Know the Word, Part I

"Some people thought he was a nut. He was just a shoemaker after all, and an average one at that. But in the evenings, after work, he studied Greek, Hebrew, and a variety of modern languages. He devoured Captain Cook's Voyages to expand his horizons, which, because of his poverty, kept him bound to a small, forgotten English village. Some people said his time would have been better spent getting a second job to support his growing family.

"But the young man's passion wasn't a curious, self-satisfying hobby. Early in life he had become concerned about the millions of unbelievers outside of Europe, and he was trying to figure out what could be done to bring them the gospel.

"With God's help, he slowly figured it out. He ended up going to India to serve as the first Protestant missionary in the modern era. His passion inspired a generation of men and women—the likes of Adoniram Judson, Hudson Taylor, and David Livingstone (among others)—to take up the cause of missions as well.

"Because one impoverished shoemaker named William Carey followed his God-given passion, large parts of the world that had little or no access to the gospel have large populations of people today who confess Christ as Lord." ("William Carey's Dream", More Perfect Illustrations, compiled by the editors of Preachingtoday.com, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, 27)

William Carey’s passion to reach the lost for Christ became reality because he first took time to learn and know the Word. He even went so far as to learn the original languages of the Scriptures, Greek and Hebrew. Once he knew the Word thoroughly and was fully prepared, the door was opened and his life’s goal was fulfilled.

Paul lays out his goal in life in Philippians 3:8-11—"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." His goal was to be like Jesus. He wanted God to change him from the inside-out and make him more like Jesus.

What is your goal in life? Is it to be like Jesus? Is your goal in life to live the faith? Is it your desire that God change you and make you like Jesus from the inside-out? Did you know that that is God’s goal for you? He sent Jesus to redeem you from your sin and rebellion, and remake you to be like Jesus.

"Athanasius of Alexandria, Church Father and theologian, a staunch defender of the doctrine of the Trinity, served 45 years as bishop from A.D. 328 to 373. He spent 17 of those 45 years in exile as ordered by four different Roman Emperors. Concerning the purpose for which Christ came, Athanasius said, 'He became what we are that He might make us what He is.'" ("Purpose of Incarnation", Ibid, 141)

Check it out: Philippians 2:7-8 says Jesus, "emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." "He became what we are!" And Romans 8:29 adds, "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren." "That He might make us what He is!"

To live the faith and become like Jesus, you must know the Word and to continue to live by it. You must know the Word and continue to live by it, because the Word gives wisdom that leads to salvation. That is the bottom line.

Effective defenders of the faith are characterized by strong biblical convictions built into a solid spiritual foundation. Though not always, in many cases such leaders have been raised in a family where God's Word was loved and exalted in practice and principle.

That was Timothy's heritage, and Paul was quick to remind him of it. "For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well" (2 Tim. 1:5). And Paul admonished him, "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands" (v. 6).

Now Paul tells Timothy to "continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings" (2 Tim. 3:14-15a). When you know the Word, you can "continue" to live by it. When you need it, you will recall it and use it effectively.

"Continue," in the original Greek, is a present active imperative. It has the force of a command. "Have learned," in the Greek, comes from a word closely related to the Greek word for "disciple." It has to do with the intent to learn. It refers to learning by inquiry and observation.

Timothy learned the Word by intent. He worked at it. He read the Word daily. He studied the Word in order to know it well. He meditated on the Word often, to keep it in his thoughts. And he memorized the Word, making it a part of him. He had pursued and "become convinced of" the truths of Scripture—fixed, nonnegotiable truths that are not subject to compromise and cannot be watered down. He understood how important those truths were to his daily existence.

The most foundational truth is this: "The sacred writings…are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15b). Scripture is the source of saving faith. The Word gives wisdom that leads to salvation. Timothy understood this truth, and it is the main reason we too must know the Word. Like Timothy we must read the Word, study the Word, meditate on the Word, and memorize the Word. Know the Word thoroughly. Make it a part of you. Then continue to live by it, as Timothy was commanded to do. Amen.

Live the Faith

Paul often referred to the Christian life as “the faith.” In 2 Timothy 4:7, he testifies of himself: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” In other words, he lived it. He lived his life in complete reliance on God. And that is what we are commanded to do in Matthew 6:25-34—to live the faith; to live in complete reliance on God the Father.

To make His point, Jesus speaks about worry or being anxious. We all tend to worry about nearly everything. But Jesus says that worry is the very thing we should not do. When we worry about things, we show a lack of trust in God. To live the faith, our trust must be solely in Him.

The heart of the message in this passage is: Don't worry—not even about necessities. “Do not be anxious” (ESV), or “do not worry” (NKJV), is a command given three times (vs. 25, 31, 34). Because we are commanded not to be anxious or not to worry, to do so is wrong.

To worry is to be disobedient to God. “For this reason” (v. 25) refers back to the previous verse, where Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (v. 24, NASB). So a Christian's only Master is God. With that in mind, verse 25 might read: “Because God is your Master, I say to you, do not be anxious.”

A bond-slave's only responsibility is to his master. So when believers worry, they are being disobedient to God. They are being unfaithful. They are failing to live the faith. Disobedience is sin, not to mention foolish. So we are told, “do not be worried about your life” (v. 25a).

In the Greek, the command “do not worry,” includes the idea of stopping what is already being done. In other words, we are to stop worrying and never start worrying again. The following phrase, “about your life,” makes the command all-inclusive. The word “life” (Greek, Psychē) refers to the whole of a person's being—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Jesus is referring to “life” in its fullest possible sense. Nothing in any part of our life, internal or external, makes it right for us to be anxious when we have the Master that we do.

Worry is the sin of distrust. To worry is to distrust the promise of God. To worry is also to distrust the providence of God. Yet, it is a sin that Christians commit often, perhaps more than any other. The English word “worry” comes from an old German word meaning to strangle, or choke. That is what worry does; it strangles you both mentally and emotionally. It may be the cause of more mental and physical problems than anything else.

A believer's normal and consistent state of mind should be one of contentment, not worry. Every believer should be able to say with Paul, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need" (Phil. 4:11-12).

Our contentment is found only in God. When you trust God to provide, you will not worry “as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on” (v. 25b). As Jesus went on to say, “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (v. 25c). God will provide. So don’t worry; just trust! Live the faith.

To worry is unnecessary because of God.. The basic thought behind verses 26-30 is that we have absolutely no reason to worry, all because of God—our “heavenly Father” (v. 26). Jesus is asking you this: “Have you forgotten who your Father is?” Then He brings His point home by way of three illustrations.

First, concerning food: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” (v. 26). It is likely that Jesus pointed to some passing birds as He said, “Look at the birds of the air.” As an object lesson, He called attention to the fact that birds do not have set methods for acquiring food. “They do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” They have their life from God. The Lord provides them with an abundance of food and the instinct to find it. He “prepares for the raven its nourishment when its young cry to God” (Job 38:41).

“Are you not worth much more than they?” God will surely provide for you as well. He gives you the abilities needed to find what He is providing, just like the birds. The birds work at finding what God has provided. We are to use our God-given resources to find God's provision. So don’t worry; just trust! Live the faith.

Second, concerning longevity: “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (v. 27). God has set the boundaries of every person’s life. Nothing we do will force God into extending our life's span. You can worry yourself to death, but not to long life.

The gift of life is a gift from God to be used for His purposes. Live your life to obey, honor, please, and glorify Him, leaving everything else to His wisdom and care. That is how you live the faith.

Third, concerning clothing: “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (vs. 28-30).

Here flowers are the model. Some of the people to whom Jesus was speaking may have had little clothing, perhaps no more than one set of coverings for their bodies. So He pointed to the flowers and assured them of God's concern and provision. They made no effort to grow and had no part in designing or coloring themselves. Yet, they were not lacking. God did it all, and in splendid detail.

Those flowers soon die and are used to make fires under the oven to bake bread. But you are eternal, destined to spend eternity in heaven with God. Surely, God will take care of all your needs.

“You of little faith!” (v. 30b). To worry, even about things which we need to survive, is sinful and shows “little faith.” A person who worries about those things may have saving faith, but he does not have faith that relies on God to finish what He has begun. So don’t worry; just trust! Live the faith.

To worry is inconsistent with our faith. Therefore, it is unreasonable, as well as sinful. Worry is characteristic of unbelief. “Gentiles” (v. 32; Greek, Ethnoi), literally means “peoples,” or “a multitude.” In the plural, as here, it usually referred to non-Jews, or “Gentiles,” and, by extension, to unbelievers or pagans. Worrying about what to eat, drink, and clothe themselves with (v. 31) are things “the Gentiles eagerly seek” (v. 32a).

Those who have no hope in God naturally put their hope in things. They have nothing to live for but the present, and their materialism is perfectly consistent with their religion. They have no God to supply their physical or their spiritual needs, their present or their eternal needs, so anything they get they must get for themselves. They are ignorant of God's supply and have no claim on it. No heavenly Father cares for them, so they have reason to worry.

But that is a completely foolish and unreasonable philosophy for you, because you have a “heavenly Father” who “knows that you need all these things” (v. 32b). To worry about our basic needs is the mark of a worldly mind, whether you are a Christian or not.

When you are faithful and trusting you will “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” you will “let your requests he made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). When you trust and live the faith, you will refuse in any way to “be conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2).

Within this series of rebukes Jesus gives a positive command with a beautiful promise: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (v. 33). The cause of worry is seeking the things of this world, and the cause of contentment is seeking the things of God's “kingdom and His righteousness.” Focus your attention on the things of the Lord and He will take care of all your needs. To seek first God's kingdom is to pour out your life into God’s eternal work—to win people into that kingdom. To seek first His righteousness is to seek a life of holiness. Again that is what it means to live the faith.

To worry is foolish and unfaithful. Jesus concludes, saying, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34). Making reasonable provisions for tomorrow is sensible, but to “be anxious for tomorrow” (ESV), or to “worry about tomorrow” (NKJV), is both foolish and unfaithful. God is the God of tomorrow, as well as the God of today, and of eternity. “The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22-23, NASB).

Are you so committed to worrying that, if you cannot find anything in the present to worry about, you think about possible problems in the future? That is what some people do. They just have to have something to worry about. Jesus said, “Tomorrow will care for itself” (v. 34b). That is the conviction of the child of God who does not worry because he knows that “tomorrow will care for itself,” because it is in God’s hands.

“Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34b), is not a call to worry about that trouble, but to concentrate on meeting the temptations, trials, opportunities, and struggles we have. In doing so, we rely on God to protect and provide as we have need—and He is faithful. There is no need to add worry to the trouble of each day.

The message is clear. We are not to be anxious and worry about our basic needs. We are not to be anxious and worry about our daily troubles, nor for the future. To be concerned; to pray and lay them at the Father’s feet—yes. To worry and fret over them—no. Rather, we are to trust God in all things. We are to rest in His faithfulness. That is what it means to live the faith. As Isaiah said, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock” (Isa. 26:3-4). Amen.

There's Something About that Name

What’s in a name? Name’s identify. People are known by their names. In fact, people make their names what they are. When you hear someone’s name, certain images come to mind. At the mention of some names, you immediately conjure up nice thoughts and feelings of warmth and good will. At the mention of other names, you recoil with thoughts that aren’t so good. It all depends on the name, because it all depends on the reputation that the particular person has built up around his name.

The name of Jesus isn't any different. When you hear His name, what comes to mind? What images do you see? How does the mention of His name make you feel inside? Philippians 2:5 tells us to look at Jesus and then imitate Him, become like Him. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (v. 5).

The "mind" of Christ, which we are to have in us, has to do with "attitude" (NASB). He was humble beyond measure. He was all-loving. He was a man who gave Himself sacrificially for us. And that is the type of person you are to become. Christ came to this earth, died on the cross, and rose again from the dead to make you like Himself.

If you want your name to evoke images of love, humility, and self-sacrifice, as the name of Jesus does, then you must become like Jesus. To become like Him, you must first believe that the Son of God left the glory that was His in heaven and humbled Himself being born a man.

Verse 6 tells us exactly who Jesus is: "Being in the form of God, (He) did not consider it robbery to be equal with God." "Being" refers to natural existence. To say that He existed "in the form of God" (v. 6a) is to say that He possessed the very nature of God. This statement is then elaborated on by the phrase "equal with God" (v. 6b). The NASB says that Jesus "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped" (v. 6b).

This means that Jesus, though equal with God by nature, chose not to cling to it. Rather, He chose to divest Himself of His glory in heaven in order to become a man and provide us with salvation.

Verse 7 then tells us that Jesus did just that and became a man like us. "He made Himself of no reputation" (v. 7a), or He "emptied Himself" of His existence as God (NASB); that is He emptied Himself of His glorious state in heaven, but not of His divine attributes. He never ceased being fully God, but He took "the form of a bondservant" (v. 7b). Though being in essence fully God, "being in the form of God" (v. 6a), He took on the "form of a bondservant" (v. 7b), or became in essence a slave in the fullest sense as well. "Coming in the likeness of men" (v. 7c) refers to reality, not just the appearance, yet with one difference; the absence of a sin nature.

So, understand first of all that Jesus is both fully God and fully man at the same time, yet the two are never confused. That is why Jesus could die on the cross for sin and yet rise again from the dead. He became man in every sense of the word and yet remained God in every sense of the word. You must believe this first of all.

You must also believe that the Son of God died on the cross. Verse 8 adds purpose, speaking of the depth of humility to which Christ went: "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." "Being found in appearance as a man" (v. 8a), refers to how men looked upon Him. By the outward considerations of men He seemed no different. Men could not look inwardly to see the full truth of who He was, both God and man.

"He humbled Himself" (v. 8b) tells us just how far Jesus stooped. It literally means "to lie low." He lowered Himself below even the lowest level of man, dying on the cross, even though He knew no sin. That speaks of attitude; "the mind of Christ" (v. 5). That is humility at its finest. In fact, Jesus was both humble and "obedient" when he died on the cross for your sin. This too you must believe.

Third, you must believe that the Son of God rose from the dead. Verse 9 speaks of more than just the resurrection of Christ. The phrase, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name," refers to His resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and His glorification, His returning to all His glories in heaven.

"Highly exalted" (v. 9a) could be translated “superexalted” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 11, Regency Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978, 124). First, God "highly exalted" the Lord Jesus by raising Him from the dead. That is the truth we celebrate at Easter; the fact that the tomb is empty! As Peter explained at Pentecost, "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32). The resurrection of Christ completed His work on earth. The penalty for sin had been paid in full, and now even death has been defeated, making certain that all who believe will be raised to eternal life with Christ.

Finally, you must believe that the Son of God reigns above. Verses 10-11 speak of our response to the exaltation of Christ: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Christ Jesus was exalted above all, so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow" before Him (v. 10), in honor of the name that belongs only to Him.

He rose from the dead and returned to His glory in heaven so all would confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord" (v. 11a). He reigns above! And it is all "to the glory of God the Father" (v. 11b). This too must be believed.

You can bow to Christ right now. When you trust in Jesus by faith, He will change your life and begin to make you like Himself. Then you will "have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (v. 5, NASB). Amen.

From the Rising of the Sun

"From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD'S name is to be praised" (Psalm 113:3). That command is what brings people together for worship early in the morning, at sunrise, every Easter. God would have it no other way.

But it is not just on Easter Sunday that we should be up early in the morning, getting the day started by reading the Word, praying, and worshiping the Lord. In fact, every day, all day, "from the rising of the sun to its going down," we are to praise the Lord!

What better time is there to praise the Lord than now? What better day is there to sing His praises "from the rising of the sun" than today? Every day we should come into His presence to give Him praise because of His great love for us—a love He proved by sending His Son to die in our place—a death which gave way to resurrection and victory.

First John 4 talks a great deal about love and how the love of God is manifested in us. Everything centers around the truth that "God is love" (v. 8b). His very nature and character is love. In Evidence for the Resurrection, Josh and Sean McDowell said, "God acts lovingly not because we are lovable or deserving of love, but simply because He is love. And the love of God consists not merely of warm feelings of affection or benevolent acts of kindness. His love is a real, active, tough love that wills the very best for us in all circumstances." (Josh and Sean McDowell, Evidence for the Resurrection, Regal, from Gospel Light, Ventura, California, 37)

Because of His great love for you, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in your place and to rise again to give you life in His name. Jesus died and rose again that you might live through Him! John said, "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (v. 9).

Jesus Christ is the perfect manifestation of God’s love. He is God’s "only begotten Son" (His unique Son) who came to earth from the glories of heaven, born in the flesh so that He might die and rise again, in order to manifest Himself "toward us," or literally, "in us" (NASB), by our faith. The whole purpose was to bring us back into fellowship with God, "so that we might live through Him," or by His power.

Living by His power means letting Jesus take the reigns and live in and through us. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8). Verse 15 adds, "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." When God abides in you, you in turn, by the power of Christ within you, show God’s love to others, especially to those of the faith.

Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sin. "In this is love" (v. 10a) refers to Christ’s death on the cross. There is no greater love. It was "not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (v. 10b). "Propitiation" is just a fancy word for atonement. The shed blood of Christ on the cross propitiated, appeased, or satisfied God's wrath toward our sins. Christ on the cross atoned for our sins.

Romans 3:23-26 explains: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." He "passed over" our sins.

Hebrews 2:17-18 clarifies: "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

The bottom line, is that Christ died as a covering for sin—our sin. He died in our place as our substitute. He took our sin upon Himself, so that by faith in Him we would be forgiven and have new life in Him, a life that will be eternal. He knows everything we face. He will come to our aid whenever we need Him and He will see us through whatever we face.

Jesus died and rose again to perfect His love in us. Our response to God’s saving love is obvious: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11). The point is, that since God in His mercy and grace, displayed His love in sending Christ, we should surely follow His example and love others with Christlike sacrificial love.

This is really just a restatement of John’s admonition: "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). That is how Christ shows His love—through His people. His love is perfected in us and it works through us in the lives of others.

First John 4:12 tells us that "no one has seen God at any time" and Jesus is no longer physically present with us to manifest Him, therefore, no one will see God’s love unless "we love one another." That love proves that "God abides in us," and through those acts of love, "His love has been perfected in us." God reveals Himself through our love for one another.

Jesus died and rose again to be our Savior. "By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" (v. 13). Jesus sent His Spirit to indwell all who believe in Him. The Holy Spirit who indwells us, in turn, assures us of our salvation. This is the reason Christ died in our place and rose again—to be our Savior. We are saved by faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit is our assurance.

John says plainly: "We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world" (v. 14). That is why Christ came—to save us. We could die because of our sin and spend eternity separated from God forever in eternal hell-fire, but we could not save ourselves. Only One who was perfect and without sin could do that. Enter Jesus. Perfect God and perfect Man. He died to save us from our sin as only He could. He came and died and rose again to be our Savior.

Trust Jesus. He died on the cross for you and He rose up from the grave for you. Saved by God’s grace alone, through your faith alone, put your trust in Him alone. Amen.

Dead Man Walking!

Christianity stands or falls on the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Your faith stands or falls on the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Either Jesus rose from the dead the third day as the Bible claims, or He didn't. If Jesus did rise from the dead, your faith is secure and anyone who denies Christ and refuses to believe in Him is in deep trouble come Judgment Day. But if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we who believe are most to be pitied.

Paul said just that: "And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up... And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable." (1 Cor. 15:14-15a, 17-19)

With that in mind, I would like to take another look at the story of the resurrection of Christ through the eyes of a few eyewitnesses. Yes, there were a few eyewitnesses who were there that glorious morning, about four to be exact. And they saw it all! Or, at least what there was to see!

Historically the resurrection of Jesus Christ is well attested. Much has been written on it, even in historical writings outside of the Scriptures. There were many witnesses of the resurrection, as recorded in the Bible. The first were several of the women who followed Jesus (Matt. 28:8-10). Then there were the two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Then Jesus appeared to the disciples, first without Thomas (John 20:19-21), then with Thomas (vs. 26-29). There were even over five hundred followers of Jesus who saw Him at one time (1 Cor. 15:6).

All of these witnesses saw the resurrected Christ face to face. But there is a group of men who were at the tomb when the stone was rolled away and Jesus rose from the dead. It was a group of Roman soldiers who had been assigned to guard the tomb. They were there most of Saturday and into Sunday morning. They witnessed Jesus rise from the dead! They were there! They saw it! They verify the truth.

The presence of these guards at the tomb protects the truth of the resurrection according to God’s plan and design. However, there are three things we must understand about these guards.

First, we need to know who they were. That requires that we understand the setting. Once the disciples were certain everything was done correctly, Joseph of Arimathea “rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away” (Matt. 27:60). It was rare to find a stone entrance to a Jewish tomb in biblical times; most Jewish tombs had doors with certain types of hinges. A large stone rolled before the tomb would be much more difficult to move, making the burial site more permanent.

The chief priests and Pharisees weren’t so sure that the site was secure. Fearing that the disciples would steal the body and claim Jesus had risen, they came to Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first” (Matt. 27:63, 64).

When the chief priests and the Pharisees asked “for the grave to be made secure,” the Greek word “secure” described a legal seal that was placed on documents, letters, possessions, or in this case, a tomb. It was to authenticate that the sealed item had been properly inspected before sealing and that all the contents were in order. As long as the seal was unbroken, it guaranteed that the contents inside were safe and sound. In this case, the word is used to signify the sealing of the tomb. In all probability, it was a string that was stretched across the stone at the entrance of the tomb, which was then sealed on both sides by Pilate’s legal authorities.

Before sealing the tomb, these authorities were first required to inspect the inside of the tomb to see that the body of Jesus was in its place. After guaranteeing that the body was where it was supposed to be, and confirming that He was indeed dead, they rolled the stone back in place and then sealed it with the official seal of the Roman governor.

After hearing the suspicions of the chief priests and Pharisees, Pilate replied, “You have a guard: go, make it as secure as you know how” (Matt. 27:65). The word “guard” is the Greek word coustodia, from which we get our word custodian. This coustodia (guard) was a group of four Roman soldiers whose shift changed every three hours. The changing shifts assured that the tomb was guarded 24 hours a day by soldiers who were awake, attentive, and fully alert. When Pilate said, “You have a guard,” it was the same as saying, “I’m giving you a set of soldiers; take them and guard the tomb.”

“And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone” (Matt. 27:66). The chief priests and Pharisees made haste and went quickly to the tomb with their government issued soldiers and special officers assigned to inspect the tomb before placing Pilate’s seal on it. After a full inspection had been made, the stone was put back, sealed, and the soldiers stood guard to protect the tomb from anyone who would attempt to touch it or remove its contents. Every three hours, new guards arrived to replace the old ones. These armed soldiers guarded the entrance to Jesus’ tomb so firmly that no one would have been able to come near it.

The purpose of the seal was to authenticate that Jesus was dead; therefore, we can know that His body was thoroughly inspected again for proof of death. There is no doubt that Jesus was dead, for He was examined again and again, even as He lay in the tomb. So these soldiers left no doubt as to the truth of the resurrection.

Second, we need to know what they saw. What they saw was nothing short of phenomenal. First, there was “a severe earthquake” (Matt. 28:2a) which surely startled them. But what really frightened them was the cause of the earthquake. They saw “an angel of the Lord” who “descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow” (vs. 2b-3).

We are told, “The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men” (v. 4). And so they should, because they had just witnessed the resurrection! When the women arrived, they saw the same angel and were “afraid” (v. 5), yet their reaction was quite different. They had come after the fact and found an empty grave. The soldiers had not only seen the angel, but this Jesus, whom they knew was dead, just as calmly as could be, walked out of His grave very much alive! Dead man walking! Their reaction is to be expected. They knew the truth. They had seen it with their own eyes. It was as the angel said, “He is not here, for He has risen” (v. 6).

That sounds exciting and is one possible scenario of what they saw, but it most likely didn't happen that way. It is unlikely that they saw Jesus walk out of the grave. In His resurrected body He could appear behind closed and locked doors: "Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).

In all probability, when the stone was rolled away, Jesus was already gone. He had already risen and left the tomb. You see, the angel did not roll the stone away to let Jesus out of the tomb. He wasn't there! No, the angel didn't roll the stone away to let Jesus out, he rolled the stone away to let the guards, the women, and the disciples in to see that Jesus had indeed risen, just as He said He would.

The guards had seen all they needed to see. They saw the angel come down from heaven and roll the stone away, and they could see that the tomb was empty, which was impossible! The seal wasn't broken until the angel broke it! Jesus was dead. The body had to be there, but it wasn't! There was only one explanation: Jesus had risen, just as He said He would.

Third, we need to know what they did and said. When they came to their senses, they likely fled the scene. For the body to disappear under their watch meant death for each of them. It was a matter of Roman law. Or maybe they didn't flee. After all, they were trained to stand strong even in the face of certain death. Maybe some of them stayed behind and kept the area secure. What we are told is, “some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened” (Matt. 28:11). They told them that Jesus’ body was not stolen. They told them that Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He said He would.

They went first to “the chief priests” rather than the Roman governor, not out of fear, but because they had been assigned to the Jewish leaders. And “the elders” were not happy. “They gave a large sum of money to the soldiers” telling them to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep” (vs. 12b-13). Then they reassured the soldiers (remember they faced the death penalty), “If this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble” (v. 14).

What did the soldiers do and say? They changed their story. They had been bought off. “They took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day” (v. 15). Still today, people refuse to believe and claim either that Jesus wasn’t actually dead or that His body had been stolen. But despite their later story, it is the guards who stand as proof, both that He really was dead and that Jesus did rise again.

Where do you stand? Do you believe? If you have not confessed faith in Christ, now is the time to receive Jesus. Pray. Confess your sin. Ask Jesus into your life right now. Amen.

Who Are You?

Let me ask you a question: Who are you? Think about it. Your face and features, your voice, your abilities and various other character traits. Your background, your manner of expression, everything about you is found only in one individual—YOU!

Search all the world and throughout all history and you will never find anyone quite like you. You are unique and that was not an accident. God planned it that way. God made each one of you totally unique and when He finished, He threw away the mold.

Listen to David’s perspective on it: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." (Psalm 139:13-16; NKJV)

Now read those same verses from the Living Bible: "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!" (Psalm 139:13-16; TLB)

If I read this correctly, you were made by God. He fashioned you just as He wanted before you were even born! Then He presented you to the world just as He had made you. You are exactly who God wanted you to be. And don’t miss the point that God is personally involved in the very days and details of your life. You are important to Him.

Yet sometimes, we are not quite sure we are who God truly wants us to be. We look at ourselves and we look at others around us, and we just don’t seem to quite measure up. Others are more popular, better known. On the football field or basketball court someone else scores the points and gets the glory. You look at yourself, and maybe you are pretty good too, but you always find yourself in a supporting role. As a result you begin to think of yourself as a nobody.

If you are tempted to think about yourself in this way, remember this: In college football, it seems that the great quarterback or the great running back always wins the Heisman Trophy. Yet, none of them could accomplish what they did without the linemen blocking well or the receivers making great catches. There is a whole supporting cast of "nobodies," without whom they could not win the trophy.

Let me tell you something. It is the same in all areas of life. For every great basketball player, there is someone making the pass or setting the screen at just the right time to let them score. Likewise, the presidential election is just behind us. For every politician who was elected Governor, or Senator, or President, there were hundreds and thousands of people working hard behind the scenes without whom they could not win. It is all of those people that nobody sees who are the whole reason for success.

Let me quote another Scripture from the Living Bible: "some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary… So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important" (1 Cor. 12:22, 24; TLB).

When I was in seminary, I played intramural football. This was a graduate school, so everyone had already finished college. The quarterback on my team had played college football at Stanford. He had been the backup to Jim Plunkett (a Heisman Trophy winner; now I am dating myself again). That’s who Steve Murray trained under. Steve was a pretty good quarterback in his own right. I was a wide receiver and we ran timing routes. I would run my route, turn, and the ball was right there. I never saw Steve actually release the ball.

One game I ran a flag pattern (that is out toward the corner of the end zone, where the flags are) and Steve threw it to the post (that is inside toward the goalpost). Couldn’t have been my mistake! I turned and realized the ball was thrown several yards away toward the middle of the field. Somehow I managed to spin around and come in between two defenders who were about to intercept the pass. I came up from behind and caught the ball right out of their hands and backed into the end zone.

Upon returning to the huddle I said, "Nice throw, Steve." Steve just looked at me and said, "Yeah right. You just made me look good." You see, Steve understood that, as great as he always looked as a quarterback, he was only as good as his line blocked and his receivers caught. Sometimes he made bad passes, but his receivers would come through and make him look good. So he gladly gave thanks where thanks was due.

If it weren't for the "nobodies," we wouldn’t have top-notch leaders in the nation or in the church. If it weren't for this supporting cast of "nobodies," we wouldn’t have victories and championships. Most of you may not be those who stand out and become great. Yet, all of you are great in the eyes of God because you are just as God intended you to be, and He has made you that way for a great purpose—His purpose. He made you and He wants you to follow Him and let Him use you according to His plan.

Let me close with one last Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10. You have probably heard verses 8-9, but verse 10 completes the thought in the same context. Here are verses 8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." And here is verse 10: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Psalm 139 tells us that God made you just as He wanted before you were ever born. He gave you the personality and abilities He wanted you to have. That is completed when you receive Jesus as your Savior and trust your life to Him. Then He adds gifts to your life that you will need to serve Him. He has even designed certain things for you to accomplish within His purpose to further His kingdom. You just need to rely on Him and look to Him each day for guidance, and He will use you.

Remember, there is only one you because that is how God wanted it. You are important to Him, that is why He designed you even before you were born. Be yourself and follow God daily, and He will use you in great ways. Amen.

Onward and Upward!

Graduation is upon us. High schools and colleges all across the country will hold graduation ceremonies from now through June. In May, 2008, when my son Tim graduated from Okeene High School, in Okeene, Oklahoma, I preached the Baccalaureate Message. Yes, it was that long ago; nine years to be exact. Anyway, what follows is the bulk of the message I delivered that night, nine years ago. But I encourage all of you to read it, because there are many things that will speak to you, even if you aren't the one graduating.

There seems to be no end to the increase in knowledge. New discoveries are made every day, or new ideas are founded that lead to great new discoveries that make life in this world a little better than it was just a few years before. All of this in an attempt to find true peace and happiness. All of this to try to fill a void in our lives, a void that seems to be telling us that there is more to life.

To the graduates let me say this: Each of you has reached an incredible milestone in your life. You have gone through a lot over the years while growing up. You have all gone through various struggles in the process; some similar to what everyone else has experienced and some unique to yourself. Yet, in the process of growing up, you have come through those struggles and have learned from them, becoming who you are today.

You have all come a long way. You have successfully completed many courses in school over the years, bringing you to this point of transition known as graduation or commencement. Supposedly you are now prepared to ride off into the sunset and begin the rest of your life. But are you? Many of you, I am sure, are still asking questions. Some of you may know what you will major in at college, and some of you may not. Some of you may be planning to get a job and begin working instead of going to college. Yet many of you are still asking yourself what you truly plan to do with your life. You may have a general sense of direction and yet not really know exactly where you want to head with your career. Let me tell you this: There is still a lot more knowledge out there for you to gain.

But the question to ask is this: What will you do with that knowledge once you attain it? Great opportunities lie ahead, but only God knows the purposes He has for your life. In Jeremiah 29:11-13 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (NIV).

Questions and uncertainty abound for many of you. The biggest question of all has to do with life in general. What is life all about? Surely there is more to life than this! When you can answer that question, everything else will begin to fall in place. In making decisions on work or college, you experience doubt and uncertainty. Life’s struggles continue. What you would like to experience, however, is peace and happiness; a sense of fulfillment in the direction you are heading.

What you need to truly find peace and happiness in life and to gain that sense of fulfillment is one more course, the result of which can be phenomenal. You see the real answer to all of life’s struggles is Jesus Christ. In Christ you will make good and right decisions and find fulfillment in life, both in what you do and where you go from here. The course you need to take is a course in knowing Christ. This course lasts a lifetime, but the reward is great. It will result in spending eternity in God’s presence. A diploma will be passed out in glory. If you haven’t started this course, now is the time to start.

In Philippians 3:7-14, Paul gives three principles to live by. When you learn to follow these three life principles, in God’s eyes, you will be a success in whatever endeavor you pursue, because you will be in a position to accomplish the plans He has for you.

First, you must know Christ. Let me begin by relating for you the story of a man who had a tremendous education and yet discovered that, as valuable as it was, without Jesus in his life, it was worth nothing. This man was the Apostle Paul. Philippians 3 is his story. Paul tells us he had it all, yet he had nothing! He says, “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (vs. 4-6).

For a person in his day, he had everything. He had a great education, a position of leadership in his nation, and a life of plenty. But one day, while heading for Damascus in pursuit of the Christians whom he was persecuting, he met Christ. His original name was Saul, and Acts 9 tells us that he was suddenly struck down by a light from heaven and Jesus stood before him, asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (v. 4). He was blinded by the light, so he was led into the city, as Jesus instructed, and there a Christian named Ananias came to him, healed him of his blindness, and led him to faith in Christ. Suddenly everything changed! He had a new understanding of life. For the first time he realized that all of the knowledge God had given him was for one purpose; to accomplish the plans God had for him!

Paul sums up his change in perspective like this: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7). Speaking in accounting terms, Paul says that he had accumulated many things in his life which he thought were “gain” to him, or of profit. These were the great accomplishments of his life that he listed in verses 4-6. Now, however, he has come to realize that they all belong in the “loss” column instead. The only thing that really counts is to know Christ.

In verse 8 he adds, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” The value of knowing Christ surpasses all else. All the things of this world are “rubbish,” or completely worthless, compared to knowing Christ. Only when you trust Christ by faith as your Lord and Savior are you in a position to gain the knowledge God has for you and to accomplish the plans God has for you. It all begins by knowing Christ.

Second, you must be controlled by Christ. In Philippians 3:9, Paul adds: “that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.” To “gain Christ” (v. 8) and to “be found in Him” (v. 9) requires a righteousness that comes from and through Christ. Only by knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior can we begin to experience His righteousness in our lives. Only as we give control of our lives over to Him can we begin to understand the knowledge He has for us to learn. Only as we learn to walk with Jesus on a daily basis can we begin to discover the special plans God has for us. Only then can we begin to accomplish the things He has for us to accomplish in life.

It’s all about control, or more accurately, who is in control of your life. Only as you learn to live by faith can you truly “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (v. 10a). When you live by faith and let Christ control you, you will experience “the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (v. 10b). In other words, you will experience Christ in such a way that He will enable you to survive all of life’s difficulties. He will bring you through everything and into His plans for you, the end result being eternity with Him according to verse 11.

Third, you must seek after Christ. If you truly want to accomplish God’s plans, there is a third life principle you must follow. You see, to walk by faith and to let Christ control your life is a daily struggle. Paul understood this well. That is why he goes on to encourage you to continue to seek after Christ on a daily basis.

In verses 12-14, Paul confesses, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul hadn’t fully reached the goal, but he seeks daily to keep Christ first in his life and he continues “to press on” in order to “lay hold of” the plans God has for him (v. 12).

Like Paul, you haven’t yet fully discovered the plans God has for you. Like Paul, you need “to press on” in life so that you may “lay hold of” God’s plans for you (v. 12). Like Paul, there is “one thing” you must do: You must forget “those things which are behind” and reach “forward to those things which are ahead,” always pressing on “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (vs. 13-14). And remember, it is God’s “upward call… in Christ Jesus” for you. It is His plan that you seek and that He wants to give you.

God has great plans for you. Trust in Christ as your Savior, draw daily upon Him, and let Him be the Lord of your life. When you know Christ, when you are controlled by Christ, and when you continually seek after Christ, you will discover the plans that God has for you. Amen.