Alternate Plans
Chronological Order: Gen 4–7
God’s Will Be Done
Yesterday I wrote an introduction to this year of reading through the New Testament. This meant that I ran out of room to provide an outline for the book of Matthew and so will provide one today. You might want to take some time to review this as it is helpful to see how the whole book is put together before digging into specifics. I’ll provide that outline here and then share a comment on the reading below that.
Outline
Chapters
1. Genealogy and Record of Virgin Birth of Jesus
2. Visit of Wise Men—Flight to Egypt—Return to Nazareth
3. John the Baptist, Forerunner of King, Announces Kingdom and Baptizes Jesus, the King
4. Testing of the King in Wilderness—Begins Public Ministry at Capernaum—Calls Disciples
5–7. Sermon on the Mount
1. Relationship of Subjects of Kingdom to Self, 5:1–16
2. Relationship of Subjects of Kingdom to Law, 5:17–48
3. Relationship of Subjects of Kingdom to God, 6:1–34
4. Relationship of Children of King to Each Other, 7:1–29
8. Six Miracles of King Demonstrate His Dynamic to Enforce Ethics of Sermon on Mount
9. Performs Six More Miracles—Calls Matthew—Contends with Pharisees
10. Jesus Commissions Twelve to Preach Gospel of the Kingdom to Nation Israel
11. Quizzed by Disciples of John—Rejects Unrepentant Cities—Issues New Invitation to Individuals
12. Conflict and Final Break of Jesus with Religious Rulers
13. Mystery Parables of Kingdom of Heaven
14. John the Baptist Beheaded—Jesus Feeds 5,000—Sends Disciples Into Storm at Sea—Walks on Water to Them
15. Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees—Heals Daughter of Syrophoenician Woman and Multitudes—Feeds 4,000
16. Conflict with Pharisees and Sadducees—Confession from Disciples, Peter Spokesman—Jesus First Confronts Them with Church, His Death and Resurrection
17. Transfiguration—Demon Possessed Boy—Tax Money Provided by Miracle
18. Little Child—Lost Sheep—Conduct in Coming Church—Parable on Forgiveness
19. God’s Standard for Marriage and Divorce—Little Children Blessed—Rich Young Ruler—Apostles’ Position in Coming Kingdom
20. Parable of Laborers in Vineyard—Jesus Makes 4th and 5th Announcement of His Approaching Death—Mother Requests Places of Honor for James and John—Jesus Restores Sight to Two Men
21. King Offers Himself Publicly and Finally to Nation—Cleanses Temple—Curses Fig Tree—Condemns Religious Rulers with Parables of Two Sons and Householder
22. Parable of Marriage Feast for King’s Son—Jesus Answers and Silences Herodians, Sadducees, Pharisees
23. Jesus Warns Against and Pronounces Woes Upon Scribes and Pharisees—Weeps over Jerusalem
24–25. Olivet Discourse
Jesus Answers Questions About Sign of End of Age and Sign of His Coming—Parable of Ten Virgins—Parable of Eight Talents—Judgment of Sheep and Goat Nations
26. Jesus Plotted Against—Anointed by Mary of Bethany—Sold by Judas—Observes Last Passover and First Lord’s Supper—Agonizes in Gethsemane—Arrested and Tried by Religious Rulers—Disowned by Peter
27. Trial, Death and Burial of the King
28. Resurrection of the King—His Great Commission
McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
The book of Matthew was written by a disciple of Jesus also known in the Bible as Levi the tax collector. He was with Jesus from almost the beginning so he is a solid first hand witness to the ministry of Christ. Matthew/Levi wrote his gospel to a primarily Jewish audience so he emphasized Jesus’ fulfillment of Jewish, Messianic prophecy. Those days were days of turmoil. The Jewish people were under a Roman protectorate. The Romans placed Herod on the throne of Israel. The problem was that Herod was not and Israelite – that is a descendant of Jacob otherwise known as Israel. He was actually a descendant of Esau, Jacob’s older twin brother.
The Israelites didn’t like having a foreign king or a foreign power over them. They were a people under subjugation to pagans. This caused them to long desperately for God’s promised Messiah; the king who would save Israel. There were many prophecies concerning the Messiah and as the world would discover, Jesus fulfilled them all. Unfortunately, most people in Israel wanted, and therefore expected, a conquering hero rather than a sacrificial lamb. They missed Him. Matthew started his Gospel with a recitation of Jesus’ descent through Joseph. Now this might seem odd considering the fact that Jesus did not have an earthly father in a biological sense. Still, Joseph was Jesus’ earthly father and his descent from King David was important in a patriarchal society. In another Gospel we will learn that Mary also was a descendant of King David and so Jesus did have the bloodline prophecy demanded.
In today’s reading we see that King Herod was very concerned about the three wise men that followed the star proclaiming the arrival of Israel’s new born king. Herod held an illegitimate claim to the throne. If a prophesied king were to be found in Israel it was more than likely the people would rise up against Herod and kill him. The Romans might very well win in the end, but that would be of little consolation to a dead Herod.
Herod intended to kill the prophesied king in order to save his own skin. In tomorrow’s reading we will learn that he had every male child in Bethlehem under the age of two killed to make sure he achieved his goal. This should give some perspective on how desperate Herod felt on his precarious throne. Still, the schemes of this earthly king are nothing before the sovereign will of God the Father. Jesus came for a purpose. He had an appointment with death and his time was another 30 some years in the future. God’s will would be done no matter the schemes of men.
Have a blessed day!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
You Are Called To Holiness
1 Thessalonians 4 – 2 Thessalonians 2
We finish 1 Thessalonians and start 2 Thessalonians today. I’ll provide an outline below. I love how today’s reading starts and I think it is important for each of us to ponder what Paul has to tell us in the following verses.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”
Fellas, are you growing in your faith? Are proceeding steadily in sanctification – becoming more like Christ every day? It is the will of God that you abstain from sexual immorality, that you know how to control your own body in holiness. You have been called to holiness. Make a firm commitment today, if you haven’t already, to keep your mind and body pure, to continually discipline yourself to reject the lusts and passions of this world. Such rejection does not happen by accident. You must pursue it with a vengeance.
OUTLINE
2 Thessalonians
Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians was also written from Corinth, the last location Paul, Silas, and Timothy were known to have been together. It was probably written shortly after the first letter, in response to new developments in Thessalonica. There persecution had intensified, and many of the victims were struggling with despair. The only way out seemed to lie in the return of Christ, and rumors had started that Paul himself was saying the time of the end had arrived! One practical impact of this on the church was that many simply stopped work and lived off others. Why worry if Jesus is coming back tomorrow?
In this letter Paul deals with each of these three issues. The Christian is suffering now, but God will repay the persecutors—and reward the faithful (1:1–12). As for Christ’s return to earth, that takes place after the “Day of the Lord” described in Old Testament prophecy—after the Antichrist appears (2:1–17). As a result, there’s no basis for the idleness of some. Paul’s simple solution to that problem is don’t feed idle people. If they’re able–bodied and still won’t work, they won’t eat!
Paul’s letter has many a helpful reminder for us. Christians do experience persecution, and redress is not always experienced in this world. But Christ will surely balance the books when He comes. In the meantime, we live as citizens of God’s kingdom, always aware that the sinful human society is doomed.
THEOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF 2 THESSALONIANS
I. JUDGMENT 1
II. ANTICHRIST 2
III. IDLENESS 3
CONTENT OUTLINE OF 2 THESSALONIANS
Greeting (1:1–2)
I. God Will Repay (1:3–12)
A. Thanks for Perseverance (1:3–4)
B. God’s Judgment to Come (1:5–10)
1. It is just (1:5–7a)
2. It takes place at Jesus’ return (1:7b–9)
3. It vindicates and glorifies God’s saints (1:10)
4. Prayer for preparation (1:11–12)
II. The Antichrist Will Come First (2:1–17)
A. Present Troubles Are Not the Day of the Lord (2:1–2)
B. The Antichrist Appears Before That Day (2:3–4)
C. Don’t Confuse the Normal Lawlessness in Sinful Human Society for the Antichrist or the End of This Era (2:5–12)
D. Stand Firm Now: Let God Encourage You and Strengthen You (2:13–17)
III. So Get Back to Work (3:1–15)
A. Pray for Protection (3:1–5)
B. Work Hard and Support Yourself (3:6–15)
Final greetings (3:16–18)
Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Victor Books.
Have a holy day brothers!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
The author many years ago.
A Future So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades!
Galatians 6 – Ephesians 3
Guys, we’ve got three weeks left in our reading plan. The books are going to start flashing by fast and furious. Many of the daily posts from here on out will contain an outline of a book. In fact, we begin Ephesians today so I have included an outline below.
As usual, several things stood out to me in today’s reading which spans the end of Galatians and the beginning of Ephesians.
Galatians 6:14-16
“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”
I think we need to remind ourselves from time to time of this truth. When we accepted Christ we were crucified to the world; we became dead to the world. The world no longer has control over us for we are no longer “of the world”. We are dead to worldly ways and desires. We are dead to The Law of Moses. We are new creatures walking in a new life; citizens of a new world. Death, where is your sting? Sin, where is your power?
One of the things I have found most fascinating about salvation that leads to this new life is the fact that God chose us to be His before we were even born.
Ephesians 1:3-5
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will”
He chose us to be His eternal children before we ever saw the light of day; before the Earth itself ever came into existence. Many people struggle with this truth because they feel it somehow violates free will. What does it matter what moral choices we make if the outcome has already been decided? I believe the confusion comes in our limited understanding of time. Mankind measures existence by the progress of the Earth around the Sun. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, millennium, are all divisions of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. We know that we have a physical birth and death, a beginning and an end. We have only so many rotations of the Sun until we shuffle off this mortal coil.
Life for us is extremely linear, finite, and uncertain. We don’t know what tomorrow has in store for us. We know not what challenges and choices await. All of this is in the nature of being part of creation. We are not the Creator; we are the created. The Creator created time but is not subject to time. God lives forever; time is not a restriction for Him. For Him there is no beginning and end; life is neither finite nor uncertain. More to the point, life is not linear to God. He is not stuck on a linear track unsure of what will happen next.
God sits above it all. He can see your beginning and end. He knows what choices you will make even before you are in a position to make them. Now understand He did not force you to make specific choices; He simply knew what choices you would make before you made them. The best analogy I’ve been able to come with is that of a movie. You life is a movie God has seen before.
Let’s say you go to a movie you know nothing about with a friend that has seen it. As you sit there wondering what will happen next your friend is sitting there saying “here comes the good part”. If your friend says “the hero of the movie is the butler” do you doubt him? If he turns out to be correct, is your friend somehow dictating who the hero will be? No. Your friend saw the movie before. He is simply stating a fact based on what he saw previously.
In God’s omnipotence all of existence has already played out before Him. He does not force you to make good or bad decisions; He simply knows what decisions you will make. This means He knew before the foundation of the world that you and I would accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and submit ourselves to His authority. God did predestine Christ to come and thus, knowing beforehand that we would accept Him in faith, we were predestined to be saved.
I realize that with the outline below this post will be rather long but I want to make sure you read the following verses as they so wonderfully encapsulate the amazing transformation that takes place in those who accept Christ.
Ephesians 2:1-10
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
We were dead in our sin. We were re-created and made alive in Christ through faith. This new life comes with a purpose: for good works which God prepared for us beforehand, that we should walk in them. Wow guys! We have been reformed, remade, renewed! We have a new life with a new purpose as children of the King of all Creation! Walk in the way which He has prepared for you; do the work He intends for you for your future’s so bright you gotta to wear shades!
Outline of Ephesians
Ephesus was the queen city of Asia. Though its port facilities were silting up in the first century, Ephesus remained the Asian center of the cult of Artemis. Its temple was one of the wonders of the ancient world, drawing many thousands of visitors to the city annually. Its priesthood used their wealth to become the bankers of the East, accepting deposits and paying interest, and making vast loans to individuals and even nations. First–century Ephesus represented the materially “successful” religion of that era. Yet Ephesus also displayed the spiritual void that existed in the first century. Ephesus was a center of occult practice, as its citizens turned to magic, witchcraft, and sorcery to manipulate hostile spiritual powers to their advantage.
Against this background of religion and superstition, Paul writes of the church created and sustained by God. The Father is the architect of this temple, Jesus its builder, and the Holy Spirit the divine presence that dwells in it. God’s temple is not constructed of stone but of living flesh. Its treasury is void of gold and silver, but stocked with spiritual blessings in heavenly places. God’s church is vitally alive, its every member recreated for good works. God’s church is not directed by a priesthood but by Christ, its living Head. God’s church is not at the mercy of hostile spiritual forces but guarded by One whose power is supreme above every rule and authority. God’s church is no heap of cold marble, but rather a vital, loving family, enriched and sustained by caring relationships. God’s temple is not some ancient, weathering edifice but a growing, nurturing fellowship, which keeps on building itself up in love. How appropriate this epistle was written to the Ephesians, where pagan religion ruled but left life empty and unfulfilled.
Date and Authorship
The letter was written by the Apostle Paul, who had spent over three years (a.d. 54–57?) in Ephesus. This stay, as reported in Acts 19, had a tremendous impact on the city and the 230 other communities in the Roman province of Asia. Not only were thousands of dollars worth of books on magic publicly burned by those who became Christians, but the economic health of those who depended on pilgrims coming to the Temple of Artemis was threatened.
The Ephesian letter was written from Rome, where Paul was imprisoned and awaiting trial. Two other letters, Colossians and Philippians, were also written from Rome, probably a.d. 59–61.
THEOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF EPHESIANS
I. THE CHURCH AS PEOPLE 1–2
II. THE CHURCH AS BODY AND FAMILY 3–4
III. THE CHURCH AS CHRIST INCARNATE 4–6
CONTENT OUTLINE OF EPHESIANS
Greeting (1:1–2)
I. The Church As People (1:3–2:22)
A. A Chosen People (1:3–14)
B. An Empowered People (1:15–23)
C. A Recreated People (2:1–10)
D. A United People (2:11–22)
II. The Church As Body and Family (3:1–4:16)
A. Heirs Together in One Body (3:1–13)
B. Growing Together As One Loving Family (3:14–21)
C. Bound Together by One Lord (4:1–6)
D. Built Up Together by What Each Supplies (4:7–16)
III. The Church As Christ Incarnate (4:17–6:20)
A. Like Christ in Attitude (4:17–24)
B. Like Christ in Relationships (4:25–32)
C. Like Christ in Holy Living (5:1–20)
D. Christlikeness Defined (5:21–6:9)
1. In husband/wife relationships (5:21–33)
2. In child/parent relationships (6:1–4)
3. In slave/master relationships (6:5–9)
E. Spiritual Resources Enabling Christlikeness: the Armor of God (6:10–18)
Farewells (6:19–24)
Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Victor Books.
Have a great day brothers!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
Obedience of Faith
Romans 16 – 1 Corinthians 2
Well guys, Romans has been a gas! I’m sorry to see us move on but God has much more for us in the remaining books. We begin 1 Corinthians today so I will provide an outline but before I do I thought I would mention on little phrase that really caught my attention from today’s reading in Romans. That phrase is “the obedience of faith” and comes from Romans 16:26 and is part of the closing “doxology” of Romans. Here is that doxology:
Romans 16:25-27
“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”
Obedience of faith. Have you ever thought of faith as something that is expressed as obedience? Wouldn’t this imply that disobedience demonstrates a lack of faith? Ouch! I have to admit I don’t often think of obedience and faith as being linked. Of course I don’t often think of obedience and love for Christ as being linked either but look at this:
John 14:15
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (NIV)
Do you love Christ? Do you have faith? Are you obedient? A yes to any one of those questions is a yes to all of them. If you love Christ you must obey Him. If you have faith you must obey Him. If you obey Him you love Him and have faith in Him. This is the obedience of faith; the obedience of love. If you don’t obey Him do you have faith; do you love Him? Ouch again!
Brothers, let us demonstrate our love of Christ. Let us demonstrate the power of our faith. Let us obey God that He will be glorified in us and through us!
OUTLINE
1 Corinthians
In the first century, Corinth was the finest city in Greece. A dynamic, cosmopolitan city of some 250,000 in Paul’s day, Corinth lay on a narrow isthmus of land and boasted ports on both the Aegean Sea and the Gulf of Corinth. Cargoes and even small vessels were transported over the five mile wide strip of land, enabling seamen to avoid a long and dangerous sea route around the Peloponnesian Peninsula.
Paul spent a year and a half in Corinth and founded a church there (Acts 18). In this first letter to that church, written about five years later, the apostle deals with a variety of disputes and problems. In fact problems give this letter its structure, and Paul deals with one flaw after another in the congregation’s life together.
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is one of the most helpful of the New Testament epistles for moderns. On the one hand, it reminds us not to idealize the early church. Living together as Christ’s people has always been a challenge, and even the most committed of God’s people have found it a difficult, continuing struggle. No church will be ideal, yet we are called to work toward the ideal of a people living and growing together in harmony. In fact it is because we all struggle that this letter is so valuable. In it Paul gives the Corinthians, and us, problem–solving principles that apply in any age, and in any congregation.
PROBLEMS IN CORINTH
A problem with unity (1–4. How do Christians preserve the unity of the church in spite of divisive issues and party spirit?
A problem with sin (5–6. How do Christians preserve the purity of the church when members choose to sin? How do we relate to sinning brothers and sisters? How do we relate to non–Christians whose lives are characterized by habitual sin?
A problem with divorce (7. Is it more spiritual to divorce than remain married? What if one’s spouse deserts him or her?
A problem with disputes over doctrine (8–10. How do we deal with doctrinal differences in the church? Is there a way to resolve them? Can we live in harmony with people who differ from us doctrinally?
Problems with women and worship (11. What is the place of women in church meetings? What is the significance of the Lord’s Supper?
Problems with spirituality (12–14. What is true spirituality? How does spirituality relate to spiritual gifts? What is the role of the gift of tongues in church meetings?
Problems with resurrection (15. How important is resurrection in Christianity? What will our resurrection be like?
Distinctive Contribution of 1 Corinthians
First Corinthians 15 contains the New Testament’s clearest exposition on the resurrection of Christ and of believers. It makes unmistakably clear the Bible’s promise of a literal, bodily resurrection for every Christian.
Yet the greatest contribution of this book is interpersonal. Paul tells us that the Corinthian congregation enjoyed a full complement of spiritual gifts, and yet this is the only church the apostle calls “worldly—mere infants in Christ” (3:1). A study of this great New Testament letter helps us see the way “mere men” approach divisive issues and then shows us the way that adopting God’s perspective can restore harmony and unity to a local body.
THEOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF 1 CORINTHIANS
I. PROBLEMS WITH UNITY 1–4
II. PROBLEMS WITH DISCIPLINE 5–6
III. PROBLEMS WITH DIVORCE 7
IV. PROBLEMS WITH DOCTRINE 8–10
V. PROBLEMS WITH WORSHIP 11
VI. PROBLEMS WITH TONGUES 12–14
VII. RESURRECTION REALITIES 15
VIII. ENCOURAGEMENT 16
CONTENT OUTLINE OF 1 CORINTHIANS
I. Introduction (1:1–9)
II. Division in the Body (1:10–4:21)
A. The Problem Stated (1:10–12)
B. Unity Affirmed (1:13–17)
C. Human Vs. God’s Wisdom Explained (1:18–2:16)
1. Illustrated in the Gospel (1:18–2:5)
2. Illumination required (2:6–16)
D. Applied to Divisions (3:1–4:21)
1. Immature and mature viewpoints (3:1–9)
2. The centrality of Christ (3:10–23)
3. The call to humility and obedience (4:1–21)
III. Dealing with Sin (5:1–6:20)
A. Discipline within the Church (5:1–8)
B. Don’t Judge Those Outside the Body (5:9–13)
C. Handle Disputes within the Body (6:1–11)
D. A Special Warning Against Sexual Immorality (6:12–20)
IV. Questions of Marriage and Divorce (7:1–40)
A. Marital Responsibilities (7:1–7)
B. Advice to the Unmarried (7:8–9)
C. Instructions to the Married (7:10–14)
D. Instructions Concerning Divorce (7:15–24)
E. Advice to the Unmarried Explained (7:25–40)
V. Dispute over Doctrine (8:1–11:1)
A. The Love Principle (8:1–3)
B. Love Applied to the Dispute over Meat Offered to Idols (8:4–13)
C. The Issue of One’s “Rights”: Are They to Be Insisted on, or Surrendered? (9:1–27)
D. The Dangers of Idolatry (10:1–13)
E. The Conflict between Feasts Dedicated to Idols and the Lord’s Supper (10:14–22)
F. The Appropriate Use of Christian Freedom (10:23–11:1)
VI. Problems in Public Worship (11:2–34)
A. An Affirmation of Women’s Rights As Women (11:2–16)
B. An Appeal to Rightly Conduct Communion (11:17–34)
VII. Misunderstanding Spirituality (12:1–14:40)
A. Spirituality and Spiritual Gifts (12:1–31)
1. Spirituality (12:1–3)
2. Spiritual gifts: their nature and function (12:4–11)
3. Spiritual gifts and the unity of the body (12:12–31)
B. The True Measure of Spirituality: Love (13:1–13)
C. An Analysis of the Gift of Tongues (14:1–25)
1. Its relative insignificance (14:1–5)
2. Its limited value (14:6–12)
3. Its regulation in church meetings (14:13–25)
D. A General Call for Order in Christian Worship (14:26–40)
1. An orderly service described (14:26–33)
2. A group of disorderly women rebuked (14:34–36)
3. Summary (14:37–40)
VIII. Doubts about Resurrection (15:1–58)
A. Jesus’ Resurrection (15:1–11)
B. Consequences If There Is No Resurrection (15:12–19)
C. Consequences Since Resurrection Is Real (15:20–34)
D. The Resurrection Body (15:35–49)
E. Ultimate Victory (15:50–58)
IX. Parting Words of Encouragement (16:1–24)
Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Victor Books.
Have an obedient day brothers!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
Obey Your Parents
John 1-2
I love the book of John. As Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” God has truly been using the entire Bible in training, teaching, and correcting me but the book of John seems to be a special classroom. It has been said that the first three Gospels were written to the lost and that the fourth, John, was written to believers in order to mature them in their faith. I have found the book of John to be doing just that in my life.
I’ll share just one observation from today’s reading and then I’ll provide an outline of the book of John. The Bible makes it clear that we are under our parent’s authority. In fact, even the Ten Commandments touch on this.
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
It must have been an interesting dynamic in the Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, household. Joseph and Mary were aware that they were raising “Immanuel” – God with us – but He was still a child in need of parenting. I’m having a hard time getting my head around that one. “Now God, eat your peas or there will be no desert tonight!” I wonder, did Mary and Joseph do the old count to three routine? “Young man, I’m going to count to three …one … two …” Or how about this one, “Jesus, you settle down back there. Don’t make me pull this donkey over!” My brothers and sister and I had our father’s speeches numbered. For example, we might pull up at a house to which we had been invited to dinner. Dad would lay down the ground rules for acceptable behavior before we went in. He would begin to recite his standard admonition and we would look at each other and say “number 27”.
Something tells me Jesus didn’t need the speeches; in fact I doubt He required much, if any, discipline from His parents. Still, here He is under the authority of very human parents. I found the following scripture interesting as it shows us a little bit of this dynamic at work.
John 2:1-5
“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Parents tend to be proud of their children. I know many of us feel like the behavior of our children reflects on us as parents either for good or for bad. So here is Mary at a wedding feast where the wine runs out. I can see her with a proud twinkle in her eye as she says “I’ll take care of this.” I’m sure you noticed Jesus’ surly response to His mother’s statement “They have no wine”.
As men we speak a slightly different language than women. If I see that my child has left her socks lying on the floor I will say “Olivia, pick up your socks and put them in the hamper”. When my wife sees the socks on the floor she says “I am so tired of picking up after everyone”. Olivia and I both start picking up everything we see. Now that is power my friend!
Mary says “They have no wine” and Jesus knows that she means “make them some wine”. Jesus makes a half-hearted complaint “what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come”; but He does what she expects of Him anyway doesn’t He? Isn’t that just amazing? God came to earth in the form of an infant and placed himself under the authority of human parents. Jesus was about 30 years of age at this time and He still obeyed His parents. It is this realization that makes me want to praise God for such a wonderful example of obedience – which I can give to my child! Of course, I need to follow the example myself when it comes to obeying my Heavenly Father.
Okay, now for the outline from Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee.
Outline
I. Prologue—Incarnation, Chapter 1:1–18
A. Word Is God, Chapter 1:1–3
B. Word Became Flesh, Chapter 1:14
C. Word Revealed God, Chapter 1:18
II. Introduction, Chapter 1:19–51
A. Witness of John the Baptist, Chapter 1:19–36
B. Witness of Andrew, Chapter 1:37–42
C. Witness of Philip, Chapter 1:43–46
D. Witness of Nathanael, Chapter 1:47–51
III. Witness of Works and Words, Chapters 2–12
A. Jesus at Marriage in Cana (First Work), Chapter 2:1–12
B. Jesus Cleanses Temple During Passover in Jerusalem (First Word), Chapter 2:13–22
C. Jesus Interviews Nicodemus in Jerusalem (Second Word), Chapter 2:23–3:36
D. Jesus Interviews Woman at Well in Sychar (Third Word), Chapter 4:1–45
E. Jesus Heals Nobleman’s Son in Capernaum (Second Work), Chapter 4:46–54
F. Jesus Heals Man at Pool of Bethesda (Third Work), Chapter 5
G. Jesus Feeds Five Thousand on East of Sea of Galilee (Fourth Work and Word), Chapter 6
H. Jesus Teaches at Feast of Tabernacles in Temple (Fifth Word), Chapter 7
I. Jesus in Temple Forgives Woman Taken in Adultery (Sixth Word), Chapter 8
J. Jesus Opens Eyes of Man Born Blind in Jerusalem (Fifth Work), Chapter 9
1. Record of Miracle, Chapter 9:1–7
2. Reaction to Miracle, Chapter 9:8–41
K. Jesus Is the Good Shepherd (Seventh Word), Chapter 10
1. Humanity—Christ in Form of Servant, Chapter 10:1–21
2. Deity—Christ Equal with God, Chapter 10:22–42
L. Jesus Raises Lazarus from Dead in Bethany (Sixth Work), Chapter 11
M. Witness of Jew and Gentile to Jesus, Chapter 12
1. Jesus Comes to Bethany for Supper, Chapter 12:1–11
2. Jesus Comes to Jerusalem—Tearful Entry, Chapter 12:12–19
3. Jesus Comes to Greeks, Chapter 12:20–26
4. Jesus Comes to His Hour, Chapter 12:27–36
5. Jesus Comes to End of Public Ministry, Chapter 12:37–50
IV. Witness of Jesus to His Witnesses, Upper Room Discourse, Chapters 13–17
A. Jesus Washes Feet of Disciples, Chapter 13
B. Jesus Comforts His Disciples, Chapter 14
C. Jesus Is Genuine Vine; Disciples Are Branches, Chapter 15
D. Jesus Will Send Holy Spirit During His Absence, Chapter 16
E. The Lord’s Prayer, Chapter 17
1. Jesus Prays for Himself, Chapter 17:1–5
2. Jesus Prays for Disciples, Chapter 17:6–19
3. Jesus Prays for His Church, Chapter 17:20–26
V. Witness to World, Chapters 18–20
A. Arrest and Trial of Jesus, Chapter 18
1. Arrest in Gethsemane; Trial before Annas, Chapter 18:1–14
2. First Denial by Simon Peter, Chapter 18:15–18
3. Trial before High Priest, Chapter 18:19–24
4. Second Denial by Simon Peter, Chapter 18:25–27
5. Trial before Pilate, Chapter 18:28–40
B. Death of Jesus at Golgotha; Burial in Tomb of Joseph, Chapter 19
C. Resurrection of Jesus; Appearances to Mary, Disciples, Thomas, Chapter 20
VI. Epilogue—Glorification, Chapter 21
The Resurrected Jesus Is Still God
Lord of Our Wills—Directs our Service (v. 6)
Lord of Our Hearts—Motive for Service (vv. 15–17)
Lord of Our Minds—Lack of Knowledge No Excuse from Service (v. 22)
Another division of the Gospel of John:
LIGHT—John 1–12
LOVE—John 13–17
LIFE—John 18–21
McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Have an obedient day brothers!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
Praying man or a UT fan? Maybe both?
Let Us Pray
Luke 1
I don’t cry much. I guess most of us guys don’t. I have to tell you a terrible secret. There is one thing that gets me to bawling on a regular basis. Jesus makes me cry. When I think of Him coming to earth to save me from my sins I start to lose it. When I think about Him as a baby, as a child, as a young man, as an adult engaged in His ministry, as the sacrificial lamb up on that cross, the water works just start to give way. I read today’s passages and my eyes watered up. It was only with some deep breaths and a change of focus that I avoided a complete breakdown.
You didn’t know I was such a wimp did you?
Today we begin Luke and though it is one of the three “synoptic” Gospels, it is unique in many ways. There are two points I want to stress and then I’ll let one of the commentaries give you an overview of the book. First, Luke is the only author of a book of the Bible, Old and New Testament, that is not a Jew. What a great way to illustrate that Jesus came to redeem not just the Jews but all who would put their faith in Him. Second, Luke stresses the importance of prayer.
As Luke relates the life and ministry of Christ you will notice how often Jesus prays. This is important. While I believe being in the Word of God every day is extremely important, it is only part of a right relationship with God. An equally important part is prayer. I’m afraid this is yet another area of my walk as a disciple of Christ that needs improvement. God is my creator, and the good news is, He isn’t finished with me yet. Anyway, keep your eye open in this book for how Jesus prays, when Jesus prays, and how often Jesus prays. He is our example; let us learn our lessons well!
Below is an overview of the book of Luke from The Teacher’s Commentary.
LUKE’S GOSPEL
Overview
The Gospel of Luke is the longest book in the New Testament. It was written by Luke the physician, a companion of Paul on several missionary journeys (cf. Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16). Luke is the only author of a New or Old Testament book who was probably a Gentile rather than a Jew.
The early church fathers noted the emphases common to both Paul and Luke. Each emphasized the universality of salvation. Even Luke’s parables focused on the response of individuals to God’s grace, while Matthew’s parables concerned the kingdom. Luke, like Paul, spoke often of faith, of repentance, of mercy, and of forgiveness. Thus Irenaeus held that Luke, Paul’s companion, “put down in a book the Gospel preached by him,” and Origen called Luke “the Gospel commended by Paul.” If Mark was the “interpreter” of Peter, Tertullian wrote, Luke was the “illuminator” of the Apostle Paul.
For instance, “grace” is found some 146 times in the New Testament. Of these, all but 21 are in the writings of Paul and Luke. And 190 of the 243 occurrences of “faith” are found in the writings of these two.
It’s not surprising, then, that this Gospel, like Paul’s ministry, is a Gospel directed to the Gentiles, and particularly for the better educated Hellenists. In some of the most beautiful literary Greek found in any ancient writing, Luke tells the story of Jesus, a true human being who is the Son of God.
Commentary
Tradition tells us that Luke was a physician, who practiced in Antioch. The first Gentile church was established there, and Luke may have been a member during the time Barnabas and Saul (as he was called then) were part of the leadership team. It is clear from the use of “we” in Acts (after 16:10) that Luke often traveled with the missionaries and was a witness of what he wrote.
Perhaps the most fascinating feature of Luke is the beauty of its language. Paul wrote elegant Greek, and displayed a rich vocabulary. About 250 Greek words that Luke used are found only in this Gospel in the whole New Testament. And there are another 61 words used only in the Book of Acts, also written by Luke.
In addition, much of the material in Luke’s Gospel is found only here, with no parallel in Matthew, Mark, or John. To see its extent, it’s helpful to use a highlighter and mark the following passages, identified by W. Graham Scroggie:
Luke 1:1–3:2
Luke 3:10–15, 23–28
Luke 4:1a, 13b, 14a, 15–30
Luke 5:1–11, 17, 29–39
Luke 6:11a, 12b, 17a, 24–26, 33–34, 37b, 38a
Luke 7:3–5, 7a, 10–17, 20–21, 29–30, 36–50
Luke 8:1–3, 12b
Luke 9:9b, 18a, 28b, 29a, 31–33, 43, 44a, 51–56, 61–62
Luke 10:1, 8b, 17–20, 25–26, 28–42
Luke 11:5–8, 12, 27–28, 37–38, 40–41, 44–46a, 53–54
Luke 12:1–2, 13–21, 29b, 32–33a, 35–38, 41, 47–50, 52, 54, 57
Luke 13:1–17, 22–23, 25–27, 31–33
Luke 14:1–25, 28–33
Luke 15:3, 6–32
Luke 16:1–12, 14–15, 19–31
Luke 17:3–5, 7–19, 20–22, 28–30, 32, 37a
Luke 18:1–14, 31b, 34, 43b
Luke 19:1–28, 37, 39–44
Luke 20:16b, 20b, 26a, 35a, 36b, 38b, 39
Luke 21:12a, 18–19, 21b, 22–23b, 24–25b, 26a, 28, 34–38
Luke 22:3a, 15–16, 19b-20, 27–32, 35–38, 40, 43–45a, 48b, 49, 51, 53b, 61a, 65–68
Luke 23:2, 4–15, 22b, 23, 27–31, 34a, 39–43, 45a, 46, 48, 51a, 53b, 56
Luke 24:4a, 7, 8a, 11–53
We sense the special contribution that Luke makes to our knowledge of Jesus and His teaching when we realize that in these passages above are 15 parables found only in Luke. Only here do we read about the Good Samaritan (10:30–37), the Rich Fool (12:13–21), the Lost Coin (15:8–10), the Prodigal Son (vv. 11–32), the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19–31), and many others.
What else is special in Luke’s Gospel? Over half the verses in this Gospel contain words of Jesus. Forgiveness and individual response to the Saviour are emphasized in this Gospel written for Gentiles. Luke’s concern was not the future of Israel, but personal salvation.
In a most significant sense Luke is the Gospel of the Good News for each individual human being born into our world.
Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
The following outline is from The Bible Knowledge Commentary:
OUTLINE
I. The Prologue and Purpose of the Gospel (1:1-4)
II. The Births and Maturations of John and Jesus (1:5-2:52)
A. The announcements of the births (1:5-56)
B. The births and boyhoods of John and Jesus (1:57-2:52)
III. The Preparation for Jesus’ Ministry (3:1-4:13)
A. The ministry of John the Baptist (3:1-20)
B. The baptism of Jesus (3:21-22)
C. The genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)
D. The temptation of Jesus (4:1-13)
IV. The Ministry of Jesus in Galilee (4:14-9:50)
A. The initiation of Jesus’ ministry (4:14-30)
B. The authentication of Jesus’ authority (4:31-6:16)
C. Jesus’ sermon on the level place (6:17-49)
D. Jesus’ ministry in Capernaum and surrounding cities (chaps. 7-8)
E. Jesus’ teaching of His disciples (9:1-50)
V. The Journey of Jesus toward Jerusalem (9:51-19:27)
A. The rejection of Jesus by most on His journey toward Jerusalem (9:51-11:54)
B. Jesus’ teaching of His followers in view of the rejection (12:1-19:27)
VI. The Ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem (19:28-21:38)
A. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as Messiah (19:28-44)
B. Jesus in the temple (19:45-21:38)
VII. The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus (chaps. 22-24)
A. The death and burial of Jesus (chaps. 22-23)
B. The resurrection and appearances of Jesus (chap. 24)
Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Have a prayerful day brothers!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
Dying to self, living to serve!
