,
How To Get All The Map Pieces In Sneaky Sasquatch,
All Inclusive Wedding Venues Michigan,
Oregon Softball Schedule 2022,
Articles H