What must I do to be saved?

Be present at every worship service of the church.
Be involved in worship.
Increase our contribution to the Lord and His work.
Participate in Bible classes on Sunday morning AND Wednesday night. Actively pray for unity in our congregation and in the church as a whole. Be involved in visiting others.

Teach someone about Jesus.
Invite someone to worship.
Use our talents in our work.
Send a card of encouragement to someone who is having a difficult time. Send a letter to one of our missionaries.

Send a “thinking of you” note to someone.
Let those who are absent know that you really missed them.
Do an act of kindness for someone who is not a member of the church. Visit someone who is grieving.
Teach a Bible class.

Be actively involved in every activity of the church.
Read the Bible every day and study it regularly.
Give an appropriate tract to someone who needs it.
Be thoughtful toward others.
Pray for the Lord to place opportunities before us to do good.

Be looking for opportunities that the Lord places before us to do good. Encourage a child in the faith.
Volunteer to help with our youth program.
Complement others instead of criticizing them.
Do something for someone else without expecting something in return.

Maintain a positive, Christian attitude.
Make time to read the literature made available to us at Sycamore Chapel. Sign up and make good use of PTP365.
Give glory to God for any progress we make.

…and many other such things as these!

Think about it!

~Kevin Williams

I. Introduction

A. It should come as no surprise to you that death is the lot of mankind. Ever since Adam was excluded from the tree of life, to die is, in the words of Scripture, “to go the way of all the earth” (Josh. 23:14; 1 Ki. 2:2). The writer of Hebrews says in 9:27 that “[i]t is appointed to men to die once.” Even our secular proverbs recognize this fact — you’ve all heard the saying, “There are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.”

B. We know intellectually that death is the lot of mankind, but it’s usually not until we get older that we really appreciate our finitude. As we get older and experience the death of family members, as we hear of the deaths of more and more people who were in some way part of our lives, the words of the Lord’s brother James (Jas. 4:14) resonate as never before: “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

C. And if death was the end of the story, it would be a sad story indeed.

1. That would mean, to quote the atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell, “that all the labors of the age, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins.”

2. But the good news is that, on a Sunday morning nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus rose from the dead, and that changed everything.

D. Though the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection is important, especially in a society where most people have been misled to believe there is no such evidence, but this morning I want to focus on the significance of the Lord’s resurrection in the hope of deepening our understanding of why that event is a foundational aspect of apostolic preaching and a matter of prime importance.

II. “Firstfruits” of the End-Time Resurrection

A. Jesus’ resurrection was not simply a return to life as happened on several other occasions, both before and after. You remember that the son of the widow in Zarephath was raised to life by Elijah (1 Ki. 17:22), that the son of the Shunammite woman was raised to life by Elisha (2 Ki. 4:32-35); that three people were raised from the dead by Jesus during his ministry; that Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:37-40), and that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:9-10).

B. But Jesus’ resurrection was different. READ 1 Cor. 15:20-23.

1. Paul has just made the point that, if the Christian’s hope is limited to this life, if there is no (bodily) resurrection of the dead as some Corinthians were claiming, then Christianity is a lie and those who have given their hearts and souls to it are due the utmost pity.

2. But the fact of the matter is that Christ has been raised from the dead and is the firstfruits of Christians who have died. In other words, Jesus’ resurrection is a guarantee of our resurrection just as the firstfruits of the field serve as a kind of guarantee of the full harvest. His resurrection serves as a pledge on God’s part of the final end-time harvest. Our resurrection is tied to his, so much so that in 2 Cor. 4:14 Paul says “we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus.” We are all the same harvest. He is the “firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5).

3. Paul explains this consequence of Christ’s resurrection in terms of the Adam-Christ parallel. Just as death is the inevitable consequence of our connection to Adam, so resurrection is the inevitable consequence of our connection to Christ.

4. But the resurrection secured by Christ occurs in a certain order, according to God’s plan. First, Christ is resurrected and then, at the time of his Second Coming, those who are in him are resurrected. (Paul is not concerned here with the resurrection of the wicked for judgment.) See, 1 Thess. 4:13-18.

5. The Lord’s resurrection was the decisive event in the defeat of death. To be sure, death’s pall continues to hang over this world, but its fate is sealed. It has already been thrown off the cliff, so to speak; the only question is when it will splatter.

C. Unlike the others who were brought back to life, Jesus was not simply resuscitated to live again as one subject to death. He was raised with a body that had been transformed into an immortal body of glory that was suited for the eternal age of the consummated kingdom.

1. As Paul says in Rom. 6:9, “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has mastery over him.”

2. And we, as part of the Lord’s resurrection harvest, will likewise receive glorified and immortal bodies in our resurrection. READ Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:42-49.

(Note that Paul does not say in 1 Cor. 15:44 that our natural bodies will be transformed into “spirits” but into “spiritual bodies.” They are bodies that have been transformed by the Spirit (Rom. 8:11) and are adapted to the end-time existence that is dominated by the Spirit. They are “spiritual” not in the sense of “immaterial” but in the sense of “supernatural.”)

3. Of course, those who are alive at the Lord’s return will have their natural bodies transformed without going through death. READ 1 Cor. 15:50-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18.

III. Raised for Our Justification

A. Paul says in Rom. 4:25 that Christ was raised “for the sake of” our justification (best to give dia a prospective sense here).

1. Jesus’ resurrection may be linked to our justification in that it confirms that his atoning sacrifice has been accepted, thereby providing a sure basis for faith through which justification is received. As Wayne Grudem puts it (at 615):

By raising Christ from the dead, God the Father was in effect saying that he approved of Christ’s work of suffering and dying for our sins, that his work was completed, and that Christ no longer had any need to remain dead. There was no penalty left to pay for sin, no more wrath of God to bear, no more guilt or liability to punishment — all had been completely paid for, and no guilt remained. In the resurrection, God was saying to Christ, “I approve of what you have done, and you find favor in my sight.”

2. It may be, however, that Christ’s resurrection, viewed in conjunction with his ascension, was part of his completing of the “sacrificial rite” by entering into the presence of God on our behalf.

a. In the O.T., the High Priest not only offered the sacrifice but also sprinkled the blood on the altar in the Most Holy Place (Leviticus 16). Jesus, our Great High Priest, not only offered himself as a sacrifice by shedding his blood on the cross; he also entered heaven itself “once for all by his own blood” and appeared for us in God’s presence (Heb. 9:12, 24; see also, Heb. 6:19-20, 10:19-22).

b. As W. J. Larkin says in Dictionary of Later New Testament and Its Developments (p. 99):

The [Hebrew] writer’s presentation of the accomplishment of salvation as a two-step process, death and ascension, does not imply that Christ’s sacrificial death is incomplete. Rather, since the sacrifice is “once for all” and needs no repetition or renewal, the ascension “completes” the death in that it “consecrates the eternal validity of his redemptive ministry” (quoting William Lane).

B. Peter says in 1 Pet. 1:3 that God “has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The resurrection can be said to have delivered us into the hope in which we stand because Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension are all part of a whole, all part of the perfect sacrificial offering to God.

IV. Appointed “Son of God in power”

A. Rom. 1:4 says that, from the resurrection, meaning on the basis of or at the time of, Jesus was appointed “Son of God in power.” It is a transition point in his role of redemption. He who during his earthly ministry “was the Son of God in weakness and lowliness” became by the resurrection “the Son of God in power” (Nygren).

B. As Jack Cottrell explains it (p. 73):

What we are told, then, is that the one . . . who was already the Son of God in a real sense has now become the Son of God with power. That is, he has entered a new state or stage of his messianic career. In his unglorified state, “the days of his flesh,” Jesus of Nazareth was the divine Son of God by virtue of the incarnation. But now as the result of his messianic work he has been exalted to a new state of power and glory. This comes specifically as the result of his work of death and resurrection, in which he confronted the archenemies death and Satan (Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14-15; Rev. 1:18) and decisively defeated them.

V. Proven to be the Criterion of the Coming Judgment

A. READ Acts 17:31. Jesus’ resurrection is proof that he is the one he claimed to be, that he is the Messiah. I remember having a discussion many years ago with my law partners, two of whom were Jewish, and when I explained that Jesus was unique in that the founder of no other religion was raised from the dead, one of Jews said, “That would give him a leg up.”

B. When the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus for a miraculous sign in Mat. 12:38, the Lord answered (12:39-40): “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

C. What is amazing to me is that, despite his resurrection, his appearance to the apostles over a period of 40 days, his appearance to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, and his appearance to Paul (1 Cor. 15:5-7), so many people refuse to believe.

1. But I really shouldn’t be amazed, because belief is not so much a matter of evidence as a matter of the heart, a willingness to believe.

2. You remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. When they both died, the selfish rich man is in torment but Lazarus the beggar was at Abraham’s side. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers so they might avoid his fate. Abraham told the rich man that his brothers could listen to Moses and the Prophets, but the rich man claimed that if someone who had died went to them they would repent. To that Abraham replied (v. 31): “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

VI. Conclusion — We serve a risen Savior and in him our destiny is secure. Praise God!

Ashby Camp

A saved person can FALL from the grace of God! Gal 5:4; II Pet 1:10.

Some churches claim the “Bible teaches you cannot fall from grace.” Such is not true!
Jesus taught in the parable of the sower that in sowing seed and winning souls a certain number will believe then fall away.

Jesus made it quite clear -three times He said that some fall away:
1. Luke 8:11-13 (KJV)–believe for awhile…and then fell away, Gal 5:4
– “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified
by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

2. Mark 4:14-17 (RSV)- “immediately they fall away.”

3. Matt 13:18-23 –20-21 –(KJV) and he is offended–(NASB) immediately he
falls away.

We have complete agreement with Jesus and Bible writers that people can and
will fall away. The doctrine of “once saved, always saved” and “you cannot fall from
grace” is completely refuted.   We can fall away but we don’t have too.

The truth is found in John 8:31-32 – So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” And I John 1:7 – “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.”

Remember, Jesus said “…be faithful unto death…” Rev 2:10.

–Ivy Conner

We have a driver’s education instructor in our congregation. In his car, I presume, is an extra steering wheel and an extra brake. If a student is nervous – as I’m sure most of them are – when they drive the first time, he tells them, “Don’t worry. I’ll help you steer and brake.” A driver’s ed instructor can take over the car at any time.

Prayer helps remind us that God is in control of our lives, if we will let Him. When we allow God to take control, He will manage our lives much more efficiently than we ever could.

As we study the prayer life of Jesus in this lesson, I want to remind you that God can strengthen us as we struggle with keeping our priorities in order and as we – especially our young people – struggle with grasping God’s purpose for their lives.

THE CONTEXT OF MARK 1:35:

Mark only records three references to Jesus praying. This is the first one. The second is in Mark 6:46, after He feeds the 5,000 and just before He calms the first of two storms. The third is the famous prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, recorded in 14:32-39.

The context of Mark 1:35 begins back in verse 21. Jesus has called a few of His disciples, specifically Peter, Andrew, James, and John (1:16-20). These all go into Capernaum, where Jesus does a considerable amount of His miracles and teaching, and on the Sabbath day, He heals a man of demon possession. In a very tightly constructed chronology, in verse 29, Mark says that Jesus and His disciples left the synagogue and went into the house of Peter and Andrew, where Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law (1:29-32).

Notice at verse 32 that “evening came.” So the healings recorded in verses 32-34 all happened that very night. Then, the next morning (ver. 35 – our text), Jesus arose early in the morning, while it was still dark, and He left the house, went to a secluded place, and was praying there. We do not know what Jesus was praying for; His words are not recorded, again. But, He has been busy. He’s shown His power over Satan, through the exorcism. He’s shown His power over disease by healing Peter’s mother-in-law and various other people.

WHAT MIGHT JESUS HAVE PRAYED FOR?

I want to suggest two things for which Jesus may have prayed, but I really want to focus on how we can and should pray for these things in our lives and in the lives of our spouse and our friends…

1. Might Jesus have prayed for His priorities? What was Jesus’ priorities? Was His priority to heal the sick? Well, in fact – no. Verse 38 (Mark 1) relates that Jesus came to earth to preach. It would have been easy for Him to get caught up in the hub-bub and popularity of healing people who were sick! We know from John’s account that after He fed the 5,000, the people wanted to take Him by force and make Him king! (6:14-15) Now, someone who was ruled by the flesh could have easily have accepted that popularity and run with it!

So, let’s pray for our priorities. Men, pray for our wife’s priorities. Because your wife – as you know – will often put others before herself. And that will drain her physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually.

2. Might Jesus have prayed about His purpose? Jesus said, “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak” (John 12:49). Jesus came to do the will of the Father. That was His ultimate purpose and I suspect that Jesus prayed on a regular basis to keep His proper purpose in front of Him at all times.

We need to pray that we will be what God created us to be. And that we can and will change as we need to change. We know we need to change sometimes and we know it’s going to be hard. But we need to pray that God will work in our lives and help us to change so we can fulfill that purpose for which God has created us.

Pray God will help you have the right priorities in life and that you will fulfill the purpose God has designed you to fulfill.

Paul Holland

Notice here (9:13-17) that God tells Pharaoh that He could have erased the existence of the entire nation of Egypt if He had wanted to do that! In other words, God is telling Pharaoh: “You haven’t seen nothing yet!” God is being merciful to Pharaoh and the Egyptians be slowly increasing the destructive effects of the plagues.

THE PLAGUES SERVED A PURPOSE:

We see in our text, verse 14, that God wants to show His power. Back in 5:2, Pharaoh had said that He did not know Jehovah God. Now, he has had a class in true theology and He knows more about God than he thought he would. There is no God like Jehovah God in all the earth.

Another purpose of the plagues was to show that God deserves universal praise. Again, notice in verse 16. For other references to these plagues, consider Deut. 6:21-22; Psalm 78:47-48; Exodus 15:14-15; Joshua 9:9; 1 Samuel 4:7-8. When the apostle Paul was looking for an illustration of the sovereignty of God, in Romans 9:16-17, Paul quoted Exodus 9:16. So if you preach Christ, at some point, you will preach about the plagues God brought on Egypt!

A third purpose of the plagues is given in verse 29. “…there will be hail no longer, that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s.” God is God over every square inch of land on this planet! His plagues proved to Pharaoh that Jehovah God was God over the land of Egypt!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ has proven yet again the same three points we see in this text. God is all-powerful. God deserves universal praise. And God has authority over every thing in our lives from birth to death.

GOD EXTENDS GRACE TO PHARAOH – 9:18-21:

There are two responses to God, and only two: You either believe what He says and obey what He says – all He says – or you trust in your own wisdom and do what you want to do.

The magicians recognized in the plague of the gnats the “finger of God” (Exo. 8:19). Eventually, some of the Egyptians will leave Egypt with Israel after the last plague: 12:38. It is interesting that God, through Isaiah, predicted that some Egyptians would eventually join the people of God (19:19-25). When the kingdom was established in Acts 2:10, there were Jews there from Egypt. Later, a large number of Christians are found in Egypt.

The beginning of their salvation is seen in verse 20: they “fear the word of the Lord.” They feared God enough to do what His prophet said to do!

THE WORST HAILSTORM EVER – 9:22-25:

It comes as no surprise that most Egyptians chose not to obey God. They clung to their false theology and it cost them. Instead of “fearing” the word of the Lord, they “paid no regard for” the word of the Lord (9:21). They ignored the word of the Lord because, verse 30 says, they did not fear Jehovah God. In fact, in verse 34, Moses writes that Pharaoh and his servants hardened their hearts. Our response to God always starts in our hearts.

Notice the effects of the land of Egypt: 9:31-32.

The only way to be safe in the plague of hail on Egypt, the only way for the Christians in the first century to be safe from the “hail” God would symbolically bring over the Roman Empire (Rev. 16:16-17) was to trust God – or Jesus Christ – and do what He says to do.

PHARAOH “SOFTENS” HIS HEART AGAIN:

You know, just because someone acknowledges he or she is sinful, does not mean that he or she will be saved. Even repentance itself does not guarantee salvation in the NT times. After the destruction of the hail, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and notice what he confessed: 9:27-28. For the third time (8:8, 28), Pharaoh asks Moses to pray for him. These are all good, spiritual disciplines: acknowledging his sins, confessing the righteousness of God, and praying.

If we truly repent, John says that man needs to bring forth “fruit worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:8), then there is a noticeable difference in our behavior. Repentance begins in the mind, and then it leads to changed behavior. We have to repent as well, before we can become Christians and before we can glorify God in our lives. The word “repent” or “repentance” is found 52 times in the NT. Now, we might, and probably will, sin after we become Christians. But the change of mind about living a sinful life has to at least come before we are immersed into Christ. We have to give our minds to Christ before we are forgiven of our sins.

The lesson we need to draw from this particular is plague is that repentance involves more than just saying, “I’m a sinner,” and asking for prayer. It involves a change of mind and a change of behavior.

Paul Holland

My high school hosted a “world peace” club. The United Nations, an organization formed in 1945, comprised of the world’s most powerful governments, exists with the stated aim of resolving conflicts before they reach the point of war. Yet, wars have continued. Even the most important United Nations member countries have engaged in armed combat. Can the world ever know peace?

Sometimes Christians look at the world and the people in the world who go their own way and we find ourselves asking, “Why do the wicked prosper?” The prophet Jeremiah suffered greatly for proclaiming the truth in an age of terrible evil. He asked this very question in Jeremiah 12:1, adding, “Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” The Bible acknowledges, implicitly and explicitly, that evil people sometimes lead prosperous, “comfortable” lives.

The Bible also teaches very plainly that wickedness leads to misery. In Isaiah 57:15–19, God offers hope for the penitent. Even though Israel had committed widespread idolatry, God offers to heal, lead, restore, and comfort the one who would bow in humble contrition. He says His healing will produce this message, “Peace, peace, to the far and to the near” (v. 19). Such words encourage us and remind us of God’s goodness, and compassionate mercies. The chapter closes with a different tone, a jarring one after words of such sweet mercy appear: “But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, for the wicked” (vv. 20–21).

The world will not know peace until the individuals in the world know peace. The individuals in the world will not know peace until they know the God of peace, and in humble contrition, turn from their lives of sin. The gangster who sells drugs and carries wads of cash in his pocket is not happier than the Christian who struggles to make ends meet. The non-Christian who cuts corners or bends the law does not sleep better than the Christian who goes by the book even when it means lower profits or longer nights. The arrogant person who bulldozes over opponents does not enjoy the inner serenity of the meek Christian who exercises self-control when dealing with others.

The wicked may know temporary prosperity, but they do not now and will not ever know peace unless they turn to the Lord! Take courage, dear reader. Peace is within reach if we will only trust in Him who does not forsake those who seek Him (cf. Psalm 9:10).

Clay Leonard

JAMES 1:2-8:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

What trials have you faced in recent times? Illness? Uncertainties about your job? Ridicule because of standing for your faith? One thing is for certain, trials are a common aspect of life no matter who we are and no matter what time period we live in.

The dispersed Christians to whom James wrote suffered in many of the same ways that we do today, but I think we can safely say they endured more religious persecution and suffered from greater poverty than most of us.

James wastes no time giving his first of around fifty imperatives (commands) in his epistle. And the first one is a rather peculiar one. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (v. 2). This sounds counterintuitive to say the least, but Christians aren’t to rejoice because they actually like going through difficulties, but do see and appreciate the results they can bring.

No matter what kind of trial comes our way, it is a test of faith (see v. 3), whether it pertains directly to our faith, or is a matter that can in some way impact our faith. But when Christians are tested there is an opportunity to be forged even stronger. One of the keys for this to happen is that we must “know” the good that trials can bring. In this case, and in many others, knowledge certainly is power! Understanding what God can bring about through difficulties is a game-changer as far as trials are concerned.

When we “let” (v. 4) trials do what they have the capacity to do, “steadfastness” (v. 4) is the result. We cultivate one of the most significant tools for successful Christian living and growth… the virtue of being able to persevere even more. This perseverance then allows us to reach a mature or more completed state of faith. Note the emphasis on the fullness that steadfastness leads to in verse 4: “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Notice the words I put in italics that give emphasis to the great work of steadfastness. Nothing completes our faith like persevering through trials!

Of course, it is still a difficult task to see trials from this perspective, thus James gives instruction to those who struggle (I wonder who doesn’t, at least at times), to pray for wisdom (v. 5). It seems this wisdom, in our context, has to do with the ability to see and handle trials properly, in accord with the revealed will of God.

Consider two factors about this wisdom. First, God desires us to ask, or pray, concerning this wisdom. He certainly feels no “reproach” with us for summoning Him concerning these important matters (compare this with Mt. 7:7-11). God has promised to respond with generosity to our prayers in this regard. Secondly, it would be a mistake to think that prayer somehow relinquishes our responsibility of seeking God’s wisdom in His Word and doing our part in making application to our trials. As I’ve heard it said, “We should pray like it all depends on God and live like it all depends on us.”

However, if the Christian prays to God for wisdom, but in his heart he doubts that God really hears his prayers, then such indeed will be the case (v. 7). James graphically describes this Christian as being like one who is tossed about by the raging sea (v. 6). His faith is unstable as he lives an unbelieving faith (v. 8).

APPLICATIONS

1. When you meet up with various trials, carefully consider them from the vantage point of faith. Consider opportunities they may present you for a stronger more complete faith.
2. Give thanks to God that He has allowed you to grow through trials to the point you are at and pray that He will help you going forward.
3. Take some time to evaluate one current or recent trial you have been through. How would James have you see it and use it differently?

Daren Schroeder

How much do we think through our actions? The story of a judge named Jephthah illustrates to us the consequences of being impulsive in our relationship with God and he illustrates to us how important it is for us to be “self-controlled,” one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23).

AN INTRODUCTION TO JEPHTHAH – 11:1-3:

He was a “valiant warrior” (ver. 1). “Gilead” was from the family of Manasseh. But he was a son of a prostitute (ver. 1) – this is introduced to show the reason why his half-brothers drove him from their family (ver. 2).

IN THE FACE OF WAR, THE ELDERS GO AFTER JEPHTHAH – 11:4-11:

The “sons of Ammon” fight against Israel (ver. 4). So the elders of Gilead (a phrase used 6 times in this chapter) go after Jephthah, asking him to be their “chief” (ver. 6). This is likely a military position.

JEPHTHAH EXTENDS AN OLIVE BRANCH – 11:12-28:

We have one of the longest speeches in the book of Judges: verses 15-27. Here are Jephthah’s major points:

1. On the way out of Egypt, Israel came to Kadesh and asked Edom if they could pass through their land. Edom refused (ver. 17). That story is recorded in Numbers 20:14-21.
2. Then Israel asked Moab if they could pass through their land. Moab refused (ver. 17). That story is recorded in Numbers 22.
3. Then Israel camped near Arnon (the border of contention with Ammon – ver. 13) – but they did not take Arnon since it belonged to Moab.
4. Israel asked Sihon, king of Hesbon, if they could pass through their land. Rather than simply refusing, Sihon made war against Israel (ver. 20). This story is recorded in Numbers 21:21-31.
5. In that battle, Jehovah God gave Israel victory and the land of the Amorites (ver. 21).
6. That’s how Israel came into possession of the land which Ammon is now claiming (ver. 22). In other words, the land that Ammon is claiming now did not belong to Ammon when Israel took it.
7. Since this land was given to them by Jehovah God, could Ammon take it from them (ver. 23)?
8. Ammon possesses what the god of Moab, Chemosh (8 times in the OT), gave them when Ammon took over Moab (ver. 24). Israel will possess what their God gave them.
9. Next Jephthah reminds Ammon of what happened to Balak, king of Moab (ver. 25). That story is reported in Numbers 22-25.
10. Then Jephthah responds by saying that 300 years have passed while Israel camped in and around the area; why did they not claim the land before? Isn’t there a “statute of limitations”? This would put the exodus around 1500 B. C. and Jephthah living around 1100 B. C.

Ammon rejects Jephthah’s olive branch.

THIS MEANS WAR! – 11:29-33:

In the process of gathering his army, Jephthah also made a vow to the Lord and this vow is emphasized in several places in the text. We’ve already seen the idea of making vows before Jehovah in the text: 11:10, 11. Now Jephthah makes a vow (ver. 30). If the Lord will give the sons of Ammon into his hands, then whatever comes out of his house to meet him when he returns, it shall be the Lord’s and he will offer it as a burnt offering. As you probably know, burnt offerings were sacrifices that were totally consumed on the altar. There was no meat left to eat. I direct your attention to the Apologetics Press Study Bible for the suggestion that “burnt offering” is used here in a figurative way.

Jephthah then engaged in battle (ver. 32) and the Lord gave them victory. Not only was Jephthah successful, but he gained for Israel 20 cities and he subdued Ammon on behalf of Israel (ver. 33). Success! Satan instigated the Ammonites to fight with Israel in order to enlarge their land-holdings; instead, Ammon loses land! Don’t we always see Satan losing?

THE VOW JEPHTHAH FULFILLS 11:34-40:

Consider what the Law said about vows (Num. 30:1-2; Ecc. 5:4-5). Consider also what the Law said about offering human sacrifices: (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5).

Jephthah comes home from the Spirit giving him victory and “behold!” his daughter comes out (ver. 34). Notice that the historian notes twice that he has no other child besides her. Jephthah responds with great distress and consternation, “I have given my word to the Lord and I cannot take it back!” (ver. 35). His daughter responds, “Do as you have sworn to the Lord” (ver. 36). She only asks one thing, that she may go up to the mountains alone with her female companions and lament the fact that she will die without a husband and without a child (ver. 37). Jephthah allowed her to go (ver. 38) and she lamented her virginity. When she returned Jephthah did to her what he had vowed (ver. 39). She had no relations with a man.

This event illustrates to us that just because someone is sincere, does not mean that he or she is right with God. No doubt, Jephthah was sincere when he made that vow to the Lord in verse 30. But, now he surely regrets having made that vow!

In Hebrews 11:32, Jephthah is listed in the “Hall of Faith”. One of the attractions of the Marvel movies is that the “good guys” have flaws. The movie “Civil War” was between Captain America and the Avengers who followed his lead and Iron Man and the Avengers who followed his lead. But, the “bad guys” also often have redeeming qualities or they have a “back-story” that elicits some kind sympathy from the audience. Why? Because human beings are complex and often contradictory kinds of creatures.

But the main compelling message, I believe, we take away from Jephthah is that – like Rahab who lied – God will compliment what He can compliment. Where there is good, God will acknowledge that good. For you and me, despite the fact that we are flawed individuals, God can still use us for His glory.

Paul Holland

When it comes to getting the right pitch, you have to know what you are doing. Even if someone has perfect pitch, they can’t get the perfect pitch right all the time. If they have a cold or some other ailment that might affect their voice or lung capacity, they might not be able to hit that perfect pitch. That’s why we might need, from time to time, a pitch pipe or a tuning fork.

But we still have to have the standard to go back to, to know where we begin.

The voice of the Lord is so very important for us to hear and to listen to. In fact, you might say that the fundamental command of the Bible is to listen: “O land, land, land, Hear the word of the Lord,” Jeremiah tells his people in Jeremiah 22:29.

David calls on his people, in Psalm 29, to hear the voice of the Lord. Let’s study…

JEHOVAH DESERVES WORSHIP – 29:1-2:

Even if we assemble together as Christ’s church three times a week, that’s not enough time to give worship to God. He deserves more than that! Even if we worshiped God every waking hour, it’s not enough. He deserves more. In fact, the only response that would be “enough” is to worship God for eternity…

Notice this emphasis in verses 1-2: “Give to the Lord; give to the Lord; give to the Lord; worship the Lord.”

HIS VOICE DESERVES HEARING AND OBEDIENCE – 29:3-9:

“Voice” is used seven times in this paragraph, and of course, you recognize “seven” as being a symbol of completeness in biblical teaching. In this psalm the expression “voice of the Lord” begins verses 4, 5, 7-9.

In the two storms on the Sea of Galilee in which Jesus had a role (Mark 4:35-41; 6:45-52), His voice was heard above the thunder of the wind and the waves and it was His voice that calmed the storms.

All God has to do is say something and it is done! God created the world with His voice (Psa. 33:6). The voice of the Lord is also “majestic,” David writes. Can you imagine a voice that is dignified? A voice that, by its very sound, compels you to fall to your knees out of respect? That’s the voice of God. His very voice demands respect.

God’s voice is powerful, and God’s voice can be destructive when it needs to be (ver. 7). The “voice of the Lord” hews out (or “flashes”) flames – or lightning, perhaps – of fire (ver. 7). The weather, we might say, is under God’s control. The weather can be “voice activated.”

415 times the phrase “thus says the Lord” is used in the OT. One hundred six times,“the Lord spoke.” Three hundred forty-nine times – “declares the Lord” is found. What does the “voice of the Lord” have to say? Because the voice of the Lord demands to be heard and to be obeyed.

Nature itself obeys the voice of the Lord. Isn’t that the essence of God’s questions He hurls at Job in Job 38-41? We see the voice of the Lord was instrumental in designing both the tabernacle and the temple for man to worship Him. Everything has to be done under the “voice of the Lord.” We should not be surprised that Jesus requires us to obey His voice in the NT as He has designed both His church and His worship to glorify Him and we must listen to the voice of the Lord if we wish to honor Him as He deserves.

When we say, “where is the book, chapter, and verse to support a certain belief or practice,” what we are really asking is: “Where is the voice of the Lord?”

THE FLOOD AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE “VOICE OF THE LORD” – 29:10-11:

Now, please note this… The word “flood” here – mabbul – is used 13 times in the OT – twelve times in the book of Genesis to refer to the flood of Noah’s day. This is the only use of this word after the flood. David is talking about the flood in this passage. In the account of the flood, there are three references to “God said” and four references to the “Lord said.” God was in control of the flood as a King is in control of His subjects – total authority.

Jehovah God reigns forever as King. The first reference to Jehovah God as a king is in Moses’ song from Exodus 15:18. Among the texts which teach us that Jehovah God reigns are: 1 Chronicles 16:31; Psalm 93:1; 96:10; 97:1; 99:1; 146:10; Isaiah 24:23; Jeremiah 23:5 (Messianic); Micah 4:7.

Jehovah God gives strength to His people. And, through the “voice of the Lord,” the Lord will “bless” His people with peace. Peace comes to the people of God through the voice of the Lord because He blesses with His voice, when God’s people respond to His voice.

THE NT IS THE “VOICE OF THE LORD”:

Why is the gospel the “power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16)? Because the gospel is the voice of the Lord! An interesting turn of phrase is used in Galatians 3:8 where Paul writes that the “Scripture preached the gospel to Abraham” and then Paul quotes Genesis 12:3. In other words, “Scripture = the voice of the Lord = the testimony by the Holy Spirit.”

Worship God for revealing through His voice what we need to know, feel, and do in order to glorify Him.

Paul Holland

Senate Bill 4 and House Bill 4003, in the Michigan legislature, aim to make “gender identity” into a “civil right.” While we as Christians believe that every person needs to be respected, the way we want to be respected, which is the golden rule (Matt. 7:12), we also all know, these bills, if they are passed into law, are intended to force Christians to accept “gender dysphoria” as an acceptable human choice.

What are the repercussions of this type of bill? For our school teachers and Christian counselors, as well as doctors, and nurses, and others?

These concerns help us understand better what life was like for the first-century Christians who received the book of Revelation.

In all of this uncertainty and fear, there are a few realities that Christians must hold tightly in our minds and in our hearts:

1. Jesus Christ walks among His lamp stands and holds His churches in His hands.

2. Christians will overcome if we do not compromise the testimony of Christ.

The third reality that we need to consider is from chapters 4 & 5: God deserves to be worshipped. It does not matter what happens to us or what happens in our culture, we cannot stop worshipping God!

GOD DESERVES WORSHIP – chapter 4:

God is the center of worship. Family, worship is the center of reality! It is at the core of our essence, the reason for our being. If our lives do not revolve around worship, we seriously have our priorities messed up. The Lord’s day with the Lord’s people around the Lord’s Table should be at the center of our thoughts, our lives, and our decisions.

The object of our worship is “Almighty God” – the one who is all powerful and can handle the troubles and trials that come into our lives. The rainbow is a symbol (an emoji) of the faithfulness of God. He keeps His promises. The twenty-four elders are likely a metaphor for the faithful who lived under the old Law (the 12 tribes of Israel) and the faithful who live under the new law (the 12 apostles). Both those groups, the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles are symbolized in the New Jerusalem in 21:12, 14. The men were dressed in white garments, symbolizing their purity from sins made possible by the blood of Jesus (7:14) and the crowns were crowns of victory (stephanos in Greek) because they died faithful to Christ’s testimony (2:10; 3:11; 4:4, 10).

The lightning and thunder are images from Mount Sinai to remind John and the Christians that the same God who spoke to Moses and Israel is the same God who sits on the throne and who reveals the book of Revelation. The “seven Spirits of God” are an emoji from Zechariah 4, symbolizing the Holy Spirit of God and more specifically the knowledge and wisdom of God. God knows everything. The sea of glass separates from God, a symbol of His holiness, but in 21:1 that sea will be taken out of the way, indicating that man will one day be allowed into God’s presence. The four living creatures are metaphors for all God’s created beings – the lion, wild animals, the calf, domesticated animals, man, and flying eagles, the birds of the skies. Consistent with the OT teachings, the animals glorify their Maker when they fulfill their roles in nature.

Taking their words from another appearance of God in Isaiah 6, these creatures praise God: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” God is holy, separate from sin, and He calls on His followers – Christians – to be holy. God does not change – that’s the significance of Him being described as “who was and who is and who is to come.” When God identified Himself to Moses at the burning bush, He said, “I am” (Exo. 3:14). These words say the same thing as that statement.

What do the living creatures and the elders do? They worship! They praise God; they give Him “glory, honor, and praise.” God is the One who sits on the throne; He is the one who reigns forever and ever. He’s the One who deserves praise and worship. The elders acknowledge the nature and power and greatness of God when they throw their crowns before His throne. They acknowledge that they are in God’s presence, not by their own sinlessness but because of God’s grace and power.

Here’s the message of Revelation 4: Animals praise God. The saints from the OT praise God. The saints from the NT praise God. What should we do? Praise God!

JESUS DESERVES WORSHIP – Revelation 5:

I have pointed out that Revelation is sort of a “Daniel Volume 2.” Daniel predicted that the Roman Empire would wage war on the saints of God, but the Messiah would establish a kingdom which would never end (7:13-14), and the saints of the Messiah would be victorious. Revelation tells us about that war and about that victory. Now, in Daniel 12:4, God told Daniel to “seal up” his book, because it would be a long time before all His prophecies will be fulfilled. Well, from the time of Daniel until the time of the book of Revelation is about seven hundred years. In the meantime, Jesus, the Messiah came and He established His church, His kingdom (Mark 9:1; Matt. 16:18-19) and He reigns and His saints reign with Him (Rom. 5:17; Eph. 2:4-6). But what about that war that the Roman Empire is going to wage on Christ’s followers? What about the prophecies of Daniel?

Well, John sees a scroll in the hand of God and no one is able to open the scroll. No one is worthy. It is sealed with seven seals. To seal a document would secure it from prying eyes; the seal would authenticate its contents; and the seal would show who was the original owner. Who was able to open that book and reveal its contents? Who was the one who knew history and knew how it would turn out? Only One individual. The Lion who is the Lamb…

Jesus fulfills the promise God made to Judah back in Genesis 49:9-10: He is the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” Jesus also fulfills the promise made to King David in Isaiah 11:1, 10. Jesus is, of course, the “Lamb.” He is identified as a lamb twenty-eight times in the book of Revelation! That is the key metaphor / emoji in the book. Of course, the background to this picture is two-fold. He is the “Passover Lamb” from the tenth plague God brought on Egypt, which we’ll study in April. But He is also the Lamb that is sacrificed for us pictured in Isaiah 53.

The Lamb was standing, as if slain – there are a number of references in Revelation the death of Christ. Why? Because the way Jesus overcame… was through death. The way Christians will overcome the persecution we endure is through death. Don’t forget that. This Lamb had seven horns – seven is a metaphor for completeness; “horns” is a symbol of power. And seven eyes – eyes symbolizing knowledge and insight. John also says these seven eyes symbolize the “seven Spirits of God” sent out in all the earth. In other words, the Holy Spirit knows what is happening on earth and so Jesus knows exactly what is happening on earth.

As soon as the Lamb took the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb and worshiped Him. Only God deserves worship. Since Jesus is God, then He deserves worship. These elders held harps in their hands, symbolizing their worship. They had golden bowls in their hands full of incense, symbolizing their prayers. The prayers of the “saints.”

As they did with the Father, so the living creatures praise the Lamb. The elders fall down and worship the Lamb. Jesus gives John a vision into heaven and what does John see? The entire universe is worshipping God on His throne and the Lamb at His side. How can we not engage in that same worship?

Jesus deserves worship because He has redeemed us!

Rich reality from Revelation #3: God and Christ deserve worship. We should never stop.

Paul Holland