Compromise?

Posted on by korgrocker

“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 9:19-21 NLT

In his day, Paul was considered a free man. As a Roman citizen, he enjoyed all the privileges that came with this status. In the first century, Roman citizens held significant legal and social advantages, including the right to vote and hold office, protection from arbitrary arrest and punishment, the right to a fair trial, and the ability to own property and enter into contracts. They also benefited from freedom of travel throughout the empire and could appeal court decisions. We also know that Paul was free from the requirements of the Jewish Law, even though he was a Jew, to the extent of being a Pharisee earlier in his life. How could he make that claim? Romans 10:4, “For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God”. But Paul announced to the Corinthians that, regardless of all his freedom, he was a “slave to all people” and he “obeyed the law of Christ”. Voluntarily, Paul decided that because his role was “to bring many to Christ”, he had to place certain restrictions on his freedom. His first example was how he behaved when in the presence of Jews. We know that when Paul first visited Corinth, he began preaching in the synagogue there. Acts 18:4-5, “Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah”. Where did Paul find the Jewish people in Corinth? The prominent place to start was where they worshipped, and it was there that Paul would have behaved as if he were a Jew. And he didn’t stop at the synagogue door. We read in Acts 18:18, “Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him”. Paul was still prepared to abide by Jewish customs if it meant that by so doing, some Jews would take note and believe what Paul was saying.

In 1 Corinthians 9:21a, we read, “When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ …“. The last thing the Gentiles, the non-Jews, would appreciate was a Jew behaving as one in their midst. Paul must have participated in the Gentile customs, as far as he was able by his faith in Christ, and joined in their meals with foods perhaps not allowed for a Jew to eat. But what else could Paul do if he was going to reach the Gentiles with the Gospel? To a Jew, a “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5), associating with Gentiles was not allowed. However, Paul was confident in God’s grace and was able to live the Gentile way, demonstrating in the process that he wasn’t a hypocrite, as he spoke the words but also lived under God’s grace in accordance with the Gospel. 

But let’s consider what Paul was saying in the light of our 21st-century lives. We, too, are governed by the law of Christ, secure in the infinite supply of God’s grace. But do we have the courage to follow Paul’s example and live in a way that allows the people around us to relate to us? Are we prepared to compromise our lifestyles, not our beliefs, of course, to win those around us for Christ? For a Christian, it is much easier to spend time with fellow Christians, enjoying the services and Bible studies, the fellowship meals, and the socialising. It is a safe space where no one will be offended. But are we willing to venture into places beyond our comfort zones so that we can “win some for Christ”? It is a complaint I have heard from Christians that when it comes to evangelisation, they no longer know anyone who is not a Christian. Over the years, their unbelieving friends have faded away, leaving them in a purely Christian bubble. But those of us who are working have unbelieving workmates, so perhaps we could join them in some of their activities. It does not mean that we compromise our beliefs, but it does provide an opportunity to bridge the gap and, in time, deliver the Good News about Christ in a way that our workmates might accept. There are other opportunities, at the school gates or in the supermarket queues. Anywhere, in fact, where a common experience of life presents itself. A Christian man I know calls himself a “space invader”, always looking for a way in which he can invade someone’s personal space to start a conversation and try to find some common concern or topic, and use it to tell them about Jesus.

Paul’s intentions could have been considered a compromise by some, but the lesson we must learn is that neither he nor we should ever compromise our beliefs, our obedience to God, and our love for Jesus. 

Dear Father God. Please lead us to opportunities to share the fantastic, life-saving news about Jesus.  Amen.

Unfailing Love

Posted on by korgrocker

“For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.
Psalm 18:49-50 NLT

David makes no secret about the focus of his worship and praise, giving glory to God “among the nations” and “to [His] name”. And the reason was that he attributed his success on the battlefield to God, and no-one else. David was a warrior king, well-versed in the techniques of war. He knew all about military tactics, hand to hand combat, the importance of being able to handle weapons, and the psychology of motivating his troops and winning battles. But with David it was very much in partnership with the Lord. David wrote earlier in this Psalm, “He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great” (Psalm 18:34-35). But perhaps we should note the parallel between “great victories” for King David, and the greatest victory of all when Jesus defeated the devil on Calvary’s cross. 

In the last verse of Psalm 18, David recorded factually that God “show[ed] unfailing love” to David and all of his descendants forever. The “forever” bit is something often overlooked in the years since. Many people today will stand up and condemn and abuse the nation of Israel verbally and physically. Anti-Semitic behaviour is rampant in many places in the world, with hatred of the Jews going far beyond what is deserved and we remember that Hitler murdered millions of Jews in Europe. Many more are murdered in the hearts and minds of people who are being stirred up and manipulated by the one, satan, who hates anything to do with God, and especially His people, the Jews. Today the rhetoric of hatred from Iran towards Israel is well known and reported on. But there is a very real reason – God has favoured the descendants of David with His “unfailing love” ever since and will do forever. And because an evil and wicked world, under the influence of their ruler satan, hates God, then it follows that they will hate His beloved people, the Jews. Of course, that is not to condone the behaviour of the nation of Israel, particularly in recent years, but that will not stop God loving them. There will come a time when they will be held to account, as we all will be, before the throne of God. And if we read the last book in the Bible, we will find that the Jews will suffer a terrible time before a remnant of them will be saved.

If God will never stop loving the Jews with an “unfailing love” then it follows that He will never stop loving those that have been grafted into His vine, through Jesus. Romans 11:17, “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree”. We believers in Jesus also share in God’s unfailing love, as promised to His people, but as any gardeners known grafts can sometimes fail and Jesus warned His disciples, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more” (John 15:1-2). Jesus continued in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me”. 

God’s unfailing love will pursue us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6), this we know, and Paul expanded on this in Romans 8:38-39 when he wrote,“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord”. What a tremendous affirmation of our gracious and loving God.

God’s love is unfailing and when we stay within the bounds of His love we will, like David, be able to praise Him for the victories we experience in life. Victories in our battles with sin. Victories in our relationships, our churches and fellowships, and in our families. Victories where we see God come through with salvations, healings and so much more. We praise Him today!

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your unfailing love, so freely given and always there for us, Your people. Amen. 

The Greeks

Posted on by korgrocker

“Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.”
John 12:20-22 NLT

‭‭In those days the term “Greeks” had a generic meaning for all non-Israelites. They had come to enjoy the Passover festival because, although not Jewish, they revered Israel’s God. John records in these verses that they tried to get access to Jesus through Philip who, perhaps, and along with Andrew, was acting as a security vetting service for Jesus, because, as we know, the religious leaders wanted to arrest Him. We can only guess about the significance of Philip being from Bethsaida – perhaps one of the “Greeks” knew him from there.

So, why did the “Greeks” want to see Jesus? They would have heard about the amazing miracles that He had performed, so, perhaps they wanted Jesus to do a few for them. A natural curiosity might have been the reason. Or perhaps they too wanted to hear at first hand some of the sayings of Jesus that they had heard about. 

We pilgrims today are in a truly favoured position. Through the Holy Spirit we have access to Jesus always. We read what Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:7, “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you”. And then in John 16:13-14, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me”. Jesus was limited to being in one place at a time, even though He is divine. But the Holy Spirit is universal and omnipresent and can be with all believers all of the time. We don’t have to request an audience with Jesus and then wait our turn in a long queue, or try and book an appointment as we do at our doctor’s surgery, and then wait days or weeks before we get a ten minute slot.

Jesus came to His own people the Jews, but right at the start of His ministry He made that universal statement, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). And then a bit later he said, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Jesus came “to seek and save the lost” in all the nations, including the “Greeks”.

Father God. We are so grateful that Your plan for salvation was for all human beings, not just the Jews, and it was implemented through Your Son, Jesus. We are deeply grateful. Amen.


Pick Up Your Mat

Posted on by korgrocker

“so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd.”
John 5:10-13 NLT

The Jewish leaders were not happy at all when they found someone carrying a sleeping mat through the crowds around the Pool of Bethesda. They probably had a point if the man was moving house or was doing some other manual task, but after an amazing miracle the man was probably just heading home, musing in the process about what he was about to tell his family when he got there. He had a lot to think about. It wasn’t just his life that was changed. He would also find that the family dynamic was suddenly altered. The one cared for was no longer needing care. And what about a job – could he now find some way of repaying all the kindness shown to him over the thirty eight years of infirmity? Regarding his sleeping mat, he probably didn’t think about leaving it behind, after all, these things cost money, he thought. And anyway the Man who had healed him told him to take it with him.

But all of a sudden, he was jolted out of his thoughts by the religious police, the Jewish leaders, pulling him up over a simple thing like carrying a mat. The man explained how he had been healed, and how he had been told to pick up his mat by his Healer and walk. But that didn’t make any difference to the Jews. They asked the man, “Who said such a thing as that?”. But the man didn’t know because Jesus wasn’t with him any more. Rather than rejoice with the healed man about the marvellous miracle performed by Jesus, the Jews just wanted to stop a violation of their laws.

That was a sad day, because priorities and common sense were qualities conspicuous by their absence. The Jewish leaders missed a life changing encounter with God through the man who was healed. They were so focused on the mundane that they missed a supernatural event. But isn’t that something that we can all be guilty of? Even we pilgrims? How many times has God said something through a brother or sister, or through the preaching of the Word, or through circumstances, and we have ignored it, missing a God-moment? Do we sometimes get anxious over something that we fear might happen, only to find that God has gone before us and removed the problem? “What if’s” disappear before our loving Heavenly Father’s caring gaze. There is a short verse embedded in Peter’s first letter, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). That isn’t there by accident – it is a reminder to all us worriers! 

But back to our man carrying his mat on the Sabbath. If something happening before us doesn’t fit into our world view, let us pause and seek God in case He is doing something supernatural. We can’t put God in a box of our own making, restricting Him to a certain way of doing things. He is God after all!

Father God. Please forgive us when we fail to recognise Your hand at work in our lives and the lives of our friends and families. We know that You care for us, Your children, every day, bringing life and hope in our times of need. We are so grateful. Amen.

On The Move

Posted on by korgrocker

“So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.”
John 4:3-6 NLT

In Jesus’ day, there was no quick way of getting from A to B. It was a case of travelling by foot, or possibly by a horse or donkey, but 20-30 miles per day was the norm. To get from Judea to Galilee by the quickest route involved a journey through Samaria, a place that was not popular with the Jews, as it would mean potential contact with the hated Samaritans. This journey took about three days to complete, though the longer route skirting Samaria, and favoured by some, took five to seven days. But Jesus and His disciples took the route through Samaria, and ended up at a village called Sychar. But who were the Samaritans and why did the Jews hate them so much? “In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people of Galilee and Judea shunned the Samaritans, viewing them as a mixed race who practiced an impure, half-pagan religion” (quote from Gotquestions.org). But more on that in a later blog.

Jesus and His disciples had apparently walked some distance to get this far, and we read that Jesus was tired. It was the hottest part of the day and Jesus was resting, sitting by the famous well that had a history stretching back to the time of Jacob. But some people perhaps have a problem with the thought that Jesus was tired. After all, they think, how can the Son of God, with all the divine resources at His disposal, be wearied by a journey? Jesus came to this earth, taking on human flesh and all the baggage that came with it. So like us, He would have needed to eat and sleep, and even use a toilet, something that perhaps we Christians don’t like to think about. In Romans 8:3, we read, “The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins”. 

So on the journey from Judea to Galilee, how would we feel if Jesus, the Son of God, was suddenly transported there by some divine process, leaving His disciples to make their way on foot? At a stroke, it would destroy the reason why He came – to live in the likeness of a human being from His birth all the way to Calvary. It was important that Jesus’ humanity was seen by those around Him because through it He gave sinful mankind a hope for the future, a hope that promised them that they could be forgiven their sins and one day join God in Heaven. Jesus was on the move as part of Father God’s plans for Him. He was sent to His people the Jews and there would come a time when He would return to Judea and Jerusalem. But on the journey to Galilee He stopped at Sychar. A divine appointment was about to emerge.

Dear Father God. You have plans for us, plans that amongst other things provide us with a hope for the future. We are so grateful. Amen. 

Elders Are Male?

Posted on by korgrocker

“And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honour.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT

Peter’s main concern for the “elders in the churches” was that they cared for the people within them, that they weren’t being overbearing leaders, “lording” it over people, and that they led the church by their own good example. They were then eligible for a reward of a “crown of never-ending glory and honour”. But the Apostle Paul provided more details of the qualities required by an elder. We can read what he wrote in his letters to Timothy and Titus in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. And the question for all elders in the Christian church today, regardless of their denomination, is how they measure up against the criteria Paul set out. There are those who take a liberal, “what was written in the Bible doesn’t always apply today”, attitude, and those who believe fundamentally that the Scriptures are the inspired Words of God through His Spirit and are to be followed to the letter. 

But whatever we believe, the first requirement of an elder, according to Paul, is that he is a man, married, and someone who manages his family well. We read in 1 Timothy 3:2a, 4-5, “So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. … He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” The in-your-face issue here is the fact that the Bible only talks about male elders, who are married and have a family. So, where does that put the women ministers and elders who populate established denominations such as Anglicans or Presbyterians? Or the Methodists who, as I read this morning, have a transgender minister? There will be many responses I’m sure, but in the end this is a matter of personal conscience and belief, and the denominations concerned.

Some years ago I grappled with this problem, and concluded that if God can’t find a man to be a leader, He would appoint a woman. This happened in the Old Testament, and we can read about a woman called Deborah. Her story appears in Judges 4 and 5. She was Israel’s only female judge, and was a prophetess who “judged” Israel during those turbulent times when God’s people constantly flip-flopped between doing good and doing evil. Deborah emerged in a time when the Israelites were doing “evil in the Lord’s sight” (Judges 4:1). But through her leadership and willingness to hear the Spirit’s Word, she led the people to a victory over their Canaanite oppressors. And it was another woman, called Jael, who courageously stepped up to the mark and killed the Canaanite commander, Sisera. 

Why did Deborah become a judge in Israel? Some say it was to shame the men who refused to step up and take responsibility for the dire situation that the Israelites were in. Others are kinder in their opinion, and wonder if, perhaps, this was a picture of God’s gentle and compassionate care for His people, as a mother cares for her children. We should also be aware that God will use both men and women to be instruments of His power. But God’s preferred model, as communicated through Paul, was that elders should be male. Why is that, do you think? Perhaps a question for God one day.

Dear Father. It appears the You appointed men to be leaders in the Church. We pray for more Godly men with Your anointing upon them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Christ Came

Posted on by korgrocker

“Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.”
Romans 15:8 NLT

We Gentile pilgrims sometimes forget that Jesus was a Jew. He would have been Middle Eastern in appearance, not as commonly portrayed in Western films as a white Caucasian man. In fact, Matthew 1 records His genealogy all the way back to Abraham. He was a descendant of King David and fulfilled the Jewish expectation of their Messiah. Zechariah 9:9 was just one verse amongst many prophesying the coming King, “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt”. As we know, that very prophecy came to fruition on the first “Palm Sunday”. Isaiah 9:2, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” This prophecy from Isaiah continued – Isaiah 9:6-7, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen”!

There were many promises in the Hebrew Scriptures about the coming Messiah. Jesus Himself repeated the prophecy from Isaiah 61 when He preached in the synagogue in Nazareth. He said, ““The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come. ” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day”” (Luke 4:18-21). Jesus was clear and focused about His mission. And He fulfilled it to His own people, the Jews.

In Matthew 15 we read about the encounter between Jesus and a Gentile woman, whose daughter was seriously ill. The dialogue wasn’t going well for the woman and we read in Matthew 15:24, “Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”” Jesus was clear that His mission was to be a servant of the Jews. But we read that the woman persisted in her demands that Jesus heal her daughter – we read the conclusion in Matthew 15:28, ““Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed”. As an aside, perhaps this gracious miracle opened the door for the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. 

Way back in Genesis we read how God chose Abraham, a man on whom He would found a nation, the Jews. What followed was a series of promises to His people, generation after generation, until the Messiah finally arrived. The Incarnation of God’s Son complete. Jesus served the Jews throughout His life here on Planet Earth, but sadly His own people rejected Him. It was all part of God’s plan, of course, but we must never forget that the Jews are still God’s chosen nation. Zechariah prophesied that one day the Jewish nation will finally accept their Messiah. we read in Zechariah 12:10, “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died“. We are grateful for the Jews. They have suffered much over the many generations since Abraham, but God has always had His hand upon them. We thank God too for the early Jewish Apostles and evangelists who took God’s message of hope and grace to the Gentiles.

Father God. What can we do other than worship You, and thank You most sincerely for Your grace and love. Amen.
‭‭

The Rescue

Posted on by korgrocker

“I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.””
Romans 11:25-27 NLT

Paul writes that there will be a time of salvation for the Jews. We don’t know when that will be but we do know that one day it will happen. Paul loosely quoted two verses from the Old Testament Scriptures, ““The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the Lord. “And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Isaiah 59:20-21). We have to visit this section of Scripture to determine the context. These verses in Isaiah are at the end of a chapter where the prophet provides warnings about sin and wickedness. And the Redeemer is none other than Jesus Himself. Of course, we know that He died just outside the city walls at Jerusalem for the redemption of all sins, an act with eternal consequences, and Isaiah continues to reveal that the Lord’s Spirit will remain forever, never leaving His redeemed people. 

But Paul was perhaps also writing about a day when the people of Israel finally turn to their Redeemer. Their hearts will soften from the current hardness, and “all Israel will be saved”. If the Jews rejected their Redeemer when He came to this earth, what would make them change their collective minds? We mustn’t forget that Jesus has an appointment, marked in His Heavenly calendar, to return to earth a second time. We read in Acts 1:9-11, “After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”” We don’t know when “someday” will be of course, but we know that it will happen, as the angels foretold. We also know where He will return to, because He ascended from the Mount of Olives, as we read in Acts 1:12, “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile.” We also know what the weather will be like on the day He returns because it will be cloudy. But even though we know something about how Jesus will return, we don’t know when, other than Paul’s assertion that first, the “full number” of Gentiles must convert to believing in Christ. 

We also know from other Scriptures that Jesus will not return as a baby child, but very visibly with great power and glory. “For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. … And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:27,30). Perhaps this will be the time when the Jews will finally be saved. Matthew 24:31, “And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

But whatever we pilgrims believe, God’s plans for His human creation will come together one day. All will make sense then, in case we are puzzled about how it is all going to happen. God has the eternity view. Time is no problem to Him. Unlike us, He is not constrained by calendars and human events. God gave a prophetic message of the salvation of the Jews through Paul’s pen, and one day there will be a huge crowd of Jews and Gentiles in Heaven, united in praise and worship to our wonderful Heavenly Father.

Dear Father. We look forward to that day when You will be worshipped by all Your people. What can we say, other than echo that phrase from the last chapter of Revelation – “Come Lord Jesus”. Amen.

The Full Number

Posted on by korgrocker

“I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.”
Romans 11:25 NLT

Paul unfurls a mystery before his readers. He said that while the people of Israel, the Jews, refuse the Gospel, the gentiles will benefit from God’s grace. But this won’t last forever, because there is a limit on the number of Gentiles who will come to Christ. The obvious question, of course, is – how many is the “full number”? Is God close to achieving that number? We don’t know – only God does. But there is coming a day when God will decree enough! And then we will see the hearts of the Jews responding at last to their Messiah. 

Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 24:14, “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” The implication is that the “full number of Gentiles” won’t be achieved until the whole world, including all nations and people groups, have heard the “Good News about the Kingdom”. One statement that people who try to find fault with God suggest is that He isn’t fair, because there is always the possibility that someone, somewhere, will never hear the Gospel, implying that they will be denied the opportunity to respond to God. A good answer is perhaps the suggestion that if this concerns them then they should sign up to be a missionary just in case, and go and search out remote peoples and nations tucked away in some inaccessible corner of the globe. But, almost as a catch all, Paul wrote in Romans 1:20, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God”. Jesus said that the Gospel will be preached everywhere, but Paul follows that up by the thought that people don’t really have an excuse if they fail to respond to God. One day, we will all stand before God but secure in the knowledge that He will certainly always be fair. People will only ever be judged on what they know, not what they don’t know. And we can rest assured that everyone will be judged by what they know, not what they don’t know.

We currently live in a season of grace. The full number of Gentiles as not yet been reached – we know that, because we do not yet see the wholesale softening of the hearts of the Jews. But it won’t be long. The number of different translations of the Bible is staggering. The extent and reach of the Gospel is as never before. There is a feeling of urgency in spiritual realms, and we can see the end time story unfolding and aligning itself to world events, just as the old Apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation. So how prepared are we? And how are we communicating that feeling of urgency within our families and communities? Do we pray everyday for God to wake up those around us and soften their hearts so that they will feel the gentle wind of the Spirit flowing around them and through them?

Paul wrote about the mystery of how God made the Gospel available to the Gentiles. Our gratitude can know no limits. God’s love for His family, regardless of their origin, is mixed with His grace to reach everyone who is open to Him. It is a mystery no more. It is reality.

Dear Father God. Once again we thank You for Your grace and love. Please lead us to anyone who has not yet responded positively to Your Good News. Over our lives we have planted many Gospel seeds. Please bring on a time of harvest before the final click of Your salvation clock. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Jealous Jews

Posted on by korgrocker

“I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this, for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them. For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!”
Romans 11:13-15 NLT

Paul himself was a Jew. And even though he had been sent as a missionary to the Gentiles, he never passed an opportunity to share God’s message with his fellow Jews so that he “might save some of them“. In that well-documented encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus made a profound and eternal statement, “You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:22). A prophetic word from God’s Son, who knew His mission, that, as a Jew, He would be the Source of salvation for all. And we know what happened at Calvary. A Jew was crucified at the instigation of His fellow Jews. Such a tragedy. 

We read in Acts 10 how Peter shared the Gospel with Cornelius and his household, but when he returned to Jerusalem we read that his fellow Jews were not happy at all. After he had given his report about what had happened, we read, “When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life“” (Acts 11:18). There was no doubt. God made salvation available to the “rest of the world“, and even appointed Paul as the “Apostle to the Gentiles“. Paul was sure about his mandate. We read in Ephesians 3:6-8, “And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ“. But Paul was very much aware of God’s heart, that His grace would extend across national and tribal boundaries.

Christians today are ethnically diverse. We don’t claim a common ancestor other than God Himself and His Son, Jesus. But in that diversity, we celebrate together with the praise and worship of our wonderful Heavenly Father. One day we will be joined by God’s chosen people,. No-one will be left out. We read in Revelation 19:1, “After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God”. It will be an amazing experience being a part of that “vast crowd”.

Would the Jews have been jealous of the Gentile believers, especially when they could see how the Holy Spirit had been poured out on them as well? Possibly, but not those who understood God’s heart and His amazing grace. More of a problem was the people with hard hearts when Jesus was preaching and teaching His fellow Jews, those who failed to recognise their Messiah. The Pharisees were certainly jealous of the miracles, signs and wonders that Jesus performed in their midst. But that’s another story.

We pilgrims all stand alone in God’s presence. We are each unique, with our own spiritual DNA, and our own God-ordained mission. However, it is always a temptation to look jealously at other Christians, perhaps those with gifts that we wish we had. Thoughts like I wish I could preach, or lead worship, or pray or … whatever, like another Christian, can become a hurdle and cause unnecessary resentment. In John 21:21-22, Peter looked at another disciple, John, perhaps to take Jesus’ penetrating gaze off himself. But Jesus was having none of it. We read, “Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me“”. That’s all that matters. We must all focus on following Jesus. We’re not responsible for another’s relationship with God. There is no place for jealousy in God’s Kingdom.

Dear Heavenly Father. We know that the only thing that matters is You. We thank You for the love and grace You have individually for each one of Your children. Thank You. Amen.