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“Our work is not done on earth until the day that God has appointed for us to die. So does this align with your own view? Do you see you continuing life as an opportunity for fruitful labour as necessary for the benefit of others? As soon as Christ bought us our purpose in life has become serving Christ. The effect of that: pleasing Christ should be so exalted above other things in our lives that we count all other things as rubbish or trash…(Phil 3:8)”
“In some parts of Scripture we are going carefully through, line by line, especially teaching sections. But here, in the histories, we are repeatedly reminded that this is all to emphasize one main point: Everyone is doing what they think is right, following their hearts, following their own inclinations; and this leads to utter disaster…We are inundated today with messages like ‘follow your heart,’ ‘do what is right for you,’ ‘Follow your truth’…The message of Judges is: don’t do what you think is right. You are a bad judge of what is right. You need a King!”
“Today we are looking at our passage from Mark for a second time...(T)he story of Jesus blessing the little children is tied to the story of the Rich Young Ruler…this is very purposeful, because children come in need, with nothing to offer, while the rich young ruler comes to Jesus in independence, able to meet his own needs, yet wondering if there’s more he can do? Why are children the best symbol for how we are to approach the kingdom of God? Because they are utterly dependent. God’s kingdom is received, it can not be earned or taken. Then, why is the Rich Young Ruler so well contrasted with children? Because he will not give up what he has, in order to gain the same level of dependence that they naturally have. He lacks nothing except Jesus, which means, even though he lacks nothing, he in fact, lacks everything.”
“As with any true benediction, Paul gives God all the glory for causing believers to persevere in faith to the end. This perseverance has its roots in the power of the gospel, which centres on Jesus Christ. This ability of God is one deserving of worship, which makes it a common theme in doxology: ‘Now to him who is able…’”
“Many today are uncomfortable with the idea of obligation to God…or at least find it difficult to square with their idea of grace. But the biblical view of grace and reciprocation is much closer to the Greco-Roman norm of Paul’s day in which, it is well documented, there are certain obligations placed on the recipients of grace. The greater the gift, the more the recipient was obligated to respond in honour, thanksgiving, faithfulness, public rejoicing and reciprocal gifts…
God’s grace is unconditioned - that is, given without prior conditions being met - but it is not unconditional - in that it does expect a response in the form of faith, obedience and moral transformation. Faith apart from works is useless, it is dead (James 2:26).”
“This week Josh pointed out to me that the phrase ‘faith like a child’ isn’t in the bible. ‘A childlike faith’ is actually bad theology given Hallmark-like ubiquity. So what is the common thread? What do all kids have? It’s need. Children are completely dependent on others. They are not self-sufficient. In a culture of doers, a society of adults, because a child can not do anything for themselves, they are the least important, have the least status, smallest value. And, according to Jesus’ social handlers, the least right to approach him. And more than saying let them come, Jesus says to his very grown up disciples; ‘one thing you lack: be like them’.”
“Paul had an unyielding disposition of joy that was rooted in God’s faithfulness to mature His churches…Whenever Paul thought of the Philippian believers, his heart was immediately and consistently moved to an attitude of thanksgiving and praise to God, for what God was doing in the church in Philippi…Paul’s prayer is that we will embody what we learn from the Bible. True knowledge of the Bible is thus not something detached from our love of God and others, but is as a container that God increasingly fills for our love to abound more and more…So be diligent, learn the Scriptures; trust, and seek to have God’s love poured into your knowledge. And use it for what is excellent and praiseworthy, so that God may be glorified in us, and cause us to grow in His ways.”
“All of this takes place in the church, among genuine believers who have serious disagreements and cause harm to one another, willfully or unintentionally. Each is in a process of maturing and sanctification. Rather than to despise each other’s weakness, rather than to judge and slander one another, we must bless. Rather than to repay evil in vengeance, we should love those who have been our enemies. Christ did not please himself. He bore reproach when he had the power not to have been reproached. He suffered when he had the power not to have suffered what he suffered, had he been minded to look to his own pleasure. He suffered for the sake of those who caused his suffering. This is the love genuine…”
“Paul’s main point here is not to try to overturn the convictions of the weak, but to call for unity despite these matters which should not divide the church…here he gives instructions on how to love one another despite our differences. The genuine love of living sacrificially will be concerned for the unity of the church, the spiritual health of our brothers and sisters, and the glory of Christ will be our ultimate goal…”
The main point of this passage is this: strong and weak Christians alike need to stop despising and condemning each other because it is the Lord, and he alone, who has the right to assess the believer’s conduct on issues which are left to conscience…Church, we must cease from despising and condemning each other because it is the Lord, and he alone, who has the right to assess our conduct on issues which are left to conscience. On any given divisive issue, there will be those who are correct - the strong - and those who are incorrect - the weak. In either case, it is never acceptable to reject fellowship with another genuine believer over doctrinal disagreements that do not distort the gospel: God has already welcomed them.
