Prodigal or Judgmental

Hymns: You Raise Me Up (Joshua 5); Forgiven (Psalm 32); We Are Standing on Holy Ground (2 Corinthians 5); Father I Have Sinned (the Prodigal Son Song).

Readings: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Prelude: Imagine someone who wasted his inheritance on wild living, went broke, was homeless, smelled like a pig and just wanted to come home? Purpose: Let’s look at the prodigal son. Plan: Let’s examine Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32.

Wasted

“A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” (Luke 15:11b-13 NKJV)

The older son pictures those who have always attended church and never really gotten into serious trouble or strayed too far from God. The younger son pictures all the rest who have wandered far from God and gotten their lives in a real spiritual and financial mess.

A lazy and greedy second child bled his father dry, taking what he could of his inheritance before his father’s death. In our society as well as theirs that would be presumptuous. But, the father divided the inheritance between them before his death. Some in our society have done this. Thus, both children received their inheritance.

Bankrupt

“But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.” (Luke 15:14-16 NKJV)

A son squandered his inheritance in a far, distant country. Unlike the Jews, whose law required them to give to the poor, few other nations did, and there no one gave him anything. He was in a desperate situation on the edge of death.

Repentant Son

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father.” (Luke 15:17-20a NKJV)

We may want to be independent, but eventually realize how much we need each other. We may burn bridges, offend others, and cut off contact. We may never be able to repair some of our damaged relationships in this life, but we can always repair our damaged relationship with God.

The prodigal son came to a better mind. Repentance is a change of mind and involves action: turning FROM sin and TO the Father. So, he acted and made the difficult journey home in shame.

Would his father turn his back and disown him? Would the father demand a probation period? Would he accuse the wasteful son of embarrassing the family name? How do we treat those who are taking cautious, awkward steps out of the stench of life's tragically bad decisions, back to God?

Loving Father

“But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.” (Luke 15:20-22 NKJV)

We have all distanced ourselves from God at times. We have turned our back on him and put heaven to shame. Yet, all that is forgotten in an instant when we make any effort to return. Even while the son was a long way off, his return brought great joy to his father.

Feast

“And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15:23-24 NKJV)

If we are still a long way off, let’s begin making just a few steps in return to God. God is already running to greet us with great joy. The son’s confession was interrupted by his father’s joy. As we begin to pray again, God forgives before we even finish.

Angry Brother

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’” (Luke 15:25-27 NKJV)

The story is really about two lost sons. The loyal son was also lost in anger. A faithful church goer can also be lost. There are dangers even among those who have never left church, never gone wild and never been disloyal to their families. We can become self-righteous, self-centered, and merciless.

Angry

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.” (Luke 15:28-29 NKJV)

The prodigal son failed by wandering from good sense. The judgmental son failed by lacking mercy.

The Father’s Plea

“But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:30-32 NKJV)

If a church celebrated a wayward derelict, would the faithful among us be angry? Our Father encourages us to rejoice that a lost child has returned and remember that the faithful will receive a far greater reward in eternity.

Postlude: Which son are we, the prodigal or the angry? Do we see ourselves in both? Do we see God our Father, merciful to both? God joyfully welcomes us home when we fail and tenderly reminds us not to also fail by being harsh, but remember our eternal reward for faithfulness. Let’s be thankful that we have a Father in heaven who loves both.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Wilkins, Michael J. Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004.; Nolland, J. Vol. 35B: Word Biblical Commentary : Luke. 2002. Dallas: Word, Incorporated. 497.

R.T. France. NICNT. The Gospel of Matthew; William L. Lane. NICNT. The Gospel of Mark; Green, Joel B. NICNT. The Gospel of Luke; J. Ramsey Michaels. NICNT. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, Mich. W.B. Eerdmans. 2007; 1974; 1997; 2010.

Brian Stoffregen. Exegetical Notes. crossmarks.com/brian/

Bearing Fruit

Where is God when bad things happen? Purpose: Let’s discuss time and chance, and God giving us one last chance to repent. Plan: Let’s look at what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-9.

Martyrs

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-3 NKJV)

Were the victims of recent atrocities around the world being punished by God? Are innocent victims of war worse people than us? Are massacres God’s punishment? Pilate massacred Galileans during worship. Was their worship insincere? Such judgmental questions annoy Jesus, because as He said, we will all perish unless we change our ways. Judgment by human governments does not necessarily constitute divine judgment.

Accident Victims

“Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:4-5 NKJV)

Were the victims in recent accidents being punished by God? Those who died in a Jerusalem building collapse, were no worse or better than you and me. Unless we all repent we too will perish. We love to judge the fate of others, but Jesus reminds us to judge ourselves and repent.

Fruitlessness

“He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’” (Luke 13:6-7 NKJV)

What do you do with a fruitless tree that is wasting garden space? What does God do with a believer that is showing no fruit of repentance or faith? This is first a warning to Israel as a nation, but then also to every Christian, faith without works is dead.

Last Chance for Fruitfulness

“But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ” (Luke 13:8-9 NKJV)

We can’t blame everything on time and chance. One day God will cut off the unrepentant. God gives space to repent. The parable of the fig tree shows that God’s leniency will not last forever. There is a certain urgency to repentance. So let’s repent, before it is too late.

“His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalm 136). Not every calamity is God’s punishment. Time and chance happen to everyone (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Not every loss is punishment and not every gain is a reward. Even when punishment is due, Jesus showed God’s preference to give us a second chance to repent.

Postlude

Next time we hear of an atrocity, a major sickness or a natural disaster, let’s look upon those people with compassion instead of judgment. Let’s also understand that we can’t blame time and chance for everything. God is giving us a little time to bear fruit. Let’s repent before it’s too late.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Blessed is He

What is God’s attitude towards a world that rejects the Gospel? Does He force people to believe against their wills? Let’s look at Luke 13:31-35.

Get Out

“On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, ‘Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.’ ” (Luke 13:31 NKJV)

This does not seem to be true, because Herod had not even wanted to kill John, but was forced to do so by circumstances. Perhaps these Pharisees were trying to scare Jesus off. It didn't work.

That Vixen

“And He said to them, ‘Go, tell that fox [lit. vixen, female fox], “Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” ’ ” (Luke 13:32 NKJV)

As kings were likened to beasts of prey in prophecy, Herod is likened to a lesser predator. A fox picks on small farm animals like hens. So, Jesus called Herod Antipas a fox, a cowardly predator, like his father Herod the Great who once murdered innocent children trying to kill Jesus as a little child. Jerusalem, who murdered the prophets, was no better.

Jesus insults Herod Antipas further by using the feminine of a fox, a vixen. He is implying that Herod is not a real man, because he victimizes the weak. Not intimidated in the slightest, Jesus tells the Pharisees, he has three day's work left and then he’ll be done, not before.

Casting out demons and healing are two important foretastes of the kingdom of God. Jesus will displace Satan as a power in this present world, and He will heal the world. For now, Jesus casts the evil one out and heals our souls.

On Our Way

“Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:33 NKJV)

Jesus repeats the little time He has left. It cannot be? It’s almost as if Jesus is saying with a sigh of resignation, that it would not be right for a prophet to be killed anywhere but Jerusalem. Only the supreme court at Jerusalem could sentence a prophet to death.

O Jerusalem

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34 NKJV)

No “irresistible grace” here! They were not willing. God is a Sovereign who honors the decision of those who seek Him or choose to be distant from Him. We are even now choosing our eternal destination. May we all repent and seek Him! Hell is just eternal separation from God. Why would anybody choose the same eternity as hardened murderers and thieves? What should we do?

“... you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29 NKJV)

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6 NKJV)

“... If you seek Him, He will be found by you ...” (1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 15:2 NKJV)

“... He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)

Blessed is He

“See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” (Luke 13:35 NKJV)

Our world is desolate. The best among us cannot stop wars, pandemics, floods, and death. Yet God can save us from all these things! Who are those who come in the name of the Lord? Certainly not heretics and apostate leaders! Jesus is referring to those prophets rejected and murdered in Jerusalem and any future preachers faithful to the Lord. We bless those who submit to the authority of God.

Postlude

Predators of the world like Herod see us as a threat. They try to intimidate us at home, or imprison and murder us in countries like Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia and so on. Jesus sees the world as wayward chicks to be gathered, as needing their demons cast out and healed. There’s work to do. Let’s remain in prayer, not intimidated into silence, but always ready to spread the good news to anyone who will listen.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bible E-Course 3b - Creation Theories & Lessons

Is there a purpose for the creation narratives? With so many theories, what lessons can we learn?

Creation Theories

Let’s first examine a few of the many creation theories and some of their strengths and weaknesses

1. Godless Evolution claims to be honest with geology and biology, but denies ubiquitous forensic evidence of God’s existence and treats theories as fact.

2. Theistic Evolution tries to harmonize scientific theories, but puts too much trust in fallible, ever-changing human theories, and calls parts of the Bible myth.

3. The Day-Age Theory speculates that creation days were ages, possibly millions of years. It ignores any scientific evidence of a young earth and the definition “evening and morning.”

4. The Gap Theory postulates a gap of millions of years between Genesis 1:1 and 2, to harmonize popular geology. The Holy Spirit did renew the face of the waters (Psalms 104:30). But, this theory puts death before Adam, contradicting Romans 5:14.

5. A Polemic Theory sees Genesis 1 as an attack upon pagan gods. But, Hebrew experts disagree.

6. Augustine’s Allegory Theory explains some puzzles, but Jesus described a young earth perspective (Mark 10:6, Mark 13:19-20, Luke 11:50-51), and treated the Hebrew Scriptures like history not allegory (Matthew 19:3-6; Mark 10:3-9; Luke 11:50-51; Matthew 24:38-39; John 3:14; John 6:32-33, 49; Luke 17:28-32; Matthew 10:15; Luke 4:25-27; Matthew 12:40-41) as did the church.

7. The Majestic Prose Theory sees Genesis as stylized history or a festive overture, such as days 1, 2, 3 being parallel to days 4, 5, 6. Hebrew scholars disagree.

8. Intelligent Design (The Teleological Argument) challenges a scientific weakness, deliberately ignoring forensic, evidence-based methods when it comes to the existence of God. But, some intelligent design advocates ignore the Bible.

9. Young Earth Theories are supported by many Hebrew scholars and those scientists who say that there is evidence for a literal 6 days of creation. This is the explanation that best fits the account. Are there still questions? Yes, there probably always will be. For instance, how do you explain a young earth and visible light coming from stars millions of light years away? There are some interesting theories, but few solid answers.

How do we live in community with other Christians who lean many different ways regarding creation? We are called to peace. Christians all believe that God created everything. It is important to stay humble, and realize that in our lifetimes we will most likely not have all the answers.

Faith is not blind, but takes the best available evidence and draws conclusions, some tentative, some dogmatic. Faith and science both see in part and draw conclusions about what we don’t know based upon what we do know (Hebrews 11:1).

Creation Lessons

So, what are some important lessons from the various creation narratives throughout the Bible?

Romans 1 claims that the evidence for God is ubiquitous, but atheists suppress the truth in unrighteousness, motivated by a long list of human evils.

Jesus said that the scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). Paul claimed that all scripture is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) including Genesis. Peter wrote that no prophecy of scripture was of human will, but from God (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Genesis 2 teaches us that sin begins with temptation. When we begin to think that disobeying God looks pleasant to the eyes and desirable to make one wise, we are in trouble.

In Job 38-42 God presents the ultimate forensic challenge. It is a teleological (intelligent design) masterpiece. Where were we when God made the universe! Who is a puny man to tell anyone how God created all things!

Psalm 104 expresses God’s love for living creatures. While God is omnipresent, God is not His creation. He created all things and He is knowable personally.

John 1 presents a different side to the creation story. The Word, who is equal in substance to God (John 10:30; Philippians 2:6), but eternally submits to Him as Father (John 20:17; I Peter 3:21-22), became flesh.

God’s Word is powerful. He simply spoke and all those things came into being. When we read the Bible as God’s Word, it is also powerful in our lives.

God is powerful. We cannot fathom a being who created such an incredibly large and complex universe. We easily forget how powerful God is.

Creation was “very good'' (Genesis 1:31). Our world is filled with bad things like war, crime, oppression and hate. It is also filled with good things, the things that God created. Creation is God’s goodness made glaringly obvious to us.

In creating a day of rest, God teaches us wisdom. Rather than continually rushing around working ourselves to a frazzle, we should take time out to rest and meditate on the work that is finished.

God created us as male and female, as equals in His image (Genesis 1:27), but for different purposes. We are happiest when we do what we were created for. When we abuse each other or confuse gender roles, we ruin our families and weaken human society. The answer is not rejecting God’s created intent for men and women, nor rejecting the authority of Holy Scripture, but returning to it.

Do you choose to side with the skeptics or have a change of heart and mind and believe the good news of God’s reign? You decide!

Bible E-Course 3a - Genesis Vocabulary

Let’s begin a study of Genesis and why it’s important. Let’s first of all look at some vocabulary that may need a little clarification.

Day

Read Genesis 1-2 and notice how the context defines the meaning of words. For instance, how is the word day defined at least three different ways in Genesis 1-2?

“God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” (Genesis 1:5 NIV)

“This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4 NKJV)

How is the word day defined to plainly reveal the length of each creation day?

“the evening and the morning” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 KJV)

We need to look at the context to see how a word is used. Here in the creation account, the word day has a variety of meanings just like in English. It is used to mean 1) daylight hours compared to night, 2) the whole 24 hour period of evening and morning, and 3) the period of time when God created everything, in a similar manner to which we would say, back in grandpa’s day.

Another use of the word day is also found in the accounts of Jesus' death, that He would be three days in the grave (Matthew 12:40; 26:61; 27:40, 63; Mark 8:31; 14:58; 15:29; John 2:19-20). This is different to modern English, because colloquially in ancient Greek, three days and three nights could include parts of 3 days, such as Friday afternoon to Sunday morning.

Do we also use the word day in several ways in English? At the later giving of the Ten Commandments, were the creation days understood as a metaphor or literal?

“Because the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:11 CEB)

Expanse

How is the word “firmament” or “expanse” used to mean two separate things? (Genesis 1:6-8; 14-20) Notice it is used to describe the atmosphere between the oceans, rivers, and lakes on the earth and the clouds in the sky. Notice again that it is also used in a different manner to describe the expanse between earth and the sun, moon and stars.

Created

The word “created” in Genesis 1:1 is also a special word. In the Qal or simple conjugation of the Hebrew verb, it is “bara” and then is exclusively used for something that only God can do.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NASB)

When humans “create” or make something, they do not create the material, but merely form or shape something that God has already created.

Light

How is it that light was created before the lights, the sun, moon and stars? One theory is that God “set” what He had created to be an astronomical clock on the 4th day, but that’s not what the text says. Another theory is that God removed the cloud cover on day 4 so that the sun, moon and stars could be visible, but that’s also not what the scripture says.

What the text actually says is that God created light on day 1 and generators of light on day 4. That leaves us with a mystery which I will place on a shelf until eternity. What we do know is that God is the Father of lights (James 1:17) and God is light (1 John 1:5).

Authorship

Now let’s look at the primary human author whose pen God inspired to write Genesis, historically accepted as Moses.

Contrary to modern skeptics, the Bible itself generally attributes the first five books of the Bible to Moses (Exodus 17:14; 24:4; 34:27; Numbers 33:1–2; Deuteronomy 31:9–11; Joshua 1:8; 8:31–32; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; 21:8; Ezra 6:18; Nehemiah 13:1; Daniel 9:11–13; Malachi 4:4; Matthew 19:8; John 5:45–47; 7:19; Acts 3:22; Romans 10:5; Mark 12:26). Why do skeptics ignore the Bible’s own testimony about who was the human author of the first five books, the Pentateuch? Perhaps Romans 1:16-32 has an answer, an important passage to take some time to read. It’s quite plain and it may shock you.

It’s obvious that Moses did not write about his own death (Deuteronomy 34:5-12) and it’s also possible that he redacted or included a couple of very ancient creation records into the text (Genesis 1:1-2:3; 2:4-25). If so, that would make the biblical creation accounts much older than other creation stories from ancient history.

Evidence

What do the Genesis creation accounts tell us? Ubiquitous forensic evidence declares loudly that there is a designer and creator of all things.

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 ESV)

“The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world. In the heavens a tent is set up for the sun.” (Psalm 19:1-4 CEV)

What did Jesus believe about the creation account?

“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4 KJV).

Did Jesus have personal involvement in creation?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3, 14 NASB)

Do you choose to side with the skeptics or have a change of heart and mind and believe the good news of God’s reign? You decide!