Stay Awake: Embracing Advent’s Call to Vigilance and Hope

For the audio version of this lesson, click on the link below:

Stay Awake Podcast

Well, one thing that you will discover, if you spend very much time in a liturgical church, or a church following the liturgical traditions, is that we observe a different calendar than the rest of the year. For Christians, for the Church, today is New Year's Day. It's the first day of a new year. We have rewound the clock, if you will. Last Sunday, we completed the Sundays in ordinary time with the great crescendo of Christ the King, celebrating Jesus' rule over heaven and earth, over all the principalities and powers.  And that was the culmination of all the lessons on discipleship during what we call “ordinary time,” which has gone through all of the summer until last Sunday.

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. And Advent just simply means Christ's coming, that He is coming.  And so, there is this time of expectation, and there is a time of penitence, which is just one of those churchy words for repentance, for self-examination.  And that's why the colors and the liturgy might remind you of Lent, because we have these two penitential seasons in the year, the first one being Advent, as we're waiting for Christ's incarnation, and the second one being Lent, as we await Christ's resurrection.

So, there are two appearances, if you will, of Jesus that are celebrated and magnified in the Church year.  The incarnation at Christmas and the resurrection at Easter.

These are two fundamental points in the life of a disciple and in the celebration of who Jesus is.  Because of the importance of these two events, the Church calls herself to self-examination and repentance.

And so, in this season of Advent, we are preparing ourselves for the incarnation, for Jesus, God becoming man, God incarnate in his son, Jesus Christ, at Christmas.

And so, as we prepare for this great revelation, this incarnation, this appearance of Jesus as the one and only begotten Son of God the Father.  The Church says, "Wow, we should prepare ourselves for that moment.  We should prepare ourselves for that meeting, for that encounter of Jesus at Christmas.  That's what this season is about.

That's why it's penitential.  It's self-reflective.  A time to take stock of how we're doing in our relationship with Christ; how we're doing in our relationship with God.  And we’ll see that theme reminded to us, presented again at Lent, as we then prepare for his resurrection.

So, in these lessons that we heard this morning, there is this current, this theme of judgment following Jesus' return.

It's an ominous set of lessons, isn't it?  The kind of lessons that, maybe if you were sitting at home and pulling out your Bible off of your coffee table thinking about what you might read, this might not be the one that you would choose to read. This is kind of frightening, isn't it? And a lot of attention has been given, particularly among Christian pastors, to try and figure out in detail the symbolism of these lessons, particularly of Mark's gospel and the similar gospel in Matthew and Paul's reflection on it in 1 Thessalonians, as we heard a few weeks ago.

This desire to figure out, you know, who is 666?  Who is the Antichrist?  When will these things happen?

And in his understanding and knowledge of us, because he created us, Jesus right from the front says [paraphrasing], "Stop it. Don't try and figure it out. No one knows. I don't know. The angels don't know. Only the father knows. So don't focus on those details."

And you might think, "Well, they're kind of scary details. I'd like to focus on them." And I think that's why so many people perseverate over it and launch into these predictions that lead to embarrassment because they're always wrong.

So, let's bypass that mistake.

Let's not make that same mistake and look at what Jesus calls His disciples to focus on.  Because He makes it really clear: Yeah, there will be signs like the fig tree.  You'll understand that the end is coming, that things are getting bad.

And you know that the Church, Christians, have looked at those events for centuries and thought, "Ah, this is the time. This is it.” And time just keeps cranking along.

So, there must be something else in this that we are to understand, that we are to grasp.  And Jesus presents it. And if we don't get stuck on trying to figure out dates and times and the specifics of the name of the Antichrist and watching the news thinking, "Oh, that might be him."

I remember once, when Ronald Reagan was president, somebody went, "Ronald Wilson Reagan, yeah, six letters in each of his names. Maybe that's the guy, you know."  

I mean, people have done that.  I'm not picking on Reagan, but people have done that for years, trying to figure out who he [Antichrist] is.  And He [Jesus] says, you won't know. You won't know the time. In fact, there are many antichrists, but that's another lesson.

So, when we look at Mark 13, beginning with verse 32, he says, "No one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father."

So, Jesus dismisses that pursuit in the mind of the disciples, as we said, and then He goes on to tell him what they ought to do.  He says (I'm reading from the ESV)… he says, "Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come."

Okay, we don't know for sure when the time will come. So, what are we to do?

He says, “be on guard, stay awake.”

Mark uses three different [Greek] words for “stay awake” in this gospel lesson. There's a tremendous emphasis on the Christian, on the disciple, being alert and awake, and on guard during this period.

Now since we don't know the time or the hour, when should we stay awake?

When should we take heed?

When should we be on guard?

Always!

The idea, this is an attitude that the disciple is supposed to have all the time.

In Mark's Gospel, chapter 13 marks the end of Jesus' ministry of teaching and healing. And after this lesson, He then, in Mark's Gospel, moves towards the Passion Week. He moves into the Passion Week, and a full one-third of Mark's Gospel is spent on the Passion.

So, this is a transition point in Mark's Gospel where Mark is remembering this teaching of Jesus.  It's the longest teaching in Mark's Gospel – the longest single theme teaching in Mark's Gospel, this is it.

So, it's very important, as it marks this transition, as it ends the teaching in Mark, ends Jesus's teaching in Mark.  So, Jesus begins his teaching in Mark with what? (I know we didn't read it.)  Do you have an idea? 

“Follow me.”

He chooses the disciples, and he begins his teaching in Mark with “follow.”

Now they have followed, and they're preparing to go to the… to go through Passion Week.  And so, then Jesus says, “Watch.  Be on guard.  Take heed.  Follow and watch.”

You know we have this great example in Ezekiel where God describes Ezekiel as a watchman.  In Ezekiel 2, I'm sorry, Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 17, God speaking to the prophet Ezekiel says, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel.  Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me."

This is the same theme that Jesus picks up as He's telling His disciples to be on guard, to be alert, to be vigilant, to watch.

You see, it's not passive.  It's not passive watching, because what does he tell, what does God tell Ezekiel?  He says, "Son of man.”  (He's talking about Ezekiel.  It's another way of saying, human being.)  “I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel.”

Well, in Ezekiel's time, the House of Israel was God's house, God's people.

In our time, God's house is the Church, it’s still God's people, and He's made us watchmen, and what does that mean?

He says, "Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me."  I believe that's the same thing that Jesus has instructed the disciples as He says, "Be on guard.  Watch.”

Not passively.  Not sitting in fear in their closets, waiting for the end to come.

And it's obvious, because they don't do that.

We go through and read the Acts of the Apostles. We see that they are active in preaching the gospel.  They are hearing the Word of God and they're presenting it to a lost and frightened people.

My friends, when we hear disturbing things on the news, when we see people broken and hurting and in need, being watchful implies listening for a word from the Lord and sharing it to a lost and broken people.

When Jesus tells the disciples to take heed of the signs, it's not to be in fear.  It's not to run and hide.  It's not to try and predict things out of the calendar, but it's to receive a word from the Lord and share that with those who have no hope.  Because we have hope.  If you have been baptized and received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have hope and you need not fear the signs of disaster and the end of time.  But instead, to share the good news of Christ's salvation, so that anyone listening to you who receives that word need not fear either.

Let us conclude by looking at that passage that we heard in First Corinthians.  First Corinthians, beginning with verse four.  First Corinthians, verse four, Paul is writing to the Corinthian church, who live and worship and in an environment much like our own. And Paul writes to them, he says, "I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.”  Their faith in Christ has imparted grace to them. “That in every way you were enriched in Him and all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, so that…” listen this “…so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift.”

Your presence, your identity, your adoption in Jesus Christ, means he has imparted grace to you for a season and a time such as this, that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift.

What is this purpose of the spiritual gift?  It is to serve Christ and to share the good news about His salvation.  As you wait for the revealing, or the advent, the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, as we're waiting, as we're in this Advent season, preparing for the coming of Christ, we have every spiritual gift given to us for whatever he calls us to do. “Who will,” verse 8, "…sustain you to the end"?  

You don't even have to worry about sustaining yourself. You don't even have to worry about coming up with the stuff to endure to the end. Whatever that end it may be.  He will sustain you, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the exclamation point on this whole lesson.  He will sustain you guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we see the Day of the Lord presented in the Old Testament, it's a frightening day of judgment.  It looks like destruction.  It looks like condemnation.  And Paul is telling the church in Corinth, he says, "Jesus Christ will sustain you guiltless on that day, because He has imparted His grace to you through His Holy Spirit.”  

Friends, that means we have nothing to fear.  No matter how bad the days get, no matter how horrible the news is, no matter how bad the days become, Christ has promised us, through the washing of his blood and our redemption, [correction] washing in his blood and our redemption, that he will not charge us as guilty on the Day of the Lord. On that last day, when he comes in judgment, He will see us guiltless.  And that's not a message just to hold tightly onto.  That is a message to share.  When our family and friends, strangers, start talking about the news and how bad it is, how frightening it is…  Yes, but if Jesus is your Lord and Savior, He will sustain you and you will be guiltless on that final day. That is good news. And that is what Advent is preparing us for.

Let us pray…

[This is a transcript of a recorded sermon, preached by Fr. Van McCalister on Advent, November 30, 2014]

Study to show yourself approved - 2 Timothy 2.15

I woke up in the early morning thinking of this verse and wondering what the significance of "approved" meant?

Since I memorized the King James version of this verse when I was a kid, this is what came to mind...

2 Timothy 2:15  King James Version (KJV)

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Later, after I woke up again, I did some research.  Regarding the Greek background of 2 Timothy 2:15, I read this quote from "Interlinear Greek New Testament Bible" by Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener -

From "(1380) dokimos 2:255,183 dok'-ee-mos Adjective from (1380) ; properly, acceptable (current after assayal) , i.e. approved:--approved, tried. accepted, particularly of coins and money. accepted, pleasing, acceptable In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. They were men of honour who put only genuine full weighted money into circulation. Such men were called "dokimos" or "approved". Donald Barnhouse"

[Note: you can find this book or similar Greek Interlinears on Amazon for little expense or free: http://a.co/8KVC5SO.]

So, how does this relate to studying Scripture? 

Paul is writing to Timothy whom he has placed as the pastor at Ephesus. Timothy is young and establishing himself where there were doubtless older more experienced people.  It would seem in light of the meaning of dokimos that Paul is saying that Timothy needs to know his scripture (the Old Testament) so that no one will find a way to question his authority or his knowledge based on sloppy Bible teaching.  In other words, Timothy will be "approved" to teach and pastor the church at Ephesus based on how well he knows and communicates the Word of God.

The ESV with footnote brings this out more clearly than the KJV...

2 Timothy 2:15 English Standard Version (ESV)

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, [a] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

 Footnotes:

[a] 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested

What does this signify to us now?   Why should a Christian be "approved" today?  Sure Timothy was a pastor and needed to be able to preach and teach, and we can easily see how that still applies.  But what about those who are not called to preach or teach in a church?  In Acts 17:11 we read that the Bereans diligently studied the scriptures to see if what they were taught accorded with Scripture.  Peter exhorted his readers in 1 Peter 3:15 to "be prepared to give an answer to everyone who askes for a reason for the hope that is in you."  All followers of Christ should strive to be effective communicators of the good news about Jesus Christ.  Following Paul's advice to Timothy, we do not have to go to a Bible college or seminary to "be approved" but studying and knowing Scripture will certify through our conversations that we do know what God's Word says.  Let us show the full value of the Good News, untrimmed and undiluted.  Combine that knowledge with grace and acts of mercy, and people will see the love of Christ in us.

Children of Light

Jesus - Bread from Heaven, Part Two

Jesus - Bread from Heaven, Part One

The Parable of Lazarus and the Compassion of Jesus

An mp3 file of a teaching on the Compassion of Jesus as shown through the Parable of Lazarus is linked here (small file size), and a larger downloadable file size is here. (These files may also be played directly from host site without being downloaded.)

Luke 16:19-31English Standard Version (ESV)

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰ And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹ who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.^[a] The rich man also died and was buried, ²³ and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ ²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Footnotes:

1. Luke 16:22 Greek bosom; also verse 23

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Blessed are the meek, or the weak?

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” - Jesus, Matthew 5:5

“But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.” - Psalm 37:11

What does “meek” actually mean? It rhymes with weak and seems to fit in the sentence all right, if “weak” were substituted for “meek”. But the meaning is very different. Meekness has no companionship with weakness, whatsoever.

Russian Orthodox author, Jim Forest, in his book titled The Ladder of the Beatitudes, provides the pre-Christian or Classical Greek meaning of “meek,” which sheds some light on the New Testament understanding, “The Greek word translated as “meek,” praus, was used to describe a wild animal who had been tamed and made gentle: a horse that would accept a rider, a dog that would tend sheep.” Clearly, a horse can overpower its rider and the dog could terrorize the sheep. In fact, the dog’s natural desire might be to attack and kill the sheep. Neither the trained horse nor the dog respond the way they do, because of weakness. A professor of Greek once defined “meekness” as “power under control.”

Jim Forest continues by describing the context of “meekness” for Jews, “meekness is the essential quality of the human being in relationship to God. The equivalent Hebrew word, anaw, is often used in the psalms to describe the stance of a man or woman aligned with God.”

Jesus uses the term “meek” to describe himself in Matthew chapter 11, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle (praus) and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” No one who knows even a brief account of the life of Jesus would make the mistake of thinking that Jesus was weak. What Jesus represents to us through his humility, is one who is subject to the will of the Father. In the Gospel of John (6:38), Jesus specifically said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but the will of him who sent me.”

Jesus’ strength is in his relationship with the Father and with understanding God’s will and purposefully submitting to that Will. Paul told the Philippians (2:1-8) that they should, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only unto your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Likewise, we are told that our “attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus . . . [who] humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” Our Shepherd was so meek –so strong in his obedience, that he was not even distracted by death.

Meekness is not a desirable quality from an earthly perspective but “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:4-7

Bind and Loose - Freedom for the Captives

One of the passages that Christians frequently wrestle with, and sometimes argue over, is the statement by Jesus in Matthew 18.18, "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." [See also, Matthew 16.19, John 20.23 and 2 Corinthians 2.10] These verses grab our attention, since the implications are serious.

Because of this, Psalm 146.7, as it is presented in the Psalter from Common Worship, caught my eye recently: "The Lord looses those that are bound; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind." The English Standard Version (ESV) translates that same phrase as, "The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind."

The idea of freeing prisoners recalls the revolutionary announcement that Jesus made as he stood in the synagogue in Nazareth and proclaimed to an astonished crowd that he was the Messiah by quoting Isaiah 61:1, 2, which Luke records as, "He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." [Luke 418b, 19] Next, he firmly declared that "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." [Luke 4.21b] After saying this, Jesus sat down with no more commentary. Presumably to make the silence punctuate what he said and to let it settle into every one's disbelieving ears. As the Messiah, as the Son of God, he had the authority to make such a declaration and there was no reason for debate. It didn't matter whether or not anyone agreed with him. It was a fact; not a dialogue. I am reasonably certain that for the next several minutes the synagogue was filled with shocked and clarifying whispers, "Did he just say, . . .?"

The older I get, the more I realize how prone Bible readers are to getting stuck in a loop with a mysterious verse, while forgetting or missing the plain truth that surrounds it. Matthew 18.18 is one of those passages. You don't need to spend very much time in a Bible study, or at church, before someone asks about this passage, wondering how this might relate to the sacrament of reconciliation, and to the priest and absolution. Who really has authority to grant or declare absolution? Is that even what Jesus meant when he told the disciples whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven?

Certainly, it is very important for us to wrestle with the Church's teaching on reconciliation and absolution. But while we are asking those questions, or maybe before we ask those questions, we would do well to look at the context of Matthew 18.18 and compare that with Luke 4.17-21 and discover what Jesus was saying first to those people, before the Church looked back at those moments and carried them forward into the continuing ministry of the Church.

This is valuable because Jesus not only made an astonishing announcement in the Synagogue of Nazareth, he also provided a personal mission statement: He came to proclaim good news, which is liberty to the captives and the oppressed! His purpose was to liberate the imprisoned. Likewise, in Matthew 18.18, when Jesus declared to the disciples that they will have authority to bind and loose, it is in the context of people coming together to clear up a fault. The goal is to bring freedom to relationships that have been bound by offense, sin and misunderstanding. The Lord's teaching on reconciliation in Matthew 18.15-20 follows directly after he told the the parable of the one lost sheep that the Good Shepherd went in search of to bring home, to be restored to himself and the other 99 sheep.

The proximity between the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Lord's instruction on how to be reconciled with someone who might have sinned against us are surely no accident. They both communicate the Lord's desire to free us from captivity. To liberate us from what binds us. To open the eyes of the blind. The lost lamb, while seemingly free to move where she pleases, is unwittingly heading toward her own destruction, a place where wolves devour and consume.

Jesus revealed that captivity, blindness and wandering aimlessly will lead to destruction, unless the lost is found, the blind given sight and the captive liberated. The authority given to the disciples to bind and loose, is to continue the mission of Christ to free captives. Even binding the offender where he is unwilling to repent continues to punctuate the need for repentance and magnifies the fact that we are captive to sin. The lost, blind and unrepentant on earth are more significantly lost to heaven, because they have chosen to remain under the rule of the kingdom of this world. Those who repent on earth are more significantly free to enjoy the fellowship found within the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus it would seem, stated a clear fact: those who are bound on earth are bound because they have chosen to remain under the reign of darkness and captivity. While those who have been liberated are free because they have followed the Liberator.

When Jesus quoted Isaiah 61.1, 2 proclaiming good news and liberty for the captives, it was more than a proclamation, it was a resolution that was being fulfilled that very moment. He was calling his listeners to follow him and know freedom from captivity. Jesus gave his disciples (and still gives them) authority to invite people to follow Him and declare freedom from captivity. The lost sheep, of which we are, is loved and searched after in order to be brought home and restored to the family. The declaration of absolution after a sincere confession is the loosening of one bound by sin and grief. It is the pardon of Christ; the release from prison; the return of one home to her family.

We would do well to consider what captivates and blinds us now. Are dealing with sin on our own, or with trusted Christians? Personally, I think the arguments over whether or not priests have the authority to bind and loose, and, do we really need to go to confession, distract us from the gift that Jesus gives us through the Church.

During Lent this year, I offered a number of no-appointment-needed hours for folks to make their confessions. The only visitor I had was a lady bug. Do I think that people must come to a priest in order to receive forgiveness? Absolutely not! All Christians have direct access to Christ. However, I am concerned that we do not fully appreciate the value of the Church's role in aiding the loosening from bondage. We impede the Church's role when we gossip and do not keep confidences about others' mistakes. We miss out on the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation when we are too shy or too proud to make our confession to a priest.

Clearly, Jesus sees the Church involved in this process. That is evident, not only in Matthew 18:18, but also in James 5:16. No matter how uncomfortable it makes us, Jesus wants us to be involved together in prayer, confession and reconciliation. Our needed response is to be trustworthy as those who listen; humble and obedient as those who make our confessions. The resulting gift is immeasurable: release from captivity and healing from spiritual blindness!

Prayer needed even in the "obvious" decisions.

"So the leaders partook of their provisions, and did not ask direction from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them."  Joshua 9

Here we see Joshua sizing up a situation that seems so obvious and straightforward,  that he doesn't think to seek God's will in it. However,  the true story was entirely different than what Joshua perceived. This is a lesson to us that we cannot rely solely on our own senses and logic, but need to seek the Lord in all matters, even those that seem to be "no-brainers".

The Holy Spirit from Jesus' Baptism through Pentecost.

The following notes mostly follow a line of thought presented in F.F. Bruce's commentary on the Gospel of John, where he emphasized John's teaching on the Holy Spirit as it developed throughout the Gospel, and especially in the Upper Room Discourses. Since the origin of this understanding is provided by Jesus and manifested through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the Acts of the Apostles, we are not surprised to see the theme carried consistently through the Acts and Pauline letters. 

Below you will see a summary of the activity and statements about the Holy Spirit in John's Gospel, (following Bruce's outline), and the powerful emergence of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  These short statements provide a bird's eye view of the Holy Spirit from Jesus' baptism through Pentecost and in consideration of the Fruit of the Spirit in Paul's letter to the Galatians.

BACKGROUND

Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit [John 1.32f; Cp. also Acts 2:38]

Only those born of water and the Spirit may enter the kingdom of God [John 3.5-8]

True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him [John 4.23f]

It is the Spirit who gives life. Jesus' words are spirit and life. [John 6.63]. There is unity and cooperation between the Son and the Spirit.

Spirit will come after Jesus is glorified [John 7.39].  The Spirit seems to delight in seeing Jesus glorified. Conversion glorifies Jesus. Note: Re-birth makes a new creature in a new kingdom. We are meant to worship in spirit and truth. Spirit gives life in the Word. Spirit came in power after Jesus was glorified [Cp Acts 1:8; 2:4]

UPPER ROOM

The disciples will do greater works [John14.12] Cp Day of Pentecost – there were more conversions on Pentecost than when Jesus was humanly present. The greatest work is being instrumental in others coming to Christ.

Disciples know the Spirit because he dwells with them and in them. [John 14.17]

I will come to you. (1) Presently through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, (2) Eternally, through the Resurrection [John 14:18]

You [will] see me. The present tense “implies continuity stretching indefinitely into the future.” [Bruce, p. 303] After the ascension the world no longer sees Jesus, but his followers will see him. Because he lives; we live. [John 14.19]

Love for Jesus includes keeping his word and receiving the Trinity who makes His home in us. [John 14.23]

Jesus breathed on them. Disciples indwelled by the Holy Spirit will have authority to forgive and withhold forgiveness [John 20:22, 23]

Ascension. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be my witnesses. [Acts 1.8]

Peter to brothers: the Holy Spirit inspired old testament prophecy by the mouth of David. [Acts 1.16]

PENTECOST

Spirit filled them and gave them utterance in multiple languages [Acts 2.4]

Spirit drove people to repentance and conversion [Acts 2:38-41] The Church grew.

UPPER ROOM DISCOURCES

“But the fullest teaching about the Spirit . . . is given in five passages in these upper-room discourses: (I) John 14:15-17; (ii) 14:25 f. ; (iii) 15:26 f. ; (iv) 16:4b-11 ; (v) 16:12-15. In these the Spirit is presented successively as helper, interpreter, witness, prosecutor and revealer.” - F.F. Bruce [The Gospel of John]

1. John 14:15-17 HELPER - Another helper (Jesus is the first). Forever. Who dwells with you.
2. John 14:25 f. INTERPRETER – He will teach and remind you.
3. John 15:26 f. WITNESS – He will bear witness about Jesus.
4. John 16:4b-11 PROSECUTOR – He will expose and convict the world of sin and righteousness.
5. John 16:12-15 REVEALER - Guide you into all truth [13]. Declare (a) things to come, (b) what is mine from the Father [13-15] . Glorify Jesus through the declarations given to the disciples [14].

CONCLUSION

1. Jesus' followers are recipients of these promises.
2. Spirit-filled followers, and a Spirit-led Church will exhibit these traits (fruit) of the Spirit. (See I-V above.)

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23 New International Version (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. [Ephesians 4.30]

Quotes and references are from FF Bruce – The Gospel of John on chapter 14 [pg 302-303]

Sobering Warnings to Preachers and Pastors, (and to those who hear them).

This week I happened to be studying both Ezekiel and John 10 and was struck by the importance of the sheep hearing the voice of Jesus well so that they can follow him, and the sobering responsibility of pastors, preachers and watchmen to convey God's messages accurately and completely. The Lord emphasizes this life and death responsibility repeatedly in Ezekiel, and that responsibility continues to be revealed in the New Testament, as the reader will observe below.

You might read the passages below and think, the focus is unbalanced toward the “negative” warnings and you would be correct in the sense that I focused primarily on God's warnings to preachers and those who listen to them. That was done in response to hearing God's repeated warnings to Israel, particularly in Ezekiel, and to my own recognition that I have not listened to this message as much as to the encouraging words offered to pastors and preachers in contemporary books. Sure, we need encouragement, but if we are ordained as pastors and preachers, we had better pay even greater heed to what God has to say to us about our ministries. I am convicted to study my Bible more vigorously and to communicate the Word of God more fully because of the Word of the Lord that I have received this past week. I pray that I may not lose my resolve. With that thought in mind there is a sad reminder of one who began so well, who was so greatly blessed, and then ended his life so poorly: Solomon. Consider all that Solomon accomplished with God's help, but his is how he ended:

4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. 9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 1 Kings 11:4-9 (ESV)

Having studied and compiled these verses this week, I am also convicted that it is too important not to share with others. So, here are the passages that have been on my mind this week. May the Lord convey them to you and stir you up as He sees fit.

The Sheep follow Jesus

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10.27, 28 (ESV)

Discipline and preaching

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9.27 (ESV)

Leaders will give an account

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13.17 (ESV)

Shepherd eagerly as an example

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:1-4 (ESV)

Prophetic word is from the Lord

19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2.1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 1:19-2:1 (ESV)

Speak whether or not they listen

And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.” Ezekiel 3:11 (ESV)

The watchman must warn

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. Ezekiel 3:17 (ESV)

Preaching to a rebellious house

2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. 3 As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:2, 3 (ESV)

The Lord's Sabbath

Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. Ezekiel 20:12 (ESV)

Watchman's Warning

6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand. 7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. Ezekiel 33:6, 7 (ESV)

Listening but not transformed by preaching

30 “As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. 32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. Ezekiel 33:30-32 (ESV)

Lazy Glutenous Shepherds

34.1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 7. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. Ezekiel 34:1-10 (ESV)

Android Aps for Bible Study

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the God.” Matthew 4.4, (quoting Deuteronomy 8.3 in the context of being fed by God with manna, then to cross over into the Promised Land!)  The Bread of Heaven is Jesus feeding us in BOTH Word and Sacrament.  We are starving to death without regularly feeding on the Word of God.

During an overview of Jeremiah and Lamentations for adult Christian Education on Sunday, I mentioned that I am using my phone to listen to the Bible on Bible Gateway, while also having the Blue Letter Bible Ap up to make bookmarks. I thought it might be helpful to list them and how I use them.

There are a number of Bible editions and audio versions available on Bible Gateway. I listen to the New International Version (NIV), read by George W. Sarris, while reading the Holman Study Bible (HCSB) on the Blue Letter Bible. I read the HCSB on my phone because it does not require a download or online connection, and it is a reliable translation of the Bible, similar to ESV and NIV.  The English Standard Bible (ESV) is the physical Bible from which I most often read and preach.

While listening, if a text grabs my attention, I book mark the text on BLB, which is as simple as touching the verse and then touching "Bookmark This Verse".  (You don't have to pause Bible gateway audio to do this - just keep both aps active at the same time.) Afterwards, you can scroll through your bookmarks and read the verses that you marked.  BLB gives you the option to make different categories of Bookmarks. So far, I am just using the general category. But I can see the benefit in dividing them up, if you sue the BLB ap over a long period of time. I also use my bluetooth regularly, so that I can listen while driving or walking. We really have no excuse for not studying our Bibles when it is this easy. Also, if you don't pause the audio very often, you will be amazed at how fast you get through a book of the Bible, and I find that I gain a better sense of the whole flow and theme of the book this way. With my leather Bible, I linger more over specific passages and don't see it as well on the overall context. Both of these methods are valuable.

The links to the websites are included above. The Android Aps are listed by the same names in Google Play on your Android device. If one of you reading this is Apple savvy and knows of similar links for Apple devices, please add those to the comments.

I pray this is a blessing to your Bible study. I’d love to see your comments about what is working best for you.

Fr. Van McCalister