The Bold Witness

We now know that the person the prophet Isaiah is speaking of in chapter 53:1-3 in Christ Jesus. He knew he was speaking of the Messiah God had promised would eventually come to free the world from the ruler of this domain, Satan. And Isaiah also knew that mankind would still rather follow their lusts, and would not care for this man of God. He knew man would turn his back on the Christ, and even despise him for the things he says and represents. This is one of the passages of the Bible that shows clearly how little man has changed over the millenniums. We still prefer the attractions of this world, and tend to find what Christ offers unattractive. The world tells us we should have it our way, and Christ tells us we should have it God's way. The world tells us to plan for tomorrow; Christ tells us not to worry about tomorrow, and trust God. The world tells us to put ourself, our needs, or desires first; Christ says that we should put ourself last, to be the servant of all ot...

In Jeremiah 29:4-14 God sends a message to the Israelites in Babylon, and to us. It is a message of hope (confident expectation) based on our patience and trust in God. It tells us that the place we are in is where God wants us to be. It is part of his great plan and design, and he has made us a part of it. Think of this. You are in a job you don't really like. It is not what you dream of, but it provides for all your needs. And at the time you got the job you really thought it was God's doing. Or perhaps you are in a relationship that is not all you dreamed or wished for. It has difficulties and hardships, but it does provide something you need. Maybe you have a friend, neighbor, co-worker or brother at church you have to deal with, but he is not all you would like to have in an associate. You see problems, difficulties, and do not see the things you long for. So the situation looks bad. But is that because you are only looking at the situation from your perspectiv...

The book of Joshua begins with the people of Israel finally leaving the wilderness and entering into the land which the Lord had promised to their fathers. For forty years they had gone around in circles learning to trust the Lord for everything they need. Now it was time to go forth and practice what they had learned and prosper from it. Yesterday, after having attended a Bible study the night before where the pastor taught on this subject, the Holy Spirit told me that it was time for me to stop going in circles at the job I had, and leave for the better land he has in store for me. I always knew I was in the position I was in to learn certain things, like patience and tolerance and the meaning of being long suffering. Now the Lord was indicating it was time to leave the wilderness of the job I was in, and move out in faith into the new land of life he has planned for me. It is a little scary not knowing where I am going, but it is also exciting. And there is also a certain hard...

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6:4 (NIV) The resurrection of Jesus accomplished three things for us. First, it was God's sign that he accepted Jesus' atoning sacrifice for our sins; his sin offering to God that our sins might be counted as paid and forgotten. In this way we went from being enemies of God to friends of God. We went from being the foul things righteous God could not even look upon, let alone allow into his presence, to being able to stand in his presence in joy and peace. By the blood of Jesus on the cross we were transformed from accursed strangers separated from God by our own wickedness, to being precious adopted children of God. (Romans 5:1-2) The second great thing Jesus' resurrection does for us is free us from the power of death. Even though our Earthy body of flesh will perish, death...

"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." John 16:20 Jesus was talking to his disciples about the three days between his death and resurrection, but he was/is also talking to us. Jesus knew that his crucifixion and the reaction of those who hated him and his message would cause his apostles great pain, while the priests and Pharisees rejoiced that the trouble maker was finally gone. He also knew that there would be days for us when being one of his followers would cause us pain and hardship, and the world would mock us and rejoice in our distress. But as the day of Jesus' resurrection brought great joy to his apostles and close disciples, so his presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit provides us with joy and peace the world does not understand. And, as Paul says in Romans 8:18, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be ...

Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as payment for man's sins. It was God's way of displaying his righteousness by being both just and the justifier. (Romans 3:26) Man had proven through The Law that he is incapable is justifying himself and achieving righteousness. And the sins of man demanded the penalty of death. So, God out of his gracious love for man, and his own righteousness, decided to offer one pure sacrifice to atone for all of man's sins once and for all. The choice he made was his own, only begotten son. Through his death on the cross, the lowliest and most degrading way you can die, Jesus became the atoning sin offering for all who will accept him through that faith which itself is a gift of the the grace of God. Through him we are justified in the eyes of God, and have access to his love, power, and life forever. We receive as a free gift that which we could never attain through our own effort. On this day, let us remember...

"Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 As we approach Good Friday it does us good to think of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. For it, along with baptism, symbolizes the Christian faith and the community of the Church. In both we share in the death and resurrection of Christ. Both serve as symbols of what God has done for us through Christ, as well as publicly displaying that we are part of the new people of God in Christ. It is, I feel, unfortunate that churches have become so large and modern and commercial that we no longer actually use a common loaf of bread. The whole purpose of sharing the one loaf and one cup was originally to symbolize that we are all part of one body by sharing the body and blood of the one...

In Philippians 2:20-22 the apostle Paul gives us a truly extraordinary description and commendation of his best friend, son in the faith, and fellow servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, Timothy. He starts with the amazing statement, "For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state." (Philippians 2:20 KJV) Of all the people Paul encountered and worked with, he singles out young Timothy (whom some scholars think Paul met shortly after Timothy's sixteenth birthday) as the only man he knows who has the same attitude toward Jesus as himself. And he says of Timothy that his caring for others is "natural" for him. That is to say that it is Timothy's natural character to think about others before himself. Paul makes this point clear in vs. 21-22 where he states that all others "seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's", but Timothy has shown the proof that he served the gospel "as a son of the father." W...

In the letter to the Hebrews the author implores us "not to give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25 NIV) The Greek word Paul most often uses to identify a community of believers is ekklesia (church). He also often uses the phrase ekklesia kyriou (church of God). The word ekklesia also emphasizes the gathered community, and can refer to a local gathering or refer universally to all who gather together in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul often refers to the gathered assembly of believers in Jesus as the body of Christ . It is not know nor agreed upon by scholars as to how Paul came up with the idea of the church being the body of Christ, but all agree on its importance. For it is the gathered believers who can best carry out the instructions of Jesus. Feeding the hungry; visiting those in prison; caring for the sick; clothing the naked; comforting those...

When Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the last week of his Earthly life, it is clear from what we are told in Luke 19:37-38 that the common people believed he was the conquering King Zechariah had spoken of in Zechariah 9:9-10. For them, this was the beginning of the end of their submission to Roman rule, and the beginning of the new age when the King of Israel would rule the whole world with Jerusalem as his capital. Finally, they would no longer no strife, poverty, and violence against them, but would live always in peace and prosperity. For some preachers today the meaning and purpose of Christ is to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to the lives of those who accept him. They preach that knowing Jesus means finding out how special you are, and having the best life right now in this current age. That is probably about what the common folks of ancient Israel were thinking about Jesus as he entered Jerusalem for the last time. And it is entirely the incorrect way t...

In both his letter to the Romans and the Galatians Paul declares that Christians have been freed from the Mosaic Law by the death and resurrection of Christ. This means we are no longer bond by the food restrictions, Sabbath rules, and the observance of special feast days. Paul explains that if you continuing to observe requirements of the law, such as circumcision, "Christ shall profit you nothing." (Galatians 5:2 KJV) Paul's doctrine teaches that observance of The Law robs Christians of their freedom in Christ and life in the Spirit. In Romans 8:14 Paul tells us that, "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (KJV) And since we are led by the Spirit of God, it is that Spirit which governs our lives, not The Law. This freedom from The Law, however, does not mean there are not some things we ought to do, and some things we ought not to do. For Paul exhorts Christians throughout his letters to the churches to live a life whi...

The sad tale of the governor of New York presents a powerful example of the truths of the Bible. Both King David, a man after God's heart, and his son, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, gave great teachings and testimonies concerning pride. And the lessons they taught are universal and timeless. For the heart of man has not changed since the days of Adam. Likewise, the ruler of this world and his deceptive wiles have never changed. He is always hard at work to use man's nature to turn him from the saving grace of God toward eternal destruction. In Psalm 10 David tells us, The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. And Solomon gives his most well known piece of advice in Proverbs 16:18, Pride g...

Proverbs 22:6 advises us, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it." This is universally good advise for all peoples in all ages. Unfortunately the news today indicates that it is being ignored. As we begin the day we are receiving two pieces of disturbing news about children. There is the news that at least 1 in 4 teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease. The Bexar County Medical Examiner says it is probably worse here in San Antonio. He tells us that children have their first sexual experience by the time they are fourteen years old. And many girls are getting mouth infections from having oral sex with multiple boys. All of these health problems will most like cause life long difficulties, including infertility. In addition to this sad condition comes the news that the Energy Drink, Red Bull, causes tooth decay. It is estimated that many teens are drinking three Red Bulls a day, and run the risk of suffering fro...

Repeatedly throughout the New Testament Jesus is portrayed as the friend and de-ender of the common man. The only people he ever offers any judgmental criticism of are the religious leaders; the priests, Pharisees, and scribes. Jesus defended and forgave a woman caught in the very act of adultery (commonly understood to be a prostitute). (See John 8:3-11) The Pharisees would have stoned her to death. But Jesus caused them to feel the shame of their own private sins when he said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Once they had all left, feeling the sting of their own consciences, Jesus said to the woman, “I do not condemn you. Go, and sin no more.” Jesus did not want to punish the woman for the things she had been doing. Because Jesus really loved that woman, he wanted her to change so that she would have a better life. Jesus tells us, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10b) This means Je...