In the Eyes of a Shepherd

Marry Christmas! Luke 2:10-12 says, "Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'"

All was quiet. The night was silent. And suddenly, without warning, out of nowhere, "an angel of the Lord" (Luke 2:9) appeared! But that is not all. God's glory lit up the sky! What a sight it was. The shepherd's rose to their feet, startled by the sight. Fear began to overwhelm them. They did not understand what this was all about. And then the angel spoke.

Now they understood. God had fulfilled His promise. The Savior had come. They hurried off into the night to meet the Lord and it was not long before they found Him.

It was just as the angel had said. There He was before their very eyes, the Savior, Christ the Lord. They knelt before Him for a time in wonder and awe, and in worship. After all, He was their Lord and Savior.

When they returned to the hillside and to the sheep, they praised God all along the way. They gave Him the glory and they let everyone they met know about Jesus.

The gospel was made known that night. It was as the angel had told them: tonight in Bethlehem a baby was born, "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (v. 11). The Christ, the Messiah, the Savior had come! It was as God had promised long ago.

They knew the Scriptures. They were all sinners in need of a Savior. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). He was born in order to die for you.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1). "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

Do you believe God raised Jesus from the dead? Have you confessed Jesus as Lord? If not, you can pray right now and receive the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Amen.

Righteous Desires of Your Heart

"Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would… fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness" (2 Thess. 1:11b). The NASB says, "and fulfill every desire for goodness." Paul continues by asking God to fulfill every right and noble desire of your heart. But notice, it is the good and righteous and noble desires that God is to fulfill in your life, not the selfish, self-centered ones.

In Philippians 4:8 Paul wrote, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." And he added in verse 9, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." When you desire in your heart the things of God which are pure and right and noble, God will give you those desires. That is Paul's prayer for you.

"Fulfill" (2 Thess. 1:11b) could also be translated "complete" or "accomplish." "Good pleasure" (v. 11b) or "desire" (NASB) could be translated "purpose" or "choice." Paul asked God to fulfill or complete His purpose in them by giving them what they longed for—His goodness. Such a prayer is consistent with God's will. In answer to this prayer, God will give you what is good and what is good for you.

In Psalm 37:4 David wrote, "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." When you delight in the Lord, you desire what He desires. Then God will grant your requests. When you make God's agenda your agenda, then you will receive God's goodness because that is the desire of your heart.

Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). The key is abiding. If you abide in Christ, if you live your life by faith in Christ, if you delight yourself in Christ and desire what He desires, then you will receive the desires of your heart. May God fulfill the righteous desires of your heart. Amen.

Worthy to be Called Christian

In Second Thessalonians 1:11, Paul begins, "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would." Constant, endless prayer for the growing maturity of these believers. That is what Paul always prayed for. You will note as we continue through verse 11 that this opening phrase carries throughout.

Paul continues, "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling" (v. 11a). This request covers everything that is included in Christian character. Paul's prayer here is that you might honor the name of Christ.

"Our God" (v. 11a) refers to a loving, caring Father who is intimately involved with us. "Count you worthy" (v. 11a) can also be translated "make you worthy." Either translation is appropriate because God will make worthy all whom He counts as worthy.

Here, as throughout the New Testament epistles, "calling" (v. 11a) refers to the irresistible call to salvation. It does not refer to the general call to salvation that goes out from the evangelist asking all to believe, but to the specific act of God in which He redeems all who believe. Paul has just spoken of that Day, the Day of the Rapture, when all who believe in Jesus would be made completely like Him as He gathers them to be with Him forever. He is now asking God to make you worthy of that calling. He is asking God to make you worthy to be called Christian.

In First Thessalonians 1:12, Paul prayed that the believers in Thessalonica would "walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls [them] into His own kingdom and glory" (NASB). As Christians we bear the name of Christ. As you become more like Christ you become more deserving, more worthy, to bear His name.

Apparently this was an item of major importance for the Thessalonian believers to understand. While in Second Thessalonians 1:5 Paul spoke of how the suffering they were enduring proved that they "may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God," chapter three points out that some of them were not living up to their calling in Christ. In Second Thessalonians 3:6, Paul wrote, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us" (NASB, 1995). And in verse 11 he adds, "For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies" (NASB, 1995). Some it seems were leading lives that were disobedient to the Word and to Christ. They are unworthy to be called Christian.

Don't let that be said of you! Follow Christ with all your heart and live by His Word. Let Christ richly indwell you and guide you, and God will make you worthy to be called Christian. "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:6, NASB). Amen.

Relief

Jesus reveals Himself to unbelievers in judgment at the Day of the Lord. But He makes His presence known to believers at the time of the Rapture when He takes us to heaven to spend eternity with Him. For the lost, the apokalupsis in the Greek, or apocalypse. For the saved, the parousia in the Greek. For unbelievers, the judgment of God. For believers, relief from our afflictions.

Second Thessalonians 1:7a says, "to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us" (NASB). "Relief" (v. 7a) means "a loosening" or "freedom." It refers to relaxation, refreshment, restoration, and rest. In Scripture there is the rest salvation brings, or the Sabbath rest for God's people. The Bible also promises what can be called millennial rest, when Christ establishes His reign on earth and His subjects enjoy rest and peace. The Scriptures also promise an eternal rest that all believers enter into at death—rest from sin, temptation, trials, sorrows, and any other form of suffering. As Rev. 21:4 says, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain" (NASB). Such rest awaits the saints of the Rapture.

Why will God do this? Because it is just or right. As it was "only right for God to repay" unbelievers with "affliction" (v. 6a, NASB), so "it is only right for God… to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us" (v. 7a, NASB). How can it be just or right to punish the one and give relief to the other? A.W. Tozer wrote:  "[The] solution for the problem of how God can be just and still justify the unjust is found in the Christian doctrine of redemption. It is that, through the work of Christ in atonement, justice is not violated but satisfied when God spares a sinner. Redemptive theology teaches that mercy does not become effective toward a man until justice has done its work. The just penalty for sin was exacted when Christ our Substitute died for us on the cross. However unpleasant this may sound to the ear of the natural man, it has ever been sweet to the ear of faith" (The Knowledge of the Holy, [New York: Harper & Row, 1975], 94).

Who will find rest? Believers—the redeemed of God—will find rest in Christ. Paul wrote, "to give you who are troubled rest with us" (v. 7a). God promises rest to all believers because we all suffer through hard times. Paul told Timothy, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). Suffering for Christ is a mark of a true Christian. Eternal rest comes to all who follow Jesus.

How will this relief come to believers? "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:52). Note Second Thessalonians 1:10—"When He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed." Our glorification is in view here. It is at the time of the Rapture that Christ will glorify us and receive us unto Himself forever. Christ is glorified in us as He changes us "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor. 15:52a). All will marvel as they see Christ in all His glory. The reward is participation in the Rapture—being changed "in the twinkling of an eye" into full conformity with Christ—and going to heaven to spend eternity with Him.

That final phrase, "because our testimony among you was believed" (v. 10b), makes it all very personal to the Thessalonians. They have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, each one of them will be there on that day when Christ Raptures them to take them home.

Once you have received Jesus by faith, you can know for certain that you will also be included in that glorious day. The fact that you will be glorified with Christ should be more than enough encouragement to endure the afflictions unbelievers may bring your way.

As a believer in Christ you will be glorified with Him at His return. In the meantime, God has your best interest in mind. He will see you through any and all persecution or suffering. He will one day return and bring retribution to those who persecute you. He will also bring relief or rest to your soul, in that Day. Knowing this, you can stand firm for Christ by faith. He will enable you to stand firm. Amen.

Retribution

The thought of retribution is found in Second Thessalonians 1:8. It literally means "to give full punishment." It is sometimes translated "justice," "punishment," "retribution," "vengeance," or "avenging of wrong." You may recall Romans 12:19 which says: "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'" (a quote from Deuteronomy 32:35). Such "vengeance" or "retribution" God will bring "on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:8b).

Why will God do this? Because it is just. Note verse 6: "Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you." "No problem," says God. "I am just, and I will take care of any injustice done to you." Every nation, regardless of its ethical or moral standards, punishes criminals. All people have a sense of justice because they are made in God's image. Although the justice carried out by people is imperfect, God's justice is perfect.

The NASB translates verse 6 like this: "For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you." It is fitting and proper for God to repay with retribution those who disobey His law. Remember verse 8 where we are told that Jesus will return "dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus"? The word retribution or vengeance not only speaks of "giving full punishment," but is closely related to another word meaning "just" or "right." The retribution God deals out is the just punishment given by the perfect and righteous Judge to all unbelievers who have willfully disobeyed the gospel of Christ.

Who will receive this retribution from God? All who disobey the gospel and do not know God. The word "repay" (v. 6) means "to give back," or "recompense." It is a strong, compound word that conveys the idea of a full and complete repayment. God will gain complete vengeance on your behalf against "those who trouble you" (v. 6b, NKJV) or "those who afflict you" (ESV). To understand this truth means you can stand firm even in the face of persecution and affliction.

How will God repay the unbelievers who afflict you? With "tribulation" or "affliction" (v. 6b). Tribulation can mean "trouble," "distress," "difficult circumstances," or "suffering." Note verse 9: "These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." To repay "with tribulation" (v. 6b) is to repay with "eternal destruction" (v. 9a), which is defined as complete and eternal separation from God and His glory.

Destruction does not mean annihilation. It refers instead to ruination. It does not refer to the end of one's existence, but rather the loss of everything that makes life worthwhile. Eternal destruction does not mean that unbelievers will cease to exist, but rather that they will be forever ruined. They will continue into eternity with a life that is hopeless, meaningless, and completely worthless. They will be ruined forever. To which Matthew adds: "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 13:41-42). To spend eternity "away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might" (ESV) is indeed a life of utter darkness and a life of total misery.

With all of this in mind, do not miss the truth of verses 7b-8a: "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire." This is when the repayment will be carried out. At the Day of the Lord, when Christ returns, then it will be too late. All who have afflicted you and who have not believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins will receive their just punishment from God.

The day is coming when Christ Jesus will reveal Himself to both believers and unbelievers. When Paul spoke of the Second Coming in relation to believers, he spoke of the Rapture and used the Greek word parousia, meaning "presence" or "coming." For believers, the return of Christ is the presence with them of the One they know. But in verse 7, when Paul wrote "when the Lord Jesus is revealed," he used the Greek word apokalupsis, meaning "revelation," "unveiling," or "uncovering." It refers to the idea of manifesting or making known that which was previously hidden or secret. Here the Second Coming is spoken of in relation to unbelievers. Jesus, who was previously hidden, will reveal Himself in all His glory to those who do not know or worship Him. This is the Day of the Lord when Jesus comes to judge the unbelievers.

Note the three phrases used in verse 7 describing this revealing of Christ to unbelievers: (1) He will be revealed "from heaven." Just as Jesus visibly ascended into heaven, so His return will be just as visible. As the angels told His disciples, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11); (2) He will be revealed "with His mighty angels," literally, "the angels of His power." They are His instruments. They "gather" the unbelievers together and "cast them into the furnace" (Matt. 13:41-42); and, (3) He will be revealed "in flaming fire." This fire is the fire of judgment. The fire of God's judgment is so much a part of His divine nature that the Bible declares, "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29; cf. Deut. 4:24).

The Lord Jesus will return "from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire" (vs. 7b-8a) and He will bring retribution to those who persecute you. Therefore, stand firm, even in the midst of suffering. Never turn away from the Lord your God. Amen.

Rewarded by Salvation

First Thessalonians 5:4 begins with "but": "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief." Paul moves from the fact that unbelievers will be surprised by judgment to the fact that believers will not be surprised when they are rewarded by salvation. Unlike our unbelieving friends who are not prepared, we are prepared—we are ready through our faith and trust in Jesus. As verse 5 points out, "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness." Turn to the Lord and rely upon His death and resurrection, and you will not be in darkness, as those who are without faith.

How should we then live? "Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation" (vs. 6-8). Because of who you are in Christ, you must "watch and be sober." Be ever watchful, alert, waiting for the Lord's return. Live by that expectant hope. But also be "sober" (v. 6). Live as people "who are of the day" (v. 8) because that is exactly who you are! Unbelievers "sleep at night" and "are drunk at night" (v. 7). They hide under cover of darkness to try and hide their evil deeds. As believers we should have nothing to hide under darkness. Rather, we should live as Christ lived. We are to follow Jesus in our living and be doing what He wants us to be doing when He returns.

"Sleep" (vs. 6-7) is a different word than the one used to refer to death in First Thessalonians 4:13-15. Here in First Thessalonians 5:6-7, sleep means to be asleep spiritually, indifferent toward God, living as if there will be no judgment. Paul is warning us. Do not get caught living the same lifestyle as those who are unprepared for the Lord's return. Be awake, be alert, be watchful, be sober!

That is what verse 8 is all about. "Putting on the breastplate of faith and love" (v. 8b) means to live daily by faith in Christ and show your faith by loving God and allowing God to love others through you. "Putting on… as a helmet the hope of salvation" (v. 8c) refers to our unwavering "hope" (v. 8c) or trust in Christ alone for our salvation. Faith, love, and hope together provide an excellent defense against temptation. Live by faith, love, and hope in Christ and you will find yourself prepared and ready when Christ gathers us together in the air to take us to heaven.

Note the truth Paul adds in verses 9-10: "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." Perhaps the most sobering truth of Scripture is that God will judge the wicked and send them to eternal hell. I would be remiss if I avoided this truth from the pulpit. In Matthew 13:41-42, Jesus said, "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." But, the truth of First Thessalonians 5:9-10 is that "God did not appoint us to wrath" (v. 9a). Rather, He has destined those of us who have received the Lord by faith "to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us" (vs. 9b-10a).

"Who died for us" (v. 10a) gives us the sole basis for our salvation. Christ "died for us" (v. 10a). Christ died on our behalf. Christ died in our place as our substitute. Because of our sin, Christ had to die in our place as our substitute to gain for us forgiveness and eternal life. Amen!

The great truth for all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus by faith is that whether we are "awake" (meaning alive), or "asleep" (meaning dead) "we will live together with Him" (v. 10b, NASB). As Paul says in verse 11: "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." Encourage each other and build each other up with these words—words that speak volumes as to how we ought to live in Christ.

Remember, it is unbelievers who will be taken by surprise by the Day of the Lord and sudden judgment. We who believe, on the other hand, will be rewarded by salvation in that Day. Amen.

Surprised by Judgment

First Thessalonians 5:1-3 states clearly, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape."

First let's come to grips with a couple of terms. The Rapture refers to the time when believers will be "caught up" (1 Thess. 4:17) in the air to meet the Lord Jesus. It is at this time that all believers will be taken to heaven to spend eternity with Jesus. The word rapture does not appear in Scripture. The Greek word translated "caught up" in verse 17 is harpazo, which literally means "to snatch away." When it was translated into Latin, harpazo was rendered rapturo. And so the Latin word rapturo easily turns into the English word rapture. Although our English translations use a more literal rendering of this word, such as "caught up" or "snatched away," the sense of the word rapture is certainly present.

Second is the term "the Day of the Lord" (1 Thess. 5:2). This term has been understood as narrow as the day that Christ returns to set foot on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem to judge the unbelievers. It has been defined as broad as everything from the Rapture through the day Christ returns in judgment of unbelievers, including the seven years of the Great Tribulation, and sometimes even as continuing through the millennial kingdom, or the thousand year reign of Christ on earth. For Paul it seems that "the Day of the Lord" (v. 2) as he refers to it here, is that day when Christ returns to earth in judgment upon unbelievers. It is the day Christ comes in the clouds and everyone sees Him—the day He sets foot on earth again.

And so, as Paul turns his attention from "the Rapture" (1 Thess. 4:17) to "the Day of the Lord" (1 Thess. 5:2). Note how he describes this event and how it affects especially unbelievers. He begins by telling them that "concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you" (v. 1). Why?  "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night" (v. 2).  He adds in verse 3a: "For when they say, 'Peace and Safety!'" which could be translated, "While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!'" (NASB), indicating the suddenness with which "the Day of the Lord" (v. 2) will strike.

"As a thief in the night" (v. 2b) indicates that it will come stealthily. A thief comes in very quietly in the middle of the night so that the owner of the house is taken completely by surprise when he awakes to find his valuables missing. A stealth bomber is a plane "designed in such a way that it cannot be detected by radar. It can come upon an enemy unexpectedly, without warning" (Ray C. Stedman, Waiting For the Second Coming, [Discovery House Publishers: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1990], 85).

In other words, what Paul is saying is that "the Day of the Lord" (v. 2) will come upon unbelievers stealthily, without warning, at a time when "peace and safety" (v. 3a) seem to prevail. Despite all that has happened with the sudden rapture of the saints to heaven and all the destruction that has come upon the earth during the Great Tribulation, unbelievers will be so blinded by the false promises of the antichrist that they will be hollering "peace and safety" (v. 3a) and will be taken completely by surprise when Christ returns.

"So comes" (v. 2b) or "will come" (NASB) is a vivid futuristic present verb that portrays "the day as already on its way with an arrival anticipated any time" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 11, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978], 281). "The Day of the Lord" (v. 2) will come soon and it will come as a complete surprise to unbelievers. When they believe they are beyond reach by God, He will reach down in judgment. There will be no warning.

Paul goes on in verse 3b: "then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman." Destruction means "utter and hopeless ruin, a loss of everything worthwhile, causing the victims to despair of life itself" (Ibid, 282). It refers to total separation from God. Unbelievers are not totally annihilated, but are given over to wrath and denied the privileges of salvation, which are reserved for those who trust in Christ. The pronoun "them" (v. 3a) tells us that this destruction is reserved only for unbelievers. Believers will not experience "the Day of the Lord" (v. 2) as they will have already been raptured away. Again Paul states that this judgment will come suddenly "as labor pains upon a pregnant woman" (v. 3b). There will be no warning.

Paul concludes verse 3: "And they shall not escape." The tragedy of it all is that unbelievers all around us who are not prepared for "the Day of the Lord" (v. 2) will not escape divine judgment. Hebrews 2:3 says, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" This should motivate us to evangelize the lost who live around us. And for anyone who is not prepared, this should lead you to take the only way God has given you to escape—place your faith in the Lord Jesus right now by accepting the forgiveness He has offered you through the cross. Trust the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and you will escape the judgment that is reserved for unbelievers in that Day. Amen.

Hope Is Strengthened by Revelation

What Paul is teaching in First Thessalonians 4:15-18 about the Rapture is direct revelation from God. Verse 15a says: "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord." What he has to say about our hope has all the authority of an inspired writer revealing to us what God had given him. In no earlier passage of Scripture is anything like this taught.

Jesus only refers to the Rapture in a general sense in John 14:2-3 where He told His disciples, "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Later in First Corinthians 15:51 Paul referred to the Rapture as "a mystery." A mystery is a truth formerly hidden but now revealed. Through a new revelation, God is revealing this mystery to us to strengthen our hope. Note the description given there: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (vs. 51-52).

The Rapture of the saints, as described in detail in First Thessalonians 4:15-17, is based on the foundation of the death, resurrection, and revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul begins, "We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep" (v. 15b). There is that word "asleep" again. Those believers who died before the trumpet sounds will not be left out. Two groups of believers are included in the Rapture of the saints: "we who are alive and remain" at "the coming of the Lord" (v. 15b) and "those who are asleep" (v. 15b). Paul's use of the pronoun "we" shows that this event could take place at any time. "Will by no means precede" (v. 15b) tells us not only that no one will be left out, but if anything our departed loved ones in the Lord may even be raised before we are caught up in the air with them.

The key word in verses 15-17 is "coming." This is the translation of a Greek word you may have heard before: parousia. It was used by the Greeks in that day to refer to the arrival of a king, an emperor, or a prince. It specifically refers to both an arrival and a continuing presence with. When used of Christ's "coming" (v. 15b) at the Rapture of the saints, it signifies, not only His coming to gather His people unto Himself, but His continuing presence with them from that moment until His Second Coming when He is revealed to the whole world and sets His feet upon the earth again.

Note Paul's description of Jesus' "coming" in verse 16a: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God." The "Lord Himself" will come "from heaven" (v. 16a) to gather us unto Himself. He will come "with a shout" (v. 16a) like the command of a military leader calling for his troops to fall in. He will come "with the voice of an archangel" (v. 16a) who adds his voice to the Lord's command. He will come "with the trumpet of God" (v. 16a). In Scripture, whenever a crowd needed to be gathered a trumpet was sounded. And so, "the trumpet of God" (v. 16a) will sound to call us all together with Christ in the air.

Going on, Paul reveals the order of the Rapture in verse 16b: "And the dead in Christ will rise first." As I already pointed out, those saints who have died in Christ will not be inferior to those alive at the Rapture in any way. In fact, we are told that they "will rise first" (v. 16b). Their bodies "will be raised incorruptible" (1 Cor. 15:52) and be joined with their glorified spirits making them into the image of Christ, as the apostle John wrote: "We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is" (1 John 3:2, NASB).

Then those believers who are still living at the time of the Rapture will join them in the air with Jesus. Note verse 17a: "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." "Caught up" (v. 17a) refers to a strong, irresistible, even violent act. In Acts 8:39 it speaks of Philip being "snatched away" (NASB) from the Ethiopian Eunuch. It is when the living saints are "caught up… in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (v. 17a) that they will be transformed "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor. 15:52) and receive their glorified bodies being conformed completely into the image of Christ.

Thus this passage links the resurrection of the saints with the "coming" of the Lord and the rapture of the living saints. These three events will take place in conjunction, with the "coming" of Christ (v. 15b) being the event that triggers the resurrection and the rapture.

Paul concludes verse 17: "And thus we shall always be with the Lord." These concluding remarks are the real words of comfort. After Christ returns to gather us (all His believers) to Himself, "we shall always be with the Lord" (v. 17b). What greater thought can bring such comfort into our lives—spending eternity together with Christ and our dearly departed brethren.

In verse 18 Paul even instructs us to use this passage of Scripture to "comfort one another." He says, "Therefore comfort one another with these words." The word "comfort" (v. 18) is the Greek word parakaleo (paraclete) meaning "to call one alongside." It is the same word used of the Holy Spirit, as I have mentioned before on several occasions. In times of grief we need to come alongside one another and comfort each other with this Scripture. That is Paul’s intent.

That is exactly what Paul intends as part of our ministry to one another. To come alongside each other to counsel and comfort each other with the words of Scripture, so that "rough things become smooth, heavy burdens are lightened, and difficulties vanquished most wonderfully" (Augustine of Hippo, To Proba (Letter CXXX), ccel.org). In this way, sorrow is softened by hope and hope is strengthened by revelation (or Scripture). Amen.

Sorrow Is Softened By Hope

Took a trip to Oklahoma to visit my son Tim. He's doing well. I'm back home now, so here is a new Bible Insight:

First Thessalonians 4:9-12 dealt with the problem of how to live in light of the expectation that Christ could return at any moment. Do we keep on working or should our life change in some way? But soon, life in the church was further complicated by another question. As Christ tarried, some believers began to die. What happens to them in the rapture? Paul wrote to comfort these believers.

In First Thessalonians 4:13, Paul begins with a favorite phrase: "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren." "Ignorant" (v. 13a) means "not to know, not to be informed." Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that he does not want them to be uninformed or unaware of the truth concerning those who have died in Christ. The double negative that is implicit here "is used by Paul to stress that he wishes to end his readers' lack of knowledge by making them share in his knowledge" (Colin Brown, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 2, [Zondervan: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967], 406).

He goes on: "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep" (v. 13b). The key word in verses 13-14 is "fallen asleep." While asleep can refer to normal sleep, in the New Testament it is most often used to refer to believers who have died. This verb is used in the figurative sense, "emphasizing as it does the close relationship which exists for the observer between a person asleep and one dead" (Ibid, 442). In this sense, "asleep" refers only to the body. When a believer dies the body returns to where it came—"For dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (Gen. 3:19b). The spirit, on the other hand, returns to God—"And the spirit will return to God who gave it" (Eccles. 12:7b). This is important, because those who die in Christ are not in any state of unconsciousness. Rather, their spirit is conscious and with Christ in heaven, as Jesus told the thief on the cross who believed, "Today you will be with Me in Paradise (or heaven)" (Luke 23:43).

Note the entire statement here: "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13). There is the statement of purpose—"lest you sorrow as others who have no hope" (v. 13b). The spiritual truth that Paul is about to explain gives us hope that does not disappoint. In fact, the truth that Paul is about to relate in verse 14 is intended to soften our sorrow by giving us hope. It is intended to stop us from grieving and give us joy.

When a loved one dies we experience a normal sorrow caused by the pain of separation and loneliness. But that is not the kind of grief that Paul is dealing with in this passage. He does not say that we are not to miss the fellowship we once had with a believer who has died. He says we are not to grieve "as others who have no hope" (v. 13b). In Ephesians 2:12, Paul described unbelievers as "having no hope and without God in the world." For the unbeliever, there is an awful, terrifying, hopeless finality when a loved one dies. They have no hope of reunion and so their sorrow has no relief. Not so for believers. Count it all joy to know that one day you will again fellowship with your departed brethren. As believers in Christ, we never say a final farewell to one another. We part only temporarily. We know there will be "a gathering together (of believers) to Him" (2 Thess. 2:1). That day is what Paul is talking about.

Paul continues by pointing out to us what we already believe. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus" (1 Thess. 4:14). Note the two pillars of faith in this verse: (1) "Jesus died" (v. 14a), and (2) "(Jesus) rose again" (v. 14a). Everything is based on the basic gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross conquering our sin. Jesus rose again conquering death. As a result, Christ became the source of resurrection life for every believer.

"Even so" (v. 14b) links the resurrection of believers to the resurrection of Christ. Second Corinthians 4:14 says, "He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus." Not only will God raise up these believers who have died, but He will "bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus" (1 Thess. 4:14b). They will not miss anything. They will be raised up in that day and return with Jesus. At the Rapture, God will bring all believers, living and dead, back to heaven with Christ.

And so our sorrow is softened by hope. We know that all believers, those who have died in Christ and those who remain alive in Christ until His coming, will be gathered up in that day to spend eternity with our gracious Lord. Amen.

Work with Your Own Hands

First Thessalonians 4:11c-12 says, "and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." The NASB says, "so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need." It seems that at least some of the Thessalonian believers refused to work and as a result were becoming a burden on the church. This attitude came from perhaps two different sources and needed to be corrected.

The Greeks believed it was below the dignity of free men to do manual labor. Any work done with the hands was degrading to them. That is why they made their slaves do all of it. However, most of the Christians in the early church came from the working classes. That is why the church dignified manual labor as an honorable endeavor. Yet it seems that many of the working class and slaves who had become Christians had taken the attitude that, since they had become free in Christ, they were no longer subject to their masters and quit their jobs. Therefore, Paul commanded them "to work with your own hands" (v. 11c).

Another reason many refused to work was their belief that Christ would return very soon. Instead of supporting themselves through honest labor, some of the Thessalonians were depending on the church to support them for a time while they "waited" for the Lord's return. And so Paul again exhorted them "to work with your own hands" (v. 11c). He even warned them in Second Thessalonians 3:10, "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." This does not negate the love of the brethren. Certainly when a brother is in need and we have the means to help, we must. However, no one is to refuse to work and by choice become a burden to the church. Hold a job, use your hands, work for your living. Then, when a need still arises, the church is there to meet the need. That is how it is to work, says Paul.

Note the purpose of these exhortations: "that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing" (1 Thess. 4:12). First of all, it is evangelistic. You are to excel more and more in your love for one another; you are to lead a quiet life; you are to mind your own business; and you are to work with your own hands, so that you may "walk properly toward outsiders" (v. 12a). For Paul, the key to evangelism is the integrity we manifest to a sinful, confused world. When we display good attitudes and habits at work, and live in a loving and tranquil manner that respects the privacy of others and does not intrude or gossip, our life becomes a powerful testimony to people outside of the church, to unbelievers. Such a life makes the gospel credible.

Not only that, but when you live your life in this manner, you may be certain that you will "lack nothing" (v. 12b). As the NASB puts it, when your behavior is proper you will "not be in any need." God will provide for your needs, first through your own labor, then, when there is a need beyond your ability, through your loving brothers in Christ. But God will take care of you.

How about you? If Christ should come next Sunday, what will He find you doing? How about tomorrow, or Friday, or Saturday? You must live your life every day as Paul has directed, until Jesus comes. Amen.

Mind Your Own Business

First Thessalonians 4:11b tells us simply "to mind your own business." The admonition to mind your own business was a common one in secular Greek writings, but in the New Testament this is its only occurrence. Paul may be addressing a particular group within the church or he may be speaking to everyone in general. His message is clear: concentrate on your own lives, take care of your own jobs, and do not meddle in the affairs of others.

Paul later wrote the Thessalonians again about this concern: "For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread" (2 Thess. 3:11-12). Those who do not mind their own business are "busybodies" (v. 11b). "Busybodies" (v. 11b) means to take more pains than enough about a thing, to waste one's labor, to be meddling with, or bustling about, other people's matters. They were constantly running around meddling in everyone's problems, often at the neglect of their own.

Paul's counsel? Don't do it. Don't meddle in other people's business. If they ask you for help or advice, fine. If not, stay out! Meddling in other people's business is unwise, undisciplined behavior that only causes rifts among believers. Such meddling must be left behind. Instead, Paul tells us to work diligently and faithfully at our own jobs, to stay out of other people's business and attend instead to our own affairs, and lead a quiet, tranquil life that serves fellow believers and, at the same time, glorifies the Lord before unbelievers.

When you love one another and excel in loving each other more each day, when you truly seek to lead a quiet life in Christ, the end result will be a life in which you mind your own business. To do otherwise would lead to anything but a quiet life. Follow Christ in showing your love to one another. Amen.

Lead a Quiet Life

After encouraging us to love one another more, doing all we can for one another, Paul goes on to admonish us to lead a quiet life. He continues in First Thessalonians 4:11a, "that you also aspire to lead a quiet life," or "to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life" (NASB).

There is certainly a great urgency in the fact that Jesus will return soon—an urgency that often translates into the desire to proclaim the gospel while there is still time. A problem arises, however, when that desire turns into a noisy, frantic hounding of neighbors and friends and everyone else you might run into on the street. Sharing the gospel is one thing. Hounding people constantly and obnoxiously is quite another. That seems to be what was happening in Thessalonica. Believers who were quitting their jobs to "wait" for the Lord's immediate return were also busy harassing unbelievers to the point of being obnoxious.

Instead, Paul tells them that they must not only excel more in their love for one another, but they must "aspire to" (v. 11a), or "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life" (NASB) as well. Two verbs are used here in contradictory fashion: First, "aspire" (v. 11a), or "make it your ambition" (NASB), means to be zealous and strive eagerly, even to consider it an honor. Second, "lead a quiet life" (v. 11a) means to be silent, not speaking out inappropriately, remaining at rest and tranquil. In other words, in light of the second coming of Christ, we are encouraged to lead peaceful lives, free of conflict and hostility toward others. Such a quiet life, in itself, is a witness to the transforming power of the gospel.

Paul's goal here is the same as when he told Timothy and the church at Ephesus to pray for those in authority over them—"that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence" (1 Tim. 2:2). Do not harass and intimidate the unbelievers around you hoping that by your many words they might come to the Savior. A contentious life given to strife discredits the gospel you preach. Rather, having shared the gospel with them, let them also see the truth of the gospel through the changed life you live. Through that quiet, tranquil life of godliness and dignity they will see the truth and know that the words you share will lead them to peace with God as well.

Note how Paul adds the purpose of these commands in First Thessalonians 4:12: "that you may walk properly toward those who are outside" (that is, toward unbelievers). Live for Christ for the sake of your unbelieving friends, that they might come to Christ as a result of your life. Amen.

Love One Another More

In First Thessalonians 4:9-10 Paul wrote to encourage us as to how we should live our lives in the light of the coming of Christ. Paul said, "But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more" (vs. 9-10).

It seems that in the early years of the young churches Paul had started there was a widespread belief that Jesus would return very soon, certainly within their lifetime, a belief we continue to hold today. As a result there began to grow a belief that His coming would be so soon that they need not do anything but wait for His return. Apparently, many of them quit their jobs in order to "wait" for the expected event. Others were busy stirring up excitement with the latest "signs" of His coming. Still others simply began to meddle in other believers' business and became obnoxious. We see the same reactions today.

Paul's exhortation to love in these verses is set in contrast with the admonition he gave them concerning immorality and lust in verses 3-8. The phrase "but concerning" (v. 9a), or “now as to” (NASB), introduces a change in subject from a discussion about lust and sexual sin to a consideration of "brotherly love" (v. 9a), or  "the love of the brethren" (NASB). They must not only abstain from illicit forms of affection but they must exchange all of that for the kind of brotherly love that is characterized by only the purest motives and conduct. There was no better way to express the change regeneration had made in the Thessalonians. There is no better way for us to express this same change in our lives, because, like the Thessalonians, we too are "taught by God to love one another" (v. 9b).

"Brotherly love" (v. 9a), or "love of the brethren" (NASB), translates the Greek word philadelphia, which originally referred to affection for blood relatives. But in the New Testament, the Greek word philadelphia is always used to refer to Christian affection. True biblical love is always seen in acts of sacrificial service that benefits others.

The fact that this was taught to them by God is significant. No one else taught them to love one another, not even Paul. God Himself taught them this. The phrase "you yourselves" (v. 9b) indicates that, apart from Paul or any other teacher, all believers are taught by God to love one another (literally, "God taught," a phrase used only here in the New Testament).

Christians love each other naturally. If you know God, you will love each other because God is love. Romans 5:5 says, "The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." First John 3:14 adds, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." Again, in First John 2:9-10 John adds, "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him." And in First John 3:16-17 we read, "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. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"

Get the picture? Believers do things for one another out of a pure love of God—love that naturally comes from within where the Holy Spirit resides. True believers meet each others' needs and give sacrificially for the benefit of their brothers in Christ.

This is agape Love—the purest form of love as only Christians can express because it is the very love of God flowing through us. This love the Thessalonians already showed for one another, as we are told in verse 10a: "and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia." However, no one is ever perfect in their love for one another. There is always room to grow. Just as Paul wanted to see them strengthen their faith (1 Thess. 3:10), he also wanted them to strengthen their love for one another. That is why he urges them to "increase more and more" (v. 10b), or to "excel still more" (NASB).

In a similar manner, Peter wrote, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart" (1 Peter 1:22). Here, "love one another fervently" literally means "stretch out to the limits of love for one another." Knowing that Christ is returning soon, Paul, like Peter, urged these believers to stretch themselves to the limit in their love for each other. Leave nothing undone. Do all you can for one another—to the limit! Amen.

The Sign of the Times

As I look around me I see a time of great distress in this nation. It raises the question of what is happening? When will Jesus return? In Matthew 24:3 the disciples asked that very question: "Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'"

Note how Jesus replied in verses 4-8: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." An apt description of today's world is it not? But note that Jesus said, "the end is not yet" (v. 6b).

Jesus continued: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (vs. 9-14).

"Then the end will come" (v. 14b). Pay attention to what is happening around you. The coronavirus pandemic, the violence in the streets, the mob violence in our major cities and their assault on our nation. All these things make our upcoming election extremely critical. It is a fight for the soul of this nation. As I have often said, we are just one election away from the loss of our freedoms and the complete dismantling of the greatest nation on earth.

If the extreme left socialists win this election and gain control, look out and look up! Why? Because this nation will undergo a fundamental change. Nothing will be the same. And the first assault will likely be directed at the church. How do I know this? Because they have already taken aim, demanding that the church stop singing! The left is already trying to control the church and shut it down. If they can do that, they will have overcome a major obstacle. Chaos and anarchy will flood the streets. "Lawlessness will abound" (v. 12a).

When you see these things happening, look up and know that God is near! Amen.

Jesus Rose from the Dead to Give Us Life

Isaiah 53:10 says, "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand." Though He was down, He was not defeated. His ministry did not end with His death. Death gave way to victory. He rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us with the Father.

Even in death He was victorious. He defeated death to give us new life. "For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him" (Rom. 6:9, NIV). The Suffering Servant was the Lamb of God. He took away our sin and to "see His seed" and to "prolong His days," He rose up from the grave.

"He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities" (Isaiah 53:11). He is coming again! Verses 10-11 say so. "He shall see His seed" (v. 10) literally means to "gaze at," emphasizing being present with them. "He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied" (v. 11a) is the idea of being filled, content, even "enriched" in our presence.

The Servant bore sin to justify the many (v. 11b). He brought salvation and He will take us unto Himself when He returns. "Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong" (v. 12a). This refers to victory, dividing the spoil, and ruling. He will return to rule the nations. We will join Him in victory and rule with Him.

"Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (v. 12b). Jesus came with a purpose—to die for our sin. Crucified with criminals (Luke 22:37), He "was numbered with the transgressors." But He fulfilled His purpose. He bore our sin. He provided for our forgiveness. He gave us new life.

Now He is making "intercession for the transgressors" (v. 12b). He is praying for the very people who had transgressed against God—that is you and me! "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). What began on the cross, continues in heaven. Jesus is praying for you right now.

Take a good look. Jesus died for you and He is praying for you. By faith, receive Him and follow Him. Amen.

Jesus Suffered for Our Sin

Isaiah 53:4-6 says, "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Over and over again you see it in the New Testament—the doctrine of the atonement.

These verses clearly describe the atonement as substitutionary. They zero in especially on the suffering of Christ. Both on the way to the cross and at the cross, Christ was smitten, causing great suffering. The story as it unfolds in the gospels concerning the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross is one of the most intense passages in the Bible. Christ was our substitute in that He received the judgment for our sin that we deserved to receive.

Note how this unfolds here in these verses: "He has borne our griefs" (v. 4a); He "carried our sorrows" (v. 4b); He was "stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted" (v. 4c); "He was wounded for our transgressions" (v. 5a); "He was bruised for our iniquities" (v. 5b); He was chastised "for our peace" (v. 5c); "by His stripes" our healing was made possible (v. 5d); "the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (v. 6c).

"Like sheep" who wander away from the fold, we have all "gone astray" (v. 6a) and we have all "turned… to his own way" (v. 6b). Still, Jesus suffered greatly out of a pure love for you. He paid the price for you that you deserved to pay. And He did it so you could live in fellowship with the Father.

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth" (v. 7). He suffered and died without protest. That is pure love.

"He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken" (v. 8). He took your sin upon Himself willingly. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). "Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous" (1 Peter 3:18, NIV).

"And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth" (Isaiah 53:9). Literally fulfilled! Jesus died with the wicked, crucified between two criminals (Luke 23:32), and He was buried in a rich man's tomb (Matt. 27:57-60). Yet the truth is, it was all for you. Jesus died for you—for your salvation. Trust Him by faith. Amen.

Jesus Was Rejected by Many

The first three verses of Isaiah 53 give a brief summary of the Messiah's life during His first coming. Both His life and appearance are described, along with His ministry and the reaction men have toward Him, namely, their rejection of Him.

"Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" (v. 1). The thought is that men did not believe the message. Despite the clear prophecy of Old Testament Scripture, they did not recognize the Messiah. The Old Testament clearly describes both the life of Jesus the Messiah and the purpose for which He came. But He is revealed to only a few. Most do not understand.

"For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground" (v. 2a). Take a look at Isaiah 11:1—"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots." The term "Branch" refers to the growth that sprouts from the stump of a tree after it has been cut down or has died. We have all seen the shoots that grow from the stump of a fallen tree. The tree, which was cut down, often still has life in it. So although the house of David had been cut off, dead for centuries, just as was prophesied, the Messiah Jesus Christ came, being born a descendant of David.

"He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (v. 2b). This is a picture of how things were at the time of Jesus. It was a dark time in Israel. It was a dark time spiritually, as well as a dark time politically after centuries of foreign dominance and occupation. It was also a time of poverty. Israel was all but dead.

But then the Messiah came. Jesus was born in humble circumstances with no particular beauty or physical stature that would draw us to Him. He was born to a poor, working family and probably had an average appearance. There was nothing special about His circumstances or His appearance that would set Him apart as a leader people would follow. What was so compelling was His message.

So people failed to accept Him, but rather rejected Him. "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him" (v. 3). The Messiah Jesus Christ was rejected by the religious leaders of Israel. They accused Him falsely and cursed Him. They openly expressed their hatred of Him and they led the people astray, getting them to holler, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

He was widely rejected, leading to His crucifixion. Rejection gave way to His cruel, yet saving death on the cross. He was rejected by men in order to save you. Now each of us must either reject Him as they did, or accept Him by faith as our Lord and Savior. Which is it? You decide. Amen.

Jesus Shed His Blood for Us

In Isaiah 52:13-15 we find a summary of both the humiliation and the exaltation of the Servant, which is described in more detail in Isaiah 53:1-12. These verses cover the work of Christ in His substitutionary death, His burial, His resurrection, His saving grace, His intercession, and His kingdom.

"Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently" (v. 13a). This passage opens with the Lord calling special attention: "Behold" is used to draw our focus to something that is important. It means to look at, fix your eyes on, or observe with care and understanding. Make sure you understand what the Lord is saying and how He works.

"He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high" (v. 13b). This refers to both His first and second coming. He is exalted right now. After His resurrection and ascension, He is now at the right hand of the Father. At His second coming, He will be exalted in the sight of all the world, which He will rule.

"Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men" (v. 14). Nothing about His physical appearance when Jesus was on this earth would cause people to give Him honor. In fact, His appearance would be "marred" to such an extent that He would no longer be recognized by anyone. Literally, He would be "disfigured."

This description may refer to both His physical stature and His appearance, but it is probably simply a reference to His appearance when He was crucified. The last part of verse 14 says literally that the Lord's "form" was disfigured "more than the sons of men." In other words, He was so disfigured that people were astonished with His looks even more than they were with His teaching.

"So shall He sprinkle many nations" (v. 15a). This verse refers to salvation. It is the sprinkling or shedding of His blood that brings salvation to mankind. The reference to "sprinkling" may recall the sprinkling of blood on the doorposts and lintel of the houses on the night in Egypt when the Lord spared the firstborn of the Israelites (Exodus 12:7). It is the blood of Christ, His death on the cross in payment for our sin, that enables us to enter into fellowship with the Father.

There is one other similar biblical tradition to which this sprinkling may refer. Leviticus 14 describes the ceremonial cleansing of a person healed of infectious disease, a ceremony in which the priest sprinkles water and blood on the healed person to pronounce him or her clean.

His sprinkling many nations would then be consistent with both His first and second coming. At His first coming, His death atoned for our sin, making it possible for all who trust Him to be reconciled to the Father. At His second coming, He will rule the nations in righteousness and goodness.

"Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider" (v. 15b). When He is exalted at His second coming, leaders in the highest places will be speechless and in awe before the once-despised Servant. When He takes His throne, they will see His power and glory in a way they could never imagine. They will not resist. "Kings shall shut their mouths" and say nothing against Jesus because they will finally understand. "They shall see" things in a new light, things that "had not been told them." "They shall consider" things "they had not heard," and they will submit to His rule.

Paul applied this verse to his preaching the gospel where Christ was not yet known. In that way, people who had never heard the gospel of Jesus before, would hear and consider what Jesus had done for them. Consider Christ and His blood shed for you, and trust Him by faith for your salvation. Amen.

Obedient to the Will of God

Isaiah 50:7 says, "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed." Jesus' face, though cruelly assaulted and badly scared, will not flinch before suffering. Flint is a hard, dense rock and very hard to break. The Servant would not be swayed from His purpose.

In the gospels, Jesus was never swayed from His purpose, either by hardship, opposition, or betrayal. He remained steadfast in purpose, always obedient to the will of God. He followed God's will at all cost.

"He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up" (vs. 8-9). God will help His Servant. Jesus was faithful to God's will at all times and without sin, and God raised Him from the dead. Who can contend with Him? Who can condemn Him? No one can!

The whole purpose for this study is to help us become more like our Savior. The purpose is for us to understand Him better and know His will, and do it. That means being obedient to the Word and staying on task with the message. It means remaining obedient even in the face of suffering. It means following and being obedient to the will of God at all times, no matter what. We must always be steadfast in purpose as we seek to live for Jesus. Amen.

God's Special Plan

I was asked to deliver the baccalaureate service message to the 2020 graduating class of Nodaway Valley High School here in Greenfield, Iowa. The service was canceled due to the pandemic. The ministerial group put together a special certificate for each graduate and asked me to prepare a short message from the Word of God that could be presented with it. Here is that message, which is good for all to hear:

A Special Word for the Graduates of 2020

Dear Graduate,

Proverbs 15:30 says: "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives life to the bones." In other words, when you look at other people with cheerfulness, it brings joy and life to their own spirits. They're lifted up and encouraged.

As graduates, all of you are at a point of decision. Many of you will go on to college. Some will find work. But all of you will continue to learn and grow no matter what direction you choose in life.

Even when things get a little tough, as we all have experienced first-hand over the last several weeks and months fighting the coronavirus pandemic, gladness and joy in the heart works wonders. Perhaps Jeremiah had this in mind when he penned the words of Jeremiah 29:11-13. He knew that life would not always go so well, so he told us to look up. Trust God and rejoice in all things because God has a special plan in mind just for you. "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope'" (v. 11).

God has your back! Believe it or not, the Lord God has your best interest in mind. He has planned for your welfare. He has planned for you to succeed. He wants "to give you a future and a hope." Your future lies in Him. Do not leave God out of the picture. To do so opens you up to certain calamity. But God does not want that for you. He looks forward to your success and He looks forward to helping you make a difference in this world.

The Lord continues in verse 12: "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you." How do you find the plan God has for you and how do you gain that future? By calling upon Him. "Come and pray to Me," says the Lord. And what? "And I will listen to you." What a promise! Just ask, and He will listen and obviously, He will give you that future and hope—everything He has in store for you.

Again the Lord God continues in verse 13: "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." If you desire the plan God has for you, and I pray you do, then you will seek after God. You must! There is no other way to find God's perfect plan, that special plan He has just for you. If you want your life to make a difference in this world, then seek after God. And if you do, God says you will find Him!

But you must seek after the Lord "with all your heart" (v. 13b). The "heart" is the center of your emotions. You must want God with your whole being. With all you are, seek God. If you do, again, as God promised, you will find Him.

Keep safe and may God bless. Amen.

Obedient in Suffering

In Isaiah 50:5, though Israel be rebellious, Jesus responds in obedience to the Father, even when His destiny, according to the Word of God, is only suffering and shame: "The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away" (v. 5). As God's Servant, He does not draw back but offers His body to the slaughter. He is willing to suffer for you and me, which is clearly seen in verse 6: "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting."

That is the gospel of Christ. He suffered at the hands of cruel men and died on the cross for our sin. The pain and shame suffered by the Servant, even the disgrace suffered on the cross, must yield to a glorious vindication of the Savior. "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 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" (Phil. 2:8-11).

Jesus was sent not just to teach through His preaching and teaching, but also through His suffering and dying for our sins. He suffered in obedience. Again He said, "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting" (v. 6).

This was first prophesied about 750 years before, yet it was fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ at the cross. We know from the gospels the truth of this prophecy. The Lord Jesus was "flogged" (Matt. 27:26, NIV). He was mocked and spat upon (Matt. 27:30). The phrase in verse 6, "plucked out the beard," means to bring shame on a man. It means to shame a man so much so as to take away any vestige of manhood. Even with His manhood challenged, the Servant suffered obediently. Oh that we would be obedient to the message, even in the face of great suffering for the name of Jesus. Amen.

Obedient to the Message

Isaiah 50:5 says, "The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away." Jesus listened to the Father and did not turn away from the Word. He always remained obedient to the message. Oh, that we too would open our ear and listened to what God is telling us. Oh, that we too would not turn away but would always remain obedient to the message.

This was completely contrary to the people of Isaiah's day. Their idea of God's power and care had to do with preserving the cultural status quo and enlarging the nation politically and militarily. It had little to do with accepting God's standards of justice and righteousness. We must be obedient to the message of righteousness and stay on track.

The Messiah, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ stayed on message. Again He said, "I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away" (v. 5b). The Messiah, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, when He walked this earth two thousand years ago, stayed on message. He did not waiver from the message the Father sent Him to deliver.

Listening to the Father and not turning away is also a contrast with the people of Israel in Isaiah's day, the people to whom he prophesied. The prophets had faithfully taught them God's truth, but they did not listen. Isaiah stated plainly: "Surely from long ago your ear was not opened" (Isa. 48:8). Like Jesus, we must have our ears open, listening to the Word of God and being obedient to the message. Amen.

Obedient to the Word

Isaiah 50:4a says, "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak." The Lord God gave Jesus what He was to speak to the people. He faithfully taught the Father's message.

Jesus clarified this in John 8:21-32 as He spoke with the Jewish leaders in the temple: "Jesus said to them again, 'I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.' So the Jews said, 'Will He kill Himself, because He says, "Where I go you cannot come?"' And He said to them, 'You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' Then they said to Him, 'Who are You?' And Jesus said to them, 'Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.' They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.' As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"

The key thought is found in verses 26 and 28. Jesus said, "He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him" (v. 26b). "I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things" (v. 28b).

Jesus spoke what the Father gave Him. He faithfully preached the truth. "A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned" (Isa. 50:4b). But it was not always what the people wanted to hear. In John 6, Jesus told those who followed Him, that if they trusted in Him, they must willingly sacrifice as He did. They must show the same commitment as He did. Many responded, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" (v. 60). In other words, "who can accept it?" Jesus said plainly, "There are some of you who do not believe" (v. 64a). Then we read: "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him" (v. 64b). So again He speaks plainly, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father" (v. 65). "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more" (v. 66).

The Word He spoke eventually led to His death. Knowing this, He still taught the truth faithfully, no matter the cost. Still He urged His disciples to trust in Him for their eternal life: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matt. 10:37-39). Take up your cross every day and teach the Word of Truth faithfully, just as Jesus did. Amen.

The Day of Salvation

"Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages'" (Isaiah 49:8). Quoting verse 8a, Paul declared: "For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). And in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter said: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Salvation is in Jesus—no other!

Here again we are told that the Savior would be sent to all people, not just Israel. "I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth" (Isaiah 49:8b). This passage refers both to "the people, to restore the earth" (v. 8b) and to the people of Israel "to inherit the desolate heritages" (v. 8c). So the Covenant of Salvation is inclusive. It is for His people Israel, who will be restored to their inheritance when Jesus comes again, and it is for the rest of us, who received the offer of salvation through faith at His first coming.

In Hebrew, the word for "salvation" (v. 8a) is yeshuah, which means "Jehovah saves," or "the Lord saves." It is also the proper name "Joshua" or "Jesus." That is why, while Joseph "thought about" what to do with Mary when she was found to be with child, "an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins'" (Matt. 1:20-21). So Jesus is the Savior who gives salvation.

What Isaiah says throughout the early chapters, Isaiah 49:9 repeats: the Messiah frees the prisoners and those who are in darkness. "You may say to the prisoners 'Go forth,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves'" (v. 9a). Both pictures, the prisoner set free and those in darkness being revealed, are metaphors indicating that spiritual truth is made known which sets us free from the bondage of spiritual darkness and sin.

"They shall feed along the roads, and their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; for He who has mercy on them will lead them, even by the springs of water He will guide them" (vs. 9b-10). The day will come when Jesus will return and set up His kingdom on earth. Then Israel will be rescued from captivity and oppression. They will be content and enjoy prosperity instead. They will be like a well-fed flock of sheep, protected and watered.

"I will make each of My mountains a road, and My highways shall be elevated. Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim" (vs. 11-12). "Sinim" (v. 12b) is the ancient name for China and can be understood as referring to the Far East. The Covenant of Salvation is a covenant for all people. Those who are saved come from the north, the west, and even from the Far East! Israel returns from every direction; believers come from every direction. Salvation is for all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

Here, Isaiah mixes the promises of the Messiah to the people of Israel and to the Gentiles. Mixing the promises like this is a literary device used to emphasize that the Savior is not just for Israel, but for everyone—a covenant for all people.

Picture Isaiah in the temple court singing or chanting these words. For those listening there was probably a lot of shaking of heads. What was he saying? It can't be! The Messiah was for them alone. He would come to rescue them only. They never bought into the idea of a Messiah who would offer salvation to everyone. Yet that is what Jesus did. And the end result is a grand scene of rejoicing.

"Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted" (v. 13). The remnant of Israel will turn to Jesus and rejoice greatly. People from all nations will turn to Jesus and rejoice. The Covenant of Salvation is truly a covenant of rejoicing.

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). "Nor is there salvation in any other" (Acts 4:12). Salvation is in Jesus alone—no other. Trust Him! Amen.

A Light in the Darkness

This Sunday is Mother's Day and we will be reopening our church here in Stanzel. Beginning Sunday, we will again have Sunday School at 9:30 am, Morning Worship at 10:30 am, and Evening Service at 7:00 pm. Praise God! Pray to see you all there. Now to today's Bible Insight:

Isaiah 49:1-7, presents Jesus as the Giver of Light. He begins, "Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name" (v. 1). The Servant here speaks to the nations, the people that did not know the God of Israel. They were "from afar" (v. 1a), or literally, "far off," and the only way for them to be brought near was for God's Servant to bring them.

Paul reminds us that we were "once Gentiles in the flesh" and that "at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:11-13). And Jesus said: "The LORD has called Me from the womb" (Isa. 49:1b). The Servant, fully Man and fully God, was called even before He was born on earth, to come and bring light in the darkness.

"And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword" (v. 2a). The Servant will be a very effective speaker and will conquer the enemy with His teaching. Hence, the term "sharp sword" (v. 2a), which is a weapon of war. Ephesians 6:17 refers to "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Hebrews 4:12 says, "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword… and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, speaks the truth and His Word is powerful.

"In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me" (Isa. 49:2b). Twice He says, "He has hidden Me" (v. 2b). It has to do with God's timing. Before His birth on earth, He was hidden with God the Father. Christ was in heaven ready to be sent at the right moment, to bring light to a dark world.

Verse 3 is the only place where Isaiah refers to the Messiah, the Servant, by the name Israel: "And He said to me, 'You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'" The emphasis is on both His human and divine origin. He is fully Man and fully God at once. He is the One who was chosen among Israel.

People everywhere will see His glory. They will see the glory of the Father shining through the Messiah, the Servant. And the entire ministry of the Servant, of Jesus Christ, was aimed at glorifying the Father.

"I have labored in vain," Jesus said. "I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain" (v. 4a). When Jesus came a little over 2000 years ago, the people of Israel rejected Him. "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). At the time of His death it would appear that He had labored in vain. His own people, those He came to save, rejected Him and His message.

But His work was not in vain. All of His suffering paid big dividends. He truly was a light in the darkness. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).

When Christ comes again, the purpose for which He came the first time will see its complete fulfillment: "And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him" (Isa. 49:5a). He came with the purpose of bringing Jacob, or Israel, back to God. But they rejected their own Messiah. So by the plan of God, salvation was extended to us. Still, Israel will see a great revival, a great turning back to God through faith in Jesus in the end times. So all is not in vain: "(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength)" (v. 5b).

"Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth'" (v. 6). The purpose that is being fulfilled, the purpose for which Jesus came and for which He is coming again, is two-fold: He came to call Israel back to God and He came to call the Gentiles, those who were "far off," to salvation in Christ.

The mandate given to Abraham was fulfilled through Jesus Christ: "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Jesus accomplished what Israel had failed to do. He suffered and died and rose again to be a blessing to "all the families of the earth" (Gen. 12:3). He is truly "a light to the Gentiles" bringing "salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isa. 49:6b).

"Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors, to the Servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel; and He has chosen You'" (v. 7). This verse begins by pointing out that the One the Lord God is speaking to is "the Servant," the Messiah, Jesus Christ and that He was despised by "man," or Gentiles, and abhorred by "the nation," or Jews (v. 7a). He was disliked by nearly everyone and He suffered greatly, being humiliated by them, dying the cruel death on the cross for our forgiveness. Isaiah repeats this theme over and over again (cf. Isa. 50:6-9; 52:14-15; and 53:3).

Yet when He comes again we are told that kings and princes will recognize Him as the Messiah and worship Him. "Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship" (Isa. 49:7b). Again, Isaiah said: "Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider" (Isa. 52:15). And it is all because "the LORD," God's "chosen" one, "is faithful" (Isa. 49:7c). Amen.