Psalm 1 (English Standard Version)
VERSE 1: Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
VERSE 2: but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
VERSE 3: He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
VERSE 4: The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
VERSE 5: Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
VERSE 6: for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Footnotes:
Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person;
Psalm 1:2 Or instruction
Verse 1:
The verse opens on the positive note of the “blessed” man. It begins explaining why/how the man is blessed. So the implied question the Psalm intends to answer is, “How is a man blessed?” We don’t know yet what this blessing looks like/what it is, but we know the Psalm is going to give a recipe of sorts for blessing. Someone who is blessed does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. Walk is the first of 3 action verbs in this verse. Walking is an everyday activity of our lifestyle. It’s not all of what we do, but without it we’d get little done. The one who is blessed doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked. This isn’t “council” like a board of directors, but rather refers to trusted advice as from a close friend (this is based on the context and message of the psalm not word study). You may picture the closeness involved in a relationship where a person is walking alongside someone else giving or receiving counsel. The blessed man doesn’t do this with these people. Walking could also imply a carrying out/moving forward with the counsel. The blessed man though doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked. Even in the English of our Bibles this psalm is speaking to the individual blessed man (singular) as he is compared to the wicked (plural). This already places emphasis on the blessed man and makes the “wicked” a broad category that’s mentioned merely to compare them with the blessed man, who is the primary one in view here. This blessed man also doesn’t stand in the way of sinners. Stand is the second of the 3 action verbs in the passage. Standing is also something we do in daily life, but it (like walking) doesn’t describe the whole of our daily life. This person doesn’t stand in the way of sinners. This brings to mind phrases like, “It’s just not our way to _________.” The blessed man doesn’t stand in the way/path of these people. He doesn’t take/ask for their counsel as he would a close friend nor does he stand in the same way/path of life they do. Here they’re called sinners. So the wicked are also sinners. These may be referring to both the same group broadly. People are wicked because they sin for sure, but here they’re used as synonyms. They’re also both plural and both negative in usage. The blessed man also doesn’t sit in the seat of scoffers. With sit we come to the final action verb in this verse. The author doesn’t mention laying down as elsewhere in Scripture, but it seems with these 3 actions he’s trying to portray the full spectrum of the daily actions of the righteous man. He doesn’t sit in the seat of scoffers. In each of these 3 descriptions of the righteous man are given something that belongs to the wicked (their counsel, their way, their seat). It’s implied that the righteous man isn’t to involve himself in these things because they don’t belong to him. They aren’t a part of his consideration. In other words, the righteous man shouldn’t do these things because they belong only to the wicked and should stay that way. Scoffers is the third synonym for the wicked and is also plural like the other 2. To imagine a person scoffing is to picture them perhaps shouting things from their chair without good reason or without getting up from their chair to act on or sufficiently support what they’re scoffing about. Do wicked people always openly scoff? Can we call them scoffers without question? In some form or fashion they always eventually will. Their heart at its core wars against the things of God and it therefore argues with them and lashes out at them… often verbally.
Verse 2:
But begins a contrast from what has just been said. If the righteous man doesn’t do the things mentioned above, what does he do? His delight is in the law of the Lord. Delight is a joyous word. In The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, Witch and Wardrobe… there’s a reason the dessert Edmond wants is called “Turkish Delight.” The righteous man actually delights in the law of the Lord. The implication is that the wicked does not delight in it. Instead his delight is in sinning and scoffing at the law of the Lord. The contrast is crystal clear. A word we’d have to study further is law. The footnotes of the ESV say this could be taken as “instruction.” God’s instruction is found in Scripture. If someone delights in something they will surround themselves with that something. They will pour time and energy into it. They will invest in it. It will be hard to stop thinking about it. What does the righteous man do? He meditates on God’s law. This “on” departs from the “in” used so much in verse 1. He meditates on this law. For God’s child to meditate is not the same way a Buddhist or a Hindu might meditate. This meditation is simply deep thought. It’s thinking through the instruction of God. It’s spending time with the Lord and loving Him with all of your mind. He meditates on it day and night. This is a phrase we’d have to study elsewhere in Scripture. It gives us a time frame. Day and night cover both broad phases of the day. He doesn’t stop thinking on the Word of God.
Verse 3:
This righteous man is like a tree. Like is a simile. A tree is something that’s stable, sturdy, and lasts for a long time… generations in some cases. By implication the wicked are then unstable and not study because they do not meditate on the Word of God. This is a tree that’s planted. Being planted is significant because it contributes the stability of the tree. This is no potted plant. For something to be planted it has to be done with purpose. It has to be done intentionally. Trees don’t plant themselves. They need someone to do it for them. It’s planted by streams of water. The by informs us of proximity. A tree can be planted in a number of locations, but this tree is planted by streams of water. Notice this isn’t just one stream of water, but many. It’s plural. Water is the primary source of nourishment and survival for a tree. This tree has all the food it needs to maintain its stability and lasting characteristics. This is a tree that yields its fruit in its season. This tree does what it’s expected to do. It yields its fruit (not another tree’s fruit) in its own season (not a different tree’s season). This is the natural effect of a stable vibrant tree. It isn’t irregular, but it produces as expected. And its leaf does not wither. This however is not something natural for a tree. It’s supernatural. The leaves of trees usually wither and fall off. It’s part of the changing seasons. This tree however has leaves that never wither. It remains vibrant and living. The righteous man is compared to this tree. He soaks up the abundant nourishment of the “law of the Lord” as he meditates on it. This brings him the stability like that of a tree. It sustains him. He brings forth spiritual fruit/growth just as would be expected from someone who constantly soaks up and is thinking on Scripture. But because Scripture is supernatural in nature and has power to bring an unearthly endurance, this man remains stable when everyone else around him is not. When their leaves are falling off and withering… his are not. The final line in this psalm provides the point/explanation of the imagery. In all that he does, he prospers. This is neither a possible nor an ideal all that is never reached and always only hoped for. This is not some, but all. This all is connected to what he does. This is his actions/his lifestyle. The doings of his daily life are affected by his meditation on God’s Word. As the Word soaks into a person’s mind and heart their actions begin to reflect the principles of Scripture because they have hidden It in their heart. Notice that the actions in v.1 that represent the daily life could all be affected in a positive way when the righteous man meditates on the Word instead of being affected in a negative way if he were to walk, stand, and sit with the wicked. Instead he walks, stands, and sits with his mind on the Word of God throughout his day and it affects all he does. How are his doings affected? He prospers in them. Biblical prosperity is not what the TV preachers tell us. It’s not primarily financial (while this verse doesn’t necessarily exclude that). This prosperity happens as a result of the supernatural effects of the Word of God working within a person and shaping them in unseen ways. The effects of this working come out externally and result in prosperity. Aside from that logical connection, there’s something to be said for the fact that God will show favor in a broad sense to those who constantly think on what He has said. The Spirit of God working with the Word of God will transform the life of the child of God to make evident the prosperity of God in their lives in general. This is how and why he is blessed and the original question implied in v.1 is now answered.
Verse 4:
All of what’s been said has been primarily descriptive of the blessed/righteous man. The wicked are not so the Bible says. They are not stable like a tree. They are up and down. The solidity of their opinions is dependent on where the wind is blowing their feelings. They aren’t planted by a constant source of divinely revealed nourishment. They’re left to the devices of this world and to their own way (the way the righteous man doesn’t need because he ahs the Word of God). If they’re not like the tree what are they like? But they are like chaff. But brings the contrast in this verse. It could just as easily have been placed at the beginning of the verse, though with the discussion of the wicked before the but we could tell there was a contrast already. We’d need to study this word chaff, but it’s contrasted with the stability of the tree. How is it unstable? It’s chaff that the wind drives away. It doesn’t simply say the wind blows it away or tosses it away, but it drives it away. There seems to be a force to this word that is anything but casual. The wicked are not stable and in one place where they cannot be moved, but rather they’re pushed along the wind never settling down, never finding rest in a source of lasting food, and always being irregular in some form.
Verse 5:
Therefore brings us to the conclusion and consequence of all that’s been said above. It brings the final word about the wicked. They will not stand in the judgment. We’ve seen “stand” before in this passage. Notice that the wicked/sinners may stand in their own way/path for a season, but they won’t stand in a way that matters in God’s eyes. We need to consult other translations and study the judgment being referred to here. This could refer to the place of the righteous when they will play a part in judging the ungodly in the end of the world. But this is unlikely. The next line could give us a clue and serve to repeat or further define the first line as is common in Hebrew poetry. They won’t stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. Here again if there was any doubt that sinners and the wicked were the same group they seem to be used as synonyms again here. We would need to ask some interpretive questions here about the implications this has for unbelievers in church. When we read “congregation” we tend to think “church.” This seems to be saying the wicked aren’t in the same place as the righteous. These two statements are about location. They don’t stand alongside the righteous. This is presumably because of who they are… their wickedness, their sin, their scoffing, their lack of meditation (or even desire to meditate for that fact) on the law of God. Where are they and what is the point of this entire psalm?
Verse 6:
For begins this verse. For can be taken as “because” giving the reason for what preceded, but as is most often used… here it’s likely an explanation of the concluding “therefore.” For says in essence, “In explanation of the last verse…” the Lord knows the way of the righteous. This knowing is usually an intimate knowledge. If we were to do a word study we’d likely find that it’s the same word used when the Old Testament speaks of a man “knowing” his wife in reference to sex. Obviously God doesn’t have sex with us. It would be irreverent to even explore that idea. Yet He knows us intimately. How can He know us? He knows us by our fellowship with Him through the meditation on His Word mentioned earlier. The righteous man prospers in all he does and in this whole process enjoys intimate fellowship with God. Here we’re told God knows the way of the righteous. In this talk of the way of sinners mentioned in v.1 we’re forced to ask if God doesn’t know the way of the wicked. Does He not know what they do? Of course He does. Does He know it intimately? There’s nothing He doesn’t know. The important difference however is that the relationship is different. God knows the way of the righteous intimately in fellowship and love, but God’s knowledge of the way of the wicked is given to us in the final line of Psalm 1. But the way of the wicked will perish. The but again gives us a contrast. It’s about to tell us how God’s knowing differs between both groups. We’d have to study what’s meant by perish. Does it simply mean death or more than that? When we do study it we’d find that it’s eternal death in a literal hell. God knows the way/path/lifestyle of the wicked very intimately, but only with a view toward their eternal judgment in hell. It’s a different knowing. Verse 6 serves as something of a thesis to the entire psalm. It could be rephrased as: The righteous man enjoys prosperity and intimate fellowship with God through meditation on His Word, but the wicked don’t experience this and instead perish in hell where there is no fellowship with God or prosperity.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Ashamed of the Pastorate
"It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do."
-1 Timothy 3:1 (NASB)
On my way home from work tonight I was listening to one of my favorite Christian radio stations and there's a blurb that comes on (among others) sometimes from a man with a few words or a biblical illustration and a challenging thought or encouragement. This particular ministry has always stood out to me though. Why? Because the man on this radio blurb is never identified as a Pastor. A couple years ago the brief radio program called him a "Youth Communicator." In recent years his name is prefaced by the title, "Youth Culture Specialist." His website says he graduated from Biola University and that he works with youth pastors, has written books, speaks at Christian youth events, etc. He's an itinerant speaker, but it has always frustrated me why the program refuses to call him Pastor? An itinerant Pastor is no less a Pastor than one who is planted in a local church. This raises questions for me. Is he trying to appeal to a secular audience? Is he hoping the lost will use his radio blurbs on their stations? All they have to do is hear something about God or the Bible once and it's over. I suppose I can't say for sure, but I do know the culture has an alluring tendency to help "successful" "Christian" "leaders" muzzle their message or blend their God-given role with something that... after enough time, dollar signs, and attendees often looks less and less like a Pastor, like the gospel, like biblical truth, like... something of God.
As these things catch my ears I continue to look up and (often in tears) ask the Lord when my time will come. When so many boys who call themselves men stand in a pulpit and proclaim their own ideas, when so many charlatans get up in clean suits that cost as much as used cars tell people to sow seeds into their next suit, when so many people who call themselves pastors steal someone else's sermons or play the role of Pharaoh expecting unquestioned submission, when so many guys run out on a church because their feelings are hurt or it gets too hard for them... I ask God when my time will come.
I went for a walk tonight at good ol Capp Smith Park near my house. I've spent a lot of time there in prayer and tears. I've preached there. I jog there. Tonight I just walked and talked to God. No one else was on the track. I asked God why He's done all this. Why did He turn a God-hating Atheist into an upcoming Pastor? Why did He help my school get paid for without ever getting into debt? Why has He tested and tried me and granted the strength to persevere with little difficulty, especially in the last year or two, the last few months? Why all of that just to drop me back home? I told God tonight, "I love You... even though You frustrate me." It's so hard to see those who abuse the pastorate or who are ashamed of it and then to continue slicing the Pan Roasted Turkey and stacking the Roma Tomatoes at the grocery company where I've worked since 2001.
Lord, just as I prayed tonight... help me to trust You as a child trusts his Father when he's asked to do something for reasons he can't yet understand.
-1 Timothy 3:1 (NASB)
On my way home from work tonight I was listening to one of my favorite Christian radio stations and there's a blurb that comes on (among others) sometimes from a man with a few words or a biblical illustration and a challenging thought or encouragement. This particular ministry has always stood out to me though. Why? Because the man on this radio blurb is never identified as a Pastor. A couple years ago the brief radio program called him a "Youth Communicator." In recent years his name is prefaced by the title, "Youth Culture Specialist." His website says he graduated from Biola University and that he works with youth pastors, has written books, speaks at Christian youth events, etc. He's an itinerant speaker, but it has always frustrated me why the program refuses to call him Pastor? An itinerant Pastor is no less a Pastor than one who is planted in a local church. This raises questions for me. Is he trying to appeal to a secular audience? Is he hoping the lost will use his radio blurbs on their stations? All they have to do is hear something about God or the Bible once and it's over. I suppose I can't say for sure, but I do know the culture has an alluring tendency to help "successful" "Christian" "leaders" muzzle their message or blend their God-given role with something that... after enough time, dollar signs, and attendees often looks less and less like a Pastor, like the gospel, like biblical truth, like... something of God.
As these things catch my ears I continue to look up and (often in tears) ask the Lord when my time will come. When so many boys who call themselves men stand in a pulpit and proclaim their own ideas, when so many charlatans get up in clean suits that cost as much as used cars tell people to sow seeds into their next suit, when so many people who call themselves pastors steal someone else's sermons or play the role of Pharaoh expecting unquestioned submission, when so many guys run out on a church because their feelings are hurt or it gets too hard for them... I ask God when my time will come.
I went for a walk tonight at good ol Capp Smith Park near my house. I've spent a lot of time there in prayer and tears. I've preached there. I jog there. Tonight I just walked and talked to God. No one else was on the track. I asked God why He's done all this. Why did He turn a God-hating Atheist into an upcoming Pastor? Why did He help my school get paid for without ever getting into debt? Why has He tested and tried me and granted the strength to persevere with little difficulty, especially in the last year or two, the last few months? Why all of that just to drop me back home? I told God tonight, "I love You... even though You frustrate me." It's so hard to see those who abuse the pastorate or who are ashamed of it and then to continue slicing the Pan Roasted Turkey and stacking the Roma Tomatoes at the grocery company where I've worked since 2001.
Lord, just as I prayed tonight... help me to trust You as a child trusts his Father when he's asked to do something for reasons he can't yet understand.
Monday, January 10, 2011
As the Days Pass By...
"I wanna know why you gave me eyes
When faith is how I see
And tell me
Is it easier to doubt
Or harder to believe
Oh there’s so many questions stirring in me
And I wonder why
Sometimes the truth ain’t easy to find
I wanna know all the answers
But I’m learning that
These things take time
Yeah, these things take time"
-From "These Things Take Time" by Sanctus Real
I'm praying a lot more lately. Wrestling with the Lord more lately. More of the usual I suppose. As I begin my 2nd week at work I'm relieved it'll be about half the hours I worked last week. It wasn't fun to pull two 11 hour days and end with 42 hours. I was tired by the end of my shift that I had literally no energy to think straight, study, or do anything but rest. I wanted those days to be over. I didn't want to be freaked out and pressured when they say the Vice President of the company is at a store nearby and COULD be on his way to ours. The whole store scrambles to make our store manager look good for about an hour as the big wig always finds something to correct. That's not the life for me. Last week a member of management predicted I would be the next Produce manager and another guy asked when I would be. They wouldn't want me as a manager. Upcoming pastors are often asked, "Is there anything else you could do in life other than pastor and still be content? If so, you should do that." This question is asked because pastoring requires a God-given perseverance and strength that can endure the messy lives of broken people and still stand up once or twice a week and proclaim the unadulterated truth. I continue to answer that question with a resounding "no." This is the burden God has given me. He has continued to test and try me in the years I've been saved and especially in the last two. In many respects I already feel like a pastor. I'm comforted by the fact that I don't need to feel a fear of these corporate managers any longer. I do have another opportunity for work. I stay in this job because I know they will be flexible with me if I need to go candidate for a pastoral position somewhere. I've built a reputation here. Also, I look forward tot he possibility of learning something new and doing something different as they've talked of training me in Starbucks inside the store.
Because God has prepared me in the way He has I continue to be baffled and confused as to why He hasn't opened the door for full time ministry yet. I can only trust He has more work for me to do here still. I'm reminded that Jesus didn't enter His formal ministry until His early thirties, though I cringe at the thought of waiting that long. I've sent out a few more resumes recently. A door closed on an Associate Pastor position in PA. They said their needs wouldn't match my gifting. I also re-established contact with Alistair Begg's church in Ohio. They have a 1 year paid pastoral internship program. I'm still waiting to hear from the church in KS. They did recently say they're picking up meeting again and will begin to make some decisions in the next few weeks. A large part of me wants this church. I enjoy the feel of the people and the service. I also think I would fit well with the evangelistic outlook they have to reach the locals. I'm ready to nest somewhere and begin my own life.
On the other hand, I wonder if the Lord may be preparing me to stick around here a bit longer as much as I struggle with the thought of that. I think I'm beginning to see the need for ministry here at home. I need to be so discerning though. There's so much need out there. I must go where I believe the Lord wants me, not just where there's need. A couple friends have recently suggested I look overseas. I already know there's plenty need out there, but is that where God wants me? I'm not sure. I don't know that I'm prepared to raise specific support for such a work if I'm uncertain if God may work sooner than it takes to do that. A friend is gathering information for me about it nonetheless. The reason I say that I see the needs here at home is that even this weekend, God has brought some interesting things my way. A guy I worked with 10 years ago now works with me again. He struck up a conversation with me out of nowhere on facebook chat Saturday night asking what church I went to. I probed further to ask about his background and try to assess his spiritual state as best I could. He has a 6 year old girl and said he's been out of church for about 10 years. It turns out when he was a senior in high school I was a freshman in the same high school. He said he's been pulled and convicted about his spiritual state and wants Christ to be the center of him and his daughter's lives and that he wants to get back into church. I shared my testimony with him including the gospel and invited him to my church. Could this be an opportunity for future discipleship? I'm not sure about his salvation, but is God showing me I need to invest in him?
Beyond this, I begin a men's discipleship group at my church on Jan. 20th where we get together on Thursday nights and talk about how to study the Bible. It will take at least 7 weeks, but most likely more. the pastor tells me that most of the 7 guys who've expressed interest are new to the church. I'll also be preaching once a month at church and helping the pastor with songsheets and powerpoint for morning worship. He's so overloaded. Furthermore there are a number of new people and families to the church. Is God growing the church? Dare I wonder if this means the possibility will open up in the future for a paid position at my home church? I don't want to stay in Texas. Much of this stems from a desire to leave what I had before college and begin my own life afresh. Lord, are you planning something different than I am? I'm just not sure. I just can't say. Last Sunday the pastor was preaching about discerning the specific will of God for our lives. He said it isn't a mystical uncertainty, but that God grants us freedom to make wise choices filtered through the counsel of Scripture and essentially said that's all we need. He then actually said from the pulpit in a list of examples... if you're offered a position as pastor in a church KS you don't have to take it. I laughed as I stood in the back. No one else seemed to notice. Trying to trust that God is sovereign and faithful. I was speaking with some of the older men at church Sunday and I was astonished as I found that they were treating me more as an equal and perhaps more than that as I spoke of theology. It's humbling to see someone who's been in the faith longer than you listening to and respecting your opinion. This Sunday also a guy gave me a book on a biblical view of psychology. My best friend gave me a book on understanding women, haha and a $500 touch screen phone with not only unlimited calling and text, but with internet too. A better tool for ministry! I think also of the time I'm spending with my younger sister. It's been great to be there for her, go jogging together, and tell her Bible stories every now and then. The other day she came into my room and fell asleep for an hour or more on my comfy new sheets as I was reading. It was cute.
As I continue to pray also each week for my sisters in Christ and my future wife, I find myself so emotionally drained from this past semester's events that I want to take a break on pursuing anyone. I know that I can pursue now and that I'm not afraid of rejection. I know that the Lord has taught me how to love, lead, and protect as a man should. I'm prepared for a relationship and still greatly desire the Lord to bless me with a wonderful woman, but I'm trying to focus on what's in front of me right now and I'm sad to say this isn't in front of me as far as I can see. I'm trying to protect myself from on a small level having a wandering heart that I may think clearly enough for the Lord to reveal to me all I need to know when the right woman comes along. I'm resting for now. No one can live on "What ifs" and remain sane.
I continue to spend my free time working out or reading. I'm a few pages from finishing "Is That You, Lord?" By Roberta Rogers about discerning if God is speaking to you or if a thought or idea is from Him or not. This subject has been very relevant to me recently and I hope to write a blog about the book and the subject soon, Lord willing. Three weeks to finish a 200 pg. book isn't bad right? I'm also reading "When the Word Leads your Pastoral Search" by Pastor Chris Brauns on Sunday mornings before church. It's a new book from Moody Publishers recommended to me by a girl on my last sister floor. It's been good so far. I'm soon to start "For Men Only: A straightforward guide to the inner lives of women" by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn. I'm VERY curious as to what's found in its pages. It claims to bring clarity to the mind of a woman.
PRAYER:
Oh Lord, I need you now during this time. You know all that's on my heart and mind. You know what I need better than I do and how that may differ from what I want. I know the man you've made me to be. I know you have good things planned for me. Help me to trust you for those things and learn all you want me to learn in this season of my life. Grant me direction in the best I can receive it, Lord. I want to do what you want me to do above my own desires and longings. God grant me wisdom and discernment as I make the next major decisions in my life when the times come to make them. I don't want to be hasty or foolish. Help me to walk carefully, prayerfully, and biblically in the days ahead of me... whatever they may bring.
When faith is how I see
And tell me
Is it easier to doubt
Or harder to believe
Oh there’s so many questions stirring in me
And I wonder why
Sometimes the truth ain’t easy to find
I wanna know all the answers
But I’m learning that
These things take time
Yeah, these things take time"
-From "These Things Take Time" by Sanctus Real
I'm praying a lot more lately. Wrestling with the Lord more lately. More of the usual I suppose. As I begin my 2nd week at work I'm relieved it'll be about half the hours I worked last week. It wasn't fun to pull two 11 hour days and end with 42 hours. I was tired by the end of my shift that I had literally no energy to think straight, study, or do anything but rest. I wanted those days to be over. I didn't want to be freaked out and pressured when they say the Vice President of the company is at a store nearby and COULD be on his way to ours. The whole store scrambles to make our store manager look good for about an hour as the big wig always finds something to correct. That's not the life for me. Last week a member of management predicted I would be the next Produce manager and another guy asked when I would be. They wouldn't want me as a manager. Upcoming pastors are often asked, "Is there anything else you could do in life other than pastor and still be content? If so, you should do that." This question is asked because pastoring requires a God-given perseverance and strength that can endure the messy lives of broken people and still stand up once or twice a week and proclaim the unadulterated truth. I continue to answer that question with a resounding "no." This is the burden God has given me. He has continued to test and try me in the years I've been saved and especially in the last two. In many respects I already feel like a pastor. I'm comforted by the fact that I don't need to feel a fear of these corporate managers any longer. I do have another opportunity for work. I stay in this job because I know they will be flexible with me if I need to go candidate for a pastoral position somewhere. I've built a reputation here. Also, I look forward tot he possibility of learning something new and doing something different as they've talked of training me in Starbucks inside the store.
Because God has prepared me in the way He has I continue to be baffled and confused as to why He hasn't opened the door for full time ministry yet. I can only trust He has more work for me to do here still. I'm reminded that Jesus didn't enter His formal ministry until His early thirties, though I cringe at the thought of waiting that long. I've sent out a few more resumes recently. A door closed on an Associate Pastor position in PA. They said their needs wouldn't match my gifting. I also re-established contact with Alistair Begg's church in Ohio. They have a 1 year paid pastoral internship program. I'm still waiting to hear from the church in KS. They did recently say they're picking up meeting again and will begin to make some decisions in the next few weeks. A large part of me wants this church. I enjoy the feel of the people and the service. I also think I would fit well with the evangelistic outlook they have to reach the locals. I'm ready to nest somewhere and begin my own life.
On the other hand, I wonder if the Lord may be preparing me to stick around here a bit longer as much as I struggle with the thought of that. I think I'm beginning to see the need for ministry here at home. I need to be so discerning though. There's so much need out there. I must go where I believe the Lord wants me, not just where there's need. A couple friends have recently suggested I look overseas. I already know there's plenty need out there, but is that where God wants me? I'm not sure. I don't know that I'm prepared to raise specific support for such a work if I'm uncertain if God may work sooner than it takes to do that. A friend is gathering information for me about it nonetheless. The reason I say that I see the needs here at home is that even this weekend, God has brought some interesting things my way. A guy I worked with 10 years ago now works with me again. He struck up a conversation with me out of nowhere on facebook chat Saturday night asking what church I went to. I probed further to ask about his background and try to assess his spiritual state as best I could. He has a 6 year old girl and said he's been out of church for about 10 years. It turns out when he was a senior in high school I was a freshman in the same high school. He said he's been pulled and convicted about his spiritual state and wants Christ to be the center of him and his daughter's lives and that he wants to get back into church. I shared my testimony with him including the gospel and invited him to my church. Could this be an opportunity for future discipleship? I'm not sure about his salvation, but is God showing me I need to invest in him?
Beyond this, I begin a men's discipleship group at my church on Jan. 20th where we get together on Thursday nights and talk about how to study the Bible. It will take at least 7 weeks, but most likely more. the pastor tells me that most of the 7 guys who've expressed interest are new to the church. I'll also be preaching once a month at church and helping the pastor with songsheets and powerpoint for morning worship. He's so overloaded. Furthermore there are a number of new people and families to the church. Is God growing the church? Dare I wonder if this means the possibility will open up in the future for a paid position at my home church? I don't want to stay in Texas. Much of this stems from a desire to leave what I had before college and begin my own life afresh. Lord, are you planning something different than I am? I'm just not sure. I just can't say. Last Sunday the pastor was preaching about discerning the specific will of God for our lives. He said it isn't a mystical uncertainty, but that God grants us freedom to make wise choices filtered through the counsel of Scripture and essentially said that's all we need. He then actually said from the pulpit in a list of examples... if you're offered a position as pastor in a church KS you don't have to take it. I laughed as I stood in the back. No one else seemed to notice. Trying to trust that God is sovereign and faithful. I was speaking with some of the older men at church Sunday and I was astonished as I found that they were treating me more as an equal and perhaps more than that as I spoke of theology. It's humbling to see someone who's been in the faith longer than you listening to and respecting your opinion. This Sunday also a guy gave me a book on a biblical view of psychology. My best friend gave me a book on understanding women, haha and a $500 touch screen phone with not only unlimited calling and text, but with internet too. A better tool for ministry! I think also of the time I'm spending with my younger sister. It's been great to be there for her, go jogging together, and tell her Bible stories every now and then. The other day she came into my room and fell asleep for an hour or more on my comfy new sheets as I was reading. It was cute.
As I continue to pray also each week for my sisters in Christ and my future wife, I find myself so emotionally drained from this past semester's events that I want to take a break on pursuing anyone. I know that I can pursue now and that I'm not afraid of rejection. I know that the Lord has taught me how to love, lead, and protect as a man should. I'm prepared for a relationship and still greatly desire the Lord to bless me with a wonderful woman, but I'm trying to focus on what's in front of me right now and I'm sad to say this isn't in front of me as far as I can see. I'm trying to protect myself from on a small level having a wandering heart that I may think clearly enough for the Lord to reveal to me all I need to know when the right woman comes along. I'm resting for now. No one can live on "What ifs" and remain sane.
I continue to spend my free time working out or reading. I'm a few pages from finishing "Is That You, Lord?" By Roberta Rogers about discerning if God is speaking to you or if a thought or idea is from Him or not. This subject has been very relevant to me recently and I hope to write a blog about the book and the subject soon, Lord willing. Three weeks to finish a 200 pg. book isn't bad right? I'm also reading "When the Word Leads your Pastoral Search" by Pastor Chris Brauns on Sunday mornings before church. It's a new book from Moody Publishers recommended to me by a girl on my last sister floor. It's been good so far. I'm soon to start "For Men Only: A straightforward guide to the inner lives of women" by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn. I'm VERY curious as to what's found in its pages. It claims to bring clarity to the mind of a woman.
PRAYER:
Oh Lord, I need you now during this time. You know all that's on my heart and mind. You know what I need better than I do and how that may differ from what I want. I know the man you've made me to be. I know you have good things planned for me. Help me to trust you for those things and learn all you want me to learn in this season of my life. Grant me direction in the best I can receive it, Lord. I want to do what you want me to do above my own desires and longings. God grant me wisdom and discernment as I make the next major decisions in my life when the times come to make them. I don't want to be hasty or foolish. Help me to walk carefully, prayerfully, and biblically in the days ahead of me... whatever they may bring.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Blessings and Curses of Graduating: Reverse Order
"Use Me Here, Where I am, I'm not gonna pray anymore that You'll change Your plans.
Despite my fear, I place my life in Your hands. The future can wait, tomorrow might be too late,
So Jesus use me here."
-Chorus from the song, "Use Me Here" By Everydodyduck
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going."
-Hebrews 11:8
Anticipating the moment the airplane landing gear touched ground at DFW Airport in TX, I cringed as the doldrums of reality entered their next stage. "Lord, why did you bring me back here?" When I sat in O'Hare Airport in Chicago I kept asking God not to let me get on that plane. A girl on my sister floor happened to walk up to sit at that same gate for the next flight out to WA where she was from. We chatted a bit. I found it funny that God didn't send me directly home, but instead got me a connecting flight into Kansas City, MO before heading home to TX in good time. The airlines were overbooked and it seemed impossible for a standby flier like me to get home during the Christmas season. It was difficult to pray for a flight home that day with such mixed emotions.
I'm not sure what else there is to say about where my heart is. Praying the Lord would open and close doors, that He would prepare me in any way necessary for what's next if something is lacking in me, that He would grant the patience and contentment I need. I've agreed not to work until after Christmas. Needed a break.
I put my Christmas money to good use. Got a few Christmas gifts for friends. Got a used computer desk to replace the old one that was more convenient, comfortable, and my style. Got a cheap slim swivel desk chair. Got a webcam to keep up with my friends from school via skype. Got a curtain for my window (dark blue). Got new sheets and pillowcases (dark blue... and they feel like pajamas!). Got the best wireless adapter Best Buy could offer for the internet (tired of bad connection problems! no more!). While re-decorating my room and settling in, I've been spending time with my sister. There's a park in walking distance from my house with a public basketball goal and pavement. We played some basketball, went to a dollar movie, and did some shopping since I've been back. My friend Lindsey invited me to a church dinner with her parents. It was so funny that her pastor thought we were a couple. I laughed out loud when I realized what he was implying. She corrected him before I could. She even took her family and my sister and I to see the new Narnia movie. I enjoyed it.
I'm trying to be as optimistic as I can and by God's grace I'm doin alright. I get to attend the Church Christmas Eve service, which in years past I've always worked. I anticipate a meeting with my pastor soon to talk about how I can best help serve at church until the Lord does something else in my life. I think the primary need is teaching and teachers from what I've seen. While I found a basketball goal I also looked back into the city Recreation Center. It's $40 a year for residents. If nothing opens up int he next month or two I'm thinking of buying a membership. I realized I actually gained 20 lbs. this past semester! At the funeral I was also reminded about the toll age takes on the human body. Trying to watch my health and eating habits better.
Praying and trying to trust the Lord will do great things. Not easy.
Despite my fear, I place my life in Your hands. The future can wait, tomorrow might be too late,
So Jesus use me here."
-Chorus from the song, "Use Me Here" By Everydodyduck
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going."
-Hebrews 11:8
Anticipating the moment the airplane landing gear touched ground at DFW Airport in TX, I cringed as the doldrums of reality entered their next stage. "Lord, why did you bring me back here?" When I sat in O'Hare Airport in Chicago I kept asking God not to let me get on that plane. A girl on my sister floor happened to walk up to sit at that same gate for the next flight out to WA where she was from. We chatted a bit. I found it funny that God didn't send me directly home, but instead got me a connecting flight into Kansas City, MO before heading home to TX in good time. The airlines were overbooked and it seemed impossible for a standby flier like me to get home during the Christmas season. It was difficult to pray for a flight home that day with such mixed emotions.
I'm not sure what else there is to say about where my heart is. Praying the Lord would open and close doors, that He would prepare me in any way necessary for what's next if something is lacking in me, that He would grant the patience and contentment I need. I've agreed not to work until after Christmas. Needed a break.
I put my Christmas money to good use. Got a few Christmas gifts for friends. Got a used computer desk to replace the old one that was more convenient, comfortable, and my style. Got a cheap slim swivel desk chair. Got a webcam to keep up with my friends from school via skype. Got a curtain for my window (dark blue). Got new sheets and pillowcases (dark blue... and they feel like pajamas!). Got the best wireless adapter Best Buy could offer for the internet (tired of bad connection problems! no more!). While re-decorating my room and settling in, I've been spending time with my sister. There's a park in walking distance from my house with a public basketball goal and pavement. We played some basketball, went to a dollar movie, and did some shopping since I've been back. My friend Lindsey invited me to a church dinner with her parents. It was so funny that her pastor thought we were a couple. I laughed out loud when I realized what he was implying. She corrected him before I could. She even took her family and my sister and I to see the new Narnia movie. I enjoyed it.
I'm trying to be as optimistic as I can and by God's grace I'm doin alright. I get to attend the Church Christmas Eve service, which in years past I've always worked. I anticipate a meeting with my pastor soon to talk about how I can best help serve at church until the Lord does something else in my life. I think the primary need is teaching and teachers from what I've seen. While I found a basketball goal I also looked back into the city Recreation Center. It's $40 a year for residents. If nothing opens up int he next month or two I'm thinking of buying a membership. I realized I actually gained 20 lbs. this past semester! At the funeral I was also reminded about the toll age takes on the human body. Trying to watch my health and eating habits better.
Praying and trying to trust the Lord will do great things. Not easy.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Revelation 16:8-9: The Reality of The End of The World
On November 13, 2009 the movie "2012" was released in theaters. The movie's premise was based on the prediction from the Mayan calendar that the world would end on December 21, 2012 and that it would be destroyed by a catastrophic worldwide flood. Since just before the release of this movie and after it... along with a History channel documentary, teenagers and inquisitive minds across America have wondered if the Mayans are right. Will the world end in 2012? If you watch the movie you'll notice that the world was destroyed by a flood and mankind survived only on modern day forms of Noah's Ark found in the Bible. While many cultures have a flood story, it was interesting to see that they used Noah's Ark as the model for mankind's only hope. But what DID God say in story of the great flood of Genesis? He said He would never again destroy the world with a flood, in fact that's why we were given the rainbow... to remind us of that promise. What was the source behind the Mayan calendar? Astrology. The Mayans made predictions based on the stars. But again, what does God say about this? Isaiah 47:13-15 says, “You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before! Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you." Maybe 2012 isn't the answer. But if it's not, what is? When will the world end? When will all the crazy people with signs that say, "THE END IS NEAR" ever be right? This is the question we ask. But is it the right question? I'm convinced the question is not WHEN the end will come, but WHAT will you do in the light of the fact that the end is certainly coming? THAT MUCH is a reality. The end will come. What I wanna do today is give you just a glimpse into the end of the world found in the Bible. Please prepare yourself though, because this is where the fun and games end. Turn with me if you would to the last book of the Bible, Revelation... Chapter 16, v.8-9. (REPEAT) (READ)
Now I need to catch you up to this point... God tells us a day will come when Jesus Christ takes His people from this earth to heaven. We call this the "rapture." We know this will happen because 1 Thess. 1:10 tells us, "...to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." 1 Thess. 4:16-17 also says,"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." You may or may not have heard of the Left Behind movies. They were produced by Christians and they've tried to dramatize what this event may look like if it happened in our day. I suggest you check them out. This event is what essentially begins the chain of major events that lead to the end. It will happen on a day when the world doesn't expect it. We know this because Jesus Himself has even said in Matt. 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
After this rapture a 7 year period of trial the Bible calls the "Tribulation" will come. During this Tribulation there will be a span of judgments on the earth and those left in it. The world will be hit with plagues, famine, judgments on the earth and water supply, and whole fractions of the world population will be wiped out. These judgments come in the form of
(1) 7 Seals on a scroll that are broken
(2) 7 Trumpets that are sounded, and...
(3) finally in the second half of the Tribulation... 7 Bowls that are poured out.
Of these bowls, 3 of them are directed at the earth and animals and 4 of them are directed at people. 2 of those 4 are specifically against the worshipers of the beast (who is often called an evil world ruler or the "Antichrist"). God tells us his worshipers will not be saved. The 4th Bowl judgment here in v.8-9 and it's recipients are of those other 2 who have sinned, but aren't directly specified as being worshipers of the beast.
SO... picture the scene with me: The doors of the temple begin to open as the world squints their eyes in frightful anticipation of what's in store for them. Smoke pours out of the doorway. 7 men step out onto the smoke like a blanket. The men are dressed in gold and white. Their appearance of perfection and purity bring conviction to the eyes of those who see them. They're each given golden bowls that match their perfection, the contents of which are shrouded in horrific secrecy. A loud voice thunders from the temple and says in 16:1, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." The FIRST bowl is poured out on the worshipers of the beast and became a malignant sore on their skin. The SECOND bowl is poured out on the sea and it's turned to blood. Every living creature in it does. The THIRD bowl is poured out upon the rivers and springs, turning them also to blood. But now the FOURTH bowl... this is what we're looking at this morning. Why this one you ask? Because the language of this judgment communicates a warning that none of the other bowl judgments can do as clearly as this one does. So let's look at it. I want you to see....
**GO SLOWLY
FIRST, that The Justice and Wrath of God are real. (v.8-9a)
Now, one of the earlier judgments actually darkened a third of the sun, but the sun was still hot enough to do what's happening in this scene. The surface of the sun is about 20 times hotter than the earth. Usually it's just 25% of the sun's radiation that makes it's way to the earth. Here the heat of the sun that people have so often enjoyed throughout their lifetime is now against them. The sun's radiation penetrates the normal balance and brings fire upon mankind. Fire has been a basic weapon of judgment throughout this book. When Christ comes to judge his eyes are "like blazing fire" (1:14, 2:18), three of the trumpet judgments involved fire (8:7, 8; 9:17-18), and the ultimate fate of those who reject Christ will be the "lake of fire."
APPLICATION:
As you read this I imagine many things are going through your head. God wouldn't do that! He's a God of love! He's not harsh like that and if that's who God is, then He's no God I want to believe in! If that's you today, I want you to think about how you came to that conviction. How did your perception of God develop? And why is it the way it is today? If I were to ask you how you felt about rape, the answer would be obvious wouldn't it? If I were to ask you how you felt about child pornography... same thing, right? You see we have a concept of justice built within us. We have a knowledge of right and wrong. That comes from God. We are made in His image and therefore we are a reflection of His justice. God is not only infinite love, but He's also infinite justice. God is not some Divine Teddy Bear in heaven waiting for us to cuddle with him. The angels sing to Him in Revelation, "holy! holy! holy! is the LORD God ALMIGHTY." So you may ask why God would do this, but you may also ask, why does it have to be so severe?! It would be too easy for me and unhelpful to you if I just said, "They sinned."
The question isn't just about their sins, it's about who they were against. If you lie to a child there is little consequence. If you lie to a friend you could damage or lose that friendship. If you lie to your husband or wife you'll be sleeping on the couch. If you lie to the government there are legal and financial ramifications, but... if when you lie, your lie is against the God who says "You shall not lie" your problem is not horizontal it's vertical. When you sin against an eternal holy God it only makes sense that the punishment would be consistent with who you've sinned against.
If you still feel this is wrong and unfair... I want you to see that as you continue to reject God and all the warnings He's given us in the 65 books of the Bible leading up to this one... as you do that, you are the same as recipients of this judgment. You see, what makes this scene so horrific is that the sun could have consumed these people without them feeling a thing. it was hot enough to do that. But it didn't... because they were still... able... to respond to God. How did they respond to God? That brings us to the 2nd half of v.9. Not only do we see that The Justice and Wrath of God are real, but also...
SECOND, that The Rebellion of Man is real. (v.9b)
As they felt the heat of the wrath of God on their backs...
They weren't doubting if God existed.
They weren't questioning whether Jesus really walked on water or if the tide was just low.
They weren't wondering why there were so many religions in the world.
They weren't asking about the origin of evil.
They weren't trying to defend Evolution.
These things didn't seem to matter anymore, did they? There was no more time to be a skeptic. All their objections were thrown to the fire. What mattered now is that their lives were slipping away from them and they were powerless to stop it. What were their last words? What would you say in such a situation? What could you say? What would be worth saying? Well, with their dying breath they chose to blaspheme God. The text says they blasphemed "the name of God" and this is commonly used as a synonym for God as a whole.
APPLICATION:
"Blasphemy"
To blaspheme is to take God's name in vain. When you do something in vain you remove the content or value from what's being done. But isn't it interesting that we take God's name in vain. We don't take Adolf Hitler's name in vain. We don't take the President's name in vain. But we use God's name is if it were just another cuss word. At community college one day I found myself getting gas across the street. A woman next to me had returned to her car with a fountain drink that had to be less than a dollar. As she tried to shut the door the lid of the drink lost it's grip and she spilled some. She threw out a cuss word in frustration. But her situation escalated as she tried to solve the problem and only made it worse. She lost control of the drink and it busted all over the pavement. At that point she felt it necessary to take God's name in vain... over a fountain drink! Now I imagine the people in our text weren't new to blaspheming God. We're not told this, but we do know this wasn't their first sin. God is in the midst of judging them. And yet their reaction is not one of pleading for mercy, but instead it comes most natural to them to curse God in blasphemy. We're not given a list of their sins as we are sometimes with others in Revelation, but we do know their primary sin was their rejection of God's grace. If they would have received God's grace years ago they would have been taken up to heaven before all this happened.
CONCLUSION:
But what's the point of this 4th Bowl Judgment? Why was it given to us? Was it given to teach us about what would happen at the end of the world as we know it? Yes, the Bible is clear and specific about the major events that will happen and gives us a detailed account of that. But this judgment communicates a clearer warning to us than the others. Notice the 5th bowl judgment says the people also blasphemed and didn't repent. The 7th bowl judgment just says they blasphemed. But the 4th judgment says they blasphemed "the name of the God who has the power over these plagues."
This is very important... now don't we know God has the power and authority over these plagues? If you've read the book of Revelation all the way up to this point and you don't think God has power and authority over all this... you've been reading with your eyes closed. But why was this written. Would it help those who were being judged at all? No! They also know God has the power over these judgments. It's happening before their very eyes! We also read these people didn't "repent so as to give Him glory." But again we have to ask, did they repent? Would they have repented? No! God doesn't judge those who repent and are saved! Again... this wouldn't help these people to know... that their repentance would give save them and give God glory. I believe they already knew it. It has been preached for a long time. That's why I say this passage was given as a clear warning. A warning to those who are now rejecting God's offer of grace. And that warning is this...
BIG IDEA:
In light of the reality of the end, you must respond to God's grace while you still can. We aren't to be concerned with WHEN the end will come, but rather WHAT we will do because the end is coming!
The Bible doesn't speculate about when the end will happen. It just tells us clearly what the end will look like. The question is... how will you respond to it? This is the question of the 4th Bowl Judgment and ultimately the question of the entire book of Revelation. Have you ever taken God's name in vain? Have you made a god to suit yourself? A god that's only a god of love and not justice? If you have, that god is an idol... no better than a lifeless statue. If you've done these things as I did once, then you deserve the justice of God in a literal Hell, a lake of fire.
But there's hope... Rev. 7:16 tells us something about those who receive God's offer of grace and enter into heaven with Him, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat." You see 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ came to this earth the FIRST time so that He could die on that cross, take your sin upon Himself and rise from the dead. God says you must turn your back on sin and put your trust in Him. So I say to you today, please don't wait to find out if these verses are talking about you. We don't know who these people are. Their names aren't given to us. May that wake you up today.
There will be people up front to talk to you about these things as the service closes. Please bring us any questions you may have. Let's pray...
Now I need to catch you up to this point... God tells us a day will come when Jesus Christ takes His people from this earth to heaven. We call this the "rapture." We know this will happen because 1 Thess. 1:10 tells us, "...to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." 1 Thess. 4:16-17 also says,"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." You may or may not have heard of the Left Behind movies. They were produced by Christians and they've tried to dramatize what this event may look like if it happened in our day. I suggest you check them out. This event is what essentially begins the chain of major events that lead to the end. It will happen on a day when the world doesn't expect it. We know this because Jesus Himself has even said in Matt. 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
After this rapture a 7 year period of trial the Bible calls the "Tribulation" will come. During this Tribulation there will be a span of judgments on the earth and those left in it. The world will be hit with plagues, famine, judgments on the earth and water supply, and whole fractions of the world population will be wiped out. These judgments come in the form of
(1) 7 Seals on a scroll that are broken
(2) 7 Trumpets that are sounded, and...
(3) finally in the second half of the Tribulation... 7 Bowls that are poured out.
Of these bowls, 3 of them are directed at the earth and animals and 4 of them are directed at people. 2 of those 4 are specifically against the worshipers of the beast (who is often called an evil world ruler or the "Antichrist"). God tells us his worshipers will not be saved. The 4th Bowl judgment here in v.8-9 and it's recipients are of those other 2 who have sinned, but aren't directly specified as being worshipers of the beast.
SO... picture the scene with me: The doors of the temple begin to open as the world squints their eyes in frightful anticipation of what's in store for them. Smoke pours out of the doorway. 7 men step out onto the smoke like a blanket. The men are dressed in gold and white. Their appearance of perfection and purity bring conviction to the eyes of those who see them. They're each given golden bowls that match their perfection, the contents of which are shrouded in horrific secrecy. A loud voice thunders from the temple and says in 16:1, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." The FIRST bowl is poured out on the worshipers of the beast and became a malignant sore on their skin. The SECOND bowl is poured out on the sea and it's turned to blood. Every living creature in it does. The THIRD bowl is poured out upon the rivers and springs, turning them also to blood. But now the FOURTH bowl... this is what we're looking at this morning. Why this one you ask? Because the language of this judgment communicates a warning that none of the other bowl judgments can do as clearly as this one does. So let's look at it. I want you to see....
**GO SLOWLY
FIRST, that The Justice and Wrath of God are real. (v.8-9a)
Now, one of the earlier judgments actually darkened a third of the sun, but the sun was still hot enough to do what's happening in this scene. The surface of the sun is about 20 times hotter than the earth. Usually it's just 25% of the sun's radiation that makes it's way to the earth. Here the heat of the sun that people have so often enjoyed throughout their lifetime is now against them. The sun's radiation penetrates the normal balance and brings fire upon mankind. Fire has been a basic weapon of judgment throughout this book. When Christ comes to judge his eyes are "like blazing fire" (1:14, 2:18), three of the trumpet judgments involved fire (8:7, 8; 9:17-18), and the ultimate fate of those who reject Christ will be the "lake of fire."
APPLICATION:
As you read this I imagine many things are going through your head. God wouldn't do that! He's a God of love! He's not harsh like that and if that's who God is, then He's no God I want to believe in! If that's you today, I want you to think about how you came to that conviction. How did your perception of God develop? And why is it the way it is today? If I were to ask you how you felt about rape, the answer would be obvious wouldn't it? If I were to ask you how you felt about child pornography... same thing, right? You see we have a concept of justice built within us. We have a knowledge of right and wrong. That comes from God. We are made in His image and therefore we are a reflection of His justice. God is not only infinite love, but He's also infinite justice. God is not some Divine Teddy Bear in heaven waiting for us to cuddle with him. The angels sing to Him in Revelation, "holy! holy! holy! is the LORD God ALMIGHTY." So you may ask why God would do this, but you may also ask, why does it have to be so severe?! It would be too easy for me and unhelpful to you if I just said, "They sinned."
The question isn't just about their sins, it's about who they were against. If you lie to a child there is little consequence. If you lie to a friend you could damage or lose that friendship. If you lie to your husband or wife you'll be sleeping on the couch. If you lie to the government there are legal and financial ramifications, but... if when you lie, your lie is against the God who says "You shall not lie" your problem is not horizontal it's vertical. When you sin against an eternal holy God it only makes sense that the punishment would be consistent with who you've sinned against.
If you still feel this is wrong and unfair... I want you to see that as you continue to reject God and all the warnings He's given us in the 65 books of the Bible leading up to this one... as you do that, you are the same as recipients of this judgment. You see, what makes this scene so horrific is that the sun could have consumed these people without them feeling a thing. it was hot enough to do that. But it didn't... because they were still... able... to respond to God. How did they respond to God? That brings us to the 2nd half of v.9. Not only do we see that The Justice and Wrath of God are real, but also...
SECOND, that The Rebellion of Man is real. (v.9b)
As they felt the heat of the wrath of God on their backs...
They weren't doubting if God existed.
They weren't questioning whether Jesus really walked on water or if the tide was just low.
They weren't wondering why there were so many religions in the world.
They weren't asking about the origin of evil.
They weren't trying to defend Evolution.
These things didn't seem to matter anymore, did they? There was no more time to be a skeptic. All their objections were thrown to the fire. What mattered now is that their lives were slipping away from them and they were powerless to stop it. What were their last words? What would you say in such a situation? What could you say? What would be worth saying? Well, with their dying breath they chose to blaspheme God. The text says they blasphemed "the name of God" and this is commonly used as a synonym for God as a whole.
APPLICATION:
"Blasphemy"
To blaspheme is to take God's name in vain. When you do something in vain you remove the content or value from what's being done. But isn't it interesting that we take God's name in vain. We don't take Adolf Hitler's name in vain. We don't take the President's name in vain. But we use God's name is if it were just another cuss word. At community college one day I found myself getting gas across the street. A woman next to me had returned to her car with a fountain drink that had to be less than a dollar. As she tried to shut the door the lid of the drink lost it's grip and she spilled some. She threw out a cuss word in frustration. But her situation escalated as she tried to solve the problem and only made it worse. She lost control of the drink and it busted all over the pavement. At that point she felt it necessary to take God's name in vain... over a fountain drink! Now I imagine the people in our text weren't new to blaspheming God. We're not told this, but we do know this wasn't their first sin. God is in the midst of judging them. And yet their reaction is not one of pleading for mercy, but instead it comes most natural to them to curse God in blasphemy. We're not given a list of their sins as we are sometimes with others in Revelation, but we do know their primary sin was their rejection of God's grace. If they would have received God's grace years ago they would have been taken up to heaven before all this happened.
CONCLUSION:
But what's the point of this 4th Bowl Judgment? Why was it given to us? Was it given to teach us about what would happen at the end of the world as we know it? Yes, the Bible is clear and specific about the major events that will happen and gives us a detailed account of that. But this judgment communicates a clearer warning to us than the others. Notice the 5th bowl judgment says the people also blasphemed and didn't repent. The 7th bowl judgment just says they blasphemed. But the 4th judgment says they blasphemed "the name of the God who has the power over these plagues."
This is very important... now don't we know God has the power and authority over these plagues? If you've read the book of Revelation all the way up to this point and you don't think God has power and authority over all this... you've been reading with your eyes closed. But why was this written. Would it help those who were being judged at all? No! They also know God has the power over these judgments. It's happening before their very eyes! We also read these people didn't "repent so as to give Him glory." But again we have to ask, did they repent? Would they have repented? No! God doesn't judge those who repent and are saved! Again... this wouldn't help these people to know... that their repentance would give save them and give God glory. I believe they already knew it. It has been preached for a long time. That's why I say this passage was given as a clear warning. A warning to those who are now rejecting God's offer of grace. And that warning is this...
BIG IDEA:
In light of the reality of the end, you must respond to God's grace while you still can. We aren't to be concerned with WHEN the end will come, but rather WHAT we will do because the end is coming!
The Bible doesn't speculate about when the end will happen. It just tells us clearly what the end will look like. The question is... how will you respond to it? This is the question of the 4th Bowl Judgment and ultimately the question of the entire book of Revelation. Have you ever taken God's name in vain? Have you made a god to suit yourself? A god that's only a god of love and not justice? If you have, that god is an idol... no better than a lifeless statue. If you've done these things as I did once, then you deserve the justice of God in a literal Hell, a lake of fire.
But there's hope... Rev. 7:16 tells us something about those who receive God's offer of grace and enter into heaven with Him, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat." You see 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ came to this earth the FIRST time so that He could die on that cross, take your sin upon Himself and rise from the dead. God says you must turn your back on sin and put your trust in Him. So I say to you today, please don't wait to find out if these verses are talking about you. We don't know who these people are. Their names aren't given to us. May that wake you up today.
There will be people up front to talk to you about these things as the service closes. Please bring us any questions you may have. Let's pray...
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