The Pharisees asked Jesus questions sometimes trying to catch him in one of their traps. They attempted this in Matthew chapter 22 with a question about taxes. The Herodians were with them for their purposes.

If Jesus said he was in favor of taxes, then the Pharisees could accuse him before the people for being pro-Roman. If Jesus opposed taxes, then the Herodians would report his disloyalty to Herod Antipas, who was Rome’s authority.

But after Jesus answered their question, he gave them one of his own. It was not designed to catch them in disloyalty to Rome nor was it designed as a trap. Jesus was trying to teach them something.

The Lord asked the Pharisees who the Messiah is and whose son he is. It seems as though the Pharisees didn’t need time to consider their answer. They replied, “The son of David” (Matthew 22:21).

Ah, but the instruction was in the next question Jesus asked about Psalm 110:1, written by King David. “If David calls him Lord, then how is he his son?” Jesus said. The question revolves around the word, “Lord,” or in the Psalm. The first use of the word is the “family” name of God, Yahweh, the name the Hebrews would not pronounce out of respect for God.

What was the second “Lord?” W. Terry Varner wrote, “Psalms 110 shows the Messiah had a two-fold nature, human and divine. The royal sonship of Christ from David’s line is in Matthew 1:1-8 and his human sonship through David’s line to Adam is in Luke 3:23-38.”[i]

The lesson was that they were not just looking at a human being, but a divine one, too. It also showed them that this two-fold being they were addressing had enemies. The Pharisees were supposed to be his subjects obedient to him, but instead, they were disobedient. Jesus was trying to help them see the truth.

Many do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God. Many have struggled with this, but the struggle doesn’t have to continue. What is needed is a study of God’s word. The gospel is God’s power to salvation (Romans 1:16). If you need to understand the truth as taught by Jesus, you can.

Jesus wants to teach you something. If you don’t believe him as the Son of God, he has a lesson or two for you. Just start studying the word of God. That is where the truth is.

[i] “A Homiletic Commentary on the Book of Matthew, Garland Elkins and Thomas B. Warren, editors; Getwell Church of Christ, Memphis, Tennessee; Sain Publications, 1988.

John Henson

The beginning of an undertaking is thrilling. The difficulties have not yet appeared and all the promise awaits. Jesus’ calling of his disciples is quite captivating.

Two sets of brothers kick off the disciples’ walk with Jesus.

Andrew’s invitation to Peter, “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41) carries with it all the expectation of the Old Testament and all the hope for the future. Jesus gives Cephas a new name, “Peter,” which previews the confession he would make three years later.

James and John, sons of Zebedee, leave their father and their business to follow Jesus. Later they would request seats at the right and left hand of Jesus (Mark 10:35-37).

The next day, Philip is called to follow Jesus. Like Andrew with Peter, Philip finds Nathanael.

“We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45).

Nathanael’s response is pointed, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Nathanael was from Galilee (John 21:2). The reputation, such as it was, of Nazareth would have been known to him. Certainly other Jews were skeptical of Jesus’ provenance (John 7:52).

While we cannot hear the tone of Nathanael’s counter, we can assess the honesty of it. After Philip invites Nathanael to investigate, Jesus gives one of the greatest compliments paid to a son of Adam, “an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (John 1:47).

With deceit was how the Jews sought Jesus (Matthew 26:4; Mark 14:1). With deceit was how Elymas the magician opposed the truth (Acts 13:7-10). Deceit was one of the many sins attributed to the Gentiles who did not acknowledge God (Romans 1:29).

Nathanael did not fellowship with those in their deceit. Rather, his company is perfection. Jesus “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). Jesus knows the hearts of men, and his judgment is without error. He knew Nathanael inside and out.

Nathanael’s response to Jesus also indicates the honesty of his heart. “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49).

Nathanael was dubious about Jesus, perhaps even prejudiced against Nazarenes, but his honest heart overcame it all. “Honest inquiry is a sovereign cure for prejudice.” /1

Whatever our preconceptions, misconceptions, or incomprehensions, the answer is an honest heart willing to diligently examine the evidence.

That honest discovery is where we meet the Son of God, and begin our walk with him.

Will you be a Nathanael?

by Lee Parish

1/ F.F. Bruce, The Gospel and Epistles of John (Grand Rapids: Erdmans, 1983), 60.

The angel said of John the Baptist, “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord” (Luke 1:15a). Throughout the centuries figures in history have been given the title of “Great.” Greece had Alexander the Great, Russia had Peter the Great, and for Germany, it was Frederick the Great. We could add dozens, if not hundreds of names to this list. But when I consider the “Greats” of this world, it tells me that men have a far different concept of greatness than does God. I think the late Billy Graham was much closer to the meaning of true greatness: True greatness is not measured by the headlines a person commands or the wealth he or she accumulates. The inner character of a person – the undergirding moral and spiritual values and commitments-is the true measure of lasting greatness (azquotes.com)

William Shakespeare is credited with having said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” I am probably writing to an audience that realizes that greatness is not found in those things that are “of this world,” but rather it is to be found in one’s relationship to and usefulness by God. John was of that makeup. James Hastings hit the nail on the head with these words: More profitable would it be to determine wherein true greatness consists, for then it would be found that much that is called great is little, and that the lowliest path leads to the summit. Vain are the strivings, vain the jealousies and emulations of those who press and struggle for the highest places, for the Divine path to greatness lies in quite an opposite direction (Hastings, 27).

John captured the essence of greatness throughout his entire life. When the time came for him to herald the coming Messiah there were those of small minds and arrogant expectations who asked John, “Art thou the prophet?” (John 1:21), to which John plainly said, “No!” John’s light would shine bright, but his radiance was only the dim moonlight that would introduce men to the Day Star from on high. When he could have stepped forward and claimed the limelight, he instead confessed regarding the Christ, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). It seems to me that the genuinely great man is the one who is completely unaware of his own greatness. He never seeks the spotlight, but rather is embarrassed when it so much as casts a flicker in his direction. Show me a great man (a truly great man) and I will show you someone who ignores his own achievements and marches onward to the reward that awaits him. John was just such a man. No wonder the angel said of John the Baptist, even while John was still in the womb of his loving mother, “For he shall be great!”

It would be impossible to exaggerate the influence of those genuinely great men who have marched across the landscape of time and left their footprints in the sands of human history. Included in that list would be men like Abraham, David, Noah, and Moses. It would also include the multitude of men and women whose names are not known, and whose influence has not made a ripple in the ocean of human affairs when considered among the earthly “greats” of this world. I would include those unsung heroes in India who preach in the villages and cities that are crowded with lost souls. In that list of great men and women would be those restoration pioneers who blazed the trail from one end of our country to the other, in times of difficulty, discomfort, and danger, to take the Gospel to those souls on the ‘Western Frontier’ and to expand the boarders of the kingdom so that the truth of God’s word could go forth in its purity and simplicity. These are what someone called “the beacon lights of the race, set there for the inspiration and guidance of mankind.” It would be easy to get lost in the shuffle, and if not lost at least feel that we have not made an impact in life; that we somehow missed being truly great. Just remember this. John was called “great” by God; and this is all that mattered.

By Tom Wacaster

I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.
Is anything too hard for me?
—Jeremiah 32:27

There are three doxologies in the New Testament that begin by saying that God is able:

“Now to him who is able to strengthen you” (Rom 16:25).

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20).

“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault” (Jude 24).

If these verses aren’t working in your life, it isn’t because you haven’t read the right book or attended the right seminar—it’s because you haven’t tapped into the right power.

“Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you” (Jer 32:17).

Reach out and lean in.
God is able

–Source unknown

The Ephesian church was troubled from the start (see Acts 19) and continued to experience challenges both typical and atypical to infant New Testament churches (see 1 & 2 Timothy and Revelation 2:1-7). The apostle Paul invested two years personally ministering to this group—developing a close, special relationship with them, while also foreseeing some of their future problems (see Acts 20:13-38).

One problem in particular was the challenge of harmonious assimilation for all into that new concept of a multi-ethnic faith community that the church was. This community in Ephesus was largely made up on non-Jews, but the long shadow of God’s covenant relationship with the Jews remained. The non-Jews were having a difficult time accepting their placement within the church due to not previously having that covenant relationship—exacerbated, no doubt, by many Jews who had the same difficulty for them for the same reasons. So Paul speaks to this; speaks to placement and position for all in God’s community.

Choseness (1:3-14)

Paul uses language such as “chosen,” “predestined,” “adopted,” and “included” to underscore his point about placement—about how God specifically planned for non-Jews to join the Jews in covenant with him. Furthermore this was God’s decision before creation—to one day create a multi-ethnic faith community, which was brought about by Christ and sealed by the Spirit. It was to be a community that would mirror the unity of God himself. Everyone within this community, the church, would become “God’s possession.” History did not matter, in that; God’s adoption now trumped it. The non-Jews in Ephesus had the same access to the promises and blessings of God as the Jews, who came to him in faith through Christ. They were chosen. They belonged.

God is Able. You are Able (1:15-2:10)

Next Paul speaks about power and empowerment. The city of Ephesus was an epicenter of religion in ancient Rome, where in most, superstition and magic played a major role. Lots of gods to possess, impress, appease and appeal to for favors, but for the Ephesian Christians that was supposed to be all over. Christ supplanted and exposed all of that through the power of his resurrection—the same power available to the Ephesian Christians to enable them to live out their placement in the kingdom (something Paul would explore more in 4:17-5:33).  No need to return to the “ways of the world” along with behavior related to that. Their life in Christ was alive with power beyond what they could imagine (3:20-21). Being placed thusly and empowered accordingly, God had specific plans for them as his “workmanship.” God was able and so were they.

Peaceful Reconciliation (2:11-122)

In this section Paul reinforces the idea of placement, while also emphasizing the need for peace, harmony and unity in the new multi-ethnic faith community. His words also speak directly to identity. Formerly the non-Jews were excluded from the covenant—“foreigners” is the term he uses. But Christ changed that. He demolished the barriers of separation inherent with the Law in order to create this new community—the church. Hostility should no longer be the defining force between the Jew and non-Jew in this community. Instead peace and reconciliation would. This would call for new thinking about identity. No one is an alien, stranger or foreigner anymore. Everyone who comes to Christ in faith belongs as “citizens”. Paul imagines it as a kind of new temple with Christ as head and foundation—with all others being an integral, connected part of the building. For this to be realized, Jews would have to no longer primarily self-identify as Jews. The same would be true for non-Jews. Their primary identity would be as citizens of God’s kingdom. This then would allow the hostility to end and a united community of peace and harmony to emerge emphasizing reconciliation instead of hatred and division. Truly a place of belonging! Paul would urge even more specifically this kind of unity in 4:1-6 and ask them to “make every effort” to bring it about.

But it would not be easy. Generations of suspicion, prejudice and hatred would have to be overcome. These feelings ran deep and the transformation into self-identifying primarily as a Christian—even before ethnicity—would take time. And this not just in Ephesus, but in almost every New Testament church. Yet it was completely necessary if the church was going to make an impact.

The Good News that they preached—centered of course on Jesus—included reconciliation; becoming part of a community where the old ways of thinking, identifying and behaving were replaced by a new paradigm. Here everyone-regardless of race, background, social status, gender was welcome to follow Jesus equally together with the same access to the Father through the Spirit. Former identities would be replaced and redefined through Jesus. Accepted cultural pressure points and social conditioning that brought division would be overcome by the grace of Jesus lived out in the community. Everything would change—all relationships—between Jews and non-Jews; slave and free; men and women; husband and wife; children and parents. Destructive personal behavior would be put away and be replaced by healthy, others-centered behavior. People would be “made new in the attitude of your minds” in order to “put on a new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (4:23).

This was God’s plan. To this they were chosen. Through Christ they belonged completely without reservation. He empowered them in this process and through his Spirit to be able to actually live reconciliation out and create this community of peace and harmony. And what a witness it would be! It would literally change the world.

A Witness Still Needed

The parallels between Ephesus and us are numerous. We continue to live in a world intent on hostility, where peace and reconciliation are drowned out in other, louder, destructive and hate-filled voices. The challenge of self-identifying first and primarily as citizens of the kingdom remains. It often runs headlong into cultural conventional thinking. But the call remains—we are to be made new, completely, not partially new. While the world seeks to divide, our message and actions are about reconciliation, peace and acceptance. We cannot afford to “follow the ways of the world”—allowing that to set our agendas. We must make “every effort” to maintain unity. We need to be open for the power of God to work within us in ways we cannot ask or imagine. What a transforming force this beautiful multi-ethnic, welcoming, united faith community can still be—a place where everyone can belong! I pray we are up for this wonderful challenge.

Danny Dodd

Angels are not the dainty, long-haired Western Europeans they’re often depicted as being. In Matthew 28, their appearance was like lightning and they had white clothes. Evidently their appearance was other-worldly enough to frighten these soldiers almost to death (28.4). Whether this was some cardiac event or simply shock we cannot know. But to frighten someone that tough to that extent would take something pretty crazy.

But some of these same guys still went straight to the chief priests and took a bribe to keep quiet and spread disinformation (28.11-15). After what they had just seen and experienced, you’d think they would run to a therapist and not the chief priests to help perpetuate something they knew to be false.

We can be tempted sometimes to think that evangelism requires more than just showing someone the word. We might think the miraculous or incredible could persuade even the most stubborn non-believer. The power of our job (making disciples) is in the Word and in faith. The Bible has many accounts of people seeing incredible feats of supernatural power with their own eyes and still rejecting God. Abraham informed the rich man in Luke 16.29-31 that God’s Word is what saves; if that is rejected, no miracle will change this.

If we place our faith in the power of the Word and work to deepen our understanding of the Word, we have all we need to show the power of Jesus.

Gary Pollard

The eighty-year-old was tired. His hands were weary. Victory or defeat were in the balance. He needed help.

God chose Moses, a man who doubted his own abilities, to lead his people out of captivity. But Moses did not do it alone. His brother, Aaron was by his side, his strengths compensating for Moses’ weaknesses. God’s power was demonstrated through the words and actions of these men.

But the challenges Moses faced did not all drown in the sea. Different difficulties arose with the freedom of this newly forged nation. Food and water were lacking, and the people’s trust in God seemed tenuous in the best of times.

One crisis led into another. Moses’ concerns went from sustenance to violence. The Amalekites arrayed themselves for battle against Israel (Exodus 17:8). Joshua’s first mention is as the battlefield commander against Amalek. However, it wasn’t Joshua’s skills as a warrior which determined the outcome of this battle, it was the strength of Moses’ hands.

Moses held the “staff of God” in his hand (Exodus 17:9), and “whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11). Without God this makes no sense. God went to great lengths to ensure that people understood that he was the cause of victory. The people fought under the banner of Jehovah (Exodus 17:15), and Moses was holding up Jehovah’s banner.

The problem is that Moses’ hands grew weary (Exodus 17:12). Under the strain of holding up the banner of God, Moses became weak. He needed help. Beside him were Aaron and Hur. They sat Moses upon a stone and held up his hands, so that Moses would be “steady” or faithful (see the NET notes). This resulted in Joshua overwhelming the Amalekites (Exodus 17:13).

The victory came from Jehovah. Amalek lifted up his hand against the throne of God, and God declared he would blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Exodus 17:14). Yet God only empowered victory when Moses held up the staff.

God has gained the victory through Jesus, yet he expects us to be steady in holding up the banner of God.

Like Moses we can become weary. That is why God has given us a family to lift us up. Paul urged the Thessalonians to, “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). God instructed the Galatian Christians to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

While it is wonderful to have Aarons and Hurs by your side to lift you up when you are weary, the Psalmist understood God as the strength of his people (Psalm 28:8). After God delivered David from his enemies, he began his Psalm, “I love you, O LORD, my strength” (Psalm 18:1). While Saul was still seeking David’s life, in the 59th Psalm, he addressed God twice as “O my Strength” (Psalm 59:9, 17).

When times are difficult and weakness creeps in, remember the promises of God. To the rebellious Israelites, God promised judgment at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Yet God would be gracious, and he would return his people home. Then a king would reign in righteousness (Isaiah 32:1), the glory of the LORD would be seen (Isaiah 35:2), and salvation would again come from God (Isaiah 35:4). He would place a highway in their midst called the “Way of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8), and those who walked upon it would have everlasting joy (Isaiah 35:10). We live in these very days!

These promises of a now fulfilled kingdom of Christ should cause weak hands to be strengthened and trembly knees to be firm (Isaiah 35:3; Hebrews 12:12).

The victory belongs to God. Take heart, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). No matter what happens, keep those hands up.

Lee Parish

My grandparents live on a dairy farm in Kentucky. Across their front porch my grandmother has hung a several hummingbird feeders. On any given summer day you can sit on the porch and watch hummingbirds zip back and forth between the feeders. Sometimes they fly so low you wonder if they’re going to play darts with the side of your head. It’s quite entertaining, and relaxing, to sit back and enjoy God’s world at work.

Once my grandparents were enjoying this sight when something caught their eye. Just below the awning was a big male hummingbird with bright green feathers and a beautiful red chest. Unlike the rest of the birds, he was simply hovering in one place apart from the feeder. Looking closer they discovered that he was caught in a spider’s web. What’s more, the tiny spider had already wrapped new web around his leg and was starting on his wings. Pappaw, who at the time was roughly 6’3” and 250 lbs., quickly got up, and with his enormous farmer’s hands released the hummingbird from his imminent death.

I can imagine that hummingbird looking at the spider and her web and thinking, “This is so small compared to me. Surely I’m stronger than this!” Yet it wasn’t until he was caught in the web that he realized his own weakness against something that was much stronger than him.

Like the hummingbird, we often look at certain sins and say, “This is so small. Surely I’ve got the strength to just try this one time then walk away.” Or, “Yeah, I do this sometimes, but I can quit doing it whenever I want to.” What we don’t realize is that even the smallest sin (which we lessen by calling them “minor vices”) are so much stronger than us. Even if we do nothing more than dabble in them initially, there’s a real chance we will find ourselves one day so tangled up that we can’t move. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 5:22, “The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.” Unfortunately, we often don’t learn this lesson until the spider has us wrapped up. If we find ourselves in this state, what can we do to fix it?

Truth be told, we can do nothing, because our own power is not enough. What we need is a “6’3” 250 lb. Pappaw with enormous farmer’s hands. In other words, we need someone who is bigger than both us and the sin. The hummingbird’s salvation came only because the enormous hands of my Pappaw wrapped around him and pulled him out of the web. In the same way, we can only rely on the enormous hands of our God to pull us out of death. David realized this concept well in the Psalms.

“Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand…O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” (Psalm 88:2-5; 30:3)

Only God has the power to give us a new lease on life. Are you caught in the web of sin, waiting on that spider to finish spinning her death grip around you or can you proclaim like David, “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”  (Psalm 40:2)

Cory Waddell

Did you know that there can be union without having unity? A union is an association or group formed by people with a common interest or purpose, while unity is the state of being united or joined together as a whole. There can be union without unity. For example, you can tie two cats together by their tails and throw them over a clothes line. By doing so you have created a union, but there won’t be unity between these two cats, only fighting and chaos.

The church formed by Christ is a union, but that doesn’t mean there will always be unity. God understood this when He created the church. He knew that we wouldn’t always get along, so He gave us His word to help us in this matter. Paul spends a few chapters in the book of Romans discussing Christians and their relationships. In 12:17-13:14 he writes about our relationship with the world. In Romans 14:1-16:27,  his focus is on getting along with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Beginning in chapter 15, Paul spends a few verses talking about the responsibility of those who are strong in faith. Romans 15:1-3 says, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

Paul commands the strong in faith to bear the weakness of those without strength (be patient), not be pleasers of self (Phil. 2:3-4), do that which is for the weaker ones’ good, and follow the example of Christ. Paul then spends a moment talking about the power and importance of the Old Testament in verse four.. It was written to teach us (there’s value in studying the O.T.), it was written to encourage us (by reading of faithful people, as in Heb. 11), and it also helps us achieve unity through its teachings. The rest of this chapter is focused on unity. We are given many commands on how to grow our relationship with each other.

Why should we follow these commands? It brings about unity in Christ. Have you ever driven a car that backfires? Or that isn’t firing on all cylinders? It is usually caused by an engine that is out of timing, faulty wiring, or fouled spark plugs. A church that isn’t unified in Christ, runs like a car that is mechanically unstable. Without unity and timing in the cylinders, you experience a lack of horse power and worsened gas mileage. It fails to function the way it was designed to run. The Lord’s body needs maintenance and work in order to function properly.

Our relationship with one another helps us to achieve this perfect unity and efficient operation. A great example of unity is a snowflake. While it is a rare sighting in Alabama, we know what they look like. Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together. The church is made up of fragile and imperfect people, but through unity we can accomplish so much more for Christ.

Carl Pollard

“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9 NKJV).

At the elephant breeding center near Chitwan National Park in Nepal, we were fortunate to see and photograph their latest arrival, a three-day-old baby female elephant. Though tiny (and seriously cute) she was already “all elephant” as the picture above demonstrates. Not only was she just like her mother in biological detail, she also mimicked the adult in posture, actions and other behavior. Our party was enthralled with her performance.

Mimicry is a key concept in conversion and Christian living. Believers in Ephesus were exhorted to “be imitators of God as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1). Paul encouraged the Corinthians to “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). As cited above, he commanded the Philippians to do as they had heard, seen and learned from him.

Peter showed how an unbelieving husband might be converted to Christ by the example of a faithful, submissive wife (1 Peter 3:1-2), even though he was resistant to the preached gospel. Note that such conversions occur when the husband “observes” his wife’s chaste conduct and reverent attitude.

Finally, John wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life . . . that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:1, 3).

Christianity is a learned faith (Ephesians 4:20-21). It is not inherited from birth. It cannot be coerced or enticed materially. One is a Christian because he or she has heard the gospel, received it in faith and obeyed it (Romans 10:13-17; 6:17). Contrary to the teaching of some, one is not miraculously impressed by the Spirit of God so that salvation is imputed without or even against his own will. The believer is led by the Spirit (Romans 8:1-11) when the Word of God is heard, believed, and followed submissively (Matthew 7:21).

Like the baby elephant, a young Christian needs the example of mature and faithful followers of Jesus so that appropriate behavior may be learned. When each one contributes from his or her own abilities and resources, all will grow up to “the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13-15).

Our fellowship with other Christians is a partnership in the task of serving God and seeking eternal life. The young disciple seeks older patterns that enable him to grow in the right ways. Older, spiritually mature Christians should seek out the spiritually young or weak in order to mentor them. All is to the glory of God and the benefit of his Church (Ephesians 4:16).

Michael Brooks

“What are we supposed to do now, huh, Moses?” You can almost hear the sarcasm that must have crossed the minds of at least some of the cynical among the Israelites. It had been a hectic few weeks. First, Moses shows up after forty years and told them Jehovah had remembered them and would set them free. That got everyone excited. Pharaoh, on the other hand, had a different plan. He made them work harder. Thanks, Moses! In the end, after a monumental struggle of wills, Pharaoh was beaten, and the children of Israel marched out of Egypt leaving that country in ruins. The only thing the Egyptians had left was the most powerful army on the planet. And now, that army was hot on their trail and had them pinned against the Red Sea with nowhere to run. You know there was sarcasm because of what they said: “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bring us out of Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11).

Listen to how Moses answered the fear of the people: “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent” (Exodus 14:13, 14). Did you catch that? Here is the formula for their deliverance: (1) Do not be afraid; (2) Stand by; (3) See the salvation of the Lord; and (4) Keep silent!

At times like these, we would do well to apply this formula to our lives. First, do not be afraid! The battle is not yours, but the Lord’s (2 Chronicles 20:15).

Second, stand still! Don’t run. Don’t panic. Don’t lose your faith. The battle may not be ours, but we cannot run in the face of the enemy. We must trust in the Lord, even when we do not see the salvation yet.

Third, see the salvation! The apostle Paul promised that God will provide a way of escape from temptation, including the temptation to run; to abandon our faith (1 Corinthians 10:13); but we have to look for it, to “see” it. When our backs are against the wall and the whole world (it seems) is against us, God will take care of us, but it takes spiritual eyes to see it. In other words, your salvation may not come in physical form; it may not even come in this life, but if you are faithful unto death, He will give you a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). Do you see (understand) that God is in control?

Fourth, keep silent! I don’t know about you (actually, I kinda do), but my ears work better when my mouth is shut. Scripture tells us the tongue is amazingly destructive when misused (James 3:5), but, amazingly, it causes no damage when kept behind the bars of a clenched jaw. Do not challenge God! Do not complain that your (our) suffering is unfair. We are God’s children and that outweighs all suffering (Romans 8:18).

Remember those Egyptians? You know the story of their deliverance from a hopeless situation. Notice Exodus 14:31: When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

We live in fearful times, but let me encourage you to not be afraid, to stand still, to see the salvation of the Lord, and to keep silent. If you do this in faithful submission to His will as outlined in Scripture, you and He are one unbeatable combination!

Donnie Bates

The following piece came to me (author unknown) with Texas mentioned, but after moving from the mountains of Boone to middle Tennessee and temperatures in August much higher than I’m used to, I’m tempted to change the state!

You know you’re in Texas when:

— You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.

— You can say 110 degrees without fainting.

— You can make instant sun tea.

— You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.

— The temperature drops below 95, you feel a bit chilly.

— You discover that in July, it takes only two fingers to drive your car.

— You discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window.

— You notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.

— Hot water now comes out of both taps.

— It’s noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is out on the streets.

— You actually burn your hand opening the car door.

— You break a sweat the instant you step outside…at 7:30 a.m. before work.

— Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, “What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?”

— You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.

Now that’s hot!  I found interesting the similarity between the first line above and Job’s description of an unfaithful friend (and he spoke from experience):

“But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels.” (Job 6:15-17)

“Fair-weather friends” are like those dry rivers in Texas.  Sometimes they’re there, and sometimes they’re not.  In fact, they’re not there during the times when they are most needed.

None of us like to have fair-weather friends, and we need to make sure that we aren’t that kind of friend.  May God help us to be true friends to those around us, especially in their times of need.  Is there anyone around you who especially needs a friend today?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

Everyone wants a cell phone. In 2019 there were an estimated 1.52 billion smartphones sold worldwide (Statista). All for good reason. Who wouldn’t want one? They are incredibly handy and helpful. We use them all the time. Life is much more convenient with them. But this spawns a thought: What would our world be like if we treated our Bibles like we do our cell phones?

• Imagine if everyone was desperate to have one.
• Imagine if people waited in long lines just to get the newest Bible.
• Imagine if so many people wanted one, there was often a massive backorder.
• Imagine if people were willing to pay hundreds of dollars just to have one.
• Imagine if people bought insurance for it, just in case the unthinkable happened.
• Imagine if we enthusiastically wanted to show it off to others and tell them about it.
• Imagine if we never left home without it.
• Imagine if we were willing to turn back home when we forgot it.
• Imagine if we always carried it with us in our pockets, purses, and bags.
• Imagine if we frantically searched for it when we lost it.
• Imagine if we used it when we traveled.
• Imagine if we used it while waiting in line at the groceries store, the DMV, and the bank.
• Imagine if we used it at the game, at work, at the gym, and at home.
• Imagine if we always wanted it around in case of an emergency.
• Imagine if we felt very uncomfortable without it.
• Imagine if our children constantly begged to use it.
• Imagine if it was almost always able to keep our kids occupied so mom could cook and clean, or so dad could fix things around the house.
• Imagine if it was the #1 item on our teens’ Christmas lists.
• Imagine if we were always spending time with it.
• Imagine if we constantly used it to search for answers and information.

If people treated their Bibles like they do their cell phones, this world would be a much, much better place (Psalm 119:11). This isn’t a knock on cell phones; it’s a reminder to spend time with the most important item in our possession. Our Bibles are a precious gift from God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Let’s treasure them!

Brett Petrillo

The various writers of the New Testament spent a significant amount of their time discussing this idea of a “resurrection.” This is interesting because the Old Testament doesn’t directly say much about a resurrection. Verses like Daniel 12:2 are hard to come by when reading through the Hebrew scriptures. Yet on the contrary, nearly every book of the New Testament has something written related to the resurrection. Why is it that such an event was so commonly found on the minds of the inspired writers?

The resurrection is historically significant (1 Cor. 15:4-8) — Not only did the NT speak of this miraculous event, but historical figures such as Tacitus the Roman also made note of it. This was not just a religious moment, it was a historical impact. In verse 6 of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul notes how the resurrected Jesus was witnessed by over 500 people. This event changed the course of history forever.

The resurrection is personally relevant (1 Cor. 15:9-11) — Since the resurrection is a historical fact, it changes everything in how we live our lives. When reading through the verses of 9-11, we can see how the resurrection changed Paul, comforted his thoughts, and convicted those he preached to. This event matters because it is a prelude to our future.

The resurrection is spiritually important (1 Cor. 15:12-20) — There are many areas of spirituality that remain important in our lives, but the focus of the resurrection was undoubtedly imperative to the gospel writers and the following authors of the NT. The resurrection is what gave them hope in the hard times (15:18-20), a future to look forward to (15:40), and a confidence in their belief (15:52).

Few things are as thematic as the resurrection when looking at the inspired writing of the New Testament. It is simply due to the fact that this world is not the final chapter of God’s plan. This isn’t the end, and it’s not our final home. Our temporal bodies are fading, the world is collapsing, and evil is temporarily victorious. However, that is all momentary until the day of our resurrection, where a permanent victory will be had and all evil and pain will be dismissed. Jesus was the fulfillment of our glorious future.

Tyler King

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 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.

Mark 2:21-22 (ESV)

To modern Americans these illustrations may seem a bit strange. However, the first century audiences understood them clearly. It is impractical and unhelpful to mesh something brand new with something that is worn out because the new substance will destroy the old. They are incompatible with one another.

These stories speak volumes to the nature of Jesus’ ministry. The Pharisees believe he is simply trying to bring a new perspective to their understanding of Mosaic faith (hence their question about fasting that starts the conversation). However, Jesus wants them to know, “he is not an attachment, addition, or appendage to the status quo. He cannot be integrated into or contained by preexisting structures, even Judaism, Torah, and synagogue.” [1] Jesus’ ministry goal is to redefine the status quo, to transform the understanding and existences of those who put their faith in him. Their existing structure is not compatible with the “newness” that Jesus brings.

In today’s world we might better understand Jesus’ point by comparing it to a computer’s operating system. Imagine trying to install your favorite app on a first-generation iPad, or Office 365 on Windows Vista! (OUCH!) They simply would not work. The newest programs require a different operating system to accomplish what they are supposed to accomplish. What would we say to the person who refused to acknowledge this need and insisted on cramming the new programs into the old systems?

Yet, some of us today are doing just that with our faith. We see what Jesus is doing and we want to participate, but we want to plug him in like an update to fix a few bugs…like a patch on worn out pants…like new wine in a dry-rotted wineskin. Our goal is to keep our old habits, vices, and ways of thinking, while simultaneously getting the benefits of Christ.

That is not how Jesus works, though. You cannot put new life into an old lifestyle. Embracing Jesus means that we must embrace the “newness” he brings through repentance. Repentance means changing and purging our hearts of anything that is not compatible with Jesus.

Think about your life. Are there things you are trying to hold on to that just do not work with Christ’s ministry? If so, then you need to throw out the old garments and wineskins. You need to ditch the outdated operating system and upgrade to new thinking and actions which are compatible with Jesus’ goals. Sure, it takes time to learn it and become proficient at it, but the final product is far better than anything you are getting now.

Cory Waddell

[1] Pillar Commentary on Mark by James R. Edwards

A couple was driving down the road when they came upon an unusual sight. A blank sign. Even though they recognized the shape of the sign, they were unsure if they should continue. Was there danger ahead? What kind of danger? Was it safe to continue? There were way too many unanswered questions. It left them confused and concerned. In the end, the sign was completely useless.

How often do we encounter “blank signs”? I don’t mean on the road, I mean in Christian form. Too often Christians keep their convictions and faith secret. People do not see us point out the “one way” to the Lord (John 14:6). We do not warn others when they are going the “wrong way” (Acts 3:19). We do not encourage people to “stop” sinning (Romans 6:12-13). We do not help members of the church to “yield” to each other in love (1 Corinthians 1:10). Too many Christians do not communicate any information about God at all in their lives. The spiritual signs are effectively blank. They are blank Christians.

Followers of Christ have been given an enormous responsibility. It isn’t large because it’s impossible, but because it’s important. True Christians are the only lights in the world (Matthew 5:14-16), the only salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), and the only harvest workers (Matthew 9:37-38).  If people can’t find the Lord through us, then we need to take a look at what message we have on our “signs.” We might find them to be blank.

Let’s never be blank. Let’s never hide who we are. Let’s boldly, and lovingly, proclaim the truth about God!

Brett Petrillo

Some form of the word rest is used around sixty times in the NT. Many times it’s use is theologically insignificant, such as when it is used of an object coming to a stop, or as it refers to other people (like, “the rest of them.”). However, several times the use of the word is profound and relevant to our lives, especially as it pertains to the rest that God’s children can experience after this earthly life is completed. Let’s make a few important observations.

First, we notice that although physical rest is a necessary part of life (even recommended by Jesus – see Mk. 6:31), it is secondary to spiritual needs and priorities, as was the case when Jesus told His disciples to “take their rest later on” (Mt. 26:45). Physical rest can wait when one has need of obeying the Gospel, as was the case with the jailor and his household (see Acts 16:25-34).

Lacking rest is not inherently a virtue, but can be when one is deprived for the cause of Christ, as is seen with Paul when he stated: “For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn” (2 Cor. 7:5). Suffering for living faithfully to the Lord is a virtue and privilege (see 1 Pt. 4:13-14; Mt. 5:10-12).

The most frequently and significant use of the word “rest” though is in regard to the rest coming at the conclusion of the Christian’s life. This is especially noted in the book of Hebrews as the author likens it to the rest that God had promised the Israelites in Canaan’s land.

However, the inspired writer describes the rest as one that disobedient Israel would not be permitted to enter because of her sin (3:18-19). How tragic! This concept is used powerfully to warn Christians of the possibility of missing out on the rest in eternity that God promises His faithful people. Though Israel’s time has past, Christians should fear lest they fail to reach their rest (4:1). That fear involves being serious about spiritual things and learning from those who were not permitted to enter into Canaan’s land.

A similar comparison, and warning, is made by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10. He tells his brethren that the Israelites serve as an example that they may be motivated to possess more control over evil in their lives (see v. 6). God was not pleased with most of them (v. 5), especially because of their idolatry, sexual immorality and grumbling (vv. 7-10). Though he sternly warns them, he also gives them assurance that “God is faithful… and will provide a way of escape” (v. 13).

The rest that will be enjoyed in heaven is not an “eternal sleep” but a rest from trials, sickness, temptation, evil, weariness and persecution (see Rev. 14:13; 21:4). That sounds better and better to me each day! Remember, our “momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison” (2 Cor. 4:15).

So, “Let us strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11).

Daren Schroeder

Some things just stay with you. I heard General Norman Schwarzkopf speak not long after the first Gulf War. He told a story about his first command and its early failure that eventually became success. The point to remember was, “when put in command, take charge”. Years later I was fortunate enough to sit in the U.S. Supreme Court Chamber and hear an impromptu lecture by Justice Antonin Scalia. Justice Scalia, leaning on the rail in casual attire, but still quite a powerful presence, said quietly at one point, “I am a teacher at heart, I have always been a teacher”. A man that had such an impact saw himself in a humble way that others likely did not. In my day timer I keep a quote from one of the most influential people of the last century. Henry Ford was asked how and why he came to develop the automobile despite no understanding of or demand for it.  He replied, “if I had asked them what they wanted, they would have said, ‘faster horses’”. The vision to see what others cannot, is rare and impacting.

You have your own list of impacting things said, moments lived, and experiences shared. They live in your head, in a quiet place, but play a role in your thinking. I learned from the General, the Justice and the Visionary, things that have never left. That is sort of how life is don’t you think? Life consists of a lot of time filled with things that matter little and are remembered less, along with a handful of impacting moments like watching my soon to be wife walk down the aisle in October of 1989. Or being in the room when my kids took breath one as they entered this life.

In a recent conversation, an old colleague mentioned a comment that I made to him quite some time ago that he still remembers today, and that helped shape his thinking. That was initially a nice moment followed by the terror of thinking about the responsibility of something I said, impacting someone else. Interestingly enough, as Christians, that is EXACTLY what we are called to do: make an impact!

• Matthew 5:13-16says we are salt and light. We influence, we impact! Our Godly behavior provides an opportunity for others to glorify God.
• Romans 12:2explains that we must influence for good and not be influenced by the world. To be unusual in a monolithic world dominated by sin is our challenge.
• Colossians 4:5emphasizes the importance of the conversations we have with people in our lives, including the critical nature of the words we use and the way they are delivered.

Today, you will almost certainly have an opportunity to impact someone’s life. That opportunity is unique. The people you interact with today, will be in a specific place in their lives, one that will change quickly. The mix of circumstances and influences that provide shape to the mindset of those you will interact with today, offer an opportunity that is unlike yesterday and differs from tomorrow. Be mindful of the impact you can have by offering a well-placed word, displaying a humble attitude, and acting with a servant’s heart.

If you are curious about how to make an impact, modeling Jesus is a great place to start. The most impacting words ever spoken, were spoken by Jesus Christ. His teaching is timeless, transforming and trajectory changing. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). His most humble attitude was displayed on an unjust cross, as God’s Son chose to allow his own humiliating death (Philippians 2:8). He came to serve not to be served and backed it up with his actions (John 13:12-15).

Dean Murphy

Jesus and his followers were in an area known as the ‘Decapolis’ (literally ‘ten cities’). This was the area to the east of the Sea of Galilee and was not part of Galilee or Judea, but is described as the center of Greek and Roman culture – most of it is located in the nation of Jordan today. Jesus seems to have been on one of the hills overlooking the lake, as he immediately got into a boat at the end of his time there.

When people heard that Jesus was there a crowd flocked to him. At the end of Mark 7 Jesus healed a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking. It would appear that crowds were coming and going with Jesus and his followers, staying where they were. At the beginning of Mark 8 another large crowd gathered and stayed for a few days.

“During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.’ His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?’” (Mark 8:1-4 NIV)

A crowd of people in a sparsely populated area. They had been there for three days. Undoubtedly they had brought food with them but that now seems to be gone. What were they to do?

Jesus was reluctant to send them home without something to eat first. Many had come from a distance and needed food to make the journey home. As they would be on foot, they had best part of a day of travel ahead of them to get to the other side of the lake.

When I read the response of the disciples to Jesus statement, I could wonder if they even remembered what had happened a few months earlier in a similar situation when Jesus fed over 5000 with a boy’s lunch. But they did remember, as we can see later in this chapter. But they don’t seem to have learned the lesson – with Jesus there, a lack of food was not a real problem. They needed to trust Jesus.

“‘How many loaves do you have?’ Jesus asked. ‘Seven,’ they replied. He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterwards the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present.” (Mark 8:5-9)

This is so similar to what happened earlier – you wonder if the disciples thought they were experiencing deja vu! This time there were seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Jesus again gave thanks and had the disciples pass the food out to the people. They people ate and were satisfied – they had an excellent sufficiency even thought there were around 4000 people there. They started with seven loaves and ended up with seven large baskets full of broken pieces!

We, like the disciples, need to learn to trust Jesus and not to doubt him. He is with us and he will continue to be with us. He supplies what we need and will continue to do this. The Hebrew writer described him this way: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).

May we learn to trust and rely on Jesus every day.

Photo looking toward eastern side of Galilee from Tiberias by Jon Galloway, November 2019.

Jon Galloway