Two Cousins and a 5000 Year Old Promise
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by Jon Buck
Grace in the Curse - Luke 1:30-31
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by Jon Buck
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” - Luke 1:30-31
There’s a reason advertisers use babies to sell things. Most everyone loves new babies. They’re so precious—tiny and helpless, cute and small—they fill our hearts with happiness. But their entry into this world is anything but cute. Birth is an incredibly painful and difficult process!
This isn’t by accident. When sin entered into the world in Genesis 3, God cursed the world. Paul tells us in Romans 8:20 that the entire world was subjected to futility. Death entered the world, and everything was broken.
The curse didn’t just stop there, either. God cursed man with death and He cursed Adam and his progeny with labor to provide for their families. He would literally have to sweat and toil in order to bring forth food from the ground.
Eve received a curse for her and her progeny as well—the curse of pain in child birth. Anyone who has ever given birth, or witnessed someone giving birth understands this—it’s incredibly difficult and dangerous.
Hundreds of generations later, one of those daughters of Eve, Mary, received a message from the highest of the angels, Gabriel. The message was that she would miraculously conceive a child, and would bear a Son. She was going to give birth, and that child would come from the Spirit of God.
Now, babies are precious, but bringing them into the world is tough, by design. This young woman, in a little village in Israel with effectively no medical care, must have been fairly nervous about this event. She had certainly been present at other births by her age, and each birth was a dangerous event. So, when the angel told her that she was going to give birth, it must have felt more like a curse than a blessing.
However, when Gabriel makes this announcement to Mary, he uses an interesting word - the word is translated ‘favor’ in the New American Standard. In Greek, the word means ‘grace’.
While the birth was part of the curse, God’s grace was on Mary at this moment. How could that be? How could grace and favor come with the curse?
The answer, of course, is that this wasn’t just any pregnancy, and Jesus wasn’t just any baby.
The grace of God, and His favor had come to Mary in a person, Jesus the Messiah. And that grace wasn’t just for Mary - it was for everyone!
And so, God’s grace had come to reverse the curse—the curse of childbirth would bring the grace of God into the world. And, some years later the curse of death would be overcome by life—once again through Jesus who would take the curse on Himself.
This is the message of Christmas, isn’t it?
That Jesus has come, and has begun the process of pushing back the curse of sin and death, one soul at a time.
God’s grace wasn’t just for Mary that day—it was for me, and for you, if you know Jesus.
The Great Gabriel and an Unlikely Errand - Luke 1:26-28
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by Jon Buck
“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.” ~ Luke 1:26-27
Important people have always inspired important responses.
When the President of the United States comes to town, he doesn’t have to hail his own Uber at the airport.
When the CEO of a business comes to the office, everyone is on their best behavior, and the office snacks are usually upgraded.
The same is true of royalty throughout history. Kings were characterized by the value of the royal treasury. Robes were made of royal colors like purple. Attendants and servants surrounded monarchs, providing for their needs and caring for them, from the moment they were born.
The book of Luke records two visits from the angel Gabriel. Now - to be clear, this was a very important visitor. Both Zacharias and Mary respond in fear when he arrives. Angels aren’t the little chubby Precious Moments figurines we might picture!
When Gabriel visited Zacharias to inform him of the birth of his son, John, it happened in very auspicious circumstances. Zacharias is in the temple. He is offering the incense — an event he will only do once in his lifetime — and a moment that summarizes his long Levitical lineage. The Holy Place is filled with golden objects. Zacharias is in his best attire. Those who wait for him outside are all prepared for worship. It was a seriously important day, and the pomp and circumstance showed that.
However, Gabriel’s visit to Mary was very simple. She was a young woman - maybe 15. She was recently engaged, but probably living with her parents awaiting the finalization of her marriage. She lived in a little town near Galilee, with a tiny population, and one little synagogue. We know nothing of her lineage. Her husband was from the tribe of Judah, but that was nothing special. No pomp. No circumstance. No glory.
Of the two errands, we would expect the announcement of the king to be the first, wouldn’t we?
But that’s not how God works. The glory of Jesus wouldn’t be in worldly pomp. It wouldn’t be with fanfare and golden objects. His glory wouldn’t be tied to Levitical lineage. He wouldn’t be in the finest clothes, and the nation would find nothing worthy of worship in Him.
Why the simplicity? Why the poverty? Why the humility?
Because Jesus doesn’t need any of those things to shine with resplendent glory. All the pomp and circumstance man can muster would only tarnish the glory and beauty of Jesus.
And so, God sent Gabriel on two errands, but not at all how we would have designed it. The simple, humble peasant girl receives news of the King of Kings…and all the glory is His.
The same is true of us, isn’t it? Christmas isn’t glorious because of traditions, or lights, or glitz, or presents. Those things are all ok, but they aren’t glorious. They’re the trappings of the world.
No, Christmas is glorious because Jesus is glorious, and, against all odds, God has come for the humble, the broken, the needy—for us.
Against All Expectation
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by Jason Park
Gabriel’s announcement that Zacharias and Elizabeth would have a son was beyond belief. How many of us would be “okay” if an angel suddenly appeared to us and made astounding promises? And yet, the very fact that a supernatural event took place should’ve alerted Zacharias that everything said was from the Lord Himself.
Instead, he did not believe the angel’s words. He thought that he and his wife were “past their prime.” He assessed the situation with human eyes, not with eyes of faith. So, he is afflicted with muteness until his son’s birth (v. 64). And in his silence, he will learn to take God’s word at face value, even when it goes against all expectations.
Now, Zacharias should have known better. Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God (v. 19), has just spoken a promise from the throneroom of heaven. Through this experience, what Zacharias must learn – and what we must learn – is that God will act whenever He wants and however He wants…even if what He does goes against what we think is the grain. He is sovereign. Yet, we know that in fulfilling His promises, He will always glorify Himself and do us great good.
We see this truth about God when Elizabeth becomes pregnant (v. 24) – just as promised. Luke tells this part of the story so plainly, which helps us focus on this: God did act.
Elizabeth, realizing what has taken place, blesses the Lord for looking upon her in grace and taking away the cultural disgrace of barrenness (v. 25). She praises Him. She focuses on Him.
That is what faith does. Zacharias will learn that lesson soon enough.
What we realize at this moment in the Advent story is that the sovereign God goes against our expectations. But it’s always been this way, ever since the Fall. He promised a seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15). He’s given children to older barren women. And here, He’s done that again. And He’s sending His Son into the world, in human flesh and blood, to save Jews and Gentiles, not by might but by weakness, by death. Almost no one expected this.
This Advent ask the Lord to teach you something from the Christmas story, something that will help you grow, help you draw closer to Him, or help in your walk in Christ. Ask Him in faith. Then wait, and expect Him to answer you in ways that go against all your expectations.
One Big Job, One Simple Way
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by Jason Park
We recently had our water heater replaced. When you look at an appliance like that, you realize how many valves, knobs, and connectors it has. Each one performing a very specific function that if left undone will not let the heater do its job. A valve, for example, has one arrow for “open” and one arrow for “close.” And it allows or blocks water from flowing through the pipe. That’s all the valve does – and yet it’s a very important function.
John the Baptist is like that. He does, what may seem like on the surface, a very simple job: point to Jesus Christ. But if we think that way, we’re forgetting what that pointing entailed and what it was for.
It entailed turning the hearts of people to the Lord and making ready a people prepared for Him (vv. 16-17). And beyond that, God had chosen and appointed John, from the womb, to do this monumental ministry. The angel, upon announcing John’s birth, tells his father that John “will be filled with the Holy Spirit” while still in the womb (v. 15) – the only person in the New Testament to have this distinction.
John, by God’s power, was to be like Elijah, turning the hearts of family members so that they would be reconciled. And causing those disobedient to God to adopt the attitude of the righteous (v. 17). God was going to use John to bring about many conversions to Himself.
Why? So that a people would be prepared for Christ – His people, a saved people.
And the way John performed his function was simple. He couldn’t turn a single heart. But he, being filled with the Holy Spirit and set apart by God to be in the spirit and power of Elijah (v. 17), could turn and point people to the One who could turn any heart: Jesus Christ the Lord. That’s what John did until his death. He was a human arrow, pointing one way – to the Lord, the Savior, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world and make a people’s hearts ready to receive and follow their Messiah.
This means that when we read the Advent story, and we read about John in it, we have to ask ourselves this question: Is my heart turned to Christ? Do I have a new heart, no longer disobedient to God but thinking and walking in righteousness?
The Spirit of God in John drove John to point away from Himself to Jesus Christ. John always decreased in his own eyes and in the eyes of the public so that Jesus might increase. That’s what a heart turned to Christ does. It simply fixates on Christ.
So, like John, let’s be filled with the Spirit by believing in what Christmas is all about – Christ – and focusing our hearts on Him – in prayer, in thought, in word, and in deed.
Who knows – perhaps the Lord will graciously use our pointing to point others to His Son?
God Remembers
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by Jason Park
The story of Advent is God’s story. With all the characters and events, there is one hand guiding it all: God’s hand.
We see it so clearly in the events leading up to the birth of Christ, specifically, in the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist.
Zacharias was a priest, and he was chosen to enter the holy place in the temple and burn incense. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because there were so many priests.
But Luke tells us that he was chosen by lot (v. 9). Not by fate or chance, but by an ancient practice whose true inner-workings were determined not randomly but sovereignly, by God Himself. As Prov 16:33 says, the lot is cast by men, but every decision is from the Lord.
So, God directed the course of human events, including the smallest details in the life of Zacharias, to bring him into the holy place on that day.
Why? So that one of His angels could appear to Zacharias and deliver good news to him.
You see, before The Birth, there had to be another birth – a foundational one for the story of Advent and the history of the world.
So, the angel comforts Zacharias, telling him that his prayers for a child have been heard. Elizabeth will indeed bear a son (v. 13).
What’s so amazing about this is that Elizabeth was barren. Not only was she barren, but she was also “advanced in years” (v. 7)! Having a child was out of the question, humanly speaking.
This reminds us of other significant barren women in the Bible: Hannah, Rachel, Rebekah, and Sarai. Each of these women had their wombs opened by God to deliver sons who would shape the course of history.
And here was another barren woman. But God answers prayers. And He answered them in this case far beyond what Zacharias could have imagined (cf. Eph 3:20-21).
What God was demonstrating was that He remembers. He remembers Zacharias and Elizabeth. He remembers David, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, and Adam and Eve. God remembers His people and His promises to them.
He promised a Messiah, and He promise a forerunner of the Messiah – all to fulfill the many promises He made to His people. God remembers because He is faithful and true. God remembers because He is love, and He loves Israel and the world.
In remembering Zacharias, God is remembering all the patriarches and the promises He made to them – promises of salvation and a Savior, a King, a Redeemer. And that’s why He led Zacharias into the holy place on that fateful day.
His Son would be preceded by his son, whose name would be John, which means “The Lord shows grace.” A fitting name for what God was about to do through him and through Christ.
So, this Advent, remember that God remembers not just Israel, He remembers you. He chose you. He justified you. He sanctifies you. He will glorify you. He will never forsake you. That is ultimately what Advent is all about. And He has proven His heart by orchestrating all the details of the life of Zacharias and Elizabeth to bring about the birth of their son who pointed the way to Christ. To help us remember that God is faithful and good. He always keeps His promises. This is our heavenly Father. He is in control. And we can rest in Him.
And by the way, do you know what the name “Zacharias” means? It means “The Lord remembers.”
Two Unlikely Gentiles, and a Jewish Messiah
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by Jon Buck
“…it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus…” ~ Luke 1:3
If you’ve ever written a very long research paper, you know how much work is involved. It’s a serious undertaking!
Like other research papers, the book of Luke is fairly long. It’s around 25,650 words, or about 40 pages in a normal print New American Standard Bible. Typed out in Times New Roman, it’s more than 50 pages. And, remarkably, hand written, it would take more than 100 pages.
What’s more, Luke didn’t have access to BIC pens, simple notebook paper, or a nice desk lamp. Instead, he wrote on parchment, with quill and ink, in dank quarters.
He tells us in the introduction that he had ‘investigated everything’. He had spent countless hours interviewing Mary, speaking to Peter, talking with the other disciples. He had taken notes, carefully transcribing statements and events. He had traveled to find all this information on his own, in order to have exact knowledge of the events of his Gospel.
Thousands of hours of research, hundreds of pages of carefully organized information, hunched over parchment by candle light, compiling this text. It’s truly remarkable.
And what’s more stunning is that he wrote it all for another Gentile—one man, now lost to history named Theophilus. His name means ‘one who loves God’, and Luke wrote all this (and the book of Acts as well!) for this one man to read, in order that he might know the truth.
But perhaps the most shocking thing about all this work and labor is not that Luke did it, or that he did it for a Gentile, but that it’s all about a poor Jewish carpenter.
The Romans looked down on the Jews. They were tolerated, but frowned upon, and the Romans saw them as substantially inferior. Luke was a well-educated Greek, and Jesus was a Jewish carpenter—a low class Jew, worthy of no one’s attention.
And yet, Luke took this all upon himself.
Why? Not because Luke was particularly humble, or because his friend Theophilus had an interest in Jewish thought. No - the answer is very simple. Luke does all this because he knows and loves this Jewish Messiah, and knows with all his heart that this Jewish Messiah loves him.
Luke’s labor of love is not about himself, and it isn’t about Theophilus. No - this Gospel is about Jesus, and Luke loved Jesus because Jesus loved him.
As we approach this book consider how glorious this is - Luke spent his life researching and writing in order to communicate these things to us. He did it because he loved Jesus, and his hope for us is that we would love Jesus because of what he wrote.
This month, as we walk through these pages, our hope is the same. Does the story of the Incarnation fill your heart with love for Jesus? Does His love for you thrill your heart so that, like Luke, you’ll devote yourself to helping others know Him?
If not, read these pages with new eyes - the eyes of a Gentile man who loved Jesus, and who longed for you to love Him too!
Good News of Great Joy for All the People
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by Jon Buck
This year, the staff is going to be publishing a blog article each day until Christmas. There are a number reasons for this, and we have lots of hopes and prayers for our worship as a church this Christmas season!
The first reason for the Advent posts is to announce the good news of the incarnation of Jesus Christ! We live in a world filled with Black Fridays and Christmas presents, and holiday traditions. Those things aren’t bad, but we need to constantly remind ourselves of the good news that Jesus has come to us. He is with us—our Immanuel.
The past two years have been massively challenging for everyone, with COVID, lockdowns, polarizing politics, and the like. Plus there are the countless other pains that each person faces—sickness, loss, financial struggles, relational pains, etc. With all this bad news, we have the joy of spending the advent season thinking of the good news - Jesus Himself.
Second, our hope is that this good news would produce just that - great joy. There is nothing that can generate lasting joy in our hearts besides Jesus Himself. A perfect Christmas, quality time with family, vacation time, financial security, and good health can all be taken away in a moment.
But the good news that Jesus came into the world, lived a perfect life, and died in our place is ours forever. Nothing can interrupt that joy. No suffering, no loss, no need, no sickness can change that God has set His glorious love on us, has adopted us into His family, and has done so through the death of His son. So - we long for you to have great joy throughout this time!
Finally, this good news that produces great joy is for all the people. We long for this news to fill your hearts and souls with such profound joy that you cannot help but share it with those around you! What better Christmas present could any of us receive than to see a child of wrath transferred into the kingdom of light?
And the good news of Jesus is the very means by which this is possible. So our prayer is that, like the angels, our church would herald Christ! That we would announce to all that Jesus has come, that God knows our sorrows, and that He has offered hope to a world in darkness through His blessed Son.
Pray with us, this season, if you would! Pray that God would accomplish these things in our hearts as a church, and in those who are impacted by our lives!
Like It or Not, You’re Called to Teach!
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by Jon Buck
We live in an age of celebrity teachers. Pastors, bible teachers, authors, and bloggers who are often venerated and followed by masses. But while these gifted men and women are helpful to the church, they don’t replace each believer’s responsibility to teach God’s Word. The Bible actually commands all believers to teach others!
Think through some of the commands in the Scripture. For example, think of the command in Romans 15:14 - “And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.”
If believers are going to admonish one other, they have to admonish with the Word of God. Any other admonishing tool is simply human wisdom. This is teaching!
Paul also calls all believers who are spiritual in Galatians 6:1 to restore the one who is caught in a trespass!
If you’re going to restore someone, it has to be with the Word of God, showing the sin as a violation of scripture.
The same idea is expressed by James when he says in 5:19-20 - “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
And the author of Hebrews is very strong in Hebrews 3:13 where he connects encouragement and sin. “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
What are they to encourage about? Very simply, verse 12 tells them to encourage one another regarding the faith!
And lest you think this is just for men, Titus 2:3 states that older women are to teach younger women, and are to do so using the truths that are derived from God’s word.
What’s more, Paul tells parents to instruct their children in Ephesians 6:4. This command flows from the Mosaic idea of teaching and instructing children in all walks of life, in Deuteronomy 6:7. And Solomon does the same, and commands children in Prov 1:8 to listen to the instruction - the teaching - of their father and mother!
So teaching is commanded to be done by all believers. Like it or not, you’re called to teach, and your responsibility is to know God’s word in order to communicate it for the care of the body of Christ!
Cruises are Nice, But Church is Not a Cruise Ship
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by Jon Buck
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
- Gal 5:13
While some people may hate boats or the ocean, the concept of a cruise is a very popular idea. In a sense, there’s nothing more relaxing than to be on a cruise. There are countless activities, classes, events, parties, etc. The facilities are luxurious, and the food—well, the banquets are amazing.
Cruises hit hard times during the COVID outbreak, but the allure has remained.
Cruises appeal to the deep-seated desire for relaxation—the pull to turn off our minds, serve our bodies, and have no responsibilities whatsoever.
Now - to be clear, cruises are not bad things at all! In fact, times of relaxation are important and can be valuable for our Christians lives.
But the church was never intended to be a cruise ship. We know that because of the countless commands in Scripture about our responsibility to serve one another.
Take, for example, the verse above. Paul tells the Galatian Christians that they were called to freedom through Christ. They could have chosen to use that freedom for themselves as an opportunity to serve their flesh.
But instead, Paul called them to love one another and serve one another. The call to freedom was a call to serve others, rather than to be served by others.
This is the example of Christ Himself (Mark 10:45), but is also the expectation on the church. Love for others drives us to serve them, rather than expect them to serve us!
So - where does love come from? Very simply, love that drives us to serve comes from the love of Christ for us! Jesus empowers true service. (2 Cor 5:14-15)
When our hearts feel cold to the church, we are living like we’re enjoying a cruise. But when we realize that the church is a hospital ship filled with rescued soldiers, our hearts will long to serve others, rather than to be served.
Resting in Sonship, Empowered by My Father
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by Jon Buck
"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God…”
- Rom 8:16
“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
- Mark 1:9-11
One of the least appreciated blessings of the Gospel is our adoption as sons in Christ. Paul, in Romans 8:16, tells his readers that the Spirit of God is testifying to them (and to him as well) that they are children of God.
The Spirit’s work is to communicate this profound reality to us. He witnesses to us that we are children of God, truly adopted, and accepted into His glorious and eternal family through the finished work of His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ.
And, fascinatingly, the Spirit is constantly doing this for us. It is His constant work in our spirits to convince us of this most glorious reality (for a similar statement, see Gal 4:1-7).
This position in the family of God comes with many blessings, but perhaps the most encouraging is that God sees us in Christ Himself. The stunning reality is that, when God looks at us, He sees Christ and His perfect life. In that sense, He is pleased with us because He is pleased with Jesus.
Now - of course, we may find ourselves struggling with sin. We may wonder how it is possible that the perfectly holy God of the universe could be pleased with us when we struggle or stumble. But the answer is clear - it is not us that He is pleased with at all! In fact, nothing in our flesh (our ‘natural man’ that remains in our unredeemed bodies) pleases Him.
No…He is pleased with Christ, and we are in Him, once and for all, and therefore God is pleased when He looks at us.
This ought to produce the most joyful sense of rest in us - a grateful sigh of relief! There is no condemnation for me, in spite of my countless failings. I can boldly come to my heavenly Father. He has chosen, adopted, and loved me with unconditional grace.
But, based on that love FROM Him, my heart must spring up in love TO Him. His kindness and mercy fill my soul with the glory of His love in such a way that I cannot help but love Him in return.
That love to Him empowers me to work for Him—to fight sin, to love others, to live for His glory. Long story short, I will be progressively sanctified by His love for me as a son!
No wonder, then, that God has sent His Spirit into our hearts crying out with a loud voice, “Abba Father!” He longs for us to be holy, as He is holy, and He empowers us to do it by His love. In every way, He receives the glory.
Distinction and Dependence—Life in the Body of Christ
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by Jon Buck
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
~ Rom 12:4-5
In this passage, Paul explains that there are many members in the human body.
What’s that talking about? Well, of course, we have hands, arms, feet, legs, lungs, a liver, eyeballs, a spleen, etc. And then he explains that all of those members in the body do not have the same function. We don’t see with our hands, or filter our blood in our feet. All of the members have different functions. And in the same way, the church has many members, each of which function differently.
But notice Paul’s central point here - we are all members of the body in who? In Christ! When we came to Christ - when we were converted, regenerated, saved - a part of that salvation was losing something. We lost our self-will. We lost our independence. We were united to Jesus.
Salvation is a union with Jesus. But Paul tells us that our union with Christ was into His body. And what is the body of Christ? It is the church.
And we - each of us who are truly united to Christ - are truly united to one another. And this union is so complete that it links us together like members of a body.
We are members of each other and of the church, not because we signed a covenant, or because we take an oath, or because we agree to it. Of course not!
We are members of one another and of the body, the church because Jesus Himself has regenerated us and is living in EACH ONE OF US. We are members of Him, and are therefore members of each other.
Now, of course, pride can make us think that we can live without the other members, or that we are more important than the other members, or even, sadly, that we are less than other members.
But Paul’s point is clear - the members of the body are all distinct, but they are all dependent on one another. In other words, each believer is truly individual—a crucial part of the functioning body. At the same time, each believer is completely dependent—requiring the rest of the body to survive.
We are passive when we receive our membership in the body through our union with Christ. But we must be active in fulfilling our role in using our distinct gifts for the good of the rest of body.
Praying for Kings When They Are Murderers
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by Jon Buck
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
~ 1 Tim 2:1-2
We live in a surprising era.
This week, the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 3755, a sweeping legislative act that allows for unrestricted access to abortion. The bill was passed largely in response to the Texas legislation (called the Texas Heartbeat Act) that limits abortion access to six weeks—the customary time when a heartbeat can be heard over ultrasound.
HR 3755 is designed to override individual states’ rights to limit abortion at the state level through national legislation. The Bill will likely move to the Supreme Court for adjudication, but from a Biblical perspective, abortion is murder. Passing the Bill is, without question, an act of aggression against the unborn, and is sinful.
The question, of course, is how should Christians respond when these types of situations occur? Is there an answer in the Bible about how we should deal with leaders who are murderers?
Interestingly, Paul provides a helpful answer in his first letter to Timothy. Paul tells him that the church should be instructed to pray for kings and those who are in authority. What’s fascinating about this statement is that the emperor at the time was Nero Claudius Caesar (on the throne from 54 AD to 68 AD).
Nero was a terrible king. He is notorious for murdering his enemies, Christians, and even members of his own family. He was vicious against those who contradicted him in any way. His name is literally synonymous with evil dictators and murderers.
So what did Paul call these Christians to do? What was his perspective on this situation?
He calls them to pray for their leaders and to plead with God to allow them to lead quiet and tranquil lives in godliness and dignity.
Now - to be clear, this doesn’t mean we don’t vote. It doesn’t mean we don’t make political statements. It doesn’t mean we don’t lament these sinful activities.
But what it does mean is that we remain dignified and godly in how we behave. What’s more, the verse also means that before we argue these issues publicly (whether on social media or in person), we spend time on our knees praying for our leaders.
So let’s commit ourselves to prayer. May we plead with the Lord that those who would murder children wantonly would have their eyes open to the Gospel of Christ, and that we would be able to lead godly lives in all dignity.
How COVID Reveals the Beauty of the Church
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by Jon Buck
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. ~ 1 Cor 12:26
This past week has been an important week for our family. My wife was away last week with our daughter Maggie, and came down with COVID symptoms. We’re not sure where she picked it up, but she did receive a positive PCR test.
I had dodged the bullet, and we kept her quarantined, but after 3 days, I started feeling it too. Then one after another, our girls all got sick. The kids’ sicknesses passed relatively quickly, but Alyssa and I were both down for several days.
Thankfully, we’re getting better, and it appears we’re on our way back to health.
However, this time of sickness for both of us has served to draw attention to the mercies of God in surrounding us with a church family. In our moment of crisis, the church came to our rescue in truly glorious ways.
People brought soup, dinners, pizza, home remedies, groceries, get well cards…even coconut water! We were so kindly treated, and had so much care that we had to turn folks away from serving us! Even though we felt miserable, we were so thankful for the church and its constant care. Above all, the consistent prayers for recovery meant so much!
Paul says in 1 Cor 12:26 that when one member suffers, all the members suffer. I know it can often be difficult to ‘feel’ the suffering of others, but in the body of Christ, the love that we have for one another because of Christ makes us care for each other in this special way. We feel the suffering of those we love in a profound way.
As we recover from COVID over the next few days, and finish up our quarantine, I am so thankful for how clearly it has shown me the profundity of this verse. The church is an organism…a family…a body…and it ‘feels’ for its members. What a sweet blessing to watch this in action!
‘Exvagelicals’ and A Bad Man from Arizona
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by Jon Buck
The term ‘exvangelical’ has been making the rounds in the Christian media sphere. The basic meaning, more or less, is a person who is no longer an evangelical. It is often used with terms like ‘deconstructing faith’, or finding one’s true self. A recent Rise and Fall of Mars Hill bonus episode included an interview with one of the most famous exvangelicals—Josh Harris.
While I would not encourage this, a quick perusal of this segment of post-Christians and their writings is very revealing. The vast majority have left the church, and left the Gospel, because of sins that happened in their respective churches.
And, to be fair, the Christian church in America has not been a shining beacon of righteousness. Evangelical leaders like Mark Driscoll, James MacDonald, Tullian Tchividjian, and others have left chaos in their wakes, for various reasons.
The flaw, though, with leaving Christ because of sinful Christians can perhaps be helped by pointing out the logical fallacy of rejecting something because of one representative of that thing.
An example should help to illustrate this point.
Say you meet a person in the grocery store from Arizona. Initially he seems nice enough, but as you walk out the door of the store, he robs you, and takes your car. Obviously he is a bad man…a very bad man from Arizona.
However, it would be foolish to then decide that everyone from Arizona is a bad person, or to say that all people from Arizona are thieves and liars. Even more foolish would be to conclude that Arizona itself is a bad place that makes bad people, and therefore good people should never travel there.
Sadly, this is precisely what exvangelicals are arguing for. There are many evil people who profess Christianity. But they don’t represent all of Christianity, nor does it make any sense to reject the claims of Christianity because some professing Christians are bad. In fact, quite to the contrary, there are many good and Godly Christians, just as there are many nice people form Arizona.
People with spiritual authority can cause tremendous hurt, and those who have suffered from these circumstances deserve our care and support. Nevertheless, we need to help them understand that their rejection of Christ is irrational. This won’t save them, but it may perhaps help them to reconsider what they have abandoned.
Afghanistan: When the World Falls Apart
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by Jon Buck
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen”
~ Rom 11:36
If you’ve been watching the news about the conflict in Afghanistan, you’ve likely seen some pretty horrific videos. Women and children cowering under gunfire, razor wire everywhere, armed militants threatening civilians, etc.
It’s not hard to look at the world these days and find ourselves feeling like God is noticeably absent.
But the Bible tells us something completely different—God is not absent. He is ever-present, and in control of the details all around us. He is sovereign over every complexity, every germ, every mask mandate, every insurrection, every world leader. Nothing stand outside of His control.
But the Bible tells us more. In Romans 11:36, Paul makes a stunning statement. He summarizes his whole point of the entire epistle in this verse.
He uses three prepositions to do it -
First - ‘from Him’ - ALL THINGS come from God. This is talking about His plans for all things from eternity past into eternity future.
Second - ‘through Him’ - ALL THINGS are happening through His sovereign control. He is carrying out these purposes in His wisdom.
And finally - ‘to Him’ - ALL THINGS - everything that is happening everywhere in the world right now are FOR HIS SAKE.
No wonder then that Paul says ‘To Him be the glory!”
Everything is planned for His glory. Everything is happening for His glory. Everything is unto His glory alone.
THAT is the purpose of the world, and that is what is in God’s mind for the universe, the world, and your life!
So as you watch the news, read articles, get tested, wear masks, remember that God is not absent. He is ever-present, ever-sovereign, and ever loving. He will bring about His good purposes in the world, and ultimately, all of it will be for His glory!
A Brief History of Time, by the Apostle Paul
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by Jon Buck
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved.”
~ Rom 11:25-26
I'm the type of person who likes to read the last few pages of a novel first. I want to know what happens. When I do, reading is less stressful. But Paul does something similar in Rom 11:25-26.
Notice Paul says that he doesn’t want the Gentiles to be uninformed of this mystery. The word for uninformed there is ‘without knowledge’ - the Latin equivalent is ignorant. He doesn’t want them ignorant of the mystery!
And what is the mystery? He’s going to lay it out for us, isn’t he? And, in summary, Paul is going to lay out the whole history of the rest of the world until the coming of Jesus in a single sentence.
There are two components of the mystery.
The first is a partial hardening of Israel.
That’s what Paul has been talking about throughout these two chapters. This is national Israel — blood Jews — there is a partial hardening of the nation. They are blinded to the reality of their true Messiah! They can’t see Him!
And, this is partial, right? MOST of the Jews are hardened—but not all. So the nation of Israel—blood Jews—are hardened in part, and are unbelievers.
But Paul gives us a second time marker, right?
That hardening has happened UNTIL THE FULLNESS of the Gentiles has come in. Come in to what? Come into the tree that he has already identified. Come in to salvation. Come into the covenant made with Abraham and the patriarchs!
And then what will happen?
Look at v. 26 - And so all Israel will be saved.
God, in HIS providence, has a certain number of Gentiles that will be saved. It’s not a round number. It’s precise. We have NO IDEA how many that is, but it’s a number! And when the very last one is saved, THEN all Israel will be saved!
Who is All Israel? All Jews alive on the earth at that time. All Israel alive at that time WILL BE SAVED. Why? Because they’re better than other Jews? NO - Because, in God’s providence, they are elect by His gracious choice.
A Word on Pastoral Plagiarism
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by Jon Buck
Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
~ 1 Tim 4:16
pla·gia·rism - the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. (Oxford English Dictionary)
Preparing sermons is tough work! There’s the study component, the preparation, and, most difficult of all, the spiritual dimension of prayer and wrestling over the text in light of the body of Christ where a pastor is called to serve.
With these difficulties in mind, technology has offered some shortcuts for pastors. Much study time can be saved with bible products like Logos or Bible Works, as the programs provide tools for study. But other resources, like sermon writing services and online fee-based sermon transcripts, have made plagiarism far easier as well.
There has been some recent news regarding pastoral plagiarism in the evangelical world. But what’s the problem with plagiarism, and what does the Bible have to say about it? There are at least three things that should be mentioned:
Pastoral Danger - Paul told Timothy to pay attention to himself and his teaching, and to persevere in these things. The reason for this stern encouragement is that in this way he would ensure salvation for his hearers. Perseverance in study and teaching has a direct link to the souls under the care of a pastor. If he chooses to abdicate this responsibility by plagiarizing a sermon, he is hamstringing his ability to care for the souls of his sheep, for whom he will give an account.
Personal Danger - This exhortation to Timothy includes the benefit of personal soul care. A pastor who never wrestles with the text of Scripture is limiting his own enjoyment of Christ, and putting himself in great danger. Distance from the Scripture is distance from Christ, and distance from Christ is deadly—hence Paul’s statement to Timothy about ensuring his own salvation as well.
Deceit - Apart from pastoral and personal concerns, even the secular world knows that plagiarism is wrong. The fundamental reason is that it is deceitful. The lie is that a ‘good sermon’ written by someone else will provide all the cravings of the pastor’s soul—a bigger church, more accolades, etc. But the truth is that sin never produces righteousness, and deception will eventually lead to pastoral and personal failure.
Ultimately, plagiarism’s allure is only put to death by the beauties of Christ. A pastor must know, in his heart, that a pure conscience in this area is better than anything that plagiarism offers. Only the glory of Christ and His love can eclipse the glories of ministerial success in a man’s heart.
God’s Patience with Israel is Your Hope
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by Jon Buck
“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” - Romans 11:5-6
Much of the New Testament is about the nation of Israel. The gospels are all dealing with Jewish issues, and Acts is heavily Jewish throughout. Paul deals heavily with Israel, and her unbelief in Romans, Ephesians. The general epistles are most often Jewish in their tone and audience.
But what does the nation of Israel have to do with us as modern Gentile Christians?
Simply put, God’s patience with Israel, and His continuing promises to her, are our basis for hope and confidence in Him!
Why?
If God promises that nothing will ever separate me from His love in Romans 8:33ff, but I know that He made promises to Israel, and they seem to be unbelieving, then how can I trust He’ll never leave me or forsake me?
Paul says that God’s choice of Israel had NOTHING to do with their works.
Notice that in v. 6 - if It is by grace, then it is NOT by works.
God didn’t look down the corridor of history and see who would choose Him.
No - HE graciously chose those who were rebels against Him.
And Paul says, if there’s any aspect to salvation that relates to works, then, guess what, grace isn’t grace anymore at all - your salvation, and the promises to Israel, are completed evacuated of any grace, and all that’s left is works—which will lead us directly to hell.
So what’s the point?
Think about the glorious promises of God’s grace to us in the first 8 chapters of Romans. What does God’s faithfulness to Israel mean to us?
Paul’s answer to the question is this - God graciously chose some among Israel to make Himself known. He’ll never change that decision. And His choice of the nation will never change, in spite of their massive failures. He is faithful.
He graciously chose to make Himself known to you, if you know Him! That will not change, anymore than He can deny His promises to the nation.
In other words, God’s faithfulness to Israel, in spite of her sin, is the great promise.
The Bible is About Jesus
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by Jon Buck