GOD’S PROMISE OF ASSURANCE: VICTORY

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GOD’S PROMISE OF VICTORY
There are many times when situations or circumstances just don’t turn out as we plan or desire. What happens- reality sets in! The different picture that develops may be a minor inconvenience or a life-changing event. We are often faced with having to make a decision on something that sounds too good to be true. So what decision do we make? We learned from Luke 11 to seek our answers first from God in prayer. No matter what life may have thrown at us, we can still experience good things from God. God’s goodness and love overcomes life’s difficulties. In fact, God can use those very difficulties to work His goodness into our lives. In the Book of Romans, Paul showed us how God works His goodness and love on our behalf. God’s “no answer” to our prayers will definitely produce greater glory to His name and likely give greater blessings to the one whose prayer got that “no answer”. Apart from greater glory to God, why do we get “no answers”? (Not God’s Will, Not God’s timing, Our request would really not be good for us, or Something better is coming.)
Read Romans 8:28-30
In Romans 8:28-39, Paul ends this chapter by proclaiming the full assurance believers have that God will bring to completion the work of salvation in them and the incomparable nature of God’s love for believers in Jesus Christ. There is much in these 12 verses, we all should go back and study them over and over. One of the greatest promises in the Bible is found in this passage: “We know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (v. 28, KJV).
Notice that this verse does not say that all things work together for good for all people. Micah 6:8 God tells us what He requires from us. “He told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God!” (ESV). This means that the primary forms of love are justice, mercy, and faithfulness and to respond to His redemption (Matt. 23:23; Deut. 10:12-13). Many people live in an open rebellion against God. Others live in a complete indifference to His claims upon them. To suppose that their revolt works to their good is to propose a moral contradiction. For sin in the hearts of men is real for God. On the contrary, in Romans 6:23 Paul said, “The wages of sin is death.” (all translations).
The passage specifies those for whom the promise of this verse holds when it says, “to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose”. The first clause sounds as though the initiative rested with man. That is, as a consequence of man’s love for God, all things work together for good. But the second clause acknowledges that the initiative in our conversion is taken by God. He calls us by His grace and according to His purpose. To God’s extended grace we respond in faith. For those who respond to God’s love with love, and for those who answer God’s call in faith, the promise is assured.
God works in “everything”- not just isolated incidents- for our good. This does not mean that all that happens to us is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-range good. Note that God is not working to make us happy but to fulfill His purpose. As specified before, this promise is not for everybody. It can be claimed only by those who love God and are called by Him, that is, those whom the Holy Spirit convinces to receive Christ. Such people have a new perspective, a new mind-set. They trust in God, not in worldly treasures, their security is in heaven, not on earth. Their faith in God does not waver in pain and persecution because they know God is with them.
Evil and tragedy are real in the world, and sometimes God’s people suffer crushing sorrow. We must refrain from attributing to the Will of God that which is not true to Christ’s revelation of Him. God is not responsible for terrible crimes; sinful men and women are. They occur because God’s will is flagrantly transgressed. And the transgressing of the will of God can never be carrying out of His Will. Yet God’s love and resources are so great that He can overrule in the tragedies we suffer. Whether sorrows and tears or joys and laughter, He can work through them all to make us increasingly like Jesus Christ. And that is what God’ grace is all about. The larger the family of God’s children, the greater the honor to His Son in being the firstborn!
God’s ultimate goal for us is to make us like Christ (1 John 3:2). As we become more and more like Him, we discover our true selves, the person we were created to be. How can we become like Christ? By reading and heeding the Word, by studying His life on earth through the Gospels, by spending time in prayer, by being filled with His Spirit, and by doing His work in the world.
In verse 30, Paul bridged eternity past and future with his majestic summation of God’s redemptive purpose. Notice the four mighty spans in this bridge. Predestination is God’s purposive grace at work before the foundation of the world. Calling and justification are God’s grace confronting us and making right with Himself in the midst of history. Glorification is the ultimate triumph of God’s grace in the consummation. Paul regarded our future glorification with Christ as so certain that he described it with a past tense, as though it had already happened.
Some people believe these verses mean that before the beginning of the world, God chose certain people to receive His gift of salvation. They point to verses such as Ephesians 1:11 which say that God “chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.” Others believe that God knew in advance who would respond to Him, and upon those He set His mark (He chose them). What is clear is that God’s purpose for His people was not an afterthought. It was settled before the foundation of the world. People are to serve and honor God. If you believe in Christ, you can rejoice in the fact that God has always known you. God’s love is eternal. His wisdom and power are supreme. He will guide and protect you until you one day stand in His presence. Remember, God gives all free choice, so we make the choice to follow Him or not!!
Read Romans 8:31-34
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION!! Predestination, calling, justification, glorification; these great terms comprehend the scope of God’s redemptive purpose. Having set them forth in stair-step fashion in verse 30, Paul asked, “What then shall we say to this?”(v.31). His answer has provided the grandest passage on Christian assurance in the Bible. Observe the solid foundation of our confidence.
First, our assurance is based upon the heavy investment that God has already made in our redemption (vv.31-32). As evidence that God is for us, Paul pointed back to the cross, “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also give us all things with Him?” (v.32). Here is a confidence based upon what God has already done, and so it is neither an idle speculation nor an unsupported hope. Golgotha was God’s firm commitment to us, not a trial run (Rom. 5:6-11).
Second, our assurance is based upon God’s acquittal and Christ’s continuing intercession for us (vv.33-34). A courtroom scene is imagined. The question is asked, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” (v.33).This is a challenge that might well cause us to tremble, except for one thing: “It is God who justifies” (v.33). And none can press further charges against those whom God has acquitted.
If God gave His Son for us, He isn’t going to hold back the gift of salvation. If Christ gave His life for us, He isn’t going to turn around and condemn us. He will not withhold anything we need to live for Him. The Book of Romans is more than a theological explanation of God’s redeeming grace- it is a letter of comfort and confidence addressed to us. Paul says that Jesus is pleading for us in heaven. God has removed our sin and guilt, so it is Satan not God, who accuses us. When he does, Jesus, our advocate, sits at God’s right hand to present our case.
Then Paul asked the question- “Who is the one who condemns?” Paul mentions four reasons in the verse 34 why Christians can never be condemned (and Paul answers his own question). First, we cannot be found guilty because Christ Jesus is the one who died. Second reason is because Christ has been raised. Third, we cannot be found guilty because Christ’s position at the right hand of God (Heb. 1:3; 12:12). Finally, we have no condemnation because Jesus intercedes for us to God. The only one who could condemn us is actually pleading our cause at the right hand of God.
Read Romans 8:35-39
Nothing can separate us from God’s love. This is the concept and promise that Jesus spoke in John10:28-29. To complete the thought on assurances of our salvation after listing the first two previously, here is the third assurance. Third reason is that our assurance is based upon God’s great love for us in Christ, which guarantees that nothing will be able to separate us from Him (vv. 35-39). After enumerating the various calamities that have assailed God’s people (vv.35-36), Paul claimed, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (v.37). This statement provides the background for one of the greatest affirmations of faith in God of all time, “I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vv.38-39). In this sentence Paul included the full range of existence (death and life) and all hostile supernatural forces (angels, principalities, powers). He included all uncertainties of time (things present and things to come) and every each of space (height and depth). Then, lest any source of threat be overlooked, Paul added, “nor anything else in all creation” (v.39).
Verse 38 mentions “angels. It seems clear Paul was referring to fallen angels or demons. Jesus used the same term referring to the angels aligned with the Devil who will be cast into the lake of ire (Matt. 25:41).
These words were written to a church that would soon undergo terrible persecution. In just a few years, Paul’s hypothetical situations would turn into painful realities. This passage reaffirms God’s profound love for His people. No matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, we can never be separated from His love. Suffering should not drive us away from God but help us to identify with Him and allow His love to heal us. These verses contain one of the most comforting promises in all Scripture. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, and even death. These sometimes cause them (and us) to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ. His death for us is proof of His unconquerable love. Nothing can separate us from Christ’s presence. God tells us how great His love is so that we will feel totally secure in Him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid.

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GOD DOES ANSWER PRAYERS

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GOD’S PROMISE OF ANSWERED PRAYER
The majority of Americans claim to pray. So this means many seek God’s assistance or intervention for everything imaginable but many of these people are not Christians. Many may not even believe in God. But as I have written before, not every prayer is answered as desired. God wants us to pray and He will always answer persistent prayers. He knows our heart and He knows what we truly need. Jesus taught us to pray with persistence and trust that our heavenly Father will answer. Luke gives us some important incite about the proper attitude and approach to prayer to be effective.
Read Luke 11:5-10
In Luke 11:1 Jesus’ disciples requested that He teach them to pray, as John the Baptist had taught his disciples. Jesus’ response was to teach Hid disciples the Model Prayer (Luke 11:2-4) and giving them a parable (vv. 5-8) and some instructions (vv. 9-13). Jesus was encouraging disciples to pray persistently because of God’s goodness and His willingness to give good things to those who trust and believe in Him. However, Jesus knew the disciples (and us) need more than the words to pray. Jesus was teaching that all who pray need the proper attitude- from the heart- and the proper approach- humbly. Jesus knew His disciples needed to know how and why they should pray. One of the key aspects of prayer is that it should be done with an attitude of bold persistence.
Matthew’s account of the Model Prayer is longer and more familiar. The setting is also different; Matthew 6:9-15 is part of the Sermon on the Mount. The shorter version of the prayer in Luke was given by Jesus in response to the disciples’ request that He teach them to pray. This shows that the Model Prayer was given primarily as a model for praying rather than as a formal prayer to recite. It is important to remember that both accounts were given by Jesus.
Luke’s account of the Model Prayer (NLT) 11:2-4: Jesus said this is how you should pray. “Father, may your name be kept holy; May your kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He made forgiveness the cornerstone of their relationship with God. God has forgiven our sins; we must now forgive those who have wronged us. To remain unforgiving shows we have not understood that we ourselves deeply need to be forgiven. Think of some people who have wronged you. Jesus would ask: Have you forgiven them? How will God deal with us if He treats us as we treat others?
After teaching the disciples how to pray, Jesus turned to a more difficult task: to teach them the need to pray. This is the point of the parable of the friend at midnight (vv.5-8). The disciples had asked Jesus to teach them to pray, which may imply that the main need is to know what to say when praying. The key, however, is recognized the need to pray. We learn to pray by praying. The one who prays out of a sense of need is the one who truly learns to pray. The main sense of need was great. Hospitality was a sacred duty in that society; and the host had nothing to set before the hungry traveler, who arrived unexpectedly and late. The host’s sense of need was so great that he disturbed his friend and neighbor’s sleep to ask for help. “Importunity” (NRSV) in verse 8 refers to his shameless knocking at his neighbor’s door so late at night.
Verses 9-10 apply the story in verses 5-8. Just as the man’s deep need drove him to seek help from his friend, so should our need drive us to God. When it does, we can be sure God will hear us. The parable of the friend at midnight has much in common with the parable of the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-8. Each teaches the need for continuing in prayer. Each is told in a form which on the surface seems to imply that God must be persuaded to answer our prayers by our continual and persistent requests. This, however, misses the point in both parables. The need for persistence in praying is our need, not God’s. The point, therefore, is definitely NOT that God must be persuaded to hear our prayers by our persistence. The man in the parable was persistent because (1) his need was desperate and (2) his relationship with his neighbor was good. Prayer is persistent for the same two reasons. When the need is real, no one needs to tell us to keep praying about it. Likewise, because we know that God loves us, we continue to pray to Him even when the specific requests do not seem to be answered.
Persistence, or boldness, in prayer overcomes our insensitivity, not God’s. To practice persistence does more to change our heart and mind than God’s, and it helps us understand and express the intensity of our need. Persistence in prayer helps us recognize God’s work. So the goal of persistent prayer is not to try to convince God to see our point of view or to try to change His mind. Instead, persistent prayer is to put us in a position of humble submission and trust before God.
What kinds of results do we expect when we pray?
Read Luke 11:11-13
While still teaching on the subject of prayer, Jesus turned His attention from praying steadfastly to the subject of how God desires to answer our prayers. The analogy in verses 11-13 is like a parable. Verses 5-8 and 11-13 are “how-much-more” parables. If a friend inconvenienced himself because of persistent cries for help, “how much more” will our loving Father give us what we need? If an earthly father does his best to respond to his child’s request for something to eat, “how much more” will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? (v.13).
God is the giver of every good gift. He gives many of His gifts apart from prayer, but our deepest needs can only be met through prayer. The best gift God ever gives if the gift of His presence to be with us. The gift of His Spirit’s presence and power in our lives is the best answer to prayer, and this gift is continually given even when many of our requests seem to have gone unanswered. Even though good earthly fathers make mistakes, they treat their children well. How much better our perfect heavenly Father treats His children! The most important gift Jesus could ever give us is the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), whom He promised all believers after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven (John 15:26).
This points up another reason why genuine prayer is persistent. Some needs change from day to day, but communion with God is an unchanging characteristic of a life of faith. Whatever the urgency of specific petitions, the need for daily communion with God remains constant.

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REVELATION IN PRAYER

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CONNECTED THROUGH PRAYER

How many times do we pray for the church? I will be the first to admit that many times when I pray I forget to include the church. However, when the church is on mission for Christ, it is a major threat to Satan. So Satan will work to cause the church and its leaders problems. This is the time when it is even more important to pray for the church and its leadership. God, in ways we don’t always understand fully, chooses to work through the prayers of believers. In the last part of Ephesians, Paul has one last word of instruction – Pray! There were competing religions and philosophies that were causing the Ephesus church problems. We are often exposed to the same type of problems today. The evil that the church was facing required faith and prayer! The mystery of how prayer works must not distract us from our task to pray and to focus on the truth that God wants in our prayers.

Read Ephesians 6:18

Paul was directing Christians to stand their ground and to put on spiritual armor so they could be victorious as they engaged in spiritual warfare- leading up to this verse. He urged believers tin other churches to give serious attention to the ministry of prayer (1 Thess. 5:17; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2). In verse 18, Paul said they (and us) need to pray at all times, pray with persistence, and pray for each other. This means we must face every situation with prayer. Again, Paul used the Greek meaning of time- it referred to the opportunity.

How can we pray at all times and how does it influence our daily routines? (We can make quick, brief prayers to respond to every situation we meet during the day. This would influence our daily routines by thinking of God at all times.) This means ordering our life around God’s desires and teachings so our way of life becomes a prayer. We don’t have to isolate ourselves from other people and from daily work or interests in order to pray constantly. We can make prayer our life and our life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence. We also should pray for all believers in Christ. So pray for the Christians you know and for the church around the world (all the saints). Paul is saying that “praying” refers to the way all things are to be done. This is the thought behind the hymn which says “Put on the gospel armor,/ Each piece put on with prayer”. The military image drops into the background her, but prayer is the soldier’s communication with headquarters. It is also the spirit with which the troops support one another. Modern armies call for air support (a big reason we all are NOT speaking German or Japanese today). God’s army calls for prayer support. This prayer is to be at all times – time as an opportunity (5:16). Prayer is to be in the Spirit- that is- with the Spirit’s help and with the Spirit as the direction of Christian’s life.

Read Ephesians 6:19-20

Paul states something that could be difficult to understand- “Mystery of the Gospel”.  This means that the gospel –the true, only way of salvation- was hidden, a mystery, God has now made known, though it remains a mystery to many (non-believers).  Think about the people of the Old Testament; how we learned how some were saved- Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc. But do we really know how Moses, David, Daniel and others received salvation? We are convinced they were saved- but it was a “mystery”.

Undiscouraged and undefeated, Paul wrote powerful letters of encouragement from prison. Paul did not ask the Ephesians to pray that his chains would be removed but that he would continue to speak fearlessly for Christ in spite of them. God can use us in any circumstance. We should also pray that God will accomplish His plan through us right where we are. Knowing God’s eternal purpose for us will help us through the difficult times. Paul’s request for prayer, for himself, to preach the gospel showed his desire and commitment to the gospel. The phrase “open my mouth” was one that is only used for very serious matters. Paul said he was “an ambassador in chains”. There were many ambassadors in Rome in some fine embassies, but as indicated Paul was in prison. He asked only to empowered and strengthened to speak for Christ.

Read Ephesians 6:21-22

We can pray for church leaders better when we know about their circumstances. So what keeps us from being more aware of our church leaders’ prayer needs? (We need to make our duty to desire to know more about our leaders. Of course, many leaders are private people- not true of our Pastor. He is always telling us his personal stories.) Paul tells us a bit about Tychicus (Acts 20:4), whom he describes as a “early loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord”. Tychicus was one of the missionaries who accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey. Paul referred to him four times in his letters. Paul wrote that Tychicus would give the church an update on Paul’s situation (Col. 4:7). He told Timothy he had sent Tychicus to Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:12). Paul also mentioned to Titus that he was sending Tychicus or Artemas (Titus 3:12). Paul was stating that Tychicus was a dependable co-laborer in Christ and a valued friend in kingdom work. From all of this, we can be sure that Paul prayed for Tychicus.

Up to this point, Paul’s personal words have been limited to identifying himself and explaining his mission to the Gentiles. But here at the end of Paul’s letter, he acknowledged the personal ties between himself and some of his readers. Paul was sending a personal messenger who would give the church news of Paul and to encourage those in the church. Sending Tychicus with news about Paul gives us an excellent example to follow as we pray for others who serve the Lord. By knowing what’s going on with others, we can pray for their personal needs, their families, and the provision of resources. We can ask the Lord to give them boldness as they us eth opportunity that opens up to them. I believe you will acknowledge that praying in specific ways makes out prayer time more purposeful and likely longer.

Following verse 19 where Paul requests prayer for himself, he believed that sending news of himself would permit them to want to pray for him. They could also pray for specific issues like Paul’s health. However as always, Paul was trying to encourage and build them up because he was interested in them. This is a major issue of learning from Paul. Specifically, we can enjoy the blessing of knowing how our faithful friends in Christ are doing as they serve the Lord. We can rest in the assurance that comes with getting recent updates on their work. And our hearts can be encouraged! As we reflect on Paul’s intention to keep his Christina friends informed about how his mission is working by sending Tychicus, we do well to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit who we can trust to guide us to know more about the needs of others. This helps us to know how to pray for others so we can be connected more closely to them.

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REVELATIONS OF THE TRUE NEED

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FORGIVENESS OFFERED

Imagine you have some health systems and you tried to treat yourself without any success. Finally, you go see a physician. After careful analysis of all the facts, your physician reaches a conclusion about what is wrong and prescribes what you need to make you whole again. In this case the physician knew to fully understand what the you needed before trying to deal with how to heal you. Jesus performed a miracle that involved forgiving a paralyzed man of his sins. The miracle reminds us of our greatest need and how much Jesus wants to make us whole. Jesus desires that all people experience His forgiveness and grace. However, just like when we need to go to a physician for help, we must “go” to Jesus for His “healing”.

Read Luke 5:17-20 Jesus Honors Faith

When Jesus began His public ministry, news about Him spread quickly throughout the region. People came from Galilee and Judea to hear Him preach and teach. As they listened, the growing crowd of people got a chance to witness for themselves His power to heal. Religious leaders came to hear Him, but they didn’t come to learn from His instruction. Rather, they showed up so they could investigate Him and His ministry. Verse 17 introduces the Pharisees and teachers of the law that showed up from all over Galilee and Judea, including Jerusalem. While no sinister intent is mentioned, these religious leaders became Jesus’ severest critics. They were separatists who sought to avoid contact with unclean things and unclean people. The Pharisees were more interested in defining and keeping the huge body of religious traditions that had been accumulating for more than 400 years since the Jews’ return from exile. They were so concerned with these man-made traditions that they often lost sight of Scripture. Here these leaders felt threatened because Jesus challenged their sincerity and because the people were flocking to Him.

Among those coming to Jesus were several men (likely 4), carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. (KJV says palsy, which while being serious, it may not have alone caused the man to be paralyzed.) These men could not get through the large crowd so they took the paralyzed man to the roof and lowered him right to where Jesus was standing. In Bible days, houses were built of stone and had roofs of mud and straw with clay tiles layered on top. Normally, there would be an outside stairway to the roof. So the men carried their friend, while he was laying on a mat. To the roof and took apart as much of the roof as was necessary to get access to Jesus. It wasn’t the paralyzed man’s faith that impressed Jesus but the depth of the faith of his friends who carried him. For better or worse, our faith affects others. We can not make another person a Christian, but we can do much through our words, actions and love to another person a chance to respond. The lesson here “screams” out to us to look for any way possible to bring our friends to the living Christ.

Why did Jesus deal with the man’s sins before healing him? (Jesus dealt with the man’s sins first because that was the man’s basic need. Jesus is always concerned about the total person, but at the heart of human need is the problem of sin and guilt.) Remember that the author of this Scripture- Luke- was a physician but he knew that the greater need was for the forgiveness of the man’s sins. See Matthew 9:2 for incite into how Jesus deals with the person’s greater need first. In doing so, Jesus was asserting a prerogative that was God’s alone (v. 21; 7:49). Jesus’ subsequent healing of the man’s condition was proof that He had the authority to forgive sins as well- much to the consternation of the Pharisees.

Read Luke 5:21-26 Jesus Forgives Sin

Jesus’ actions and words led the scribes and Pharisees to accuse Him of blasphemy. He claimed to do something only God can do- forgive sins. This led the Jewish religious present to conclude that Jesus thought He was God, which is punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). They felt compelled to uphold the law here, even though they were ignoring it in many other cases. They did not understand that Jesus did have the power to heal both body and the soul. Forgiveness was a sign that the messianic age had come (Isaiah 40:2, Jer. 2:32, Micah 7:18, Zechariah 13:1). However, Jesus did not use any of the popular messianic titles. Instead He referred to Himself as Son of man. As we learned before, Jesus used this title more than any other when He was speaking of who He was. He used it to stress two aspects of His redemptive work- death and resurrection (Luke 9:22). On one hand, the Son of man is a humble sufferer who seems weak and powerless; on the other hand, He is vindicated and glorified in divine power (Luke 9:26, also Daniel 7:13).

Jesus’ actions bring to mind an important truth. Sometimes our greatest needs are spiritual in nature. This story of the paralytic doesn’t mean to imply that the cause of physical suffering is necessarily sins that need to be forgiven. (Of course, sometimes our sin causes injury.) Rather, it affirms our foundational spiritual need for an intimate relationship with God through Jesus. Believers are so forgiven that, in God’s eyes, it is as if they had never sinned. Why do you think Jesus asked the question to the religious leaders in verse 23- “Which is easier: to say, ‘your sins are forgiven you’; or to say, ‘Get up and walk”? (Jesus knew the hearts and minds of His accusers. He used His wisdom to counteract their accusations by giving them a paradox.) What He was saying is-if He did not have the authority to forgives sin, then the paralyzed man would not be able to walk. Since the man walked, it was evident that Jesus could forgive sin. Notice that both the paralyzed man and the people in the crowd who witnessed the miracle praised God for what they saw. Luke says they registered complete “awe” and gave “glory to God” for the miracle. It provided an unquestionable demonstration of Jesus’ power to heal and forgive. And of course, glorifying God has a powerful effect on the people who hear us praise Him.

Read Luke 5:29-32 Jesus Seeks Sinners

Luke presents Jesus as the friend of sinners. He freely associated with all kinds of people. This placed Him on a collision course with the Pharisees. The first collision came after Jesus accepted Levi’s dinner invitation. The Pharisees believed in close association only with people who rigidly observed the laws about ritual cleanliness. Neither of the two groups that were guests of Levi’s, met the Pharisees qualifications. Levi was a tax collector and they were outcasts from respectable society. Many tax collectors were collaborators with foreign-dominated governments. (Today they might be called traitors.) They had daily contact with all kinds of other “unclean” people. So most Jewish people thought that tax collectors were “sinners”. In Levi’s case, he seemed eager to leave all behind him because he quickly left a very lucrative business and life-style to follow Jesus as soon as Jesus asked.

Matthew’s (Levi) life was changed in a most profound way that he could not wait to have other tax collectors to meet Jesus. So he arranged a grand banquet in Jesus’ honor at his house. It seems clear that Matthew invited other folks so they would not miss out on the opportunity to know Jesus. Two insights about reaching people for Christ came into view at this point. First, notice Matthew’s method of evangelizing his friends. When we take his example seriously, we search for ways to introduce our lost friends to Christ so they can invite Jesus into their lives. Whether it is in our home and mix some lost friends with dedicated Christians for a social gathering or meal or we invite them to church, sit with them and introduce them to others at church, we are doing the same as Matthew’s example. Second, we need to pay close attention to Jesus’ willingness to associate Himself with social and religious outcasts of His day. His example compels us to see everybody who doesn’t know Him personally. If we treat them like outcasts to be shunned, then we are behaving more like the Pharisees than Christians. Jesus knew that all would not see themselves as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. However, He showed by His example how to treat all people who have not been saved. Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees, not only showed His compassion for the lost, but showed His authority to save all from their sins and trying to help the Pharisees see that they too needed to repent.

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REVELATION OF HUMILITY

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A LIFESTYLE OF HUMILITY

Our culture does not value humility. People generally view it as weakness, self-debasement, or a lack of competitive drive. Self-promotion is seen by most people as a virtue. Sometimes arrogance is interpreted as self-confidence, or vice versa. Jesus challenges His follows to journey on a road less traveled –called humility. However, He wants us to have self-confidence when we go out to witness. So like a lot of things, there can be a fine line between self-confidence and humility. Let’s see if we can get guidelines we can use and understand.

Read Philippians 2:1-4    Humility Defined

When the Philippians Christians learned Paul was in prison, they sent a church member with a gift for Paul. Epaphroditus was to stay with Paul to assist him and tell Paul about the conditions in the Philippians church. Epaphroditus became critically ill but recovered after some time. So Paul sent him home early with this letter to the church. One major reason Paul had for his letter was to prevent a division in the church because of disagreement between two female members (Phil. 4:2-3)- Euodia and Syntyche (we are not told the reason for their quarrel). Paul also told the church that he thought he would win his trial and be freed. Then he challenged believers to live in a way that honored the gospel and to remain faithful. So these verses (1-4) are a continuation to emphasize how to treat one another. Paul’s stressing spiritual unity, asking the Philippians to love one another and to be one in spirit and purpose. God’s purpose in Christ is to create a community, bound together in a common life, characterized by mutual love and encouragement.

Paul enumerates factors and attitudes that promote unity among believers. What are some of them? (Encouragement in Christ, consolation of love, fellowship with the Spirit, and affection & mercy!) This leads us to humility, which is a strength not a weakness. Humility is healthy and it leads us to be comfortable with ourselves and strong enough to make a deliberate commitment to others’ welfare. It is self-knowledge and self-acceptance that refrains from judging others but looks for good in them. The attitude or virtue of humility enables us to consider others as more important than ourselves, looking out for their needs and interests as much as we do our own. Selfishness can ruin a church, but genuine humility can build it.

Read Luke 14:7-11  Humility Taught

These verses are a parable, not instructions about social etiquette. Greater than any social embarrassment (v.9) will be the shame of being excluded from the feast in the coming kingdom of God. The Pharisee’s pride caused them to expect the chief seats at that feast (13:23), but their pride will exclude them, and their paces will be taken by those who make no claims for themselves (13:28-30). Thus those who exalt themselves will be humbles, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. The point of the parable is that self-seeking pride is contrary to God’s order o things. So Jesus was using a wedding banquet to teach a lesson in humility.

To set this up properly, Verses 1-6 tells us that on a Sabbath day (important point) a leading Pharisee invited Jesus to a meal at his house. This was just a meal invitation not the wedding banquet used in the parable. The Pharisees were Jewish laymen dedicated to keeping all the laws and they composed the largest party among the Jews, who exerted great influence among the people. During the meal, the Pharisees watched Jesus closely to seize an opportunity to accuse or criticize Him. Jesus healed a disease man who was at the meal, who was likely there as a normal uninvited guest- arranged by the Pharisees. Prior to the healing, Jesus (as usual) turned the situation around and asked the Pharisees to decide if Jesus was to heal the man on the Sabbath or if they were going to be callous and cold and let the man die. The Pharisees never gave Jesus an answer! The connection is that Jesus used the situation to address the gathering to present the parable in verses 7-11 to convey a profound spiritual truth. He expressed an eternal truth that the person who seeks to gain honor, prestige, or position at the expense of others is not in God’s favor. The person who humbles himself will receive God’s exaltation.

We miss the point, however, if we see these verses (7-11) as just another strategy for ultimately gaining the “chief seats”. Genuine humility is not a strategy to get what we want. Humility is an approach to life that sees self in a proper relationship to God and others. So a proper attitude goes hand-in-hand with humility. Truly humble people compare themselves only with Christ, realize their sinfulness, and understand their limitations. Humility is not self-degradation nor to be used for personal gain; it is realistic, self-assessment and commitment to serve.

Read John 13:3-5, 14-15  Humility Exemplified

While Jesus, crucifixion is the greatest sacrifice, His act of washing the feet of the disciples may have been His greatest act of humility. Jesus was the model servant and He showed His servant attitude to His disciples. Think about this- God in the flesh is willing to serve. We as His followers must be servants, willing to serve in any way that glorifies God. There is a special blessing for those who not only agree with the purpose of humble service to Christ’s way, but who also follow through and do it (vv. 13-17). Jesus’ actions serve as a symbol of Spiritual cleansing (vv. 6-9) and a model of Christian humility (vv 12-17). Through this action Jesus taught the lesson of selfless service that was exemplified supremely by His death on the Cross.

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PRAY IN PRIVATE: REVELATIONS

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PRAYER IN SOLITUDE   Pray
In today’s society, it is rare and often unsettling to stop doing anything and just be still. Solitude is a challenging behavior and counter to most of our culture. Solitude puts us in the very place from which our efforts are designed to keep us from going or to help us escape. Being truly alone with God without an agenda is most often one of those places.
“Only alone can I draw close enough to God to discover His secrets.” -George Washington Carver! What Mr. Carver is stating is that getting to know God one must pray to Him. However, his quote goes way beyond that. Mr. Carver says that it is important to get very close to God and that can best be done in solitude. Solitude is best when one finds a special place to talk with God, but it is not only talking to God, but to draw close to God. To “draw close enough” one must stop and listen to God. So that raises the question of “How does God speak to us?”
The author of “Experiencing God”, Henry Blackabee, indicates that God speaks in different ways:
He speaks by the Holy Spirit-Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 6:19; John 14:26; John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; Jude 19-21; 1 Cor. 2:14-15 and 1 Cor. 2:10-12.
He speaks through the Bible- Eph. 6:17; Proverbs 19:21; Amos 3:7; John 17:3; Psalms 37; John 10:14; and Phil. 2:13.
He speaks through Prayer- John 14:6; John 17:3; Romans 8:26-27; Phil 2:13; and Matt. 26:36-39.
He speaks through Circumstances- John 5:17, 19-20; Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7; John 11:4; Job 42:12-17; Ex. 5-6; Luke 7:11-17; John 6:1-15; and Josh 4:2-3.
He speaks through the Church- Eph. 4:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:7-31; Eph. 4:13; and 2 Thess. 3:1-2.
He speaks through Obedience- John 14:23; Matt. 12:50; James 2:26; 1 John 2:3-6; Psalms 119:33-35; Matt. 7:21-23; Deut. 28:15-20; Jer. 7:23; John 7:16-17; Jonah 2:9- 3:10; Romans 8:28.
John 8:47- “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God”.
Jesus gave us the value and the real example of solitude- being completely alone with God away from all distractions, both human and things. Solitude is removing one’s self from their everyday environment and breath the fresh air from the Lord. It is being alone without being lonely- because God is there. Jesus modeled solitude as integral strategic components of His manner of leadership! So what are the examples of Jesus’ leadership in this issue:
1. Matthew 4:1-11- Prior to beginning His public ministry, Jesus spent forty days alone in the desert.
2. Luke 6:12-13- Jesus spent an entire night alone in the desert hills before choosing His twelve disciples.
3. Matthew 14:13- Upon learning of the death of John the Baptist, Jesus went to be alone in a boat.
4. Matthew 14:23-Right after His miracle of feeding of the five thousand men, plus many women and children, Jesus withdrew into the hills by Himself.
5. Mark 1:35- This may be the most powerful example of the critical role that solitude played in the life and leadership of Jesus. This situation is when Jesus went into solitude the next morning after healing many sick people and casting out demons, the disciples said that everyone was looking for Jesus and wanted to be with Him. Instead of doing the popular thing, Jesus prayed to the Father and then told the disciples that they must go to other towns.
These examples show that Jesus needed the time to pray to His Father and hear what God had to say. God gave even Jesus direction. So if we desire God’s direction, we need to follow Jesus’ example to pray in solitude.

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