"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Matthew 12:18-21 and Isaiah 42 

"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope." Matthew 12:18-21

As I have completed my study of Jonah and have yet identified my next study, this morning I use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which examines how Christ is both the Lion and the Lamb.  

Among His many attributes, God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.  He is all of these things at the same time and much more. In Matthew 12, Christ is described as God's Chosen Servant, and during His ministry, He heals those who followed Him.  In the devotion today, John Piper uses two attributes of Christ - how he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and how He is the spotless slain lamb of God who lays down His life for all of humanity.  These two attributes are used to depict two seemingly opposite ends of a spectrum - on one hand the lion is ferocious and as an apex predator - no other animal is higher than it on the food chain.  On the other hand, you have the lamb who follows the shepherd and is a portrait of meekness - going and doing as the shepherd leads.  Jesus is both and in the text today, we see an emphasis of His servant-hood and meekness, and how He cares for those in His flock.  All of us at various points in our life are in need of the humble and gentle care described here - we are the bruised reed and the smoldering wick.  We also see others who need this same humble and gentle care.  We are created in His image to be His ambassador during our time here, so believers must allow Him to work in us so that others can see His Light in us and be drawn to Him.        

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who reigns, serves, and saves!  Thank You for my salvation and for the blessings You pour out every day for me.  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Christ…will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Hebrews 9

Christ…will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. Hebrews 9:28

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 9  - the author of Hebrews builds on the theme of Jesus is better from previous chapters by describing how Jesus’ sacrifice ended the need for annual ritual washings and sacrifices for atonement of sin.    Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?:  V14: God saves as He is able to “purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”  V15: Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant of His shed blood, and this new covenant gives believers an eternal inheritance, providing victory over both sin and death. Jesus had to die to give us this inheritance because the inheritance only passes to the children (believers) upon instructions given in the will, and the will of the Father was for the Son to die such that we could receive the inheritance – vv16-17.  The animal blood sacrifices from the Old Testament were needed but only “copies of the heavenly things to be purified” and the death of Jesus represented the heavenly things by offering a better sacrifice (a spotless and final one) – vv18-23.  In contrast to the human high priest an man-made tabernacle, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place - heaven, through His final and perfect sacrifice – vv24-25.  With Jesus, it was no longer necessary for the human high priest to offer annual animal sacrifices – v26. Christ “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him” – v28.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Vv8-9: The acts of man to save himself are empty as “gifts and sacrifices [that] are offered…cannot perfect the conscience of the worship.”  The tent erected by man during the Old Testament is also lesser than the temple of Jesus’ body – vv11-12.  We need a savior.  
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid trying to save yourself as there is nothing you can do to achieve salvation.  Claim the promise that the victory over sin and death is assured as an inheritance for believers and that at the end of times He will save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.  Follow the example of Christ who submitted to the will of the Father to receive the rich inheritance of Christ.  Confess your sin and surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior.  

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, you are an awesome God who stands alone as able to save.  I am not deserving of such a gift of my salvation - the greatest gift of all time. My sin is great and it  continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 John 19:28-30

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 19:28-30, where we see Jesus' death on the cross.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God is all knowing and He has a perfect plan.  Jesus knew all that had occurred, what was occurring (Jesus' death) and what was yet to come....He also was in all the details as He was sent from God the Father, equal to God the Father, and part of the Triune God that includes the Holy Spirit.   The death of Jesus finished and completed the need for a perfect spotless lamb as the final atonement for all sin. This act, including the drinking of the sour wine, occurred just as written in scripture, fulfilling prophecy - see Psalm 69:21.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Jesus drank the sour wine intended for all of us - His entire experience from His arrest, flogging, and death on the cross was meant for us but He took our place.
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Claim the Jesus' death on the cross (and His resurrection) gives us victory over sin and death.  It is already won!  Follow the example of Jesus who willingly laid down His life promise that for others - us.  Deny oneself and surrender to Jesus as the Way, Truth and the Life. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

 John 1:29-34

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

I continue my study of John, and today, I outline and unpack John 1:29-34 using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

Main point: Jesus is the Triune God who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and gives new and eternal life.   

1. Jesus is the final and perfect atonement for the sins of the world - vv29-30
2. Jesus is revealed as one of the Triune God's identities - along with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - v31-34 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus approaches and makes Himself known to John (who continues to baptize those who repent in the Jordan), and John describes Jesus as the Lamb of God (the perfect and final sacrifice), who takes away the sin of the world" - v29; John continues, describing Jesus the as the one he kept referring to as coming after John but also the one who was before me (existed since the beginning - see v2) and as the one ranking before (higher than) John, because He existed before John - v30; all persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (descending from Heaven like a dove and remaining with Jesus) - of the Triune God appear together as sent by God - vv31-33; God the Father spoke to John and shared that Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit - v33; John once again in this chapter (see also vv14, 18) testifies regarding the identity of Jesus as the Son of God - v34.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: John fulfills his role to prepare the way for Jesus as he announces Jesus' arrival - v29; John wants everyone to be clear than he is less than Jesus - v30; John both performs and bears witness to Jesus' baptism, and also experiences the Father, Son and Holy Spirit during the baptism as he sees the Holy Spirit descend from Heaven like a dove and God talking to John sharing how the Holy Spirit remains with Jesus and Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit - vv32-33; John previously did not know Jesus but now understands more fully His identity as the Triune God - vv31, 34.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): See Jesus as the Promised Messiah who takes away the sin of the world; follow the example of others who repent and believe in Jesus to experience forgiveness and salvation, and to experience baptism by the Holy Spirit as you will then be reborn as a new creation into the family of God. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God who loves and baptizes with the Holy Spirit, giving new and eternal life.  Thank You Jesus for my rebirth and salvation.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

Mark 12:1-12

He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. Mark 12:6-8

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 12:1-12.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv6-8):

• The title of the second division per the commentary is "The Father Sent the One He Loves and We Should Honor."
• "The parable takes a remarkable turn. It continues the theme of the amazing patience of God with humanity. It also testifies to the amazing grace of a God who would send His only Son to reconcile rebellious sinners who commit horrible crimes, do not seek God, and have no fear of God."
• While the commentary emphasizes how the text is focused on Israel's religious leaders, we are encouraged to see ourselves in the text.
• The text, referring to a beloved son - of course we know this son as Jesus - is similar to text from Genesis 22:2 when God calls Abraham to sacrifice his son, "whom you love."  It is also similar to text from Isaiah 9:6-7 where we see a prophecy of Jesus - a son "given to us". 
• RE: the parable, the commentary compares the first servants of the vineyard master to the beloved son.  The first servants were many yet the beloved son was unique.  The servants were hired but the beloved son was the heir.  The servants were forerunners of the son, and the son was to be the last sent by the vineyard master.  
• "If verses 1-5 convey the hope of God for His people, verse 6 conveys the faithful love of God for His people. The Father sent His Son as an act of grace."  
• The following quote from David Garland's commentary on Mark highlights the fool hearty nature covetousness: "Covetousness makes humans want what they should not have. It makes them think that this desire should be fulfilled at all cost. Other persons become things to exploit, and our desires become our gods. . . . Do humans think that by erasing God from their lives they can take control of their earthly and eternal destinies? Apparently so . . . [Here] is the utter foolishness of sinful rebellion against God."  
• The sending of the son should remind us of Christmas which is upon us with the start of Advent tomorrow.

I share the sentiment of my commentary's author - that we should see ourselves in today's text.  Yes, Israel's religious leaders were the object of Jesus' words from the parable, yet all of us act in ways similar to these religious leaders.    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus that I can have life to the full now and for eternity.  Of course, I am not deserving of what Jesus did on the cross.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.