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…But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form
of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:7*

Seven Hundred years before the Savior walked the hills of Galilee, the prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming Servant of Jehovah (Isaiah 52:13-15). Even the scribes and doctors of the law of Jesus’ day had serious problems with the prophecy. It was clear that God’s Servant was to suffer and be cruelly treated in order to justify many, but other prophesies presented the Messiah as an all-powerful king. To explain the apparent contradiction, some suggested that God would send two different Anointed Ones.

The religious leaders failed to see the two separate missions of Christ. Before He could reign and rule over Israel, He first had to stoop to conquer. When the Lord came to die on Calvary, He was the Suffering Servant. When He comes the second time, it will be as King of Kings.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He fed the hungry, attended the sick, and washed dirty feet. Finally, when his time of service was over, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).

Men became slaves to the Devil by emulating their owner. Lucifer is a prideful creature who has the power to hold in bondage all those given to self-exaltation. It is deception to covet power and authority at all cost. But it’s bad business to gain even the whole world and lose one’s soul (Matthew 16:26).

Our master told his disciples “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). Strange logic indeed it seems – until one realizes that there is nothing greater than being like the Lord. Being conformed to the image of Christ is glorious.

*see also Isaiah 42:1, 52:13, 53:11; Matthew 12:18; Acts 3:13, 26, 4:30

October 15

…That we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true,
in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
1 John 5:20

The Lord Jesus is the True God which is something that true believers already know. However, to even need a title like this concludes the existence of fake gods that would deceive people allowing them to usurp the position of the True God.

In modern society, it’s anathema (an evil) to suggest that someone else’s religion is really a lie. For many, it is preferable to allow someone to go to hell unchallenged, than to risk the chance of them becoming offended.

Recently, a kindergarten student was sent home from class because he was having an asthma attack. Unfortunately, he died in the hospital a few hours later. Before school the next day, the principal called a teachers’ meeting to present talking points concerning discussing the child’s death with students. If a teacher was to be asked, “Is he in heaven now?” or other religious questions, teachers were instructed to say “something non-denominational” such as, “Everyone has different ideas and beliefs about what happens when we die. We don’t really know what ‘Johnny’ (not his real name) and his family believe, but he was a good person.”

How sad! At a very teachable moment, Christian teachers are forbidden to discuss anything about heaven and faith with students. With many years of experience in public education, I’ve seen repeatedly that it’s only the Christian teachers that follow the rules and do what they are told to do. Many atheist and agnostic teachers do what they jolly well please and don’t follow guidelines that they don’t like. It is rules like these that try to discourage any discussion of the True God. The lie that anything anyone could ever choose to believe is valid has become the official doctrine of modern society. To believe that only the Lord Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life cannot be allowed or tolerated by the establishment, even though He is the True God. 

November 6

And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:4

Since the verse above is pulled out of context, it’s a little difficult to understand what it is talking about. Actually, the Apostle Paul was making a reference to the Old Testament story of Moses getting water from the rock. Truth be told, the miracle was performed on many occasions.

Rocks by nature aren’t very absorbent. There is no such thing as a soggy rock. Also a huge amount of water would be needed. Do the math. Most scholars agree that the Israelites numbered around 3 million people and probably had hundreds of thousands of heads of  livestock. Calculating a gallon of water per day per person with two gallons per day per animal, they’d need at least 200,000 gallons of water per hour, (i.e. 55 gal./sec.) everyday day for 40 years. That’s not allowing for baths, washing clothes or spillage. Even if they got that much, it would have to be rationed.

In reality, the water coming out of the rock would have to be a small river that would constantly flow and allow for water seeping into desert sand. Once they found this kind of water source, they wouldn’t find another. But, they did leave it and then found another water-producing rock and then another and then another.

If the desert was full of these “gusher-rocks” then it wouldn’t be a desert. Truth is that God was performing a daily (hourly) miracle to provide His people with water and this miracle followed them as they wandered the wilderness for forty years. In the verse above, Paul tells us that it was actually Christ in His capacity of Creator that was producing the H2O out of stone. It was the Second Person of the Trinity come down from heaven to follow His people and provide what they needed to live. This time He manifested Himself as the Rock.

October 16

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20

I really enjoy growing a garden and I’m not even sure why. Most years, my actual harvest is miserable and the other years I get nothing at all. I’ve had my garden trampled down by boys playing hide-and-go-seek at night and normal 110 degree Kansas summers are very hard on vegetables. When I do get a tomato plant to flower and produce fruit, I do everything I can to see that it reaches maturity. I go out every day and watch the tiny ball slowly getting bigger, then finally turn pink. I know that soon and very soon, I’ll be able to pick and eat that very first tomato. I don’t even like tomatoes that much, but it is more than the realization of my work, time, and anticipation that results in a harvest of satisfaction. It’s the joy of seeing fruitfulness.

Over the years, I’ve been able to strike terror in the hearts of my sons, so they know that the very first red tomato is Papa’s. They can have any and all of the rest, but that first fruit is mine.

When God brought the children of Israel into the Promised Land, He made it very clear to them that the Land was His. They could use and enjoy it, but they were to bring Him an offering of the firstfruits every year. God gave them the land, the rain, and the increase, so the first part of every harvest was God’s.

It was an act of faith to give God the firstfruits, because once given, there was no guarantee that the rest of the crop would be harvested. A hail storm or plague of locusts could destroy all the rest. However, obedience was the best guarantee of God’s blessing and to not give God His portion was stealing from the Almighty.

Jesus is the Firstfruits of those who would be resurrected from the dead. Christ is dedicated to God and serves as a harbinger (promise of good things to come) for believers who are awaiting the resurrection from the dead and eternal life.

November 11

But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.
1 Corinthians 1:23

The word stumbling block occurs 11 times in scripture but only once does it refer to Christ. In the remaining ten verses, four times God’s people are told not to purposefully lay down obstacles for others, and six times were told that sin trips us up. The Lord Jesus is neither sinful or deliberately trying to bring down the Jewish people, so, how is the Savior a Stumbling Block?

The New Testament quotes five times from Psalm 118:22: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” The fact that this verse was cited so many times emphasizes the importance of the teaching. The Jewish teachers of the law were those builders. Instead of embracing Old Testament prophesy, proclaiming the arrival of the Messiah, they rejected Him; they discarded the Holy One of Israel.

Obeying the letter of the law became more important than honoring and having fellowship with God. Christ came to establish that fellowship much deeper than it had ever been before by becoming the Mediator of a Better Covenant. The problem is that the rulers of the Jewish people had become comfortable with observing the rules and regulations they had added, and so rejected the King of the Jews.

God, on the other hand, highly exalted Christ and gave Him a Name that is Above Every Name. Since the fourth century, the Jewish people have seen the rise of Christianity and this dispersed people have lived under the control of so-called Christian nations for centuries.

To this day, most of the descendants of Israel still stumble and fall over the Key Stone that their ancestors threw away. Blessings have become few and antisemitism is on the rise all over the world. Yet, most of the Jewish people today don’t understand what is happening, because Christ is still their Stumbling Block rather than a Savior.

October 17

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2

King David was a man of war, so at times entire armies were out to get him. However, he felt safety and security in the LORD. The many titles above showcase the defensive nature of God to protect and comfort His people. The shepherd-king felt strong, even invincible, knowing the LORD was his stronghold. 

During the middle ages, strongholds actually became an offensive weapon with the development of castles. If a nation wished to invade another, they would often build a fortress deep into enemy territory at some strategic crossroad or elevated checkpoint. Since fewer soldiers were needed to defend a stronghold than to attack it, the invaders could build two or three new castles while the enemy was busy with men and material besieging the first. Little by little a nation would be overrun.

Satan builds strongholds of sin in the minds of men and women. Even Christians feel the effect of this evil influence that only becomes stronger the longer it is permitted to remain. The devil has many blueprints of internal fortresses of influence, just to mention a few: fear, anxiety, sexual impurity, addictions, bitterness, and deceit.

Only Christ has  power enough to demolish them. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). Believers are given arms and armor to engage in spiritual warfare such as the word of God, faith, the gospel, truth, prayer, and assurance of Salvation. But more importantly than anything else, Christians must feel the comfort and security of their own Strong Tower.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the believer’s fortress and rock in time of trouble. Church and Christian fellowship are certainly helpful but it’s only the Savior that will make the devil flee (James 4:7). “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

November 12

I am the living bread which came down from heaven…
John 6:51

Bread really isn’t alive. It dries out or gets moldy if you don’t take care of it; it’s a lot of work to make and you need an oven to bake it. Wouldn’t it be great if bread could just grow on trees?

Actually, breadfruit does exist and on paper is the perfect food. Its slightly yeasty odor and texture remind people of bread and it is actually very nutritious. It’s a good source of energy and high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. One tree can produce over 400 pounds of fruit a year, so it seems ideal. There is only one problem, it’s almost tasteless. The food has never really caught on, so it fails as living bread.

After the Lord Jesus fed  5,000 people, they hung around until the next day wanting Him to provide breakfast and lunch. He left that place, so they searched for Him, but when they finally found Him, the eatery was closed. He wasn’t there to make bread; He came to the world to be bread, Living Bread.

The bread He offered wasn’t the kind that filled men’s bellies; He came to feed their souls. Here again, there’s a problem with market appeal. People would rather feed their faces than satisfy a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

The fast-food and grocery industries have built  multi-billion dollar businesses counting on people to make poor nutritional decisions. Food high in fats, sugars, and chemicals will kill you, but that doesn’t matter as long as it tastes good.

People walked away from Jesus on the day He offered them living bread. They wanted the kind of bread that can dry out or get moldy, the kind of loaves that get eaten up today and need to be purchased again tomorrow.

Living Bread satisfies the emptiness within a sin-sick soul. It costs no money, produces sustenance within the person, and keeps on satisfying. That’s a much better deal.

October 18

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
Psalm 118:22*

Builders are professionals who make their living putting houses and other structures together, so they are confident in their abilities and know-how. Once a contractor has built over one hundred homes, an architect’s blueprint can tend to be treated more like a guideline rather than a rigid plan of action. Some new innovation or out of the ordinary design might be overlooked or even rejected outright.

When Christ began His public ministry, the religious establishment of His day was well entrenched. They built the spiritual temple of God in the minds and lives of the Jewish people by using their own tradition and interpretations for mortar. The Lord Jesus challenged the status quo, and those in charge felt threatened. The rabbi from Nazareth was first ignored and then criticized; they debated and than threatened Him. When that didn’t make Him go away, they conspired to murder Him by falsely accusing Him of a capital crime. However, even after His death, He didn’t go away. Christ rose from the grave and became the Stone which the Builders Rejected.

This was certainly part of God’s plan all along to build a new spiritual temple made up of both Jews and Gentiles that are bonded together with the cement of grace and truth. Those religious master builders rejected and cast aside the most important piece of God’s design for the salvation of Adam’s race.

Among my collection of science toys is a set of 25 hardwood blocks that demonstrate the principle of the Roman arch. When properly assembled, it makes a bridge that can hold the weight of a 200 lb. man. There are six different shapes in the model but only one stands out as unique from the rest: the keystone, which is wider on top than the bottom. When the piece is put in its proper place, it becomes an architectural marvel. When taken away, everything falls apart, because it becomes the Stone which the Builders Rejected.

*see also Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7

November 13

 …of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Romans 9:5

The Apostle Paul was hurting when he wrote this section of Romans. He realized that the Jewish people were eternally lost because they had rejected their Messiah and he was grieving the loss. They could be saved if they repented of their denial of Christ and embraced Him as Lord, but for a huge number of those who heard the gospel, it wasn’t happening. How much more serious could it be? The man they had crucified was God incarnate, the Eternally Blessed God.

Herein lies the great irony. The Eternal God came to this world to be able to bless Adam’s sinful race with everlasting life. However, to reject this gift of the Savior’s sacrifice outright is to be cursed forever with separation from God. The saddest part of all is that many of the early Jewish leaders, who handed the Savior over for torture and death, did so thinking they were doing the work of God.

As Paul preached the gospel in the pagan world, it wasn’t usually the polytheists who shouted him down, but the expatriate Jewish leaders living in the Greek speaking world. Again, they convinced themselves of their own righteousness and assumed they were doing the will of God. They were tragically wrong and sadly deceived because they were following the direction of the god of this world and not the Eternally Blessed God.

Just like Paul, Christians should feel sad and burdened that the lost are going to hell, but they should be careful not to think it is not their fault that they made bad choices. Just like ol’ Pharaoh and Judas Iscariot, Christ- rejecters don’t flip a coin and pick wrong. They go through life, refusing to acknowledge the sovereignty of God and respond repeatedly to their sinful desires even though they generally reap bad consequences from these choices. They have purposefully and methodically believed the “father of lies” throughout their lives and resist the still small voice of God.

People are saved by agreeing with the Eternally Blessed God that they are hopeless sinners, rather than trying to explain or justify their actions.

October 19

By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Hebrews 7:22

“Better” is a key word in understanding the Epistle to the Hebrews. Although the words appear a total of 34 times in ten different New Testament books, it occurs 13 times in 12 verses in Hebrews. Here, Christ is presented as better than the angels and offers us a better hope, better promises, a better sacrifice, and a better resurrection. The Savior is also a Surety of a Better Covenant, whatever that means.

Let’s start with a better known word, covenant. The idea is an agreement or contract. The Old Testament was a pact between God and the descendants of Israel. In the arrangement, God would provide a land for their inheritance, protect them from their enemies, and bless them with prosperity. The Jewish people, for their part, promised to obey God’s law and worship Him at a designated place. However, in the end, they refused to do their part, so the whole agreement broke down.

That’s when Christ came offering a better covenant based on better promises. This new deal was for everyone, not just the Jewish people. It allowed God to unilaterally take care of the sin problem by transforming the sinner into a child of God with changed actions and attitudes. People had to simply believe that Christ conquered sin by dying on the cross. They needed to sign the contract by agreeing with God that what He said was true.

Now comes the part that few people understand. Jesus is the Surety of a Better Covenant. He’s the guarantee that the deal is going to go through. He’s the signing bonus, the proof that everything in the rest of the contract (i.e. eternal life, home in heaven, spiritual blessing, etc.) will be honored. The Savior already died on the cross for mankind’s sin; that was the hard part; all the rest is easy by comparison. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Christ is faithful and true, because He is the Surety of a Better Covenant.

November 14