Rajesh

Jesus' Call to a Commandment-Centered Making of Disciples

August 12, 2011

Recently, I have read a number of blog posts that concern current debates about being centered on the gospel, the grace of God, etc. Because I have not myself read the actual book-length works of the various leading authors who are propounding these views, I am not able to assess thoroughly the validity of what these who advocate this approach to the Christian life are saying.

Nonetheless, after reading these posts, I find my thoughts gravitating to Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20 as decisively showing what kind of life Jesus has called us to live:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Because these verses as so well known, a detailed exposition is unnecessary. In brief, they stress that Jesus has called His disciples to make disciples of all nations by baptizing them and teaching them.

What Jesus specifies about the teaching that must take place is noteworthy. He stressed to His disciples that they must disciple others by teaching them to obey everything whatever He had commanded His disciples themselves to obey. He thus plainly enjoined a focus in discipleship of teaching people all that Jesus has commanded and directing them to obey all that Jesus has commanded.

Based on this analysis, I believe that any teaching that ultimately results in a de-emphasis on Jesus’ call to a commandment-centered making of disciples is not supported by Scripture.

In Discipleship, Interpretation

Kept From Sin by the Ministry of God's Judicial Agents!

August 11, 2011

King Jehoshaphat appointed judges “throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city” (2 Chron. 19:5). He warned them that they would be judging for God and not for man and that God would be with them in the judgment (19:6). He thus instructed them that they were judicial agents of God.

Because they were God’s judicial agents, God’s fear had to be upon them (19:7a). They had to be diligent and careful in their judging because God is the righteous Judge with whom is no iniquity, partiality, or accepting of bribes (19:7b).

In Jerusalem, his capital city, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests, and chiefs of the fathers of Israel “for the judgment of the LORD and for controversies” (19:8). Saying this, the writer of 2 Chronicles informs us that these men were also appointed God’s judicial agents.

As he had done earlier with the other judicial agents that he had appointed (19:7), the king then charged them to judge faithfully in the fear the Lord (19:9). This charge to God’s judicial agents throughout Judah shows that fearing God was a key qualification for those who would judge for Him.

He then gave them key instruction that reveals the vital ministry that they were to perform in behalf of God’s people:

“And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass” (19:10).

Through this instruction, the king informed these judicial agents that they had to play a key role in adjudicating disputes that arose between God’s people. By warning His people not to trespass against Him when such controversies would arise among them, the judicial agents would keep both themselves and God’s people from incurring the wrath of God.

Many people today seem to have largely negative perspectives about the ministry of God’s judicial agents, thinking of them mainly in terms of those who would punish people for wrongdoing. This passage, however, reveals that they played a very beneficial and “positive” role of instructing God’s people to keep them from sinning against Him!

In Interpretation

Every Thought Obedient to Christ

August 10, 2011

A comparison of two passages reveals a vital point about making a person a disciple of Christ:

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matt. 28:20).

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples of all nations by teaching them to obey everything that He had commanded His disciples themselves to obey. Paul spoke of our warfare as intended to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Taken together, these passages suggest that making people disciples of Christ at its essence involves engaging in spiritual warfare to bring them to have their all their thinking captive to the obedience of Christ. How will we make them such disciples?

Psalm 1:3 surely shows us one essential aspect of how we are to do so—we must teach them to have their delight in God’s Word and meditate in it day and night! Apart from their having such a total absorption with God’s own thoughts, their being a disciple whose every thought is captive to the obedience of Christ will be impossible.

In Bible reading, Discipleship

God's Appeal For Repentance and Faith in Psalm 2

August 9, 2011

Tonight, I had the privilege of preaching an evangelistic message at Berean Baptist Church in Fountain Inn, SC. My message focused on a detailed exposition of Psalms 1-2. I praise God for giving me clarity today concerning a key point about Psalm 2 that I had not fully understood previously!

Psalm 2 begins with a record of rebellious kings and rulers who desire to throw off the authority of God and His anointed over them (2:1-3). It then records the angry response of the Father (2:4-6), followed by the Son’s declaration (2:7-9) and the psalmist’s closing appeal (2:10-12).

The psalmist directed the very authorities who were spoken of earlier as rebelling against God to be wise and be instructed (2:10). He then explained those directives by declaring that they would have to turn from rebelling against God to serving Him with fear and rejoicing with trembling (2:11). This complete reversal toward the Lord was an appeal for them to repent toward God.

The psalmist continued by demanding that they submit to and honor the Son and put their trust in Him (2:12). This reversal of their prior opposition to Him and call to entrust themselves to Him was a further appeal for their repentance toward God and an appeal to believe in the Son.

This analysis shows that Psalm 2 highlights God’s appeal for repentance and faith on the part of the very authorities who rebelled against Him and His Christ!

In Evangelism, Interpretation, Ministry, Preaching

Let us Make Known the Gospel to All!

August 8, 2011

Scripture has four verses that explicitly speak of the gospel with reference to all nations:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24:14).

“And the gospel must first be published among all nations” (Mk. 13:10).

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed” (Gal. 3:8)

“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6).

Galatians 3:8 quotes Genesis 12:3, which refers to all the families of the earth: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Mark 16:16 records that Jesus commanded gospel ministry to every individual: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Compiling the data from these references plainly reveals that God has ordained gospel ministry to all:

all nations (Matt. 24:14; Mk. 13:10; Gal. 3:8)
all families (Gen. 12:3)
every creature (Mk. 16:15)
those that dwell on the earth (Rev. 14:6)
every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people (Rev. 14:6)

Let us therefore make known to all God’s desire to bless all through the gospel!

In Evangelism, Gospel

A Bottle of Cold Water

August 7, 2011

On Saturday afternoon, a pastor and I went canvassing in a very wealthy neighborhood. We were putting flyers for our upcoming evangelistic services on the front doors of the homes in the subdivision.

Many of the houses had yards that seemed to be a block long or more. We split up to cover as much ground as possible. It was very hot, but the huge trees in many of the yards provided a very welcome shade cover for me.

After about 45 minutes or so, it began to rain. I chided myself for not bringing along an umbrella.

As I walked toward yet another home, the owner was mowing his lawn with his riding mower. I signaled to him to give him our flyers. After he had come to meet me, I explained what we were doing, and he graciously received the info and thanked me.

He then extended himself to me in a very gracious way that I was not at all expecting. He offered for me to go to his garage to wait until the rain stopped. I eagerly accepted his offer and hurried over to his garage.

In a short while, he met me at the garage, and I explained a little more about who I was and what I was doing. He shared that he went to another church in the area and expressed appreciation for what I was doing.

He then told me to wait just a minute while he went into his home. He returned shortly with an ice-cold bottle of water for me. After that, he opened the trunk of his Sebring car, took out a small umbrella, gave it to me, and said that I did not need to return it to him.

I thanked him for his graciousness and proceeded on my way. Jesus’ words came to my mind: “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42).

Praise God for His kindness to me through this unexpected act from a stranger!

In Testimony

Solomon's Unique Throne

August 6, 2011

Scripture states that Solomon’s throne was unique:

“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom” (1 Kings 10:18-20).

Scripture later adds another detailed record about his throne, including the same explicit statement of its uniqueness:

“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom” (2 Chron. 9:17-19).

By giving us a second detailed account of Solomon’s throne that repeats the explicit statement of its uniqueness, Scripture highlights its uniqueness further.

Both passages also speak of the lions that were beside his throne and in front of it. Why did Solomon have these lions by his throne and why does the Spirit of God give us this information twice?

Seated on his throne, Solomon would be in the middle of two lions and would have twelve lions in front of him. Does this information suggest that Solomon viewed himself as the “Lion” on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord (see the previous three posts for an explanation of how he was seated on that throne)?

If so, is he in that respect a type of “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” seen in the throne-room of heaven (Rev. 5:5)?

In Interpretation

Glory to God for His Seating Solomon on His Throne to Be His Judicial Agent

August 5, 2011

The Queen of Sheba glorified God for His seating Solomon on His throne, saying:

“Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice” (2 Chron. 9:8).

Her statement explains why she glorified God for His exalting Solomon in this manner.

First, Solomon was set on the Lord’s throne to be king because the Lord delighted in him. The Lord freely chose to delight in Solomon by exalting him as He did; Solomon did not do anything to merit the Lord’s delighting in him.

Second, he was set on that throne for the Lord’s sake. The Lord exalted Solomon so that His own name and kingdom would be magnified through him. As king, Solomon was to glorify God.

Third, the Lord enthroned Solomon on His throne because He loved Israel and purposed to establish them forever. Solomon’s reign was thus intended for the glory of God both through Solomon himself and through the unending good for His people that He intended to bring about through him.

Fourth, in order to secure His glory through that unending good for His people, the Lord made Solomon king over Israel to do judgment and justice. Through his acting righteously as the chief judicial agent of God over Israel, Solomon was to establish Israel forever to the glory of God.

The queen of Sheba thus gave glory to God for His seating Solomon on His throne to be His judicial agent. This analysis therefore shows that Solomon’s royal role as God’s judicial agent was not some minor aspect of his being king over Israel—it was for precisely that role that the queen of Sheba gave glory to God!

In Interpretation

Learning to Glorify God from the Example of the Queen of Sheba

August 4, 2011

Scripture records twice at some length the visit of the queen of Sheba to Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-10; 13; 2 Chron. 9:1-9; 12). Beholding his wisdom and the glory of various aspects of his house (1 Kings 10:4-5; 2 Chron. 9:3-4), she ecstatically spoke of the marvels that she had beheld (1 Kings 10:6-9; 2 Chron. 9:5-8).

She climaxed her ecstatic speech by glorifying the LORD, the God of Solomon:

“Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee king, to do judgment and justice” (1 Kings 10:9).

“Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on His throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made He thee king over them, to do judgment and justice” (2 Chron. 9:8).

Close attention to these two records of her climactic statement reveals a striking difference that many readers likely have missed, a difference, in fact, that deserves close attention. Whereas the former passage records her as saying that the Lord set Solomon on the throne of Israel, the latter passage records her as saying that the Lord set Solomon on His throne!

Her statement thus closely parallels the striking statement from David that the Lord chose “Solomon [his] son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel” (1 Chron. 28:4; see my previous post for a treatment of the significance of this statement). Comparing her statement with David’s, we see that the queen of Sheba thus glorified God for setting Solomon on the throne of the kingdom of God!

From 1 Chronicles 28:4 and 2 Chronicles 9:8, we learn that two royal personages declared that God had put Solomon on the throne of His kingdom. Taken together, these passages show that the Spirit of God has highlighted that truth for our profit; we should glorify God for His setting Solomon on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord, even as the queen of Sheba did!

In Discipleship, Interpretation

The Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord

August 3, 2011

King David uttered some remarkable words to his brethren and his people concerning certain vital choices that God made among His people:

“Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel” (1 Chron. 28:4-5).

David used the verb choose three times in these statements to declare the LORD’s choices concerning the kingdom of Israel. The final occurrence of the verb is in a striking statement: The LORD chose Solomon, David’s son, to sit upon the throne of the LORD’s kingdom over Israel. This verse does not state that Solomon sat on the throne of his own kingdom; it declares that he sat on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD!

Although through theological reasoning the same truth could be asserted about any of the Israelite kings, it is interesting that Scripture does not explicitly record such a statement about any human king’s sitting on the throne of the kingdom of God except Solomon. Why is Solomon uniquely spoken of in this regard, and what is the full significance of his uniqueness in this regard?

I believe that answering these questions scripturally would give us crucial insights into a proper understanding of an exceedingly important biblical concept, the kingdom of God.

In Interpretation

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