Romans 6:1-4

“¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

There is a lot of content in these verses so it’s important you understand my more general thoughts on Romans to understand my comments on these verses.  I won’t have the space or time to fully elaborate but just provide a flavor.  Hopefully this will suffice.

Romans is one of the most systematic theological books of the Bible.  I think the first thing we need to recognize is to whom this letter is written.  Paul ends Romans with verse 7 “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”.  We conclude from this that Romans was written to the Christians in Rome and is directed to all Christians; not that there isn’t anything for non-believers but that Christians are the primary audience.

The next item to note is who I think we are (based upon my understanding of scripture of course).  In the beginning God made mankind in His own image/likeness.  Gen 1:26 states “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”.  What is that likeness?  I contend it implies we have three parts to our being.   Just as God is tripartite (e.g. God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son)  we are not merely physical beings.  We are beings with a body, a soul, and a spirit as written in I Th 5:23 when God spoke to the Thessalonians through the apostle Paul, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.  So, we are tripartite beings but in what state are we?

Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve mankind was born spiritually dead.  Moses wrote God’s words in Gen 2:13 -14 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”  Adam did eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil but did not immediately die a physical death but rather a spiritual death.  Adam tried to hide from God.  He was aware of the disunion of himself with God.  We have physical life (e.g. we breathe).  We have a living soul (e.g. we think).  And, we have a spirit but due to original sin we are born with a spirit that does not commune with God; it’s dead to God.

With this background I think I can elaborate on Romans 6:3-4 and see God’s plan to deal with a dead spirit.

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Clearly when we were baptized by the Holy Spirit we weren’t physically buried.  Our spirit was buried with Christ and when He was resurrected and brought to life our spirit was brought to life as well  (made new).  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  2 Cor 5:17.  Note the past tense of this sentence.  It’s describing a completed action of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In addition to this rebirth of our spirit I contend mankind does not have a dual nature (dual spirit) but has a single nature (single spirit).  Either you don’t have a personal relationship with Christ (have a dead spirit) or you do have a personal relationship with Christ (have a living spirit).  The war being waged is not our new nature with our old nature.  The war is between Satan (the Power of Sin and our new nature).  We still have our existing corrupted body and our hampered soul so it appears that we have two natures but I don’t believe that is accurate.  I believe as Christ followers our true essence, our spirit is Holy.

Scripture infers the single nature in several areas.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.  If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”  Mar 2:22.  If God is going to put His Holy Spirit into a person then the person’s spirit had to be made new and Holy to commune.

“And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Mar 3:25.  A healthy person cannot have two spirits, one dead and one alive, or a spirit that vacillates between good and evil.  The spirit has to be one or the other.

Now what practical implication might this have?  I think for starters us recognizing that God knows our true identity is Holy in Christ we can be relieved of guilt, can be protected from shame, can understand that Satan has no power of a holy spirit, and that we can live boldly knowing that God is with us / in us.  I recommend reading / re-reading Ephesians 1 in light of this and pay particular attention to the adjectives God uses to describe His people (e.g. saints) and their position (e.g. adopted as son) and the tense of the verbs (hint: past and present tense).

We have an amazing God that loves us more than we can imagine.

Your Brother in Christ,

Dave

Romans 5:1-5

“¹Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

I can’t speak for you but verses 1 and 2 are relatively easy for me to accept.  Who doesn’t enjoy the promise of blessings of peace and the grace of God.  It’s verses 3 through 5 that are more difficult to understand let alone embrace as a blessing.

During my life I have experienced bouts of depression and in dealing with that I’ve wrestled with God at various times over several parts of scripture.  One part of scripture I struggled was the whole of Romans 9.  The message I took from Romans 9 was that He is sovereign and I am not so I need to accept His will (or risk being miserable).  Another part of scripture was Romans 5:3-5.  In working through these verses (along with others) I ran across a couple of books about Christian growth that along with the Holy Spirit helped me embrace the verses instead of just accepting them as God’s word.

The first was Paul Billheimer’s “Don’t Waste Your Sorrows.”   He discussed the need / blessings of our sufferings.  The short version is that when the new heaven and earth come this corrupted world will be gone and replaced with a perfect dwelling place.  Without a corrupted world and corrupted body there will not be an opportunity for us to grow in faith.  God doesn’t desire suffering but since the fall he’s provided a way of reconciliation through Jesus Christ and a way to maturity through trust in Jesus Christ.  I believe this is a great way of looking at this world.  Don’t waste your sorrows; use them as an opportunity to trust in Christ and rest in Him.

The second was an older book by Hannah Hurnurd called “Hinds Feet on High Places.”  It’s an allegory of life and Christian growth.  The message was similar to the first in that as Christians we grow in faith as we live a life walked moment by moment in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Life may appear to be a sequence of challenges but in reality are opportunities to grow in faith and become closer to Jesus Christ (His desire for us all) if we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us.  This Lenten season is a great time to be reminded that our creator loves us and desires a personal relationship with us.

Your Brother in Christ,

Dave

John 19:30

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

This verse is brief but contains quite a bit of information in light of the whole of scripture.  The first thing that crossed my mind was when Jesus said “It is finished.”.  What is this “it” that was finished?  Pentecost was still off in the future.  Jesus hadn’t been resurrected yet.  Jesus hadn’t even physically died yet.  So, what was this “it” he spoke?   My bible has a cross reference to John 17:4 “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”  This a reasonable explanation and it fits with the end of John 19:30 where scripture states that Jesus gave up his spirit; his spirit wasn’t taken from him.

I think a fuller understanding requires we go back a little earlier and a little later in time than this specific event.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Matt 27:45-46

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.  Matt 27:51

I believe during the 3 hours from the sixth hour (noon) until the ninth hour (3 pm) Jesus was separated from God the Father while Jesus was taking on the sin of the whole world; past, present, and future.  God the Father is completely Holy and cannot be in the presence of sin so he let Jesus take on this burden.  As I noted earlier Jesus gave up his spirit; it wasn’t taken.  This was the only point in time that Jesus was not in complete fellowship with God the Father.

Imagine how we ache with loss of a loved one – how we hurt from broken relationship.  Now picture taking on all this pain from all mankind and for all time.  Alone, no one else to share our pain.  I don’t recall scripture recording Jesus crying out from the physical pain of the Roman scourging.  If you want a graphic depiction of scourging I recommend the movie “The Passion of the Christ.”  No, he only cried out during His temporary separation from God the Father.  It’s just incredible.

The “it” that Jesus said was finished was the reconciliation of mankind to God the Father.  The veil was torn physically in the temple and spiritually between us and God.  For ALL that put their trust in Jesus, we no longer need an atonement; we no longer need a mediator.  Our spirit and the Holy Spirit can have direct relationship.  This is the relationship that Old Testament believers could only dream.  Jesus enabled a restored relationship that God intended; the relationship God had with Adam and Eve in the garden.  A personal relationship between created and creator.

You may wonder what practical application this might have.  There are times (probably more than I’d like to admit) that I get frustrated; even irritated.  If I bring these issues to my Lord the Holy Spirit reminds me that these issues are insignificant to what my Lord suffered so I need to let it go and by letting go I can maintain and/or repair my earthly relationships.  My hope is that as the Holy Spirit conforms me I will remember before my emotions take over rather than after so that repaired relationships are needed much less frequently.

Blessings.

Your Brother in Christ,

Dave

John 13:12-17

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

That evening was the last evening Jesus would spend with these twelve disciples.  During previous meals with these men the disciples speculated who was Jesus’s favorite.  They jockeyed for position as to who was the best; the most faithful disciple.  What would this meal be like?  Not only was it the last evening with them Jesus KNEW it was his last with them.  He had honored God, the Father, and willingly offered himself.  

If you knew you would not live past this evening with who would you choose to spend your time?  Your family?  Your closest friends?  What would you do?  What conversations would you have?  I would choose to spend it with my wife and my daughter.  I’d want them to know how much I love them; how much of a blessing they are to me.  I’d like them to know that just being in their presence was sufficient for me.  I’d want them to know how important a personal relationship with Christ is and to never lose sight of that.  That’s what I’d do.

 

Jesus did not have dinner with his mother or his siblings.  He chose to spend time with these twelve disciples.  These men besides being disciples were his friends; his family for the past 3 years. He had poured his life into the men as Moses had done with Joshua.  With such little time left what else should he say to them?  What else could he do for them prior to his departure?  Clearly, the disciples couldn’t fully appreciate the choice Jesus made about who to spend his time until after the crucifixion; after the resurrection; possibly after Pentecost.

Jesus did not perform one last miracle for them to demonstrate his power.  Jesus (their Rabbi) did not give a wonderful exegesis of scripture.  Jesus performed a simple act of service for his friends to demonstrate humility; show love.

I must confess I fall short of Jesus’s example.  I have a long way to go but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit I expect to be conformed towards that standard.

Your Brother in Christ,

Dave

“A Help In Temptation”

A: Hebrews 2:17-18 “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” 

O: Once again, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus came for a very specific purpose!  And His purpose was to enter into our suffering.  Do you ever think of temptation as a form of “suffering”?  Well, if you’ve ever been tempted and tried to resist, you know how difficult it can be!  If you’ve ever wanted to resist but didn’t and then know the pain of failure, defeat and weakness, well…you can related to this text!  But the good news of this text is that Jesus also suffered under temptations that HE can bring you HELP in your temptation!

So how does Jesus help us in our temptation?  Well, certainly there is the gift of His Word, which can be a “lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105).  His Word can help us address the issues of temptation specifically as well as generally by giving examples of people who also faced what you’re going through.  And it’s through God’s Word that we find some really practical advice!

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13 

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”- James 4:7-8. 

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” - James 5:16

So, “a way of escape”, “submission” and “resistance” and “confession to one another” and “prayer”!

My guess is, if you employed any or all of these practical approaches, you would find VICTORY over the evil one and over your temptations!

A:  So, HOW can you apply these strategies and approaches as you consider the temptations you face?

P:  Heavenly Father, THANK YOU for all the ways you have given us to resist and to have victory over our sin.  But MOSTLY thank you for Jesus, my “High Priest” who through His suffering and death on the cross made propitiation for my sins.  Help me trust in Him and by His grace and strength, resist, be healed, and not fall into any temptation.  In Jesus Name.  Amen!

Pastor Tim

Scripture: John 12: 3-8

³Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ⁵"Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" ⁶He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. ⁷Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."

Observation:

Two observations stand out to me as I read these verses again.  The first is the description that because of Mary’s act “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”  This was an act of love and devotion on the part of Mary to Jesus.  Her actions affected multiple senses of those who were around her.  Not only could they watch her devotion to Jesus, they could not help but smell it because of the fragrant ointment used.  What do my acts toward Jesus fill the room with?  Is it something pleasing that all around me cannot help but notice like Mary’s was?  Or, unfortunately, is it noticeable for a different reaction.  Perhaps worse yet, does my lack of devotion leave the room empty?

The second observation is the reminder that Jesus knows our heart and the purpose behind the actions we take.  This is clear when He addressed Judas’ question about proper use of the money.  The notes in my Bible state that the cost of the ointment was probably close to a year’s wages.  Surely something more could have been done with this money to advance Jesus’ ministry as Judas states.  However, Jesus knows the heart of both Mary and Judas.  He knows Mary’s intentions are pure and honorable, while Judas’ are not.  

Application:

First, how does my devotion to Jesus affect those around me?  Do I leave a pleasing fragrance in the lives of those around me or is any impact felt at all?  This is not a statement saying that we are saved by works, but an understanding that my reaction to Jesus (His love for me and what that means to my life) should leave a pleasing impact, fragrance, to those around me.  I am reminded of Jesus’ words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  What can I do to demonstrate I am a follower of Jesus by sharing His love with those around me?

Second, how amazing that God knows us so intimately!  This gives me a mixture of emotions including awe, fear, and hope.  But I am comforted to know that Jesus knows me.  He knows my thoughts and desires.  He knows me beyond a surface level.  This is comforting.  He doesn’t just know of me, He takes the time to know me on a deep, personal level.  Thankfully, despite knowing all this about me, He still calls me His child and loves me more deeply, more intimately, than I will ever be able to understand while on Earth.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing me intimately.  As fearful as it can be to realize you know my intentions, my thoughts, and my desires, it is comforting that You know me at a level deeper than I understand myself.  Despite this knowledge of my heart (because of the knowledge of my heart), you sent Jesus to die for me, to save me from my sins, and to bring me into a deep relationship with you.  Because of this deep love, help me share this news with others; that you know them deeply and want them to know you in that way too.  Help my actions affect those around me in many different ways, filling the room with your love just like the ointment used by Mary.

Jeff Wiese

Scripture: John 4: 25-26

²⁵The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." ²⁶Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

Observation:

I have to admit, my observation comes not from these verses but from later in the story.  Verse 28 tells us that the woman “left her water jar and went away into the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.  Can this be the Christ?’”.

She left her water jar!  The thing that she had came for, the thing she originally thought would provide for her life.  She left it behind immediately because of what she found at that well; the water that gives eternal life that Jesus referred to in verse 14.

Because of her immediate response to Jesus, verse 39 tells us that “Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, …”.  Her reaction to Jesus had a profound affect not only on her, but on many of those around her.

Application:

What is my reaction to Jesus sharing who he is with me?  Sadly, if I am honest with myself I am much less enthusiastic in my response.  I don’t find myself leaving behind my work for the day to immediately go share what God has revealed to me with those in my community.  

Thankfully along with Jesus’ revelation of who He is to me, He has revealed why He came.  Through His death and resurrection I have life eternal with Him.  My sins are forgiven and God has made me His child.  This is the news that God has called me to share, just like the Samaritan woman at the well did.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing yourself and your love to me through Jesus.  Help me to share the story of your love and forgiveness with those in my community that they too might come to know you and your love for them.

Jeff Wiese