Different Spirit

Shock! The Bible says: “There is no God.”

John — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 02:57:56 +0000

Yes, it is true. The sentence “There is no God” appears in the Bible. In fact, the words appear twice. They can be found in Psalms 14:1 and Psalms 53:1.

Blood has been shed to preserve the Scriptures for us.

But (and this is a very big ‘but’), look up these verses and you will find that the complete text reads: ‘The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”’

In other words, it is vital to read Bible verses in context.

When someone quotes a Scripture, the first check as to whether they are using it correctly is to read the immediate context – that is, the words preceding and the words following – and then examine the wider context, asking questions such as: Who was speaking, and to whom, and why? Was God pointing to a truth that would be fulfilled later? And the questions don’t end there.

Scripture deals with matters that affect people’s eternal destiny. It is important to handle the Word of God correctly – 2 Timothy 2:15.

The devil can, and does, quote Scripture.

Matthew 4:5-7 records that the devil tempted Jesus by quoting Scripture. Jesus answered through His knowledge of Scripture, using it correctly and in context. Accurate Bible knowledge was Jesus’ defence.

It is your protection too.

The devil has no need to deceive non-believers by quoting the Bible. Unbelievers are already deceived. And they don’t trust the Bible, so it is pointless quoting it to them.

No, the devil sets out to deceive believers by attempting to distort the meaning of Scripture. The attacks are subtle. They come in an unexpected way. They come in a way that appeals to pride and self-interest.

You have powerful protection when you know the Bible, when you know the whole counsel of God. Sad to say, most Christians do not know the Bible. They have heard many sermons. They know certain Bible passages and the doctrines of their denomination. But, frequently, there are gaps in their knowledge.

Now, by the way, this has been a happy week for me. I gave away fifty dollars. I was so thrilled to give the money away that I went to the trouble of framing the banknote before I presented it.

Starting more than twenty years ago, I began asking Christians whether they had read the Bible from cover to cover, and how many times they had read the Bible cover to cover, and challenging Christians to read the Bible through from cover to cover.

During our years as pastors, and while speaking in different churches, and on the mission field, I have many times offered to pay fifty dollars to anyone who would read the Bible cover to cover.

This week, as I say, I made the first payment to the first person to have taken up the challenge and completed it.

That’s a happy day.

But, it’s also a sad commentary on the state of the church in much of the English-speaking world. Why do so few Christians read the Bible, in a methodical way and in its entirety?

I don’t have an answer to the question. Maybe you can help me?

Over the years, hundreds of people have written to me through this website. Many have questions. Some want to dispute and to debate. It is amazing how many confuse their national interest with God’s interest. It is also amazing how many quote Scripture selectively and out of context.

The next question to ask is: Does it matter? Does it matter whether you have correct doctrines or not? And, if it does matter, what should Christians do to complete their spiritual protection?

Jesus had a public ministry that lasted about three and a half years, from the age of about 30, until His death and resurrection. What did He do, in His humanity, in the years leading up to the life and sacrifice that is recorded in the gospels?

The answer is: He lived a quiet life, barely noticed by anyone. He worked with His hands. And He studied the Scriptures.

Related messages:

How to build a big church

John — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:39:32 +0000

What is the key to building a large church — not a bricks and mortar building, but a dedicated following? A survey of the largest churches in north America gives an answer, and it has implications for your personal journey of faith.

Let it be said, before we examine the results of the survey, that the only church that matters, as far as we are concerned, is the church that preaches Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and that exists to bring people to Christ and to strengthen the faith of believers in the knowledge of their Saviour.

It is also important to say that, in God’s eyes, big does not necessarily mean better. Out of a struggling congregation might come one of the greatest evangelists who ever lived. A mega-church, on the other hand, might never produce lasting fruit.

Nevertheless, no one sets out to serve God with failure in mind. We can surely learn from the ministry of others.

The survey we speak of was taken across a large range of Christian denominations. The churches surveyed held to different doctrinal positions. Their facilities and programmes were not the reason for their success.

The only common factors in their growth were that the senior pastor had been in the position for more than 20 years, and he smiled a lot.

There you have it: Persistence and joy.

People like to be around others who keep on keeping on; who don’t waver and doubt; who are solid and committed. As the saying goes: People want to be on a train that is going somewhere.

And people want to enjoy the journey. They like to be around happy people.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? And it certainly doesn’t contradict anything you will read in the Bible. Yes, there is a seriousness to life. Yes, there are matters to do with the way of salvation, and the life of consecration to God, that carry a degree of solemnity. God is not mocked. And we aren’t just a happy-clappy social club with no purpose other than to entertain those who pay the admission fee.

However, we can take hold of these principles of Christian living and they will equip us for what the Bible says is a long-distance race.

Decide that it is a race, and one that, with the Lord’s help, you will finish. There will be ups and downs; good times and bad. Decide that there will be tests and challenges but, with eyes fixed not on ourselves and our make-me-up problems but on Jesus, we will carry on — never giving up on Him.

Christian happiness is not about folly — it’s about deep inner joy and peace. It’s not bought. It’s not earned. It’s grasped.

The contented, smiling Christian is one who knows, and is constantly grateful, that their sins have been forgiven. Jesus has paid the price, and that price was sufficient.

The contented, smiling Christian is one who is happy to let God be God. Let Him do as He pleases. The problems of the world are His.

The contented, smiling Christian has nothing to prove and no one to impress. Jesus gets all the glory, now and always.

The contented, smiling Christian leaves judgment up to God. The world is in a mess. There is plenty to get indignant about, if we let ourselves. But, again, it’s God’s problem. It’s enough to keep our own hearts right before Him.

Jesus came to set us free. The chains have been thrown off. Why re-fasten the shackles?

And, finally, the contented, smiling Christian can see the funny side of life. We are a strange bunch – warped by our selfish sin nature, and on a long long journey to be completely delivered from this distorting characteristic.

The best way to get a good belly-laugh out of life is to take a look at ourselves — and then to recognise afresh that we are forgiven and completely accepted, in the Beloved.

Related messages:

Heaven, hell, and what to wear

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:53:56 +0000

Books have been written on how to dress for success. Dress up, the books say. People will respect you and then they will pay attention to what you have to say. They tell us that we never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Dressed for success?

The well-cut suit and power tie is standard uniform for business leaders, politicians and anyone who wants to influence people and gain their trust. The well-groomed person, dressed in expensive clothing, is making an effort to impress us with their success and social standing. Others have apparently showered them with money to be able to dress stylishly, so we should trust them too. It is a subtle signal (and it has always had the effect of influencing people) so it is a surprise to read that the apostles dressed in rags – 1 Corinthians 4:11.

Does this suggest that Christians should deliberately be the opposite of the world and be unkempt and shabbily dressed? Not at all. Paul and the other apostles dressed in rags because they were poor. They were rich spiritually, but financially impoverished – 2 Corinthians 6:4-10.

Dressing in rags should have made it harder for them to have their message accepted. But God wanted their power to come through the Holy Spirit, rather than through techniques of human persuasion – 2 Corinthians 12:9.

We should recognise another factor too: The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Under the Old Covenant, Aaron, the High Priest, was dressed in beautiful garments “to give him dignity and honour” – Exodus 28:2-5.

Jesus is our High Priest in heaven – Hebrews 8:1-2 – and during His time on earth He dressed simply. The apostles, as we said before, dressed in rags.

Why is there such a contrast between the Old Testament and the New Testament?

The Old Testament – also called the Law of Moses – pointed to spiritual truth and the coming of Jesus. The New Covenant, sealed by the blood of Jesus, brings us close to God and changes our focus to heavenly realities – Hebrews 10:1a. The New Covenant in Jesus fulfills the types and shadows of the Old Covenant.

By way of further example, under the Old Covenant the priests had to burn incense – Exodus 30:7-8. Under the New Covenant we learn that incense was only a type and shadow. Incense, in a Christian sense, is the prayers of God’s people – Revelation 5:8.

All this brings me to the question:
How should Christians dress for spiritual success?

Firstly, the Bible says that attractiveness should come not from outward adornment but from a quiet spirit – 1 Peter 3:3-4.

Secondly, we should recognise that God wants our power to come from Him – 1 Corinthians 4:20 – rather than through using the methods that secular people use to persuade and to influence.

Thirdly, the New Testament tells us of three ways to dress for spiritual success, but they have nothing to do with real clothing. They are pictures – to help us get our minds around an appropriate spiritual response.

Put on the Armour of God – Ephesians 6:10-17
This has to do with the daily decision to promote Truth (and Jesus is the Truth – John 14:6), personal righteousness, the gospel, God’s way of salvation and the life of faith.
Clothe yourself with Christ – Romans 13:14
We represent Jesus. We should ask God for help to adopt the gentle manner of Jesus and to desire what He desires.
Be dressed in white linen – Revelation 19:7-8
Here is another example of earthly matter representing something spiritual – in this case, righteous acts, or acts of loving kindness, which is the proper response that Christians should have, as recipients of God’s gift of salvation Galatians 5:6.

Next time you listen to a preacher, make a conscious effort to look past the way the person is dressed – which should not particularly impress you – and let God’s Spirit speak to your heart.

Related messages:

The Spirit of God dwells in you

John — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:23:54 +0000

If you believe in Jesus then you have been purified by that faith ( Acts 15:8-9 and 1 John 5:12 ) and the Holy Spirit lives in you ( 1 John 4:13-15 ).

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire ... (Acts 2:3)

This is an incredible truth: Because you believe in Jesus and because of that simple childlike trust, the supernatural power of God – the same Power who raised Jesus from the dead – dwells in your mortal, corruptible body ( Romans 8:11 and 2 Corinthians 4:7 ).

You have the Holy Spirit. If you did not have the Holy Spirit in your life then you would not be saved ( 1 John 4:2-3a ).

However, you can have more of the Spirit’s power in your life. You gain more of Him by allowing Him to have more of you.

Before Jesus, the Spirit of God came on certain people in Old Testament times to empower them for various tasks. The first mention in the Bible is of Bezalel, who received artistic gifts ( Exodus 31:1-5 ), and there were many others, including Moses, Gideon, Samson and King David. These people received the touch of God but, because they did not carry the righteousness of the sinless Christ, it was not possible for the Holy Spirit to make them His dwelling place.

At the Last Supper, Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus called Him the Comforter and the Counsellor ( John 14:15-17,26 and John 16:7-14 ).

When Jesus rose from the grave the gospel was announced in all its glory. The New Covenant, with the promise of the forgiveness of sins, had been sealed through His blood, shed on the cross of Calvary. Now the promise of eternal life was demonstrated through Jesus rising from the dead. That is the point at which He breathed on the disciples and said that they were receiving the Holy Spirit ( John 20:19-22 ).

Fifty days later, at the Feast of Pentecost, these same disciples were baptised in the Holy Spirit ( Acts 2:1-4 ). They already had the Holy Spirit, through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, but now they received a bath, so to speak, in the power of God.

And it did not end there. Some while later, these same disciples were filled again with the Holy Spirit. They received more power from above ( Acts 4:31 ).

As Christians, we are exhorted to be filled over and over again with the Spirit ( Ephesians 5:18 ).

Be assured that the Holy Spirit dwells in you. This is Treasure beyond imagining. Value Him. Do not take Him for granted. Do not despise this great gift ( Matthew 12:31 ). We need His power to endure to the end and, because we leak, in a manner of speaking, we do well to ask God to take over more and more of our lives and to fill us repeatedly with the Holy Spirit.

Related messages:

Don’t trust a man who walks without a limp

John — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:35:15 +0000

Learn to lean on Jesus

The patriarch Jacob, son of Abraham and Isaac – the man whom God re-named Israel – was a manipulator who went out of his way to take care of his own interests. Although Jacob knew God, and was blessed by God, he was always scheming to his own ends, until God dealt with him. When Jacob was in great danger, the Bible records that he spent a night wrestling with God, and God wrenched his hip so that ever after he walked with a limp ( Genesis 32:22-32 ).

The Bible says that God does not delight in man’s strength or cleverness, but in those who fear Him and put their hope in His unfailing love ( Psalm 147:10-11 ).

God called the Babylonians “guilty men, whose own strength is their god” and people who promoted “their own honour” ( Habakkuk 1:6-11 ). They succeeded for a while but later were destroyed.

For a person, or a group, or a nation like Israel, to be used for the high spiritual purposes of God, they must first be “broken”. They must be made to “walk with a limp”, so to speak.

This was true of all the heroes of faith in the Bible. For example, Moses had to spend 40 years in the wilderness. King David spent years in the desert running from his enemies. And the apostle Peter, who said that he would lay down his life for Jesus ( John 13:36-38 ), ended up being humbled.

Learning to not trust in self, and to be dependent on God, is an important aspect of Christian “growth”.

This principle can be observed on a sweeping scale as we note what God is doing as He restores the nation of Israel – in fulfillment of prophecy and of His promises.

Every year Israel gets stronger, economically and militarily, but every year God allows her enemies to get stronger still. At the same time, more and more of Israel’s friends are abandoning her. God will let Israel get to a place where she is in such mortal danger, and where there will be nowhere else to turn but to Him, and then, as we read in the closing chapters of Zechariah, the nation will recognise their Messiah, Jesus, and will be saved.

I dare say that this same principle is at work in you and me. God is dealing with His people. Judgment begins in the house of God ( 1 Peter 4:17 ).

It is pointless trying to escape. God is relentless. It is best to yield. It is best not to rely on intellect or connections or past successes, but to let God unfold His plans in His own way.

There are many self-proclaimed spiritual leaders. Some have public profiles. God bless them. May their faith never fail. But it is a good idea to quietly watch whether they strut, figuratively speaking, or whether they walk with a spiritual limp.

It’s not their following or quick words or material displays of success that should impress. It’s their personal impotence, and leaning on the supernatural power of Christ, that determines whether they will bear fruit that will last.

Related messages:

How to hear from God

John — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:14:06 +0000

I will give you three simple steps to take if you want to hear from God. It’s not a formula. It’s three principles that are on view in the Bible.

Communicating with God

If you confess that Jesus is the Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you belong to God. You are adopted into His family. He is your Father in heaven. You have every right to hear from Him. ( Romans 10:9 and Ephesians 1:4-5 ).

Jesus also said that those who follow Him hear His voice ( John 10:4,27 ). So, you should expect to hear from Him. You should hear from Him, but many Christians do not. They believe in Jesus. Their salvation is not in doubt. And yet they live without the blessing of hearing God’s voice.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your steps.”

That is a promise from God. If you meet the conditions – trusting in Him and not in yourself, and acknowledging His hand on your life – then you can be sure that He is guiding your steps.

We also know that God works all circumstances for good for those who love Him ( Romans 8:28 ).

Yet, some live their entire Christian lives without ever hearing God speak. They know Him, and they know that He is directing their paths. They can survive trying times and come through with their faith intact, and yet they never hear God’s audible voice, or the inner voice of the Spirit. But you don’t have to settle for that.

Hearing God speak to you personally is a wonderful faith-boosting, relationship-building experience.

Humbly ask God if there is anything that is hindering you from hearing Him.
Certain behaviour can stand in the way of your prayers ( 1 Peter 3:7 ).

God knows that you are not sinlessly perfect. He knows that you have struggles. What delights God is when you acknowledge your weakness ( 1 John 1:8-9 ).

Humility implies dependence on Him. Confidence in self is the opposite of humility. God loves a humble heart ( Psalm 34:18, Psalm 138:6, James 4:6 ).

This is very encouraging because, although you almost certainly have bad attitudes that might hinder your prayers, the act of acknowledging your failings, and asking God for help, displays the humility of heart that delights Him.

God is not impressed with dispassionate people ( Revelation 3:15-16 ) but God is impressed with humble people.

Step one is not out of your reach.
To hear, you must first be heard
God knows everything. He knows every thought you have ever had, and every thought you ever will have.

God hears silent prayer ( 1 Samuel 1:12-13 ).

But God tests the strength of your desire.

The person who cries out to God gets His attention. In several places in the Psalms we read of King David crying out to God. The same is true of the Prophets and, astonishingly, the same is true of the Lord Jesus.

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears … and He was heard because of His reverent submission.”
(Hebrews 5:7)

There is a time for communal prayer, but this is not it. Pray now in secret. And let your words be few ( Matthew 6:5-8, Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 )

Raise your voice, and call out to God. This is also not beyond you, and it does prove your sincerity and desire.
Wait
God hears as soon as you pray and as soon as you cry out, but you will almost certainly have to wait to hear from Him.

The prophet Jeremiah, for example, waited ten days on one occasion before he received an answer to prayer from God ( Jeremiah 42:1-4,7 ).

It is harder to wait on God than it is to work for God. When you are waiting and waiting to hear from God it is easy to let yourself believe that He does not hear you, or does not care. It is a further test of your faith and trust in Him.

God will speak. Usually it is “the still small voice” – an impression in your spirit, but clear and concise nevertheless.

Read this well-known passage about Elijah hearing from God ( 1 Kings 19:11-13 ). Note that God whispers. However, also note that when Elijah recognised the whisper, and then presented himself, he heard clearly from God.

Expect to hear from God. It is a blessing. And as you wait on Him, and respond to Him, you will grow to know His voice consistently.

Related messages:

Why did so many Jews reject Jesus?

John — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 03:43:53 +0000

We learn valuable lessons for the life of faith when we study the attitudes of the Jewish people at the time of Jesus, and ask why so many rejected Him. While it is true that the majority of Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, it is important to recognise that the first to believe in Him were a relatively small group of Jews – numbered in the thousands out of all the millions of Israel.

The expression “the Israel of God” refers to Jewish believers in Jesus ( Galatians 6:16 ). It is not an expansion of “Israel”, to include Gentile believers, but a restriction of Israel – to identify the believing remnant among the Jewish people.

In the same way, when Jesus referred to Nathanael as “a true Israelite” ( John 1:47 ), He was recognising that Nathanael was a Jew who was truly trusting in God.

Although Israel had been promised a Messiah and Saviour – and we can see many Scriptures (which they had too) which were fulfilled in Jesus Christ – multitudes of Jews rejected Him and even persecuted the early Jewish church ( Acts 7:59-8:1 ).

So, although it is true that God predestined the rejection of Jesus by all except a remnant of Israel – so that the gospel could go out to Gentiles ( Romans 11:2-5,25 ) – it is also true that individuals are not absolved of responsibility to accept the Truth ( Acts 7:51 ).

Why did so many Jews reject Jesus?

The person without the help of the Holy Spirit sees suffering as a curse
The Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of a Messiah. There were scriptures that spoke of a Suffering Servant and scriptures that spoke of a Conquering King. We know that the verses that speak of a Conquering King refer to Jesus at His Second Coming. However, we can perhaps understand that, without the revelation of the Holy Spirit, it was confusing for the Jews. (Even today, many rabbis believe in two separate messiahs.)

At the time of Jesus, the Jews were under the heel of the Roman Empire. Their nation was occupied and they were waiting for a leader to arise to rescue them. They were focused on the hope of a Conquering King – so much so that many overlooked the prophecies of a Suffering Servant.

We say, “No cross, no crown. No thorns, no throne”, but many in Israel did not look beyond their desire for immediate victory.

I have to ask myself: Is this any different to conditions in much of the church today? So many Christians believe that, as “King’s kids”, they are entitled to prosperity and “success”. Because of Israel’s history, it is worth being cautious of anything that hints of Christian triumphalism.
The person without the help of the Holy Spirit wants to feel they merit approval
At the time of Jesus, most of the people of Israel tried to find their righteousness in their striving to obey the Law. Works are satisfying to self. It gave them reason to take pride in their own efforts. On the other hand, those who admitted that they were not measuring up and who threw themselves on the mercy of God, were the ones who were better able to accept Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf ( Romans 9:30-33 ).

There is always a danger in church-life of drifting to a place where we find our security in formalism, rather than through faith in Christ. The Christian life is not about rules and rituals. It is about relationship with Jesus. We need to draw close to Him, and recognise when we are starting to take pride in our religious practices.
The person without the help of the Holy Spirit wants to be in control
Religious leaders in Israel at the time of Jesus had status and property that they wanted to protect. They were concerned that the Romans would find an excuse to take over their religious life and temple ( John 11:47-53 ). They were willing to sacrifice Jesus rather than lose control.

Studying the New Testament, I cannot find a single example of early Christians acquiring church property or any symbols of success. The opposite in fact. They seemed to be in a race to give everything away to the poor ( Acts 2:42-45 ). I would not use this as a reason to say that churches should not build meeting facilities, but I do wonder when vast sums are spent to make these buildings ostentatious, and I have observed that disputes in church-life are intensified whenever there is a struggle for control of property. It seems spiritually safer to live without this temptation or, at the very least, to cry out to God for help to not let it take our eyes off Jesus.

Jesus said that at the end of time “the love of most will grow cold” ( Matthew 24:12-13). The Bible also says that the end will not come until the apostasy, or great falling away ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ).

God was strict on Israel, even though He says that He never stopped loving them ( Jeremiah 31:3 ). I have to wonder: Is there a similar test ahead for the church? ( Romans 11:13-24 ).

Related messages:

Crucifying the sinful nature

John — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:07:53 +0000

Jesus Christ was crucified. He died a painful death on the cross, to redeem us for God.

Crucifying the sinful nature. You'll need help with the third nail

We are saved by faith in Jesus. We are saved because we believe that He died and rose again.

The Bible says that we receive salvation through the mercy of God. We did nothing to deserve mercy. We are able to place our faith in Jesus because God has given us the ability to believe. It is a gift from God ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ). This gift is a treasure that is worth more than gold.

However, the Bible says that we must endure to the end in our faith in Jesus Christ ( Colossians 1:22-23 ).

There is a huge difference between earning salvation (which would mean that God would owe us something, and would give us reason to take pride and to boast), and guarding the gift of salvation.

Of course, if you see the gift of salvation as something that can never be lost, then there is nothing to guard — always assuming you can ever be sure that you had the gift in the first place.

How do you guard the gift of salvation?

Five sections in the book of Hebrews warn against a downward slide that starts with neglect and drift, becomes a hardening of the heart, then a falling away, then indulging in deliberate willful sin and, finally, despising the grace of God. That’s how you can lose the gift of salvation — by treating it as a light matter, by not valuing it. Eventually you reach the place where you stop believing in Jesus.

What is necessary to actively guard the gift of salvation?

The important thing that you need to do, the Bible says, is to exercise your faith in Jesus Christ. You express this faith through acts of loving kindness ( Galatians 5:6 ). Acts of loving kindness are done through self-sacrifice in serving others. This means death to self — living for Jesus by serving others. That means your fallen, selfish nature – what the New Testament calls ‘flesh’ – has to die.

It is vital to state, once again, that you have salvation, which means legal right-standing with God, through faith in Jesus’ death on the cross. You have been crucified with Christ, the Bible says ( Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20 ).

However, we are called on to make this legal right-standing an increasing reality in our experience. To do this we need to yield to the dealings of the Holy Spirit and to co-operate in His work of changing us into the image of Christ ( Galatians 5:25 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). In other words, we have a part to play. We have responsibilities. ( 2 Peter 1:5-11 ).

The image that the New Testament uses for this dying to self is the one of crucifixion — a slow, painful suffocating of self.

Galatians 5:24 says:

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus crucify the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

This is the experiential outworking of our faith. I, for one, have not reached the point of complete death to self. We are called on to crucify the sinful nature, which means that I, at least, am facing an ongoing painful future, until the Lord takes me home to glory.

This raises an interesting question: How do we crucify ourselves? You can nail your feet to the cross, metaphorically speaking, and then one hand, and then what? You will need help with that third nail. And help is what God promises, through the Holy Spirit. He is working every circumstance to bring you to an end of yourself. Every tough experience you go through is Him, helping you with your problem of needing to die to self.

This makes sense of Jesus’ words: “Pick up your cross”. March to your execution. “Deny yourself” ( Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:27 ).

It also makes sense of the apostle Paul’s warning to those who live as enemies of the cross of Christ ( Philippians 3:18-19 ).

The Bible presents all this as a warning and as an encouragement. If you are suffering trials of many kinds, it is not because you lack faith ( James 1:2-4 ). It is because God means it for good — the strengthening of your faith, the slow destruction of your self-life, the salvation of your soul ( 1 Peter 1:6-9 ).

Related messages:

What the Bible says about Jesus’ crucifixion

John — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 02:07:22 +0000

Jesus "high and lifted up"?
It is His name that is exalted above the heavens.

Jesus Christ was crucified. He died on the cross of Calvary. Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians have a long tradition of portraying Jesus on the cross. Protestants favour the symbol of an empty cross. However, the crucifix image of Jesus is so embedded in human consciousness that you may be surprised that it differs somewhat from the biblical description of Jesus’ sufferings.

The main reason this is worth pointing out is that it should act as a call to examine some of our cherished ideas of the Christian life in the light of the Bible rather than tradition.

Jesus was not crucified on a high cross.
His head would have been at a level about 3 to 4 feet (one metre) above the eyes of the onlookers.

The reason we know this is so is because the soldiers gave Jesus wine vinegar through a sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant. ( John 19:29 ).

Hyssop is a herb with a woody stem, but it grows no more than 18 inches (50cm) in height. The soldiers did not have to reach very high.
Jesus’ bones were pulled out of joint.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic picture of the crucifixion and it makes this statement ( Psalm 22:14-18 ).

The weight of hanging on the cross made Jesus’ frame look skeletal and out of joint.
Jesus’ beard was pulled out.
The prophet Isaiah has this prophecy ( Isaiah 50:6-7 )
Jesus was beaten and tortured beyond human likeness.
Crucifixion was crude, brutal and gruesome. It was intended to be so. The Romans meant it to act as a deterrent, so that people would not rebel against their rule.

The depiction of the scourging of Jesus in the film “The Passion of the Christ” – to highlight just one example – is harrowing, but if we go by Isaiah’s description ( Isaiah 52:13-14 ), it falls short of the effect that it had on Jesus’ form on the cross.
Jesus was crucified naked.
The loincloth image is an artistic nod to modesty. Roman soldiers would have had no such qualms.

From the time of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, public nakedness has been a biblical symbol of shame ( Gen 3:7-11 )

When Jesus was crucified He was bearing our shame ( Rom 10:11 )

Having said all this, it is my strong impression in reading the Bible that we are not meant to focus on Jesus’ sufferings in a voyeuristic way.

The New Testament accounts of the death of Jesus simply say that He was “flogged” and “crucified”.

Yes, Jesus suffered beyond imagining, but this truth is not presented to make us morbid. Jesus willingly paid our debt ( John 10:17-18 and Romans 6:23 ).

The New Testament rejoices in the resurrection of Jesus. That Jesus rose from the grave is our assurance that we receive eternal life through faith in His atoning sacrifice ( 1 Cor 15:12-20 )

Related messages:

Who killed Jesus?

Who killed Jesus?

John — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:05:13 +0000

The word ‘chutzpah’ has entered the English language from Hebrew and Yiddish. It means ‘impudence’.

Who is guilty?

More commonly, we might say, “You’ve got a cheek”, but we could equally say, “That’s chutzpah.”

Jews illustrate the meaning of the term through the story of a boy who murdered his parents, and then asked to be pardoned because he was an orphan.

This may seem like a strange way to open the question of “Who killed Jesus?”, but do keep reading.

Various individuals, or groups of people, were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

The first, obviously, was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Israel who sentenced Jesus to death, even though he knew that the evidence against Him was false ( Luke 23:4,13-15,22-23).

Next responsibility lies with the Roman soldiers who carried out the execution ( John 19:16-18).

The next, as a group, were the leaders and people of Israel. The gospel accounts, written by Jews, make this assertion ( Matt 27:25). Also, the apostle Peter, a Jew, accused his own people, as a nation, of condemning Jesus to death ( Acts 2:22-23 and Acts 4:10).

However, the Bible says that it was also the will of God the Father that Jesus pay the price for the sin of the world ( Acts 2:23 and Mark 14:35-36).

Having said all this, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus was not a “victim”. He willingly laid down His life ( John 10:14-18).

It is now important to make clear: I crucified Jesus. It was my sin that put Jesus on the cross. I am guilty, and Jesus was paying the price for my sin.

Finally, it was to pay the price for the sin of the whole world that Jesus died. Everyone has sinned ( Romans 3:23). Everyone is guilty.

That being true, I dare say that you killed Jesus too. Of course, if you do not see yourself as being a sinner, then you have no need of a Saviour ( 1 John 1:8-10).

One of the saddest facts of church history is that, at certain times, the Jews have been accused of being “Christ killers”. They are guilty – but no more so than everyone else. Staggering persecutions have fallen on Israel because hyper-religious Christians have said that the Jews are guilty of deicide – of killing God. Anyone who points that finger, without qualification, fails to recognise their own culpability. And that, I might say, is real chutzpah.

Jesus died on the cross. His death was a sacrifice for the sin of the world. The wonderful part of the story is that death could not hold Him down. He rose from the grave. And, praise God, there is forgiveness of sin, for Jew and Gentile, for everyone who turns to Him and who believes in Him and who calls on His name.

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