Month: September 2024

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is
head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
Ephesians 5:23

Most people define “church” as the building Christians use to do whatever it is that Christians do. Structures have to sit on property, so somewhere there is a title to the land and, on the bottom line of that title, the name of the owner. The church itself might be deeded to an organization, so the CEO or bishop or pope or person in charge of the group would be considered the head of the church.

This line of thinking makes sense to most Americans, but that’s not how it is presented in the word of God. There, the church is understood to be an assembly of believers in a certain place. They can meet in a building or have a picnic together in a park. The church is still the people and not the place. The universal church is not only made up of every true believer everywhere in the world, it is the sum total of every Christian that ever lived in every century since the day of Pentecost.

The church might be people and not a place, but it still has an owner. The Lord Jesus bought every believer with His own blood and claims them as His own. That clearly makes Him the Head of the Church, which also gives Him authority over it.

The problem with titles is that they must be honored and recognized, or they are meaningless. When Pontius Pilate presented Jesus as king to the Jewish leaders and people, He really was the King of Israel, even though they shouted Him down to be crucified. He was rejected by His own people, so was not allowed to reign over them. However, He will come again to claim His kingdom and wear the crown.

In the same way, “Christians” who don’t obey or honor Christ’s authority will one day be sorted out. The true believers will be separated from the false ones, and Christ will be hailed by the saints of all ages as the Head of the Church.

 March 15 

Indeed I have given him as a witness to the
people, A leader and commander for the people.
Isaiah 55:4

As Leader and Commander, Christ must be followed and obeyed. He needs to take over and control a person’s life, or no transformation can take place. Unfortunately, some people just want to “invite Jesus into their heart” and expect Him to be a quiet, polite guest who minds His own business and leaves them in charge of daily activities. The bottom line is that they’re still lost, because they don’t have the faith to believe that He is the boss and they must obey Him.

Jesus is the Way to Heaven, which is great, since no one else knows how to get there. He’s also the Leader for those who trust Him to lead them…

-from a lost condition into one of positive direction.
-from a sin-cursed world into the New Jerusalem.
-from sorrow into joy.
-from loneliness into fellowship.
-from pain into healing.
-from dryness of spirit to the still waters.

A leader also commands troops into battle, and that connects with the second part of the title: Commander. Christians are on the winning side of a spiritual war waged against the devil and his hosts. Unfortunately, many battles are lost, because many in the Lord’s army don’t obey their orders. Many so-called believers call themselves independent Christians who feel that obedience is optional, whether to church leaders or to Christ, their Commander-in-Chief.

Salvation by grace through faith is one of the basic tenets of Christianity, but it must be understood that faith is agreement with God. It is saying, “Yes sir, I’ll do what you say” to the Leader and Commander of the Universe.

 March 14 

“For I am the LORD, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
Malachi 3:6

When people list the attributes of God, immutability is usually there. That is the stuffy, theological word meaning “unchanging.” God’s character never changes, and that’s a good thing. People, on the other hand, can become happy or sad depending on the time of day, room temperature, or their degree of hunger. Mood swings can happen in an instant depending on circumstances, so immutability is not a human quality.

The book of Hebrews describes the Lord Jesus: “Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail” (Hebrews 1:12). As our great Unchanging Lord, He can be counted on to always be holy, loving, approachable, understanding, forgiving, patient, available, comforting, and real. The exciting thing about this is that He’ll be the same way tomorrow and next year. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”  (Hebrews 13:8).

In the Muslim religion, Allah can change his mind and act differently with different people because he is “almighty” and answerable to no one. Although at times some Christians feel God has become distant and unresponsive, it is the human heart that changes and not the Unchanging Lord.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
                              – Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)

September 23

In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent
and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.
Isaiah 4:2

Prophecy scholar I am not. It’s hard to sort through all the pieces and get them in their proper places. It could be compared to finding a bunch of little animal bones in a field and then taking them home to discover what they are. For me, analyzing and interpreting prophecy is just that kind of challenge, although I would much prefer re-articulating a mouse skeleton any day of the week.

That having been said, I’ve had to search out and study the Old Testament prophets looking for titles of Christ. Many times, it is not immediately apparent if the name is Messianic or refers to God the Father. The Branch of the LORD, however, is one of the very easy ones. It is like it has a neon sign beside it saying, “This is the Messiah.”

Isaiah prophesied at a time when the nation of Judah was in decline. The Assyrian empire had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and laid waste most of the land around Jerusalem. The prophet looked forward to a day when the land would flourish again, when God’s anointed would come.

Just as a branch grows out of a tree, the Branch of the LORD is just an extension of God that comes out of Him and produces fruit on the earth. The title is a very strong affirmation of the deity of the Messiah and was given to bring hope and faith to God’s people in a time of desperation.

In Jesus’ teaching of the true vine, believers are compared to branches that draw strength and sustenance from Christ Himself. When examining a tree, it’s observed that a branch forks and divides and then forks and divides again. Young Christians receive spiritual nourishment from more mature disciples, who serve as channels of grace from the Savior, who is the Branch of the LORD.

 March 12 

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
Luke 1:32

Unexpected guests can be a joy to receive, if they are dear friends that haven’t been seen in a while, but as a general rule, visitors that just pop in are stressful and interfere with the daily routine. That angst would be increased if the interruption was caused by a stranger, and then would be magnified even more if it was discovered that he was an angel.

Mary had a messenger from God in her living room, and he was talking about personal things, uncomfortable things. She was probably a young teenager who had an arranged marriage in her future, but Gabriel was talking to her about having a baby. He even had the name picked out: “Jesus” (Luke 1:31). All of this was overwhelming to say the least.

One interesting aspect of the angelic announcement was the revelation that He was to be be called the “Son of the Highest.” Since this title is used nowhere else in scripture, the question begs to be asked: “Who is going to call Him this and when?” Hints to the answer are given elsewhere.

A few more verses down, the angel Gabriel says: “…the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

A similar title is used by another non-human in Mark 5:7: “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” Here, a fallen angel is addressing Christ using a similar phrase.

God calls Himself the “High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15). This title for God would be used not only by people, but also by all the celestial principalities and powers. Therefore, the holy messenger was actually telling the mother of Christ how Jesus is referred to in heaven: “the Son of the Highest.”

 December 7 

But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Psalm 3:3

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,
Hang down your head and cry,         
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,
Poor boy, you’re bound to die.          
                                  – From an American folk song

We’ve all done things we are not proud of. Worry, guilt, and shame are heavy burdens that bow us down before the god of this world, who deceived us into thinking that sin is fun. Some people never get over it. They go through their lives with their heads hung down as slaves to their own self-destruction. Others come to Jesus, who is The One who Lifts up their Heads.

Christ is the one who is above it all: Above the hustle and bustle of modern society, above the pettiness of what other people think, and above the circumstances that complicate our lives and pull us down.

Jesus is the “High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: who dwells in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).

The Apostle Paul totally understood it: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Things don’t always go my way. I even remember failures from thirty and forty years in the past and shudder. But then, I also remember that Jesus took away my sin and my shame. He is The One who Lifts up my Head.

 March 10 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10: 23*

When the word “faithful” first came into Middle English in the thirteenth century, it meant “full of faith.” Over the centuries, the meaning has somehow morphed into “reliable, trustworthy, and true to one’s promises.”

The Lord Jesus is faithful, so He is all of the above. As Author of Our Faith (Hebrews 12:2), He is the source and supplier of the believer’s faith. Since Christ can be counted on and relied upon, He becomes a worthy object of faith that results in the production of faith among His people. Before anyone can understand being faithful, he must first understand faith. Simply put, faith is agreeing with God in thoughts, actions, and attitudes. It’s saying to the Almighty God, “Yes Sir, that’s right; let’s do it.” True faith always demands a response.

Geometry is taught in Math class, but it is really an exercise in logic. Nobody really cares about how long a line is or how many degrees are in a certain angle, but everyone needs to know how to reach a logical conclusion. This is where if/then thinking is taught. If A=B and B=C then A=C. This makes sense in mathematics, and in the spiritual realm.

• If we died with Christ, then we believe that we shall also live with Him (Romans 6:8).
• If anyone is in Christ, then he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, then he is not His (Romans 8:9).
• If Christ is in you, then the body is dead (Romans 8:10).
• If [we are] children [of God], — then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
• If God is for us, then who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

We can have total obedient faith in the Savior, because above all else, He is Faithful.

*see also Revelation 19:11

 March 9 

“Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
John 1:49*

Most Christians remember Peter’s bold declaration of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), but Nathaniel’s equally strong affirmation that Jesus was the Messiah is often over-looked, even though it was given a year or two before the other. It might be because Nathaniel is called Bartholomew in the other gospels or because “King of Israel” is not recognized for what it is: a messianic title.

The Lord Jesus is a king many times over. When He returns to this planet, He will have to sit through many coronation ceremonies. He’ll be crowned King of kings, King of Peace, King of Righteousness, King of the Jews, and King of the Saints. However, before any of these other honors can be bestowed, He will be given His long overdue position of King of Israel.

When King David crossed back over the Jordan after fleeing Absalom’s rebellion, the tribe of Judah insisted that they be the first to welcome back the king, because they were His kinsmen.

In the same way, the redeemed of every nation are ready to shout Hosanna and crown their Savior, King of the whole earth, but first and foremost the converted Jewish nation will receive their Messiah as the King of Israel.

Crown Him with many crowns
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
                              Matthew Bridges (1800-1893)

*see also Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 27:42; Mark 15:32; John 12:13

 March 8 

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and
not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8

When Jesus wanted to teach His disciples about persistent prayer, He gave them the parable of an unrighteous judge (Luke 18:1-6). The man neither feared God nor men, but gave justice to a poor widow simply because her constant entreaties had become a nuisance and he wanted to get her off his back.

In modern America, it is not hard to find examples of unjust judges. Criminals are often released because of minor technicalities, and major principles of justice are superseded by lesser laws. Since right and wrong are hard to define, everything is determined by the interpretation of the law. And since the law can be viewed in different ways, a judge can legally execute the law and be found unrighteous before God.

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. once interrupted a freshman lawyer presenting a case, “Young man, let me remind you that this is a court of law and not a court of justice.”

Living in times like these, it is truly great to know that there is a Righteous Judge and He will hear our case. He will give the bad guys, the proud, and the unjust what they deserve, but to the faithful and true he will give a reward – the crown of righteousness. Now, I don’t know what that looks like, but I do know that I want one. I also know that putting up with the injustice on Earth and waiting patiently in obedience for Christ’s return is well worth the effort to be rewarded with that heavenly garland (Romans 8:18-25).

Christ’s parable of the unjust judge ends with the exhortation to be persistent in prayer without giving up. He then asks His followers a question: “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

My answer to the Lord Jesus is: “Yes, O Righteous Judge, please make me faithful until your return. I believe, please help my unbelief.”

 March 7 

The Lord also will be a refuge for the
oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9

How do deer and ducks know where the wildlife refuge is? It’s probably trial and error, but also clearly, experience. Once an animal has been shot at, it soon learns to avoid people in those orange vests. It can also sense when it is safe and not in a constant life-or-death situation.

David, before He became King, would often go for days at a time without eating or sleeping. Like a hunted animal, he was on  the run from his enemies. David felt the safest when he felt close to the LORD. At times, even though physical circumstances didn’t change (King Saul, the Philistines, or the Amorites were still trying to track him down), David would be at peace and could calm his troubled soul because he felt at rest in God’s Refuge. He had that sense of well-being, knowing that the Almighty was in control and nothing could harm him there.

The Hebrew word “Misgab,” which is translated into English as “refuge,” actually conveys the idea of something lofty or inaccessible and projects the image of a hill fort. When there are bad guys out to get you, it means safety, hope, and asylum (i.e. refuge).

The word occurs only once in the New Testament and refers to Christ: “we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18). In this context, the enemy is sin and the prospect of eternal judgment. Instead of fleeing to some high tower made of stone, the believer approaches the Lord Jesus in His capacity as High Priest so He can make intercession for him/her. The end result is the same feeling of well-being that David had. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (Hebrews 6:19). It is the feeling of security which comes from being in a safe Refuge.

 March 6