God’s Holy Repentance

 

One of blessings of studying the Doctrines of God is that his holiness becomes very clear in comparison to the nature of man. God’s unchanging inner emotional state, his lack of passion, seems odd to us since our emotions change often, but at the same time it should lift our spirits. Through this we are reminded that God cannot love us more than he already does and his love never weakens. Similarly, the simplicity of God, or the fact that he is not composed of parts, is foundational to his eternality in stark contrast with our mortality. God does not change with time because he cannot be divided into past, present and future.

Hallelujah! We are putting our hope in an eternally loving God who cannot change. So what then are we to make of scriptures that suggest God can change his mind? If God can repent that he made man (Genesis 6:6-7) what else can he decide to repent from? Can he decide to repent from the mercy and love toward us as well? Can he repent from the saving faith that he given to you? Thankfully the inspired writers dealt with this apparent contradiction. In 1 Samuel 15, within a span of less than 20 verses, the author of the book tells us two completely opposite things about God. God regrets making Saul king while at the same time, in fact, God does not have regret at all.

1 Samuel 15:10-11: The word of the Lord came to Samuel:“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” 

1 Samuel 15:29: the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”

David was always the King God intended to establish because Christ, the greater son of David, is the King that God has established.

While Saul appears at first to be a good king he later revealed himself to be foolish, rash, and disobedient which culminated in God rejecting Saul as king of Israel. So it appears that God is changing his mind about Saul. However, the prophet Samuel points us to another possible answer. Perhaps God has not made Saul king at all! His argument for God not repenting or lying is simple and clear. God is not a man. God’s ways and man’s ways are so different that we are challenged to go back and re-read the book to examine how God’s ultimate plan differs from what is happening with man.

 

It appears that Hannah is the lesser of two wives and not part of God’s plan. She is mocked because God has closed her womb but in fact God would eventually have her give birth to the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1).

It appears that Eli and his sons are escaping the judgment they deserve from abusing their position as priests but in fact God brings about judgment against them in his perfect timing (1 Samuel 4).

It appears that the Philistines have overcome the Lord and his people by defeating them in battle and taking the ark of the covenant. In fact their military “victory” has brought affliction to their people and their false idol from God himself and would ultimately result in them making sacrifices to the God of Israel (1 Samuel 4-6).

So while Saul was made King [in man’s eyes] in fact things may not be as they appear. When it comes time to pick Saul’s replacement, God tells us how he will come to pick the eventual king, David: “the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart.” Even Saul comes to this realization eventually. When David spares his life, Saul proclaims that he is more righteous and that “he will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand” (1 Samuel 24:19-20). David was always the king God intended to establish because Christ, the greater son of David, is the King that God has established. Christ is King over all things from eternity, and he has offered himself to you. So how does God repent? Well he does one thing and then he does another but always according to his good and perfect will that never changes because God is not a man that he lies or has regrets.

The Harmful Bloom of Bitterness

Harmful blue-green algae blooms can devastate a fresh water ecosystem like a pond or lake. The bacteria that forms the scummy mats that cover the surface of a body of water are always present within the water. However, when conditions are just right, these bacteria can blossom rapidly—in a matter of days—into a harmful bloom that covers the entire body of water. Once the bloom begins to form, the disruptive effects on the ecosystem are immediate. Other living organisms in the watery environment begin to suffer from deadly toxins, lack of sunlight, insufficient oxygen, and other effects that trickle down the food web. This can lead to a large dying off event. But the harmful bloom doesn’t just affect organisms that live in the water. It can also harm organisms that drink the water, come into contact with it, or inhale the water droplets. Ultimately, the bloom itself will die off because there no longer remains enough nutrients to sustain it. In a sense, the bloom destroys itself. So, in short, the potential for a harmful blue-green algae bloom remains hidden in the water until, suddenly, it seems to explode from out of nowhere. It then begins to systematically destroy other living organism within the ecosystem until it ultimately succumbs to its own gluttonous appetite that leaves no nutrients to sustain its own life.

What’s the illustration here? Obviously, this is the nature of sin. Sin remains hidden under the surface, and, when the conditions are right, it erupts to harm others and self. One specific sin that is particularly sneaky in this way is the sin of bitterness. Bitterness can lay under the surface for a long, long time. Then, when conditions are just right, it breaks out. The outcome of a bloom of bitterness is always devastating. A small droplet of bitterness will rapidly grow until it strips away the very inheritance of eternal life that Christ offers us. How do we overcome this insidious sin?

Consider Matthew 5:44–45,

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:44–45).

Focus on verse 44 through the first half of verse 45: But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Follow Jesus’ logic here. Loving one’s enemies and praying for those who persecute you results in becoming a son of God the Father. This truth contains two implications:

Implication 1: You are not a son of God the Father due to your sinfulness in general.

Implication 2: You will not be a son of God the Father if you harbor bitterness for your enemies.

These implications are the reasons Jesus gives the command. He gives the command to wake us up to the reality that we are separated from God the Father by our sin. He gives the command to warn us that if we remain in our sin we will remain separated from God the Father. Another reason Jesus gives the command, though, is this: Our tendency due to our sinful flesh is to not love our enemies but to become embittered toward them. That is, our fallen, sinful natures prevent us from loving our enemies and propel us to harbor bitterness toward them. And that bitterness, like a harmful algae bloom, bides its time until conditions cause it to erupt in harmful desires for and acts of vengeance. Paul warns about this in Romans 12:19,

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

The command here is simple. We must not become embittered and seek vengeance. Rather, we should trust God to act justly. Our conundrum, though (as we’ve just pointed out) is that in our fallen nature we are bent to not love our enemies but rather harbor bitterness toward them. Likewise, we do not pray for those who persecute us but pine for vengeance. What’s the solution? How do we become sons of God the Father if we cannot overcome our inherent bent toward bitterness and vengeance? We need one who is already a son of the Father to show us the way. We need the Son.

Jesus, the Son of God, offers us the supreme example of loving one’s enemies rather than becoming embittered toward them. Consider 1 Peter 2:21–23,

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:21–23).

What was the key to Jesus’ love in the face of such injustice and persecution that, if we experienced it, would move every fiber of our being toward bitterness and vengeance? It’s found in v. 23: Jesus continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. Just as Paul made clear in Romans 12:19, God the Father is a just judge. He will right every injustice. He will repay all the wrongs to you by your enemies. Vengeance is his. Trusting the Father is the example Jesus offers us. On top of that, the injustices Jesus suffered far outweigh any we do because he is the sinless Son of God. And yet, Jesus still entrusted himself to his Father.

Only the Son of God could know this way, and he has showed it to us. We of course could not know this way because in our sin we are not sons who would be inclined to trust God the Father. Romans 12:19 reveals that as well. Our bitterness and desire for vengeance springs from our lack of trust in God to act justly. In our sin we see God as a stranger and enemy. In our sin, we are his enemies. And this is where Jesus the Son of God proves to be more than just a model and an example for us. Jesus proves to be a savior and a son-making brother. Consider what Peter follows up his illustration of Jesus our example with in 1 Peter 2:24,

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:24–25)

Peter follows up Jesus our example with Jesus our savior. We, sinful man, were straying sheep in need of a seeking-shepherd. We were wounded by our own sin and in need of a healer. We were dying from the curse in need of a savior. And, in the heat of our fully bloomed sinful bitterness toward God and our fellow-man, we killed the Son of God.

And Jesus did not become bitter toward us but prayed for us even when we persecuted him to death,

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)

And Jesus rather than seeking vengeance entrusted himself to his Father,

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:47)

And by doing these things—by fulfilling the very command in Matthew 5:34 that he laid before lost, sinful, embittered men who were not sons of God but enemies of him—Jesus bore our sins in his body that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; Jesus healed us; Jesus chased us down like a shepherd seeks out his straying sheep to return us to God the Father. Jesus the Son of God saved us and made us sons of God again (Romans 8:14–17) because he did not become bitter toward us, his enemies.

So how do we overcome sneaky, insidious bitterness that would threaten to bloom to the harm of others and the eternal harm of ourselves? In Jesus the Son of God, we have been given the example to follow. We entrust ourselves to God the Father to do right. And we can do this, because in Jesus the Son of God we are no longer sin-enslaved enemies of the Father who distrust him with our lives. Rather, Jesus the Son has made us sons with him—sons who know and trust the Father, and who are able to follow in the way that Jesus has showed us.

Delighted, Not Dependent: God’s Glory and Your Good

God can make children of Abraham out of rocks. God will be glorified with or without you. And yet, God delights to use you for his glory and your good in his kingdom plans. At the same time, he is not dependent on you to accomplish them. This is a principle that John the Baptist reminds the Pharisees and Sadducees of (cf. Matthew 3:9 — “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”) We see this principle illustrated in Acts 1:15–26. There we witness a memorable scene play out. Peter leads the disciples to fill the void in the twelve left by Judas with a qualified disciple, in keeping with the necessary fulfillment of God’s Word with regard to kingdom restoration (cf. Psalms 69:25; 109:8). Two fellas, the man with three names, Joseph-Barsabbas-Justus, and the man with one name, Matthias, meet the stipulations. That is, both Joseph and Matthias are qualified to be counted among the twelve and receive a share in their ministry. And yet, only one will be chosen. In the end, King Jesus reveals his choice of Matthias. Check out the final movements in the scene:

And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:24–26)

The disciples pray for the Lord to reveal his choice, and he does. We may wonder: What did Joseph do after this? Did he leave in a huff? Did he ask for a recasting of the lots? Did he take his ball and go home? I think it is safe to say no to all of the above. Here’s why.

The very next thing we read in Acts 2:1 is this,

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

They here refers to all of the disciples of Jesus who were present in the preceding scene: the eleven and the roughly 120 including the newly added to the eleven, Matthias, and Joseph. All of these were baptized in the Holy Spirit and became instrumental witnesses of Jesus Christ in the founding of the early church. Some traditions even say that Joseph went on to become a bishop in the early church. But, we may still wonder: Why was Matthias chosen over Joseph?

The short answer, as we’ve made clear at the top, is because Jesus delighted to choose Matthias and wasn’t beholding or dependent to pick one over the other. But there might be more to say on the matter.

We find one other valuable insight in Acts 1:24. From the disciples’ human perspective, the choice is a toss-up. All the objective evidence they can observe suggests that these men are equally qualified. There are no glaring reasons why one and not the other should be chosen. Therefore, they pray. Notice the content of their prayer again. Not only do they confess that Jesus has already made his choice (he simply needs to reveal it) but they address Jesus as the knower of hearts. They recognize that not only does the Lord know the hearts of these men in a way that they as outside observers certainly can’t, but that the Lord also knows Joseph and Matthias’ hearts more intimately than even Joseph and Matthias can. We’re reminded here of the Psalmist:

Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. (Psalm 19:12)

 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

Perhaps, there was something in the heart of Joseph that better suited him to not be one of the twelve. For that matter, perhaps there was something in Matthias’ heart that better suited him to be one of the twelve. What was it? We don’t know. We can only speculate on the specifics. But what we can know for sure is that this choice by the Lord was a grace to both men.

Everything God does for his people, he does for his glory and their good. God’s will for his people is their conformity to Jesus and their ultimate glorification with him (Romans 8:29–31). Therefore, God works all things toward this ultimate good for those who love him and are called according to this purpose and plan unto his own glory (Rom 8:28; 11:36). By taking away from Joseph the role of being one of the twelve, King Jesus was doing what was most glorifying for himself and what was best for Joseph. Likewise, by giving to Matthias the role of being one of the twelve, King Jesus was doing what was most glorifying for himself and what was best for Matthias. This is instructive for us.

Our identity should never be wrapped up in anything other than Jesus—not even our particularly calling or ministry. If Joseph bound his identity to being named one of the twelve because he thought it was what was best for him and the kingdom, the loss of this possibility might have driven him to despair. By taking this role from Joseph, then, we can trust that God was working a particular grace in his life that otherwise wouldn’t have come about. Perhaps he was exposing things in Joseph for his good. Perhaps he was protecting Joseph from hidden things in his heart that wouldn’t have been revealed and dealt with otherwise. So, for you, when God takes something away, even when it is what you believe he has called you to, you can rest assured of this: God gives and God takes away always for your ultimate good and his glory.

God is not dependent on you for his kingdom plans to succeed. He is not beholden to use you in any specific ministry or way. Rather, God delights to use you in the way that will most glorify him and conform you into the image of Jesus (Rom 8:28–31). The picture of Matthias being chosen rather than Joseph illustrates this reality for us in a memorable way.

God can make children of Abraham out of rocks. God will be glorified with or without you. But, in his kindness, he has delighted to call you to wrap yourself up completely in his Son, Jesus. He has delighted to call you to glorify him in the way he chooses. Submit to his call knowing that he will work all things for your good. For, his glory is your good.

What Would You Do in an Overwhelming Flood?

Four weeks ago, Hurricane Helene dumped massive amounts of rain in western North Carolina, destroying communities like Chimney Rock and Swannanoa, carrying away houses and vehicles, making impassable hundreds of roads, disrupting water and electric service, and trapping many thousands on rooftops or high ground. Weather forecasters accurately predicted the hurricane’s track and were not far off in rainfall estimates – but residents had lived through numerous times of heavy rainfall. Few anticipated accurately the danger, the destruction.

What would you do if caught in an overwhelming flood?

The prophet Nahum employs this imagery. Writing during the early decades of Jeremiah’s ministry or slightly before, God shows the prophet His coming judgment on the Assyrian empire, which had dominated the region for well over a hundred years. Here is the ESV of Nahum 1:7-8:

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

Consider the opening phrase of verse 8 – with (or “in”) an overwhelming/overflowing flood. The Hebrew is ambiguous: Does the phrase modify how God will make a complete end of His adversaries (as reflected in the ESV), or does it continue the thought of verse 7 (“He knows those who take refuge in Him in an overwhelming flood”)?

It is not uncommon in Hebrew for a phrase to look forward and backward (this is called a Janus phrase, after the Roman god whose name gives us “January;” Janus has two faces, one looking forward, the other back.) Thus some scholars suggest that the author intends the phrase to modify both verses: “He knows those who take refuge in him in an overwhelming flood, but with an overwhelming flood he will make a complete end of His adversaries.”

With that rendering, what lesson do these verses hold for us?

We all will face an overwhelming flood. For some – such as our neighbors in western North Carolina – the flood will be literal. For the rest, the flood may concern our health, or our relationships, or our finances, or our country falling apart. Then all of us will face an overwhelming flood at the time of death.

What will you do when, inevitably, you are caught in such an overwhelming flood?

Nahum assures us: Our God is good. He always displays compassion and mercy to His people, especially in times of trouble. He is our stronghold, our fortress, our Deliverer and Savior. So when the flood comes, we must run to that fortress; we must seek refuge in Him through Jesus. Nahum tells us God “knows” those who do this – He knows our trials and troubles, He knows our weaknesses and sorrows, He cares for us and watches over us.

Verse 8 then shows us what happens to the others, to those who do not take refuge in Him. That overwhelming flood makes a complete end of them. The flood plunges them into darkness: without light, without hope, without relief.

Imagine a man in western NC whose house overlooks a lovely, bubbling brook. As Helene intensifies, the waters rise – but still do not look overly threatening. But little does he know that fallen trees are collecting against a bridge a quarter mile upstream. In a moment, the bridge collapses and the waters rise to the second floor of his house. He climbs to the roof as the current beats against the house. He knows that soon the force will rip the house off its foundation and sweep it downstream.

Just then, he hears a rumbling above him. He looks – a helicopter! And the pilot is lowering a harness to save him from the flood!

Will he put on the harness? Will he trust the rescuer?

Or will he turn away – and have the flood carry him away into darkness?

That is our situation. We will face a flood. We cannot predict exactly when it will come or what it will look like, but it is inevitable. We cannot protect ourselves. Will we depend on our one and only possible rescuer – Jesus – or will the flood carry us away into darkness?

Furthermore, our Rescuer is not only our fortress, our protector. He is also good. He is also gracious. He is also merciful. He is worth more than all the world has to offer.

So take refuge in Him! Today!

Then you will know what to do when the overwhelming flood comes upon you.

(A footnote to Nahum 1:8 in the NET was especially helpful in prompting these thoughts.)

The Promise of the Father: Overloaded Fuses of Love

The Father made a promise to his people. Acts 1:4–5 tells us that Jesus assured his disciples that they would receive that promise from the Father—the gift of the Holy Spirit. We see the heavenly delivery of this gift in Acts 2. What came with that promise? Well, there are different aspects we could highlight—purity and power just to name a couple. But another astounding reality that comes with the Father’s promise is the promise of his permanent, unmediated, abiding presence.

God’s salvation program has always aimed at him dwelling with his people. This is what makes God’s people his people. Moses understood this and longed for the presence of God.

 

And he [Moses] said to him [YHWH], “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15–16).

 

And so God promised to dwell and did dwell with his people. Consider Leviticus 26:11,

 

I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people (Leviticus 26:11–12).

 

And he remained with them in this special way until, because of their ongoing rebellion, God’s glory departed the temple, and he handed them over to exile (Ezekiel 10:18; 2 Chronicles 36:20–21). But God’s story of salvation did not end there. God has already written the end of his story of salvation, and he will dwell with his people in a way never known or experienced before. Revelation 21:1–4 gives us as close a glimpse as we can get on this side of the new heavens and new earth of the wonders of the ineffable future reality to come,

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1–4)

 

This is the endgame, eternity in God’s joyous presence for those who have surrendered to King Jesus (Psalm 16:11). And, in God’s grand wisdom, how is it that we get there? By God’s presence with us now.

Ezekiel and Jeremiah, having experienced both the fall of the seat of God’s earthly kingdom, Jerusalem, and the exile of God’s people, foresaw and longed for the day when God’s presence would return in a new way to his people under a new covenant. He would not only dwell with them. He would dwell in them.

 

And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God (Ezekiel 36:27–28).

 

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Jeremiah 31:33).

 

And, what again is the payoff of God dwelling with his people? It’s Moses’ insight we noted above. God’s presence with his people identifies them as God’s people. God’s presence with his people assures them, they are his. Jeremiah foresaw this new covenant promise of God’s abiding presence resulting in knowing God in a new, intimate, expansive way never before seen,

 

And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:34).

 

This is the promise of the Father—the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God’s permanent, abiding presence with and within his people—that Jesus poured out on his people in Acts 2. This is the gift he has given us who are in him. Put simply, the promise of the Father, the gift of God’s presence in us by the Holy Spirit, is the gift of assurance. It is the sure knowledge that God’s is ours and we are his. God’s presence in us by the Holy Spirit assures us that we are his children,

 

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:14–16).

 

And at times God delights to overwhelm us with the presence of his Holy Spirit in order to fill us with fresh knowledge of his abiding presence with us and love for us. Martyn Lloyd-Jones captures such experiences well, saying,

 

“The fuses of love are so overloaded they almost blow out.”[1]

 

And, when the fuses of love are overloaded with the knowledge of God’s love for us, that’s when we sing his praises and declare his mighty works through the gospel of Jesus with such joy and boldness that the world takes notice and the kingdom of God advances. Again, Lloyd Jones,

 

The subconscious doubts…are gone! And in their place is utter and indestructible assurance, so that you know that you know that you know that God is real and that Jesus lives and that you are loved, and that to be saved is the greatest thing in the world. And as you walk on down the street you can scarcely contain yourself, and you want to cry out, “My father loves me! My father loves me! O, what a great father I have! What a father! What a father!”[2]

 

The Father made a promise. And what the prophets of the old covenant foresaw, we get to experience in the new covenant. We live with the permanent, abiding presence of God dwelling in us by the Holy Spirit. And because of this, we know him, we know his love for us, and we know we are his children. And he delights to remind us of this at the most unexpected times in fresh, wonderful ways. If you haven’t experienced that in some time, just ask your Father for it. For your Father delights to give you the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). In this way—you being filled with the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God and his love for you, which leads you to declare his mighty works of salvation through Jesus because of your joy in him—in this way, God will take his kingdom to the ends of the earth. Through your overloaded fuses of love, the Father will make his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

[1] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable: Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit (Random House Publishing Group, 2000).

[2] Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable.

From the Deep Well of Past Blog Posts: What Has Straw in Common With Wheat?

[Every now and then, we like to dip back into the well of past blog posts. This week, Coty is beginning a new series in Jeremiah titled, The Word of Life, the Word of Judgment. The theme for this Sunday is “Father, You Have Put Your Words in Our Mouths .” If you can’t tell, the common theme here is God’s Word. In light of this, consider this past blog post that observes how Jeremiah 23 reveals the immeasurable worth of God’s Word that he has graciously given to us. Read and be edified.]

Are you hungry? Why don’t you go collect grass clippings from your lawn, pile them up on your plate, and sit down to a sumptuous feast?

Doesn’t that sound appealing?

Which would you choose: That plate of grass clippings, or a loaf of piping hot bread, right from the oven?

Jeremiah tells us that the Word of God is like wheat, and any other words of advice, of counsel, of experience, are like grass, like straw. The Word of God is that much more valuable than all other words.

Does that image reflect the relative value you give the Word of God compared to other voices?

The image comes from the prophet Jeremiah. God gave him a difficult message to deliver to the nation: The Babylonians would come and destroy Jerusalem. The Lord God would bring about this punishment because of centuries of rebellion against Him.

Jeremiah faithfully delivered the message.

But many other false prophets were telling the people that all would be fine: They said the attacking Babylonian army would depart, the exiles who had been taken away to Babylon a few years earlier would return, and the kingdom would be secure. They claimed to have received dreams from God revealing these truths.

In response to these false dreams of the false prophets, God says through Jeremiah:

Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:28-29)

The prophets’ dreams were like straw, like grass – like that plateful of grass clippings. Those dreams provided no nourishment. As God says a few verses later, “They do not profit this people at all” (Jeremiah 23:32).

In contrast, God’s Word is like wheat: Nourishing; satisfying; filling; sustaining.

And no one would mistake straw for wheat! No one would pick up grass clippings and think, “Oh, let me grind this up to make fresh flour!”

Just so – if we have eyes to see – there is a stark difference in value between the Word of God and other writings that claim authority.

Daily, hourly, minute by minute, words pound against our ears and messages present themselves to our eyes, saying: Buy this! Vote for that! Advocate this! Write a letter about that! Heal your relationships via this technique! Get your life together through that miracle cure! Make a million through this investment! Become attractive through these clothes! Become healthy via this exercise regime!

Among all those messages, some are totally false. Some are harmful. Some, on the other hand, are useful in one way or another.

But in comparison to the truths God graciously provides us in His Word, all of those are straw. All are a pile of grass clippings, compared to the satisfying, fragrant, filling bread of His Word.

And the bread is not just for our personal consumption! His Word, says the Lord, is like “a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jeremiah 23:29). Picture a sledgehammer, shattering the concrete barriers we have erected between us and God. God’s Word breaks through those barriers, leaving us “exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). Exposed, we can only fall on our faces before Him, humbly seeking the forgiveness He offers through Jesus Christ.

So we must proclaim that Word, so that it might have its intended, shattering effect.

Now, the effect of that proclamation is often not pleasant. Indeed, when the sledgehammer is at work, hearers may oppose the Word harshly. This was the case with Jeremiah. He was thrown in prison more than once for speaking God’s Word. He was even tempted to quit speaking. But God would not let him. Jeremiah writes,

If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot (Jeremiah 20:9).

God’s Word is like a fire (Jeremiah 20:9; 23:29). It burns within us. Like the Yosemite wildfire, it spreads and spreads. We can’t hold it in. We can’t contain it. We must speak it.

Many pastors have applied these verses to the preaching ministry. Indeed, my prayers prior to preaching almost always echo Jeremiah 23:29.

But the Word should be a fire in every one of God’s people. The Word is a hammer, breaking the rock into pieces, whenever any Christian faithfully speaks that Word to others.

So, first: value God’s Word above all the other voices you hear – consider it like a hot loaf of fresh bread compared to grass clippings. Second, remember that it is like a sledgehammer, which will break down the barriers we erect between ourselves and God. Finally: that Word is a fire within us – it must come out!

May we speak that Word faithfully and fully – so that all might know the difference between straw and wheat.

The Kingdom of God in Acts From Beginning To End

The kingdom of God is one of the most central themes of the Bible. If you find yourself perusing through the Old Testament (OT) historical accounts of Israel’s kings, it won’t take you too long to come to this conclusion: as the king goes, so goes the kingdom. Let’s consider this reality in the book of Acts.

Luke has the distinction of being the most prolific of the New Testament (NT) authors, if you measure production by the amount of pages written. As the author of most of our NT, we may find it surprising that Luke only refers to the kingdom of God eight times in Acts, when it is such a prominent theme in the Bible. The specific phrase “kingdom of God” occurs six of those times. Here are the relevant verses:

 

Acts 1:3—He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:6—So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Acts 8:12—But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 14:21–22—When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 19:8—And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

Acts 20:25–And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 

Acts 28:23—When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

Acts 28:30–31—He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

 

While Luke only refers to the kingdom of God these eight times, it would be a mistake to think it isn’t a major theme in his book. For starters, notice the strategic, fairly even distribution throughout the book. Luke places references to the kingdom at the beginning, middle, and end, with a few one-offs in between for good measure. You can’t go more than a few pages in Luke’s twenty-eight chapter work of theological history without finding yourself confronted by a “kingdom of God” statement that Luke uses to summarize the early church’s work. Let’s zoom in on a couple of those statements

Notice that Luke frames his book with this all important theme. That is, he begins and ends his book with the kingdom of God.

Luke begins Acts with the kingdom of God—He (Jesus) presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Jesus spent forty days moving in and out among his disciples after his resurrection. That’s a good chunk of time. Notice how Jesus used it. Luke tells us Jesus did two things: (1) Jesus repeatedly proved that he was alive, and (2) Jesus spoke to the disciples about the kingdom of God. Luke doesn’t want us to miss this: Jesus’ resurrected life ties directly to the kingdom of God. That’s how he starts Acts. The right question to ask is, “What exactly did Jesus speak to his disciples about regarding the kingdom, and how does that relate to his resurrection?” To answer that question, to the end of Acts we go.

Luke ends Acts with the kingdom of God where he gives us one final account of Paul’s ministry in Rome, writing, He (Paul) lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance (Acts 28:30–31). The last sentence in Acts that Luke carefully selects and writes tells us that Paul continued to proclaim two things (1) the kingdom of God and (2) Jesus. Acts 28:23 fills this out a little more by telling us that Paul aimed to convince [those who visited him] about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. This is precisely what Jesus did for his disciples in his forty days.

In Luke 24:25–27, we see Jesus appear to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. This is what how Luke captures the moment: [Jesus says to them] “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Likewise, when Jesus appears to his disciples later he offers the same message:

 

Then he [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:44–48).

 

What exactly did Jesus speak to his disciples about regarding the kingdom, and how does that relate to his resurrection? Jesus’ message to his disciples is essentially this: the kingdom of God is inaugurated and here because the king of God’s kingdom lives and reigns. Peter proves this conclusion for us in his very first public proclamation of the gospel in Acts 2:14–41.

In his Pentecost sermon, Peter climactically heralds that when David wrote Psalm 16:27 he was prophesying about Jesus’ resurrection as the true king of God’s kingdom,

 

he (David) foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses (Acts 2:31–32).

 

And for the final touch, Peter exclaims,

 

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified (Acts 2:36).

 

Jesus’ resurrection proves he is the rightful king of God’s kingdom. And if the king is here, the kingdom of God is here. King Jesus conquered death and lives forever. And because he lives forever, he reigns forever. And because he reigns forever, his kingdom, God’s kingdom, will never end. As the king goes, so goes the kingdom.

The book of Acts from beginning to end is all about King Jesus reigning over the kingdom of God. This is the story Luke tells. This is the story Jesus’ people, citizens of his kingdom, in Acts tell. And, it’s a story that did not end at Acts 28:31. It continues. If you are in Christ today, this is your story. Go and tell it.

Mithridatism, Maturity in Christ, and Immaturity in Evil

What is Christian maturity with respect to sin and evil?

There is a practice called mithridatism. Are you familiar? It is the practice of ingesting small, non-lethal amounts of a poison in order to build up resistance or immunity to that poison. Is this what Christian maturity with respect to sin and evil is like? A mature Christian, then, is one who remains unaffected by sin and evil even when they directly or indirectly participate in it? John Owen helps us understand how to answer this question.

In the classic work The Mortification of Sin, John Owen points out that one of the great dangers of continuing in sin or, as Owen puts it, “harbouring your lust” is “Being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”[1] Owen has in mind the warning of Hebrews 3:12–13,

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:12–13).

What is the outcome of being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin? An evil unbelieving heart that leads one to fall away. This is the life cycle of sin. “Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:13–15). So continuing in sin ultimately leads to apostasy or effectively denying God’s offer of salvation in his Son. This should not surprise us. Sin, unrighteousness, by nature suppresses the truth in those who practice it (Romans 1:18). Therefore, if we continue to practice sin, refuse to repent, and, as a result, sear our conscience, then our powers of discernment become useless. We can no longer distinguish between good and evil effectively. Hebrews 5:14 calls this the opposite of Christian maturity,

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14).

So Christian maturity with regard to sin and evil is in part being able to distinguish between good and evil. In a fallen world that often calls good evil and evil good, this is a vital skill. Another characteristic marks Christian maturity, though. Ironically, a certain immaturity marks Christian maturity.

In 1 Corinthians 14:20, Paul tells us that a necessary aspect of Christian maturity is immaturity with regard to evil. He writes,

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature (1 Corinthians 14:20).

Mature Christians think clearly with regard to good and evil. They are adults in their thinking not children. We’ve confirmed this above. However, Paul implies here that such maturity did not come by tasting evil and sin so as to build up an immunity to it. Paul says, be infants in evil. The full implication, then, is that such maturity came by being immature in the ways of sin and evil, that is, by not practicing it. Christians should not practice sin and evil even in the slightest. Paul makes this clear elsewhere in 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22,

but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21–22).

Being able to distinguish between good and evil and being immature in evil, that is, abstaining from evil, while holding fast to what is good—these things mark Christian maturity.

Christian maturity with regard to sin and evil then is not like the practice of mithridatism. Notably, mithridatism will not work on certain toxins. As one continues to take small, non-lethal doses of certain toxins in the hopes of building immunity, they actually facilitate the opposite result. Rather than building resistance to the poison, the poison accumulates in the body until it reaches a lethal level, killing the practitioner of mithridatism. Sin is the poison we never build immunity to. We may consume it over and over in non-lethal doses with the result that we no longer feel its immediate effects. In doing so, we deceive ourselves into thinking we’ve built resistance to it—that we are now mature with regard to sin. But all the while the poison of sin has continued to accumulate and will continue to accumulate in our souls until it ultimately kills us. This is why John Owen wrote, “always be killing sin or it will be killing you.”[2]

Is Christian maturity as simple as that? To be sure there are other aspects that mark Christian maturity. But when our Lord spoke one of the most famous promises of his coming Christ through the prophet Isaiah, this is how he chose to describe him,

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good (Isaiah 7:14–15).

If we can capture the idea of Christian maturity with the word Christlikeness, then this is at the essence of Christlikeness—holiness, turning from evil and choosing the good. When the Christian does this, they are mature. When the Christian does this, they are Christlike.

 

[1] John Owen, The Mortification of Sin (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2022), 68–69.

[2] Owen, The Mortification of Sin, 9.

The Necessary Prerequisite for Killing Sin

Over the next nine weeks, our adult Core Seminar will consider the command for us to kill sin, as stated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:13:

If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

You are responsible for killing sin. Yes, you must do it by the Spirit – we’ll discuss what that means on Sunday mornings. Yet you personally must decide that sin should be killed.

But many of us do not want to kill sin. Why not?

One important part of the problem: We have an unbiblical view of sin. We will not hate sin unless we hold the biblical view.

Many think of sin simply as the breaking of a rule. Some rules – such as speed limits – are to an extent arbitrary. We may approve of speed limits that prevent other drivers from traveling 120mph on I-85 – but if I’m on a long, straight section of interstate in good weather with no cars behind me or in front of me, I may be able to drive well over the speed limit without negative consequences.

When we think of sin in this way, we easily rationalize our disobedience:

  • “A little violation of this rule doesn’t really matter.”
  • “I can disobey without getting caught”
  • “I can be careful to avoid the potential negative consequences”
  • “There are aspects of my situation that make this rule inapplicable.”
  • Or, “Sure it would be bad if I were to do this long-term. But once? No problem.”

But biblically, sin is not at all like the speed limit.

Consider these two aspects of sin:

First: Sin is personal rebellion, an affront to the glory of God.

God created man in His image, for His glory (Genesis 1:26-27, Isaiah 43:6-7). We thus are obligated to fulfill the purpose of our creation by living in such a way that we show what He is like.

In the Garden, Adam and Eve do not break an arbitrary rule. Rather, by believing the serpent’s lies and disobeying God, they imply that God is not good, that He is not loving, that He is not wise, that He does not have their best interests at heart. God had given them all they could possibly want or need – and they chose to think He was miserly, conniving, constraining them (see D.A. Carson’s insightful summary of what Eve should have said to the serpent). This is rebellion against the One to whom they owe everything, even life itself.

If we are to hate sin, we too must see it as rebellion against the One who has given us everything.

Second: Sin is the destruction of joy, rather than the path to joy.

We see this too in the Genesis account. Adam and Eve think they will profit by eating the forbidden fruit. But instead, they lose everything: Their sweet relationship with God, their open and trusting relationship with each other (and eventually with their children), their fulfilling work, and even their bodily immortality.

King David and our Lord Jesus summarize this point well:

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11, emphasis added).

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44, emphasis added).

We do not become like God by rebelling against God; we do not find joy and fulfill our reason for existence by despising Him and His Word. We find love, joy, and peace in walking with Him – what Adam and Eve had forsook – even when that means turning our backs on the pseudo-pleasures that the world and the devil offer us.

Consider the following passages that drive home the biblical view of sin (ESV, emphasis added). Meditate on them to increase your hatred of sin. Then join us in Core Seminar on Sunday mornings as we consider how we individually and collectively can put sin to death.

Psalm1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 81:13-16: Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.

Proverbs 7:7-27: I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.” With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life. And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 8:32-36: [Wisdom is speaking] “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Proverbs 9:13-18: The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who lacks sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Proverbs 15:32: Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

Isaiah 55:1-3: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Jeremiah 2:12-13: Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Matthew 6:30-33: [Jesus says] “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” [See 1 Kings 17:1-16 for an example of this truth lived out.]

Romans 6:19-23: I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Galatians 5:22-23: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control [that is, Christlike character, displayed to the glory of God]; against such things there is no law.

Philippians 3:8: I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

Revelation 3:14-22: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'”

Once you have deepened your hatred for sin, hold on securely to this fundamental Gospel truth:

1 John 2:1-2: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Testify What the Lord Has Done for You

Last Sunday morning, we collectively read Psalm 40:1–5 as our responsive call to worship. Recall v. 5:

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

David announces that he will proclaim all the wondrous deeds and thoughts or intentions that YHWH has multiplied to the people of God’s kingdom. We applied that this past Sunday to our call in Colossians 4:2–6 to be witnesses to those outside the kingdom—to walk in wisdom toward outsiders and to let [our] speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt. This is vital. We as disciples of Jesus must be his witnesses and ambassadors of the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:13–16; 2 Corinthians 5:20–21). However, we should also take a cue from our king and tell of God’s kindness toward us to our brothers and sisters in Christ, the church, as well. David, writing prophetically in the voice of Jesus in Psalm 22, pens:

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! (Psalm 22:22–23).

Our call as disciples is also to tell of Jesus to our brothers and to praise him in the congregation. God calls us to share Jesus with one another by telling of the wondrous deeds and thoughts he has multiplied toward us. Testimonies of what the Lord has done for us encourage our hearts in Christ and build up the church.

We see this exemplified by Paul and his partner in ministry, Tychicus.

Tychicus shows up a few times in Scripture. And, from the evidence available, he seems to be a very trusted co-laborer of Paul’s. When the church in Crete needs to be covered in Titus’ absence, one of Paul’s go to candidates is Tychicus (Titus 3:12). When Paul requires Timothy, he sends Tychicus to Ephesus to cover for Timothy while he’s gone (2 Timothy 4:11–12). Tychicus, Paul tells us, is a beloved brother and faithful minister of the gospel (Colossians 4:7; Ephesians 6:21). And, one of his most important jobs, it seems, was to to testify to other churches—to tell everything that was happening in Paul’s ministry:

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities… They (Tychicus and Onesimus) will tell you of everything that has taken place here (Colossians 4:7, 9).

 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything (Ephesians 6:21).

Why did Paul send Tychicus to tell about his ministry? He had this purpose in mind: to encourage the hearts of those who listened.

Paul writes to the Colossians and the Ephesians using identical language, “I have sent him (Tychicus) to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts” (Colossians 4:8; Ephesians 6:22). Paul wants other saints to know what God is doing through his ministry in order to encourage or exhort them.

Some of the sweetest moments in our corporate worship are our “Mission Moments” when a missionary we support visits and shares with us how the gospel has been increasing and bearing fruit in their ministries. In what manner does this encourage or exhort our hearts so much? I think it does so in at least three ways.

First, hearing the testimonies of what God has done for and through his people in the gospel magnifies Jesus in our midst. And, when we magnify Jesus in our midst, this stokes our affections for and worship of him as we behold his glory.

Second, hearing the testimonies of what God has done for and through his people in the gospel strengthens our unity and solidarity with Christ as the church.

Third, hearing the testimonies of what God has done for and through his people in their gospel ministry emboldens gospel action—we effectively spur one another on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

There is one scene from Acts that captures this quite poignantly. In Acts 4:23–31, Peter and John return to their friends to report their recent gospel activities (healing of the lame beggar [Acts 3:1–10], Peter preaching in the temple [Acts 3:11–26], and the persecution they endured at the hands of the chief priests and elders [Acts 4:1–22]). They specifically report “what the chief priests and the elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23). After hearing their testimony three things result: (1) Worship—They begin to worship the Lord (Acts 4:24–30), (2) Strengthened unity—They prayerfully worship together (Acts 4:24), and (3) Emboldened gospel action—The Holy Spirit fills them and they continued to speak the gospel with boldness (4:31).

The lesson for us is, let’s be like Paul, Tychicus, Peter, and John. Let’s make a habit of sharing with our fellow brothers and sister what Jesus is doing in our lives and ministries. Because, our testimonies (1) magnify Jesus, leading to worship, (2) galvanize our collective solidarity with and our unity in Jesus, (3) and embolden gospel action. In short, when we share our testimonies of Jesus, we encourage one another in Christ and build up the church.

In that spirit, I leave you with these words of instruction from our King from Mark 5:19:

“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”