Jesus, The Only Lord and Savior: Follow Him or Head to Destruction

[This is a shortened, edited version of a sermon on Matthew 7:13-29 preached May 5, 2013. You can listen to the audio of that sermon here.]

When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, what was His main point?

Certain phrases from the Sermon on the Mount are well-known:

  • Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth
  • Judge not
  • Blessed are the peacemakers
  • Blessed are the merciful
  • Let your light shine
  • Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven
  • Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart
  • If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also
  • Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you
  • When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
  • Do not be anxious about your life
  • Consider the lilies of the field
  • Take the log out of your own eye
  • The wise man built his house upon the rock, the foolish man built his house upon the sand

Every one of those phrases is true, important, and vital for us to hear.

Yet if you focus on those phrases as you reflect on the Sermon on the Mount you may well miss the main point. For not one of the those phrases encapsulates the main point of the Sermon; indeed, all of them together don’t come close to summarizing the Sermon.

Considered on their own, those phrases seem to imply that the Christian life consists of obeying a set of moral exhortations. Our right response would then be, “Ok, I must be like this! With sufficient self-discipline, with enough accountability partners, I can!”

That is not the point of the Sermon.

In the closing verses of the Sermon, Jesus helps His listeners to focus in on the main point: Jesus is the only Lord and Savior; unless we turn to God through Him, we are headed to destruction.

We’ll consider Jesus’s conclusion under three headings:

Three Dangers

Three Signposts

One Lord

Three Dangers:

1) A wide and easy road leads to destruction

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Remember: Jesus is speaking – not some preacher or prophet who delights in telling people they’re going to hell. Indeed, Jesus has said earlier that if you’re just angry with your brother you are liable to judgment.

So Jesus is not speaking out of vindictiveness. He’s simply speaking truth.

Many, He says, are headed to destruction. If you follow the crowd, if you do what many others do, if you think the way many others think, you will drift down the road to destruction.

That’s the first, great danger.

2) False prophets point you to that road

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

Jesus builds on the verses 13 and 14. He says false prophets will tell you the road to destruction is the road to life. These false prophets look good – they are dressed like sheep, thus looking like those in Jesus’ flock. But in truth they are wolves.

Remember, throughout the first section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that the Law of God requires conformity between our inner lives and are outward actions. False teachers display no such conformity. So watch out for them.

So the first danger is: If you drift along, you will end up destroyed. The second danger is: If you follow a seemingly good teacher who is actually a wolf, you will end up destroyed.

3) Many who think they are on the right road are headed to destruction

Last two images:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Consider these folks: They seem very good:

  • They call Jesus “Lord”
  • They call Jesus “Lord, Lord” – indicating some degree of fervency
  • They prophesy
  • They cast out demons
  • They do mighty works, miracles
  • They do many such mighty works
  • They do all this in Jesus’ name – thus claiming to do this for His glory and by His power

Also, note that they are surprised at Jesus’ condemnation of them. They thought the Kingdom of heaven was theirs.

Why did they think that? Three reasons:

First, because they called Him Lord.

Second, because of their fervency.

Third, because of how they have ministered, on their ministry success.

So these folks think they are blessed, think they are saved, because of what they say, how they say it, and what they’ve done.

But is that what Jesus said at the beginning of this sermon?

Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

He did not say, “Blessed are those who say to me Lord, Lord, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”

Ministry success, fervency of speech, and mouthing the words “Jesus is lord” will never save us.

We see the second image in Jesus’ final story:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Imagine these two houses are near each other in your town. Both are lovely. Both appear well-built. Both owners feel secure. When you walk by, you admire both houses.

But when the storm comes, one house will stand. The other owner will head to destruction. Even though he thinks he is secure.

So, three dangers: A wide and easy road leads to destruction. Many false teachers will happily point you and guide you in that direction. And many people think they are on the right road, but are self-deceived.

 

Three Signposts

Jesus doesn’t only warn us of dangers, however. He also gives us three signposts, three directions to the narrow road that leads to life.

1) Fruit identifies false prophets

Though the false prophets deceive via disguising themselves like sheep, Jesus says you can figure out what they really are:

“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16-20)

What fruit is Jesus talking about?

We easily lapse into thinking that the fruit is some kind of ministry success: People coming to faith, big churches being built, people healed. But Jesus’ next statements rule out that interpretation; these folks who prophesied and cast out demons and did miracles are workers of lawlessness!

So the fruit is not any type of ministry success. What is it?

Jesus has been talking about such fruit throughout the Sermon: Those who recognize that there is no way they can make themselves perfect like God, and so become:

  • Poor in spirit
  • Mourning
  • Meek
  • Hungering and thirsting for righteousness
  • Not longing for recognition for their giving, for their prayers, for their fasting
  • But longing for God’s Kingdom, for His Will to be done, for His Name to be hallowed
  • Not being enslaved to money or anything in this world
  • But gladly submitting themselves to God as His slaves.

That’s the fruit.

Now, that fruit is not as obvious as ministry success. You must observe a teacher for a while to know if he bears such fruit. You must look beyond the teacher’s words, beyond what’s happened in his ministry, asking: What is his character? What are his deep desires? Who is he? How does that come out in the way he spends money, in the way he interacts with people?

In November of 2000, I had quit my job and was getting ready to uproot my family and take them more than a thousand miles away in the middle of winter to spend several month in Minneapolis to learn from John Piper and Bethlehem Baptist Church. The night before I was to leave, I awoke at 2am wondering: What if he’s just a fake? What if Bethlehem is all a show? What if he’s just a false teacher, building a ministry to massage his own ego?

Those are good questions.  We should always ask such questions.

I arrived in Minneapolis and found abundant evidence of John’s fruit – in his personal life, in his character. Whew!

By their fruit – the right kind of fruit – you will know them. False prophets identify themselves by their fruit. Genuine prophets identify themselves by their fruit. That’s the first signpost.

2) There is a road that leads to life

Verses 13 and 14 can sound purely negative: Many enter by the wide gate to an easy road that leads to destruction.

But there is also a note of hope in these verses: There is a road that leads to life! While the gate is narrow and the road is hard, it does exist – and anyone can enter by it! This is not a limited access highway with signs saying, “Pedestrians and Cyclists prohibited!” This is not a road in a gated community with a sign saying, “Only Mercedes and Lexus cars may enter!” The road is hard – but all may travel by it.

3) Hearing and Obeying Jesus is that road

Who is like the man who built his house on the rock?

Everyone who hears these words of Jesus and does them!

You’ve got to hear! Others must hear! The truth must be proclaimed, understood, and applied! You can’t build your house on the rock unless you hear.

But you can’t stop at hearing! You must obey!

As Jesus says so often: “He who has ears – he must hear.” Meaning: Not just that sound waves must make our eardrums vibrate, but that we must take these words to heart and follow them.

This is the narrow gate. This is the hard way. This is the road to life: Hearing Jesus, and obeying Him.

But remember the thrust of Jesus’ entire Sermon: We must obey Him not only in actions – such as avoiding murder, adultery, revenge, and hatred – but by our inner being and outer actions into conformity with one another:

  • Becoming sons of your Father who is in heaven
  • Being perfect like your Father is perfect
  • Hungering and thirsting to shine with the light of the image of God into the world around you
  • Having a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, because your righteousness is more than outer conformity to a set of rules.

Jesus promises that when you do: The storms of life will come your way – the road is hard, as Jesus says. The rain will come, the floods will come, the wind will blow and beat against your house. But it will stand, whatever the storm may be: Illness, death of loved ones, poverty, loss, pain, rejection. Amidst the real pain, your house will stand. For it is founded on the rock.

We’ve seen 3 signposts that point to the road that leads to life:

  • Know false prophets by their fruit
  • Don’t despair of finding the road to life: it’s there
  • Hearing and obeying Jesus is that road

But how are you going to obey Him?

How are you going to be perfect like your heavenly Father? That’s not going to come through self-discipline. How does that happen?

That question takes us to our final heading:

 

One Lord

Why is hearing and obeying Jesus so important?

The central message of the Sermon on the Mount is not a set of ethical rules, like “Love your enemies” or “Be peacemakers.” The central message is: Jesus is Lord. And there is none like Him.

Listen to what Jesus says:

  • “I tell you who is truly happy – Not those who you think are happy, but the poor in spirit. Indeed, if you are persecuted on my account you are truly happy, and you will have a great reward in heaven.” Who can say such things?
  • “I have come to fulfill the Law and the prophets.” Who can say such things?
  • “You have heard that it was said . . . but I say to you…” Jesus claims to be the sole right interpreter of Scripture. Who can say such things?
  • “I never knew you; depart from me your workers of lawlessness.” He claims to be the final Judge who will declare who is in the Kingdom and who is left outside. Who can say such things?
  • “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” He claims His words are the difference between the Kingdom and destruction. Who can say such things?

No one can say such things. Except the Messiah. The Promised One. The One who from the beginning was promised to Eve, was promised to Abraham, was promised to David, was promised through Isaiah.

Anyone who says such things is a crazy fool – unless He is the culmination of all the promises of the Old Testament. Unless He is the One who lived the life you and I should have lived and died so that we might live in Him. Unless He is risen from the dead, seated at the right hand of God the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for us.

He has said: “You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

How much chance do you have of perfection?

You cannot fulfill the exhortations of the Sermon on the Mount. You must recognize that – and so turn to the one with all authority, turn to the Promised One, and recognize Him as Lord. Seeing your lostness, you will be poor in spirit, you will mourn, you will be meek, you will hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will be merciful. And you will throw yourself on the mercy of Your heavenly Father.

There is a way that leads to death – and that way includes determining to live up to the exhortations of the Sermon on the Mount on their own. Any way that does not recognize Jesus as the sole Lord and Savior leads to death. And many enter that easy road.

But you need not go that way.

Don’t you see His power? His majesty? His authority? Don’t you see that He lived and died – for you?

Come to Him on that narrow road! Say: “I want to live out this Sermon on the Mount – and I can’t on my own. I want Your righteousness. I acknowledge the literal dead end of all my striving for attention and recognition and success and happiness on earth. I want to be like You – I want to shine with Your light, to live for Your glory. I want to be part of Your Body, to do Your work.”

Jesus is Lord. He is the only Savior. Apart from Him – we are headed to destruction. United with Him, forgiven by His blood, raised to walk in newness of life through Him: We are sons of our heavenly Father.

The Promised One welcomes you. So come to Him.

Whoever is Not With Me is Against Me

[This Sunday we consider what Jesus means when He says both, “Whoever is not with Me is against me” (Matthew 12:30), and “The one who is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). What follows is an edited excerpt from a sermon preached July 7, 2013 on Matthew 12:15-50, which raises similar questions. You can listen to the audio of that sermon at this link.]

Who is Jesus?

Where do you stand on that question?

Do you stand with Him – and thus see Him as the center of all human history, as the Savior of all who will come to Him, as the promised King who will return, right all wrongs, and reign forever? Do you see Him as the promised groom for His Bride, the Church – and thus as your beloved?

Or do you stand against Him? Do you see Him as a threat to what you hold dear? Do you see the Jesus of the Bible as a fake, a charlatan, whose followers have distorted the historical person?

Or perhaps on hearing those questions, you’re thinking, “Well, I’m not an extremist! I don’t see Jesus as the center of all history, but neither do I regard Him as a threat. There are aspects of Jesus I like, and other aspects I don’t like so much. But I’m neither with Him nor against Him. I’m an objective observer; I’m neutral.”

In Matthew 12:30, Jesus says explicitly: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” That is: Jesus says, “You cannot be neutral with regard to me.” Indeed He says, “You speak out of the overflow of what is inside you, out of the overflow of your heart, out of the overflow of who you are. And there are no neutral hearts. So come to Me and follow Me! But know: If you don’t come to Me, you are against me. You are my enemy. I am your rightful King, and you have joined the rebellion against me.”

Who is Jesus?

Matthew has emphasized Jesus’ authority previously. He does that again in Matthew 12:38 and following. Jesus claims to be greater than Jonah and greater than Solomon. Think about that: Here’s a young man, in his early thirties, with no wealth, no schooling, no position in society, the son of a carpenter from out in the sticks. And He claims to be greater than one of the greatest leaders in the history of His nation.

This is an audacious claim. And yet Jesus has just said in Matthew 11:28-30, “I am gentle and humble in heart.”

Is a carpenter’s son who calls Himself greater than Solomon humble?

Matthew explains this in Matthew 12:15 and following. After healing many, He commands these folks not to make Him known as the Messiah. In Matthew 12:18-21 the author then explains that Jesus telling others not to make Him known is a fulfillment of Isaiah 42:1-4. As prophesied, Jesus is not a loud, self-promoter. Yet He is God’s chosen, beloved servant; God has placed His Spirit on Him, and given Him a worldwide task as the hope of all nations. So, yes, Jesus is greater than Solomon and Jonah. But He is gentle; if you are faintly burning for Him, shining just a little light, He will not stand back and say, “Burn brighter or I’ll snuff you out!” No. He will trim that wick, enabling your light to blaze, and He will make you the light of the world.

So Jesus is the greatest of all humanity. Yet He came to serve, indeed, to die – for you.

Are You with Jesus?

Matthew gives us a parable from real life in Matthew 12:22 as an example of Jesus’ character. A blind and mute man, oppressed by demons and thus under Satan’s authority, is brought to Him. This man pictures every one of us when we are separated from Christ. Just as with us, Jesus opens his eyes and lips, ending the oppression.

This is the gentle, authoritative service Jesus always renders. He overcomes our oppressors, enabling us to fulfill the purpose of our creation: Praising God and delighting in Him.

How do people respond to this man’s healing? As we’re told in Matthew 12:23, they are amazed, and ask if Jesus could be the Son of David – that is, the Messiah.

That’s how we’re supposed to respond to Jesus: To see Him, to be amazed at His love, His service, His power and authority.

As Jesus explains in Matthew 12:35, these folks are speaking out of the overflow of their hearts. They see what Jesus does, and think: “This is what the prophets said! The blind see! The oppressed are set free! Could this man be our long-promised Messiah, the rightful King?”

Furthermore, Jesus explains in Matthew 12:46-50 that He offers more than freedom from oppression, even more than forgiveness of sin. He invites us into His intimate family: “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50).

So note: Jesus is not asking you simply to accept some propositions. He’s not only asking you to acknowledge His authority, His humility, and His forgiveness. He is saying, “Come to your loving Savior! Be a part of My family! As a part of that family, rejoice from the bottom of your heart in our Father. Speak out of the overflow of that heart – your mute lips have been opened! Exalt your loving Father in every way – and thus do His will. Come into the family – and then act like a beloved family member.”

Are you with Jesus? Do you not just acknowledge His power but love His person? Do you not just believe biblical doctrine but rejoice in the Father’s love?

Or Are You Against Jesus?

The Pharisees in this passage picture the opponents of Jesus. They see what He does, and they reject Him out of hand. Jesus spends much of this passage warning against that attitude – an attitude that explains away all evidence of Who He is, an attitude that will never believe, regardless of what God does, an attitude that is the overflow of what Jesus calls the evil treasure in a person’s heart.

We see this first in Matthew 12:24, when the Pharisees respond to the healing of the demon-oppressed man by claiming that Jesus casts out demons by the prince of demons.

In Matthew 12:25 and following, Jesus responds, saying that claim is obviously false. If Satan’s kingdom is divided like that, it is no threat at all; that kingdom will collapse. Rather than working with Satan, Jesus says He is binding Him (Matthew 12:29). That should be obvious to anyone with eyes to see.

Jesus takes a different tack in Matthew 12:27. There were a number of Jewish exorcists casting out demons in Jesus’ day, and the Pharisees don’t claim that they do so by the power of the prince of demons. So with the same evidence, in one case the Pharisees acknowledge the power of God at work, while in the other they deny it. This shows that the problem is in their hearts rather than in the evidence; they will not see and believe.

Jesus highlights this is Matthew 12:28, saying in effect: “This Kingdom has been prophesied for centuries. Here it is! It has come upon you in My person! Quit disbelieving! Acknowledge what is before your eyes! The promises are fulfilled!”

But the Pharisees keep their eyes closed. They see plenty of evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work, but they reject Jesus and claim He is doing Satan’s work. This is blasphemy against the Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32); that sin cannot be forgiven, because if you willingly and persistently close your eyes to the evidence of the Spirit’s work, you never will repent.

The author brings this out further in Matthew 12:38 and following. The scribes and Pharisees ask for a sign – that is, for evidence that Jesus really is who He claims to be. But they have just seen a sign – the healing of the man – and they rejected that sign. Obviously no sign will do any good to those who will reject every sign.

Jesus is not their performing animal: He will not produce miracles at their command. But in Matthew 12:39-40 He says they will indeed receive another sign: He will be in the grave three days, and then rise from the dead. And how do the Jewish leaders respond when they that happens? They reject it. They claim the disciples stole the body, though they well know that is not the case (Matthew 28:11-15).

So, are you with Jesus? Or against Him? This entire passage warns us: You cannot be neutral towards Him. And don’t be satisfied with taking a few steps in His direction – coming to church, reading the Bible, cleaning up a few parts of your life. You must be all in for Him. You must be His intimate family. If not, You are against Him – you are His enemy.

For Jesus not just an interesting teacher. He is not just a person with great insight; He is not just a good person whose example we should follow. He claims that He is greater than Solomon or Jonah; He claims that when He is present, the Kingdom of God has come.

Do you think you need more evidence? Be careful that you are not simply looking for excuses not to believe – that your rejection is not just displaying the overflow of a rebellious heart. But if you are genuinely looking, you will find Him – a “faintly burning wick” he will not snuff out. So pray, “I believe, Lord – help my unbelief! I submit to you; open my blind eyes, open my mute mouth!”

God created mankind to be part of His family. And Jesus says: “I am your rightful King, whether you acknowledge Me or not. And I can be your beloved husband, the source of your great delight. So come to Me, whatever your burden – and I will give you rest!”

 

Your True Home

I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named (Ephesians 3:14b-15)

Two weeks ago while reflecting on Joel’s graduation and the bike ride to DC, I noted the frequent repetition of the word “home” during the ceremony in Chapel Hill: “Chapel Hill is home. You can always come home. This place is your home forever.”

What is the nature of a good home? In a good family we are loved and accepted. We indeed can always return home. Our family welcomes us and takes us in.  Nothing we do will get us kicked out of a good family.

But a family includes something more which the Apostle Paul brings out in Ephesians – something missed in the picture of “home” painted at the graduation:

In a good family, there is a father, and he has authority.

  • Yes, in a good family there is acceptance. And in a good family there is also loving authority.
  • Yes, we are never kicked out of a good family. But there is also discipline in that good family, for our good and the good of the family.

There cannot be a family, there cannot be a home without authority.

Indeed, the Apostle says that every family in heaven and on earth is “named” after that heavenly family with the heavenly Father. Every family – and especially every father – ideally should picture the love, watchcare, guidance, provision, and discipline of our heavenly family.

Our culture is reluctant to recognize such authority, in part because it has been distorted so often. Too many fathers check out, and just want peace and quiet in the house so they can relax. Others discipline harshly, or verbally and physically abuse their wives and children.

But do you see the Apostle Paul’s point? Such behavior on the part of fathers is evil not only because of the sin against family members; it is also wrong because God created fatherhood to display His character. Checked-out and abusive fathers sin against God by providing others a terrible picture, a distorted picture, of what God the Father is like.

Yet see how God provides for us the perfect picture of acceptance and authority in Jesus Christ. He accepts us: “Come to me all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). His sacrifice enables us to be part of His family – indeed, part of His Bride (Ephesians 5:25-32). He accepts us as we are – but praise God He loves us too much to leave us as we are. He sanctifies us. He cleanses us. He Himself presents us to Himself, “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:27).

David concludes Psalm 23 with these words: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” In Christ, we will be part of God’s loving family forever: Under His authority, loved beyond our imagining, enabled to see Him face to face and to enjoy Him forever. That indeed is our true home.

Two Kingdoms: Rebellion

Consider this Gospel presentation, “Two Kingdoms:”

Here is a truth I have come to know.  God created the world as His Kingdom, and all was very good. But Satan rebelled, desiring worship that only God deserved. He set up his own kingdom, at war with God’s kingdom of light. The first man and woman, deceived by Satan, chose to rebel also. Since then, all of us have joined that rebellion against our rightful king.

Satan’s kingdom is the kingdom of darkness. He deceives people, saying, “You don’t have to serve me, just serve yourself!” Yet as we serve ourselves, we end up destroying all that is good, even all true pleasure. That is Satan’s goal.

God’s kingdom of light has overcome the kingdom of darkness. For God sent Jesus to earth to live as man should live. Jesus then died on a cross, suffering to pay the penalty we deserve for our rebellion. But God raised Him from the dead, showing that Jesus has authority even over death and the kingdom of darkness. Jesus will reign forever and ever.

God commands all men to turn from their rebellion against Him. He invites all of us to leave the kingdom of darkness and to become citizens of the Kingdom of light. We must turn from our selfish ways and acknowledge that Jesus is our rightful King. We must let Him tell us what to do. By God’s mercy on account of the cross, we can receive His forgiveness and escape from the kingdom of darkness, gaining love, joy, and peace in the Kingdom of light forever.

We live in this little bubble called life for 70 to 80 years. When it pops, we join whichever king we served for all eternity. Which king are you serving?

In a series of blog posts, we’ll look at different key points in this presentation. Today: Rebellion.

Often we think of sin as breaking a rule – rather like driving 75 in a 65mph zone. Yes, there is a rule. Yes, if I get caught there might be consequences. But the main point of the rule is highway safety. Those making the traffic laws can’t adjust them for differing weather conditions, or for the amount of traffic congestion; they must set one speed limit. Yet in the absence of snow, ice, or heavy rain, and particularly when few if any other cars are on the road, I can safely drive 75 in a 65mph zone. In that case, the only problem with breaking the rule is getting caught.

But sin is not like that. Sin is rebellion against our rightful King. When I sin, I despise God. I dishonor Him.

Why?

Unlike those setting traffic laws, God knows all things. He is “the only wise God” (Romans 16:27). He knows exactly what will be for your good and mine. He has our best interests at heart. He gives us commandments for our good (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

Furthermore, He is “the great king over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2).  He “rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). And He reigns not because of the consent of the governed, but because He created us. We are contingent, dependent creatures. Apart from His act, we do not exist. As a potter has authority over the vessels he makes, so God has authority over mankind (Isaiah 29:15-16, Jeremiah 18:3-6).

So it is possible for me to rightly question traffic regulations. I may also have reservations about the wisdom of more important laws passed by state and federal legislatures. I can advocate for changes in those laws. Indeed, in the course of human events, there may even be times to rise in rebellion against a human government. In such cases, we are saying, “I know better than the present government what is in my interest, and what is in the interests of the people of this country.” And we may be right.

But we can never make that claim against God! We never know better than He what is in our own best interest. We never could set up an alternative government for the universe that would order it more efficiently! Yet that is what we effectively claim whenever we disobey God. We are despising His wisdom. We are rebelling against His rule. We are claiming that He does not have our genuine interests at heart. We want to overthrow our King.

Consider this truth when you are tempted to sin. It may seem small. It may seem trivial. God’s Law may seem inconsequential. It may seem that no one will be hurt. A thousand arguments may well up inside you, arguing for why breaking God’s Law is no big thing.

But every sin  is rebellion. You despise God whenever you sin.

Don’t rebel against your rightful King.

(If you would like to meditate more on rebellion against God, this file contains many biblical references to our rebellion against God and our despising His word).

Responding to Disasters

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is devastated. Thousands and thousands of buildings have collapsed. Tens of thousands are dead. Thousands more are injured and doomed to die, as hospitals too are destroyed and the needs outstrip the remaining medical care.

How can we respond to such a tragedy?

The Bible is our guide in all matters. In His Word, God tells us who He is, who we are, how He rules the world, and how we should respond to Him. He tells us what we could never learn on our own, what we would grope after and never find apart from His revelation.

So what guidance does the Bible give us?

First, we must weep with those who weep, mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). Our Lord wept over the coming judgment on Jerusalem (Luke 19:41); He wept at the grave of His friend, even though He was about to raise him from the dead (John 11:35). Ultimately, all sorrow and pain in this world is the result of sin – God’s initial creation was very good (Genesis 1:31). So let us weep over sin and its impact.

Second, we must pray. God works through prayer to bring about His purposes at all times (2 Corinthians 1:11), and so He exhorts us to pray about all our needs (Philippians 4:6).

Third, we must do what we can to help those in need (Luke 12:33). In so doing, we honor God (Proverbs 14:31), who has compassion on the poor and needy (Psalm 72:13). Now, in such situations we can do more harm than good – our attempts to help can hurt, as we noted earlier. So let us give to organizations that are cognizant of these dangers, who are working with local institutions, considering both the urgent relief needs and the longer term rehabilitation and development needs. Some suggestions (among many possibilities): Food for the Hungry, Child Hope International, and Water Missions International.

Fourth, we must take note of Jesus’ warning to those around Him as they considered a local tragedy:

“Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:4-5

Some people evidently were explaining the fall of the tower as God’s judgment on those eighteen people, saying that they deserved to die, and others (like themselves) did not. Jesus says, “Don’t think that way – but take the occasion of these deaths to examine yourself!” God’s judgment will come on all who do not repent (Romans 2:4-5) – and it will be much more terrible than the fall of the tower of Siloam, much more terrible than the Haiti earthquake, much more terrible than the Aceh tsunami (Revelation 6:15-17).

Fifth, we must remind ourselves of the Gospel. No one is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10-12). We all deserve God’s condemnation, His wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). Yet God sent His Son to live the perfect life that we should have lived, loving God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength every minute of every day, loving His neighbor as Himself (Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 22:36-40); He sent Him to the cross to suffer and die, taking on Himself the penalty we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21); and He raised Him from the dead, showing that the penalty was sufficient (Acts 2:24). We who believe in Him (John 1:12), valuing Him above all else (Matthew 13:44), receive the benefits of this death, and are united with Him for all eternity (Romans 6:4-5, 23).

Finally, we can rejoice that God is sovereign over all affairs of men. He is the Almighty One, who not only knows the number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30), but watches over and superintends all the events of my life, and of all the lives of those who are united in His Son (Psalm 1:6). So we can pray with the psalmist, “When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!” (Psalm 142:3). May our hurting brothers and sisters in Haiti know this truth, and lean on our Rock and our Refuge (Psalm 61:2-3).

May we, by His grace, be as He is in this world (1 John 4:17) – and thus, knowing our sinfulness, knowing our weakness, serve humbly as conduits of His mercy, His compassion, and His Word to the downtrodden and the needy.