Mary then obeys Jesus and runs to tell the other disciples that He has appeared to her. The answer, simply, is nothing. The whole thing was just off, As MacArthur states, grave robbers would hardly have taken time to roll up the facecloth, and in their haste they would have scattered the grave clothes all over the tomb. 8) He will radically finish the job simply by the great revelation of His character and person, 11:41-42So they took away the stone. In answer to their question about the kingdom, Jesus gave the fundamental mission of the church. Let us settle at least these few things: It is a great and precious thing to be both restored and given a task. For instance, Warren Wiersebe, a Premillennialist, says, The overriding theme of the book of Revelation is the return of Jesus Christ to defeat all evil and to establish His reign. Note how he uses the word establish in lieu of the word consummate which is the term an amillennialist would use because of the emphasis on Christs current reign. John Piper explains this passage in the following ways: One part of the answer is stressed at the end of verse 10, namely, that Gods pleasure is what the Son accomplished in dyingGods pleasure is not so much in the suffering of the Son, considered in and of itself, but in the great success of what the Son would accomplish in his suffering. The basics of the gospel are the foundation for understanding greater mysteries appertaining to the gospel, and to what the author is getting at here, namely the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in this context, His priesthood. The Hound of Heaven and a Young Russian Agnostic Andrea Wolfe, on staff with the CoMission office in Raleigh, North Carolina tells the following story: In the 1930's Stalin ordered a purge of all Bibles and all believers. Now as soon as Mary turns around she runs smack into Jesus who then asks the same question that the angels asked her. 1. But not everyone would look at the copper snake, and not everyone will look to Christ. If these verses dont show you something of the humanity of Christ, then you are not reading the same text I am reading. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Note that He picks the place where He will be found. Peter thought he had it together, he thought he had the stuff to succeed. 13:3-7: Note the patience of Christ. In his commentary on the book of Acts, Martyn Llyod-Jones gives some great background on these men: Caiaphas, the high priest, was just a Sadducee write large. Tony Romano talks about how this stops everything, it interrupts everything life stops cold in its tracks in order to find this coin. Her response shows she has still not transcended the explanation to which she had earlier gravitated (vs.2).. The last war shall be the most fearful and terrible war that ever desolated the earth.[xvii]. No, no, no. That was the reality, and in the minds of these worldly priests, the ends justified the means. 2, Spring, 2001, p. 7). If theres a second point, it is that the lowly, the meek, the humble who seek repentance are those who populate the kingdom of God. is possibly represented by the woman in the second parable Pg. In so doing, He softens our hearts with this love. It is the underlying reason for all Gods works, from the creation of the world, to the redemption of fallen sinners, to the judgment of unbelievers, to the manifestation of His greatness for all eternity in heavenEverything God created gives Him glory except fallen angels and fallen men. Thompson was running, running. While Im not sure if Spurgeon was aware of and influenced by this poem, its hard not to see the parallels!Heres what 1 commentator John Francix Xavier Oonor wrote about the poem: The name is strange. [25] For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 15:16-19 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. Abrahams faith was of another variety altogether. Consequently, many believed in Him. And that is the great love of our undiscriminating God. A mind and heart that look through the gray havens of today to the eternal riches of His presence in heaven. (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV), Samuel Rutherford said, My shallow and ebb thoughts are not the compass Christ saileth by. [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? (Luke 24:25-26). 15:11-13 And he said, There was a man who had two sons. The history of Israel was one of disobedience, exile, and salvation. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV). Ought we not to ask how John has written of such things in other parts of his book? Hes using this Word to do that. He enters into our sorrows with us. Footnotes. No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Then Jesus came announcing the presence of the kingdom. So she takes in the view and see the linen strips and the shroud folded. Stott writes: Roger Steer, Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (IVP Books, 2009), pp. Those who do not place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ are condemned already. As John MacArthur notes, while the final sentencing of those who reject Christ is still future, their judgment will merely consummate what has already begun., I will offer a paraphrase here based on what I understand John to be saying: every human being is born already condemned by their own sinfulness and if you dont believe in Jesus then you will remain condemned., Therefore, Condemned already is another way of saying, the wrath of God abides on him.. (Revelation 3:20-21). We have children who are sick. The issue here is that we see the offer of salvation, but in our natural state we dont see it as glorious. When push comes to shove, he cannot and will not embrace or associate himself with Jesus at this point. 12) so that He was able to endure the torment of the cross. Cant they just let us mourn Him? And in doing so, His words cut to Peters heart and remind him that though he claims to be the most loyal and dutiful disciples, he has a recent failure of such magnitude that with each passing word from the lips of Jesus, Peter must have been smarting all the more. Jesus not only promises (and delivers) forgiveness, He promises and gives a healed heart and transformed life to those who call on Him and believe in His name. [ii] Article 4 of the First Head of Doctrine from the Synod of Dort says it best, The wrath of God abideth upon those who believe not this gospel. It has been quoted more times than any other verse, and it is well known to both pagan and Christian alike. And while we may not fully understand why God chooses to work this way, I praise God that He is who He is, and that He has intervened in my life. John says earlier in chapter 3: [36] Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Not that the number itself is significant, but rather that the exact number tells us something of how impressive the catch actually was. Why do we sit under condemnation? For they know in their hearts that any good they do is completely and totally owed to the sovereign work of God. Interesting how Christ had to explain to the disciples, at this sensitive moment, what He meant by His words. Peter is given the chance to identify with Christ, with His Lord, and instead of doing so He cowers. From the Greek text the word cohort usually is meant 1,000 men including cavalry, but the noun used here is speira which can refer to a maniple of only 200 men, and it is not necessary to assume that an entire maniple was present (Carson/MacArthur). I dont know whether Mary was a morning person or a night owl, but I do know that she was drawn to this place with a intensity that wakes you up at 4am and says get your shoes on, youre going to the tomb. Thats drive. We must trust in His promises as Jesus trusted in the Father until the final breath of. I hope you see the glorious grace of Jesus Christ and the magnificence of His offer to you this evening. But it isnt a strictly New Testament teaching. We need to ask for His help to change our desires to match His (1 Cor. February 6, 2023. . We can see the importance of this idea of the reign of Christ in how it manages to seep into how pastors and theologians comprehend the overarching theme(s) of this book. We are never to be lacking in zeal but keep our spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Ignorant of our fate we relish and proclaim a fools independence. Its more straightforward than we think. For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered., [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. In the second parable, the woman who has lost a valuable coin searches everywhere in order to find that which was so valuable. But that is not the case as well see later on, for when Christ approaches the tomb and asks that the great stone blocking its entrance be removed, Martha protests that there would be a stench! He truly is Lord of all and he exercises that Lordship full now, though it is unseen (as Sproul mentions above). [i]. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? This is a beautiful place! But let us go to him., It wasnt a terribly common thing in second temple culture to use the euphemism fall asleep for death, but if we scan the entirety of Scripture we see it is actually a very common phrase/word overall especially in the books of Kings and Chronicles (examples: 1 Kings 22:40, 50; 2 Kings 8:24, 10:35). Now from what John says, its apparent that the disciples didnt fully grasp yet the significance of what they were seeing. (c) I think the marvelous success that attended the cast of the net, when Christ gave the command, was meant to teach that when Christ is pleased to give success to ministers, nothing can prevent souls being brought into the Gospel net, converted and saved. So that the reader sees the paths of each man side by side, as it were. Christ could either stay beyond the Jordan and enjoy a vibrant ministry (10:40-42), or He could fulfill the will of the Father and accomplish His ultimate destiny and mission here on Earth. And that same arm of restoration has been extended to us, as Paul says in Romans 5, For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly., Theologian R.C. the Father knew that the measure of his Sons suffering was the depth of his Sons love for the Fathers glory. His tripartite restoration of this impetuous man mirrored the three-fold denial which Peter had so shamefully displayed just days before. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Specifically, of course, on the revealing of the glory of the Son, which MacArthur says, blazes in this passage against a dark backdrop of rejection and hatred on the part of the Jewish leaders.. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Jesus Christ is there. [36]So the Jews said, See how he loved him! [37]But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?. In Eden, Adam and Eve parleyed with Satan; in Gethsemane, the last Adam sought the face of His Father. This is the real central point of all of these parables, namely the great lengths to which Jesus has gone to rescue us from ourselves. Peter was the most courageous man in the band of 12 heck, he just cut off the ear of a guard! You see Abraham understood the nature of God and His will and His power. So did Christ. [v] John M. Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, Pg. 177. I think that so often we underestimate Thomas. Only the sovereign grace of God will melt these hearts of stone. It startles one at first. He lavished upon the son great gifts and love. [2] Ryken, Commentary on Luke, Volume II, Pg. Lastly, as Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, it was a clear indication that the kingdom of God was upon them. Why would John remark on that specifically? That you will together as a congregation seek the face of the Lord with all diligence. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. While I greatly admire Thomas bravery and loyalty, I also want us to see that we follow Christ not out of a motivation toward blind duty, but a duty that is motivated by the love He has shed abroad in our hearts (a key concept in ch.15), and for the joy that lies before us in eternity. In verse 11 we read that He was going to drink of the cup that the Father had for Him. A Contemporary Translation of a Timeless Masterpiece. Into those years was crowded a world of experience which enabled him in his subsequent ministry to probe the secrets of many hearts. This is what we do, he says. The main thing we should take note of in these verses is that what Christ was doing was for the purposes of bringing glory to God (as mentioned earlier), and the phrase above so that you may believe does not modify that purpose or even add to it, but rather it explains more specifically how He will be glorified. Mary asks this man, the only question on her mind: where is Jesus? I believe the critical hermeneutical principle which will help us most is called the already/not yet principle. [viii] These are foundational truths, as John MacArthur says, the phrase is equivalent to the gospel of salvation by faith rather than works. 1110. 1088. The kingdom was in their midst became (sic because) the King was there. Oh, to be found in him! [14] Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. [xii] R.C. These angels had a perspective that was grounded in reality thats why they can rightfully and astoundedly ask, Why are you weeping???. For those of us who are children of God, saved from the wrath of the Father because of the work of Christ on the cross, we must not miss the importance of this text. Men would be blind to His kingship, so His disciples were given the task of making it visible. Spurgeon was a man well acquainted with sorrow and pain and he penned the following graphs based around his understanding of Romans 14:8, which says, We live unto the Lord.. Just as He took pleasure in bruising His Son, and takes pleasure in allowing you to face difficult trials for both His glory and for your refinement and sanctifications sake. John sees clear fulfillment of OT scripture and its just as clear that the apostle Peter did as well. This view robs the church of important teachings concerning the kingdom that are clearly set forth in the New Testament. We must teach others the Word of God this is the feeding of the lambs. The search for God now became intense. The third observation is what she saw, or rather what she didnt see. Our very salvation is like this, for we are saved NOW, yet we have not yet fully realized that salvation. What took years to save is spent in no time at all. Believing in the Son glorifies God because it gives proper due to who the Son is, and it magnifies Him. [12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me. And he divided his property between them. These verses metaphorically insist that Jesus is safe as long as he performs his Fathers will. [16]And the free gift is not like the result of that one mans sin. Let that reality sink in! Francis Thompson, The Hound of Heaven. I think theres something to this. They were so close to the event itself, that what they were witnessing seemed confusing amidst their fears and sorrow. In Isaiah 6 the response of Isaiah to the holiness of God is similar: [4] And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. It is used to justify all manner of incoherent and incorrect doctrine, especially Universalism and Pelagianism. Underlying all of this the manifold character of God is seen. Id like to say yes, but its worth thinking on. He abides their foolishness and lack of understanding. (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV). The Revelation of His Glory and how it Transforms Us. As long as ever I could, I rebelled, and revolted, and struggled against God. [xiii] Dallas Willard, professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California, wrote, Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. Of my own mind, and in the midst of tears. Secondly, it shows the importance of spiritual warfare and of sharing the gospel. [xv] However, we build upon this foundation in order to plumb the deeper mysteries and glories of Christ.[xvi]. A sinking feeling takes hold when you realize that youre missing an entire days worth of money in your bank account what in the world happened? There is such power in this phrase and in this truth. 4.18. This call is especially so for believers who have been united to Christ, Our growth in maturity is blocked not merely by intellectual issues, but by sin and love of the world, indicating a serious heart issue, God calls us to press on toward maturity in the strength He has given: in prayerful reading and studying of His Word, asking for and depending on Gods help for our increased spiritual growth, That Jesus was perfectly righteous and that righteousness enabled him to be our source for righteousness and salvation the very fountainhead from which we would derive our right standing before a holy God vs. 9, That these things contributed to the fact that. Spurgeon adds, there is no man so ignorant that he can claim a lack of intellect as an excuse for rejecting the gospelit is not any lack or deficiency there (in the mind)through the fall, and through our own sin, the nature of man has become so debased, and depraved, and corrupt, that it has become impossible for him to Christ without the assistance of God the Holy Sprit.[vi]. The Pursuit of God the Hound of Heaven. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. This is the nitty-gritty of sanctification, and its also why reading the Bible and meditating on Christs actions here and every word that proceeds from His mouth, is so important. They also provide us with a solid reason for faith in His word and in our future with Him. Spurgeon: I must confess, he says, that I never would have been saved if I could have helped it. He says, In Pliny the Elders Historia Naturalis he lists all the known fish species at the time. They just kept on rebuilding! [40] For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. [i] Old verse 16 notes that I didnt get to include: What has become, however, a sad commentary in our current day is that many have distorted this verse and taken it out of context. These are not two separate items. As Paul says: Put your mind and efforts into serving Him and others in obedience and with love through thick and thin. Not Bound Yet "Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound." 2 Timothy ii. Here we see that once again Christ is moved again, and its no wonder given the nature of the response from those in the mourning party (he is filled with a righteous indignation as the Greek clearly impliesagain, the English translations are all incorrect). We affectionately treasure our world while spitting on the One who created it for us. In his love for us Jesus acts like a hound-dog, intense and focused as he pursues the hunt. For later he would go on to say: Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvationif indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. But I think we might safely infer from this passage that Marthas priorities have shifted from ones that are busy and self-centered, to ones that are Christ-centered. The theme itself is a venerable one. I hope you find the notes enjoyable! We were saved for good works not simply from death, but for good works. For our purposes, I believe that we need to get our heads around two truths about the nature of Gods kingdom. We lash out against the breakers as they come crashing down on our beachhead, as if we can stop them by our own power. 1087-1088. 28:11-15), is false. If they walked in his statutes, the kingdom was to endure from generation to generation, without end, "as the days of heaven on earth." Such is the value God places on the lost sinners of this world. She is weeping for her brother, but also because she has been stirred again emotionally by the presence of Christ. 21:8-14 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. Both are Greek terms and appear at different points throughout Scripture. God reveals Himself to us out of love for us and a desire for us to be ushered into a love relationship with the Trinity as adopted sons and daughters of God. Peter was so wrapped up in his own welfare that when it came to dying for Christ he was far from ready.
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