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Commissioned to Be Witnesses of His Resurrection*

October 10, 2023

Acts is the premier book for us to learn what the apostles were commissioned to do in evangelism. Luke begins Acts by telling us that they were commissioned to be witnesses unto Christ:

Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

As witnesses unto Christ, they were commissioned to tell people what they themselves had seen and had heard concerning Christ. Luke plainly tells us that Christ Himself showed Himself alive to them repeatedly over a 40-day period in many appearances to them. Acts 1:1-8, therefore, indisputably teaches us that Christ commissioned the apostles to witness to people that they had seen Him alive in those appearances and heard Him speak to them.

Later in Acts 1, Luke informs us that the apostolic company fully understood that what was central in their evangelism was that they were to be witnesses of His resurrection:

Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

No human being was an eyewitness of the actual Resurrection of Christ (the exact moment when Christ rose from the dead).

For the apostles, therefore, to be witnesses (people who tell others what they themselves have seen and heard), they had to tell people not just that Christ rose (something that none of them actually saw or heard in person), but also and especially, that they themselves in person saw and heard Him alive in the Resurrection appearances in which He repeatedly showed Himself to them in the 40-day period between the Resurrection and the Ascension.

The actual Resurrection was not what changed the apostles from their meeting in private to bold, continual witnesses of Christ. What transformed them was that they themselves saw and heard the risen Christ in His appearances to them. Acts 1:1-8 and 1:21-22 thus plainly teach us that testifying to the Resurrection appearances of Christ was central and essential for the apostles to be faithful witnesses to what Christ had commissioned them to do in their evangelism.

Furthermore, Luke provides further confirmation to us about what the apostles held that they had to do in fulfilling the commission that they had been given:

Acts 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

This passage shows that the apostles had as their premier goal to speak what they themselves had seen and heard. We can be certain that their testifying to their eyewitness encounters with the risen Christ was the very center of their apostolic evangelism.

Whenever they possibly could, the apostolic company never just stated that Christ rose–they unendingly testified in addition that they had seen and heard Him in His resurrection appearances to them. Doing so was the essence of how they were commissioned to be witnesses of His Resurrection.

*This post uses extensively and is based on a series of comments that I myself posted elsewhere online concerning this subject.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Exposition, Interpretation, Theology

5 Helpful Resources for Teaching on the Latter Prophets

September 30, 2023

For the past 4 weeks, I have been teaching an adult SS class Written for Our Admonition: A Survey of the Old Testament at my church on the Latter Prophets. So far, we have covered Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, and Isaiah.

I have found the following 5 resources helpful in preparing to teach these classes.

Survey of the Old Testament by Paul N. Benware

How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart

A Christian Survey of the Old Testament

The Bible Reader’s Companion: Your Guide to Every Chapter of the Bible by Lawrence O. Richards

The Literary Structure of the Old Testament: A Commentary on Genesis-Malachi by David O Dorsey

In Christian Books

12 Passages That Teach Us How to Pray for Illumination

September 14, 2023

For more than 3 decades, I have used many passages to pray fervently to God that He would illumine His Word to me. I praise Him that He has done so over and over again on numerous occasions!

Here are 12 such passages that teach us how to do so.

Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

Holy Father, as I partake of Thy Word, please show me Thy glory.

Psalm 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. ⁴ Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Gracious Father, please send out Thy light and Thy truth. Let them lead me and bring me to Thy holy hill and to Thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy. Yea, upon my stringed instrument will I praise Thee, O God my God.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Abba, Father, please teach me Thy way, O Lord. I will walk in Thy truth. Unite my heart to fear Thy name.

1 Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? . . . ¹² Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart.

Gracious God, please give to me a wise and understanding heart that I may discern between the good and the bad.

Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Oh God, I know and believe that the answers to every important question about what you want your people to do to glorify You in all things that are acceptable to You in worship are in Thy Word. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law.

Proverbs 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Father, please grant that I would not answer these people according to their folly, lest I would become like them and please grant that I would answer them according to their folly so that they would not be wise in their own conceits.

Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

O Lord, please open my understanding that I would understand Thy Word.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) ⁵ 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

Heavenly Father, please grant me specific and clear insight into Thy Word that I would be mighty through Thee to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God in all my hearers, and please bring their every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: ¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of glory, please give unto me and to all the rest of Thy saints the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Thee: The eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of Thy calling, and what the riches of the glory of Thy inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of Thy power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of Thy mighty power, which Thou didst wrought in Christ, when Thou didst raise him from the dead, and seat him at Thy own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Lord, as I carefully consider what Thou hast said in this passage, please grant me understanding in all things that Thou hast said in Thy Word.

Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Holy Spirit, please fill me now and grant me all manner of skillfulness in every skillful aspect of answering these wrong views so that I would be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince these gainsayers.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Heavenly Father, I lack wisdom to know how to answer this wrong teaching. You have said that if any man lacks wisdom, he must ask of You Who gives liberally to all men and does not upbraid; and it will be given him. Do as You have said and grant me the wisdom that I need to answer this wrong teaching.

In Discipleship, Prayer, Theology

Learning from the Perfect Endings of the 27 Perfect Books of the NT

September 4, 2023

A highly skilled writer knows just how important the ending of his book is. As the perfect Writer, the Holy Spirit inspired perfect endings to each of the 27 perfect books of the NT.

Examining these endings carefully provides us with invaluable instruction that we cannot get from any other source!

Matt. 28:20 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.

Mk. 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Lk. 24:53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Jn. 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Rom. 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

1 Cor. 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

2 Cor. 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Gal. 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Eph. 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Phil. 4:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Col. 4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

1 Thess. 5:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

2 Thess. 3:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1 Tim. 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

2 Tim. 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Tit. 3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Heb. 13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

Jas. 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1 Pet. 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

2 Pet. 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

1 Jn. 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

2 Jn. 1:13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

3 Jn. 1:14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Rev. 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The NT Importance of “Amen”

The Spirit inspired the writers of the NT to end 24 of the 27 books with the word, “Amen.” Interestingly, only Acts, James, and 3 John do not end that way.

I wonder why the Spirit inspired a different ending to these 3 books of the NT.

A Striking Contrast Between the Endings of the OT Books and the NT Books

Remarkably, the Spirit did not inspire any of the writers of the OT books to conclude their books with the word, “Amen.” Undoubtedly, the Spirit intends to instruct us even from this key difference between the endings of the OT books and all but 3 of the NT books.

I wonder what God wants us to learn from this striking contrast.

In Bible reading, Discipleship

12 Keys to Profiting Fully from What Is Written in Scripture

September 2, 2023

Scripture teaches us that all that is written in it has been written for our learning:

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Here are 12 keys to profiting fully from what is written in Scripture for our learning.

1. Read the book repeatedly.

Deuteronomy 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Concerning the importance of reading a book of Scripture repeatedly, I have read the book of Psalms 100 times because God has burdened me to saturate my mind with His own thoughts about music.

2. Prize it supremely and expect to work hard in studying it diligently.

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

3. Pray fervently for illumination.

Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Proverbs 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

4. Mark your Bible and take notes.

Consider, for example, how marking certain key statements in 1 Samuel 12 helps in understanding how what is written has been divinely structured:

Marking your Bible and taking notes is crucial for fully understanding what God has said:

5. Keep in mind that the whole book is the context of anything that is in the book.

When God originally inspired the books of the Bible, there were no chapter breaks or verse divisions in them. The context of anything that is in a book of Scripture therefore is the whole book itself and not just some smaller part of it.

6. Note the beginning and the ending of the book.

How God has chosen to begin and to end each book displays His infinite and perfect wisdom. We must pay special attention to what He has inspired to be written at the beginning and at the ending of each book of Scripture.

7. Note the names of God and the truths about God found in the book.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

8. Look especially for commands.

Matthew 28:20 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.

9. Note repetition, connect ideas, and do cross referencing.

Concerning repetition, consider, for example, the vast number of times “the LORD” occurs in 1 Samuel 12:

As an example of connecting ideas, note how Paul does so concerning what Scripture says in different books of Scripture:

1 Timothy 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

10. Think about what you have read, believe it, and memorize what God specially brings to your attention.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

11. Praise Him for what He has inspired to be written and pray about the instruction that He has given in the book.

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

12. Do what is written in the book and teach others.

Ezra 7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

In Bible reading, Discipleship, Sunday School

Learning from the Perfect Endings of the 39 Perfect Books of the OT

August 29, 2023

A highly skilled writer knows just how important the ending of his book is. As the perfect Writer, the Holy Spirit inspired perfect endings to each of the 39 perfect books of the OT.

Examining these endings carefully provides us with invaluable instruction that we cannot get from any other source!

Gen. 50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Exod. 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Lev. 27:34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

Num. 36:13 These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Deut. 34:12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

Jos. 24:33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Jdg. 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

1 Sam. 31:13 And they [all the valiant men of Jabesh Gilead] took their [of Saul and his sons] bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Sam. 24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

1 Ki. 22:53 For he [Ahaziah the son of Ahab] served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2 Ki. 25:30 And his [Jehoiachin king of Judah’s] allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

1 Chr. 29:30 With all his [David’s] reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

2 Chr. 36:23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Ezr. 10:44 All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Neh. 13:31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me [Nehemiah], O my God, for good.

Est. 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

Job 42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

Ps. 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Prov. 31:31 Give her [a virtuous woman] of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Eccl. 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Cant. 8:14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Isa. 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Jer. 52:34 And for his [Jehoiachin king of Judah’s] diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

Lam. 5:22 But thou hast utterly rejected us [Jerusalem the daughter of Zion]; thou art very wroth against us.

Ezek. 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Dan. 12:13 But go thou [Daniel] thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Hos. 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Joel 3:21 For I will cleanse their [of the children of Judah and Jerusalem] blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

Amos 9:15 And I will plant them [God’s people of Israel] upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

Jon. 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Mic. 7:20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Nah. 3:19 There is no healing of thy [the king of Assyria’s] bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

Hab. 3:19 The LORD God is my [Habakkuk’s] strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Zeph. 3:20 At that time will I bring you [Jerusalem/Zion] again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.

Hag. 2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zech. 14:21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

Mal. 4:6 And he [Elijah the prophet] shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

In a future post, “Learning from the Perfect Endings of the 27 Perfect Books of the NT,” I plan to similarly compile the endings of each of the 27 perfect books of the NT.

In Bible reading, Theology

Pastor Mark Minnick on Musical Sound as An Issue to God

August 21, 2023

When it comes to music, when it comes to that kind of thing, really, all that change starts with a philosophy that says that sound is not an issue to God. Text is an issue to God, not sound. You take a Bible governor off the sound. Well, now, the sky’s the limit in terms of what can be done as long as your viewpoint is, “Sound is not an issue to God.” It just becomes then a matter of personal preference and taste.

–Pastor Mark Minnick, Sunday PM message, “Preachers and Missionaries UK 2023,” 8/20/23

I believe that these statements very insightfully express what really is at the heart of so many of the worship music issues in our day.

In CCM, Mount Calvary Baptist Pulpit, Music, Theology

Is There One Verse or Passage That Is the Key to A Fully Biblical Approach to Acceptable Music for Corporate Worship?

August 19, 2023

I recently asked elsewhere online the following question:

Is there one verse or passage that you believe is the key to a fully biblical approach to acceptable music for corporate worship?

So far, I have received the following responses:

2 Chron 29:20-36, tells what kind of instruments.. the golden calf incident tells what methods were horrific to God.

I Corinthians 14, talks about music styles (March music styles influencing preparation for a battle) being distinctive and precise and significant.

No.

I would love to hear from the readers of my blog what their thoughts are about the answer to this question.

In Music, Theology

The Bible and Percussion: Two Discussion Threads on SharperIron.org

August 8, 2023

For many months now, the focus of my study of what the Bible reveals about music has been on what it says about percussion instruments. To that end, I have been involved in two ongoing discussions on Sharper Iron: