Born to Save Sinners

“The LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” –Genesis 39:21

Joseph was in Egypt, but not by choice. He was beaten by his brothers, thrown into a pit only to be pulled out of the pit to be sold into slavery. Yet, the Lord’s favor promised in dreams of his brothers kneeling before him remained on Joseph. He was appointed by his Egyptian master Potiphar to head the home, and his master prospered and had no worries under Joseph’s care.

Yet, Potiphar’s wife kept making sexual advances at the young, handsome Hebrew. Joseph remained faithful saying, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9)? The lustful woman kept advancing, one day trapping Joseph only to see him flee from evil. In the chaos, she held Joseph’s garment and deceived her husband into believing Joseph was the evil one. Potiphar then threw Joseph in the pit, though he did no wrong.

It is here Moses reminds us God’s steadfast love and favor remained on Joseph, and this time in the sight of the prison master. Moses inserts a short story about his brother Judah before returning to the Joseph narrative in Genesis 38, a chapter filled with sexual immorality. First, Judah took a Canaanite woman as a wife, something God prohibited. Then, Judah found a wife for his son named Tamar, who was widowed as both Judah’s sons were wicked and the Lord took their lives.

Tamar then dressed as a cult prostitute to seduce her father-in-law Judah, only to disappear with his belongings. When she was found to be pregnant, Judah judged her guilty and deserving death (Genesis 38:24). Yet, Tamar brought out Judah’s belongings which proved his culpability. It is here, Judah confessed Tamar to be more righteous than him, which in a way confesses his guilt and deserving more than death (vs 26).

Why does God’s Word tell us Joseph has God’s steadfast love and favor on him, yet he is imprisoned and suffers for sexual crimes he did not commit while Judah commits heinous sexual crimes, confesses guilt, and does not suffer as Joseph does? Read on, and we find Judah confessing he deserves punishment for his sin against Joseph (Genesis 44:16), only for Joseph to reconcile with his guilty brothers, draw them near to himself and tell them God sent Joseph ahead in suffering then exaltation to preserve their lives (Genesis 45:4-5). What the brothers meant for evil, God sovereignly meant for good (Genesis 50:20). By his sufferings, the brothers’ lives where preserved by God’s hand.

Think deeply what God is pointing us to in the favored Son Jesus Christ. He is perfectly righteous, yet treated as a great criminal. Suffering mockery and beatings. By His wounds we have inflicted on the Son of God, we sinners are healed. He suffered instead of us, and by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone we receive His benefits.

Think about the great evil of Judah and his brothers, plotting evil against their brother with intense jealousy. Jesus taught on this evil in His parable of the wicked tenants. The tenants were left the vineyard as the master went to the far country. Sending servants to receive his share, the tenants beat them all. Finally, the master sent his son, but the wicked tenants killed the son expecting to take his inheritance (Matthew 21:38).

Jacob, Joseph and the brothers’ father, passed away with a final request for Joseph to forgive his brothers all their sins (Genesis 50:17). On His cross, our Lord cried out, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). At Jacob’s funeral, Joseph gathered his brothers now forgiven and said not to fear twice, then a promise of good. He will provide for them.

Joseph was born to suffer, then be exalted to save his wicked brothers, all by God’s sovereign hand. Deeper still, the sinless Christ was born to save sinners as Joseph was told to name Him Jesus (Matthew 1:21), a saying trustworthy and deserving your full acceptance (I Timothy 1:15).

Dear sinner, think upon the sufferings of the Man of Sorrows. Jesus did this willingly. Christmas is the time we meditate on the Son of God taking on flesh, being rejected and despised, suffered and crucified as a criminal though He did not wrong, to save the wicked. Deeper than the weeping Joseph’s drawing his wicked brothers to himself with forgiveness, Jesus draws sinners to Himself to forgive us and reconcile us to our heavenly Father. Sinner, believe upon Christ and call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.

As Linus concluding in his reading of Luke 2, “That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.”

This is what Christmas is all about. God sending His favored Son to suffer and die instead of you to save many, glorifying our God who is mighty to save.

Heavenly Father, as this season draws family and friends together, remind us why Jesus came into the world: to save sinners. A sinner like me. All praise be to our gracious God who placed our guilt on Christ and His righteousness on us that we may glorify our God and enjoy You forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God, I'm Sad

 “Jesus wept.” –John11:35

God the Son, eternal in power and glory, took on flesh, dwelt among us, and wept. Lazarus had died. He was moved deeply and troubled upon seeing Lazarus’ sister Mary and others weeping (John 11:33). I take comfort that when I am sad I have a great high priest in Jesus Christ who wept and is able to sympathize with me (Hebrews 4:15). Why? He is without sin. I can weep with hope for the sinless Christ sympathizes with me.

So, a simple prayer is heard by my Father in heaven: God, I’m sad. Perhaps I tell God like the Psalmist, “all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears” (Psalm 6:6). I look for my God to answer with comfort, “I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God” (Psalm 69:3). I know that “my groaning is not hidden from You” (Psalm 38:9).

I know how I feel, but in sadness my faith needs reminding from God’s never changing, never fading Word.

1) Remind me what I know when I feel sad.

When we see someone we care about become sad, we feel drawn to help. True help comes in unchanging truth God reveals in His everlasting Word. When you are sad, Christian, you need reminding of what you know to be true.

God reveals Himself to be an emotional being. Our God takes pleasure, gets angry, gets jealous, grieves, hates, loves, and even rejoices. He took on flesh and wept. He took on flesh and endured the suffering and shame of the cross for the joy that was set before Him. God’s emotions are perfect, holy emotions.

I know my heart is tainted with sin. Corrupted. So, temptations visit me in my sadness. I need reminders of God’s everlasting truth when tempted to despair, or become angry, jealous in my sadness.

Dear sad reader, remember what God has done. Sadness isn’t a sin. We become sad at the state of this fallen world. Angry, perhaps. And it all comes with longing for God’s kingdom. A kingdom which enjoys eternal joy in God’s presence with sin and death defeated.

Another reminder of truth is that God is with us. He is not absent from us in our pain. He draws near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). Puritan William Bridge reminds us, “Thus does God, with whom are reserves of mercies, reserve His sweetest consolations for the time of our sourest afflictions, and temper the one with the other in most fit proportion” (A Lifting for the Downcast, Page 53).

Feeding your faith with truth of the unseen you know is true is not to be compared to modern medicine where pain can be relieved immediately. I KNOW Jesus raised from the dead, and I know one day He will wipe away every tear from my face. I am still sad, but it is not a sadness without hope.

Dear sad soul, remind your downcast heart of truth. “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

2) Remind me what is ahead when I remain sad.

We may be sad here along with the groanings of all creation for redemption, but “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

RC Sproul said, “Ultimately there are no tragedies for the people of God. God has promised by Himself that all things that happen in this world – all pain, all suffering, all tragedies – are but for a moment and God works in and through those events for the good of those who endure them…Tragedy for the Christian is temporary. Never permanent.”

I know what work the Lord has begun in me. I know He will complete this good work at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). However, today I am sad as sin still drags souls from enjoying God and death still takes loved ones. Christians may not weep like the world without hope does, but we weep. 

Yet, Paul commands us to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).  There is joy in the Lord when we are sad. There is the key: joy is in the Lord. Such joy cannot be obtained by will or thought, but is a gift from God (Romans 15:13). How precious is such everlasting joy in the Lord, especially when we are sad!

I will never forget the first time my wife and I attended a Baptist church just outside of Richmond, Kentucky. An elderly man came to sing a special. He had been a widow for a number of years and sang with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes, “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free! For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!”

We may have tears of sadness and longing here, but we have hope of the future God has promised us. And He is good to gift to us joy in such foretastes of eternity along our pathway here.

What is this joy God gifts to us? Our Triune God has love in Himself. The Father, Son, and Spirit loves. John Piper writes, “It is an admiring, delighting, exulting love. It is Joy. The Holy Spirit is God’s Joy in God.” He continues, “This means that Joy is at the heart of reality. God is Love, means most deeply, God is Joy in God.”

When we are sad, our joy in God remains by the power of the Holy Spirit in us. He produces fruit in us, among which is joy. Such joy now is looking forward to the coming glory which cannot be compared to this momentary suffering of sadness here.

As we sojourners and exiles make our way home heavenward, God’s presence with us, His mercies to us, is a comfort.

In Revelation 6, those martyred cry out to the Lord, “How long, O Lord?” They cry for God’s justice, for God’s justice in Christ’s return means He will right every wrong. The Lord gives them each a “white robe and told to rest a little longer” (Revelation 6:11). The God of all comfort in Christ our Lord comforts those who cried this prayer.

The sharp pains of grief here are comforted in the Savior’s love for us as we, too, await that coming Day. “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (I Peter 5:10).

Only a little while longer, dear mourning Christian. Our Savior will return for us. He will restore. He will right every wrong. He will wipe away every tear. Rejoice for the coming day in tears. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).

God, I am sad. I trust in Your promises in Christ. I trust in what You have revealed what is ahead for me. Yet, I am sad. Remind me of Your promises, of Your gospel. Remind me once again of what is ahead. Draw near to me in my sadness, and draw me nearer to You, that I may abound in hope. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

M'Cheyne - The Saviour's Tears Over the Lost

The 19th Century Scottish preacher Robert Murray M'Cheyne preached from Luke 19:41-42 where Jesus wept over Jerusalem before His crucifixion. I have changed some of the wording for easier modern reading from the Banner of Truth book of compilations of his sermons. From this sermon, I encourage you to read these words:

I come now to show you that Christ is willing to save even the hardest of sinners.

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it;" Christ here gives two proofs that he is willing to save sinners: 

(1) His tears; and 

(2) His words. 

These were the tears of one who never wept but in reality; and these were the words of one who never spoke but in reality. It is impossible for him to lie. “O, if you had known,” he said. It was a broken wish. It shows a feeling of the greatest love and tenderness. His bowels were yearning with tenderness within him, for the love he bore to their souls. His desire was a true desire. He saw them lying in their sin. They had slain the prophets, and despised their messages. He saw that they would soon crucify himself. He saw their hands red with his own blood; and yet, for all that, he wept over them. He saw the judgments that were coming on them. He saw that they would soon lie down in hell; and therefore he wept and cried, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."

I believe there are some here tonight over whom Christ says the same. He sees that you have sinned against light, and against love, and that you have resisted the Holy Spirit these fifty-two Sabbaths which have now gone over your heads. He sees how you have withstood every warning, how you have resisted his ministers, how you have resisted and crucified the Son of God afresh, how you have wounded Christ in the house of his friends; and yet he says, “O, if you had known”. Perhaps, sinner, you will not turn, perhaps you will perish, and before another year has passed, you may lift up your eyes in hell, being in torments. He that cannot lie says, he would have saved you; and if you perish, sinner, your blood be on your own head. It is the very essence of the gospel that Christ is willing to save. He wills not that any should perish, but that all should come to him and live. Some will say, why did he not save Jerusalem, if he was willing? To this I answer, that you must take the gospel as you find it. It is not your business nor mine to inquire into anything of the sort. It is sufficient for us to know that he is willing to save. He said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37); “He who comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37).

Now, brethren, in conclusion, I beseech you, strive to enter in at the strait gate. Many have entered, why not you?

A Provoked Spirit

 "While Paul was waiting in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols." -Acts 17:16

While Paul was dropped off in Athens and waiting for his co-laborer in the ministry Silas and his son in the faith Timothy, Paul walked the great ancient city of Athens. The hub of Greek culture, the beauty of ancient temples such as the Parthenon which, by Paul's time of arrival, was already four centuries old. Athens was a city teeming with spirituality and thinking. Paul discussed truth with a variety of thinkers in the marketplace only to be viewed as a collector of little spiritual tidbits ("babbler") and a teacher of strange gods.

The bold apostle to the Gentiles stood up on Mars Hill and doesn't waste a moment. The incredibly diverse, deep thinking, yet highly suspicious throng of diverse peoples listen to Paul consider their various religions and spiritualities toward the shrine dedicated to a god unknown, a god the Athenians pay homage to out of ignorance. Paul tells them the mystery of the ages: God created all things, He is Judge, and He alone is Savior.

What led Paul to preach so boldly in front of this intimidating crowd? Paul saw the overwhelming abundance of idols in Athens and his spirit was troubled to act.

America is not a land and a singular people without religion. It is a land teeming with both major metropolises and a great diversity of religions and spiritualities. They are a suspicious people which can intimidate the church of Jesus Christ into silence. If you are silent, dear saint, I ask you to consider having your spirit provoked.

Paul didn't wait for Silas and Timothy to tell them of his Athenian tour. Paul's visit to Athens didn't go like this: "Guys, look at this city. They are so lost and sinful. These people are hopeless fools. They really need to change. They need Jesus!" Then silently tour the city until moving on. No, Paul's spirit wasn't provoked to simply diagnose the Athenians and ignore the people. His provoked spirit spoke!

Go ahead and take in the sights of America. What do you see? Does the idols of our land disturb your heart? Does the lack of worship of the beautiful Christ in your neighborhood provoke your spirit? Can you be bothered to pray for the deliverance of those wicked, idol worshipers around you? Can you be troubled to reason with them, dine with them, invite them to small group or even church? 

Recall our Savior's words in Luke 10: "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest." Pray for laborers to enter the great field of the Lord's harvest of salvation! So, they prayed. Then Jesus said, "Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Basically, Jesus said, "Good news guys! Your prayer has been heard by the Lord of the harvest for more workers and is now answered! It's you guys! Go into field of intimidating teems of people who will mock you and hurt you!"

I confess to you, and I am certain I'm not alone, dear reader. I am too stubborn to go without a provoked spirit. So pray. Pray, "Lord, provoke my spirit! Bother me! Trouble me! Send me into Your field!" For those ignorant fools do not know that they are spiritual and religious but ungodly, that Christ died at the right time for the ungodly. The One, True Creator of the universe is a "strange deity" in their eyes. 

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:14-16)

The gospel makes your feet beautifully sent as lambs among wolves to save sinners through Christ. Go, and go boldly with provoked spirit and enter the Lord's field for harvest. "For faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). Pray, then go and preach Christ and Him crucified, dear lowly saint. 

Heavenly Father, I confess my spirit is all too comfortable with the idols in the land, homes, and hearts of those around me. I confess my heart is not troubled enough to be bothered by them. Be gracious to me and provoke my spirit, o Lord. Open my lips, give me the words to say, and open their ears to the rich treasures of the word of Christ. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Have the Son and Have Assurance

 "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." –I John 5:12

 Do you know the details of Christianity to believe in? Christ is truly God and became human, suffered and died on a cross, buried, then on the third day rose again? Chances are you say, “Yes, I believe this.” Yet, there is a nagging doubt which creeps up in the Christian’s mind time and again telling us, “you know these details, but will they save you when death comes for you?”

John assures the Christian of eternal life in this: whoever has the Son has life. My righteous deeds and my strength waxes and wanes, my life is but a vapor. I cannot fix my confidence in these things to quiet my restless, anxious soul with any assurance. Rather, I must fix my confidence on eternal righteousness, strength, and life that never fails for assurance.

Martin Luther was a 16^th Century monk plagued with doubts and troubles of the soul when he fixed his confidence on himself. Luther pursued the monastic life with an exhausting, self-deprecating attempt at holiness before a perfectly holy God. Lacking assurance of salvation, with anguish in the soul viewing God as a tyrant to demand such perfection, Luther discovered the Greek verse of Romans 1:17, “in [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Faith, that is, in Christ.

Christ obeyed the Father even to the point of death, and He is eternally righteous as the righteousness of God revealed. By faith you are in Christ. By faith His perfect obedience and the righteousness of God is yours as far and as long as Christ is righteous. By faith His eternal life is yours as long as Christ lives. By faith His mighty grip of His right hand holds you as long as He has strength.

Take comfort, Christian, in He who overcomes the world. Be diligent, wrote Peter, “to confirm your calling and election” with self-examination. May such an examination drive you more to Christ for assurance. This is the very reason John said he wrote these things, that those who believe in Jesus “may know that you have eternal life” (I John 5:13).

Look at Christ’s baptism when you consider your own. “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). By faith in Christ you have the Son. The Father says of you, “This is My beloved Child, with whom I am well (eternally) pleased.” Take your restless, troubled soul by faith in Christ to the Father by the strength of the Holy Spirit. Take your rest there and you will find assurance of your salvation.

Heavenly Father, help us fix our confidence in Christ Your beloved Son to find assurance of Your salvation, this precious gospel, for our souls troubled by our feebleness. May such assurance of Your strength by Your eternal purposes drive us to the good works You created us in Christ Jesus for. And be glorified in Your church. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Sweet, Precious Words of Jesus

“More to be desired are [the words of the Lord] than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” -Psalm 19:10

Some handle the Bible as simply a book of facts. The stories are real and there are moral nuggets to extrapolate, but the Bible’s worth ends there. Others handle the Bible as only a book of life application. Its only value being found in how I am to live…or want to live. Both of these blurry lenses to view God’s Word are removed in this one verse in the Psalms.

For the worshiper of God, the Word of God is desirable. The law, testimony, precepts, commandments, fear of the Lord, and rules found in the Bible as described in the previous verses are more precious and valuable than pure gold, sweeter than fresh drippings of honey from a honeycomb. This Psalm isn’t sung by someone simply wanting cold, hard facts from God or simply wanting a life application and motivational speech from God. This is sung by someone who read the Bible as God revealing Himself to be utterly glorious as well as a God to be delighted in.

Sin and affliction do not make my heart glad. No matter how much I invest in myself from either of these two human experiences, no matter how much I praise or justify sinfulness, my heart is not glad. Gladness of heart comes from the reality of this Psalm. To deeply desire God’s voice, the voice of our Good Shepherd upon the narrow road, the lamp unto our feet. To find God’s Word as sweet and enjoyable. 

This is enjoyed by a sinner forgiven, yes. Deeper still, this is enjoyed by a prodigal son welcomed home by the father and into a celebration (Luke 15:11-32). This is enjoyed by the principled self-righteous persecutor Saul of Tarsus when the resurrected Jesus knocked him down (Acts 9). In this I enjoy God’s Word, as a prideful, ugly sinner who once thought I could out-think Christianity and exceed in truth and morality greater than the teachings of Christ and His followers.

How did Jesus’ words become so sweet and so precious to me? Jesus Himself became sweet and precious to me. The Bible didn’t simply show me facts or how to live. The Bible shows me Christ.

How sweet and precious Jesus is to me. Even when following the voice of my Good Shepherd leads to pain, my heart confesses Peter’s response, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Sweet, precious words of eternal life. In my foolishness, I am prone to wander. His Word restores my life (Psalm 119:107). In my sadness and terrors of the night, His Word leads me to the Rock of my salvation (Psalm 62:1-2). In my fears, His Word reminds me He is beside me and I may sleep and wake again (Psalm 3:5-6).

His Word no longer condemns me as a criminal of His law, for I, even a sinner as I, belong to Christ (Romans 8:1). The pure law of God with its perfect precepts and rules I have broken was faithfully and perfectly obeyed by Christ (Philippians 2:8). My precious, sweet Savior is my righteousness before God. My blind eyes are opened, my deaf ears can hear, but my Lord who speaks the words of eternal life.

I plead with you to hear the precious, sweet words of the Lord Jesus Christ, these words of eternal life, and follow the Good Shepherd. You are not too great a sinner, too disheartened, or too self-righteous and intelligent for the only wise King Jesus to rescue from the wrath of God. Hear His precious, sweet words of eternal life and follow Him.

Heavenly Father, my prayer to You is for the readers to know You, to hear Your perfect law and discover the preciousness and sweetness of the words of our Lord! Open their ears to hear Christ’s words of eternal life and follow. You are altogether lovely and glorious, a God of great works worthy of eternal praise. Hallelujah to our great God and Savior! In Jesus’ name. Amen.