GROWING ANTISEMITISM

 

Thursday, April 25, 2024

 

GROWING ANTISEMITISM

 

John 16:1-3

16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

 

          If you search for the historical roots of antisemitism, you will notice that there are two perspectives, and each tends to blame the other. The Jews blame the Christians, and the Christians hold the Jews accountable for the murder of Jesus. But then enters the Muslims. What is their complaint? All, I think, belong to the clan called the ignorant.

 

          The forensics go much deeper and highlight the spiritual and the demonic aspect of all sorts of racism. When Cain killed his brother Abel in Genesis, was it not because of religious jealousy? Abel’s offering of blood was accepted while Cain’s donation of vegetables was rejected. God tries to reason with Cain telling him that there was a lamb at the door. An available offering which was rejected by the petulant Cain. In anger he offered the blood of his brother.

 

          In Egypt, when they were killing all the Jewish boy babies, Moses was spared by a trusting mother. But what was the spiritual source of this evil? Was it not to hinder the birth of a race and ultimately to circumvent the birth of Messiah?

 

          In Germany, when an entire nation was afflicted with the same mental illness, some six million people died horrible deaths simply because they were Jews. We are still trying to understand the indescribable. It was viral insanity.

 

          Now we see this virus spreading again. Do you suppose that the demonic warfare has begun again? Do you not suppose that God will win? Do you think God is ready to inject Himself into the chronicles of man once more? I do.

 

Shakespear, in The Merchant of Venice, wrote, “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? (3.1.49-61)”

 

Dear Lord, protect those who are right and prosecute those who are wrong. Vindicate yourself in this current insanity. AMEN

 

GRACE OR WORKS?

 

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

 

GRACE OR WORKS?

Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

 

This is another of my favorite portions of scripture. It makes you think. It stretches your mind. It begins with grace and ends with works! Maybe that’s the way it should be!

 

In the English New Testament grace is always a translation of (charis), a word that occurs in the Greek text over 170 times and in both Biblical and secular Greek it is used with far more meanings than can be represented by any one term in English. But the word has abundant use in secular Greek in the sense of unmerited favor, and Paul seized on this meaning of the word to express a fundamental characteristic of Christianity.

n  International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.

 

For the Apostle Paul, GRACE was defined by experience.

 

Acts 9:1-5

9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].  AMPLIFIED

 

Paul’s spiritual and emotional condition remained vile and violent. He travelled with evil authority, letters from the high priest. He was obsessed with a wicked intent, to bring believers into captivity. SUDDENLY, and without any initiation of goodness on his part, the resurrected and glorified Jesus met Paul and CHANGED him forever. That is grace!

 

But our original portion ends with the words… a peculiar people, zealous of good works. What about that? How do we reconcile the seemingly opposite aspects of grace and works? Well, one is the prod, and the other is the product!

 

Put on your thinking cap because Adam Clarke explains it this way.

 

Jesus gave his life for the world, and thus has purchased men unto himself; and, having purchased the slaves from their thralldom, he is represented as stripping them of their sordid vestments, cleansing and purifying them unto himself that they may become his own servants, and bringing them out of their dishonorable and oppressive servitude, in which they had no proper motive to diligence and could have no affection for the despot under whose authority they were employed. Thus redeemed, they now become his willing servants, and are zealous of good works-affectionately attached to that noble employment which is assigned to them by that Master whom it is an inexpressible honour to serve.

n  Adam Clarke's Commentary

 

More simply put – Jesus purchased us away from a cruel and abusive master, cleaned us up, healed our wounds of abuse and gave us honorable assignments. What servant would not joyfully engage in labor for such a kind Master as Jesus? So, beginning with GRACE we engage in WORKS.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for purchasing me away from a cruel task master and giving me duties that are a joy to perform! AMEN

 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE!

 

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE!

 

James 4:5-7

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 

2 Cor 12:9

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

 

          Only once, in James chapter 4 do we see this phrase. It is very interesting to me because James can sometimes come across as a bit harsh in his application of truth. Grace might have been reserved for John, or even Paul, but James also admits both the need and the supply. I don’t like being – or even feeling – weak. Neither did Paul! But in his weakness Paul experienced and learned to appreciate the grace of God.

 

          Your automobile is equipped with a gas pedal, or what we old timers used to call the foot-feed. When going uphill or in times of stress or strain the foot- feed fed more and more fuel to the engine which enabled the car to proceed. So, it is with the grace of God. It seems there is always sufficient grace for every need.

 

          Grace can be defined as God’s favor, kindness, and friendship. Dr. Charles Stanley said it is God's kindness toward humanity, without regard to the worth or merit of those who receive it, and without their deserving it. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the word “sufficient” has the idea of “raising a barrier.” So we see that God raises a protective barrier against those things that distress us.

 

Ann J. Flint has written an old song that I think is simply called He giveth more grace.

 

1.    He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

2.    When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

3.    Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

4.    His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

 

Dear Lord, all I can say this morning is thank you for your sufficient grace. AMEN