Category: church body

The “One Anothers”

Romans 14-16

Romans 14:10-13 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

The ministry of strengthening individuals and the church is based on two main elements.  We are instructed to encourage one another, and to build up one another.  Note the importance of “the one anothers” in the instructions God gives us in His Word.

To love one another.

John 13:34-35(NLT) So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

To welcome one another.

1 Corinthians 16:19-20(NLT) The churches here in the province of Asia send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings. 20 All the brothers and sisters here send greetings to you. Greet each other with a sacred kiss.

To have great affection and honor for one another.

Romans 12:10(NLT) Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

To pray earnestly for one another.

James 5:16(NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

To care for one another.

1 Corinthians 12:25(NLT) This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.

To accept one another

Romans 15:1b-9(NLT) We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. 8 Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 9 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them.

Have you also noticed the“one another’s” that God does not instruct us to do? For example, to chastise one another, humble one another, tear down one another, gossip about one another, or pressure one another. 

This is hardly an exhaustive list, but do you see the theme of all these verses?  Together we are the body of Christ, and those things that we do to strengthen the body are a group effort.  Everyone has a responsibility for one another to do the things that only you can do.  There is only one “you” in the church today, and God is counting on you. Love, care, welcome, prayer, and encouragement are all ministry to others.  Don’t make the Christian walk of trust and faith too complicated for people.   We need to become like the little child in Jesus’ teaching, where we hear the truth with simple hearts of believing.  In the small and personal ministries of people to others in the church the true love of God in Christ becomes alive and evident.

Romans 16:25-27 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. 26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. 27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.

Thanks to God for revealing the sacred secret so that we as Gentiles can share in the promises made and kept by God.

Love in Christ – Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions

  1. When have you fallen into the trap of condemning or looking down upon another believer? What is the problem with this? What would have been a better response and attitude on your part?
  2. Make a list of “one anothers” that we are NOT to do if we are living according to God’s way. Which ones come too easy for you? How can you work towards stopping these “one anothers”?
  3. What responsibility towards one another does God want to see YOU take part in today? How many different positive “one anothers” can you do today to build up the body of Christ and please God? Who benefits and how? Pray for God’s help in eliminating negative “one anothers” and focusing instead on seeing, doing, speaking, positive ones instead.
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Encouraging Fellowship

Acts 20:1-3, Romans 1-3

Devotion by Merry Peterson (Canada)

Have you ever wondered what makes Christian fellowship oh so sweet?  Paul in this passage has expressed his earnest desire to be among his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  His heart aches to be present with them, instead he finds himself writing a letter to them.  He states in Romans chapter 1, verse 12 so “that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith”.  What he is expressing is his desire for the encouragement that comes from fellowshipping with one another.

When we get together as Christians to worship, sing, hang out together, share a meal, or other activities where we truly interact is when fellowship is sweetest.  For an extended period of time I lived on the west coast.  Let me tell you it is a very long way away from most of our churches in our conference of churches.  I loved our 2 local congregations but it was ever so sweet when I would get to attend a camp or conference activity with other like-minded believers back east.  I always found it encouraging and always had the opportunity to encourage and minister to others as we fellowshipped together.  It was rejuvenating.  The Apostle Paul is longing for that same rejuvenating fellowship. 

Notice he mentions by mutual faith – that is why it is so important that we should fellowship together as believers.  In Proverbs 27:17 we read “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  To sharpen iron it must be rubbed against another piece of iron.  This picture reminds us that by fellowshipping together – sometimes literally rubbing elbows – we are strengthening and encouraging one another providing the most mutual benefit. That is why Paul in other writing mentions not to forget the assembling of ourselves together – so we don’t lose the mutual benefit of encouraging one another.  In our technological age of on-line church and digital meeting spaces let’s not forget what the Apostle Paul really yearned for, and felt was most beneficial – fellowship with other Christian believers.  Let’s remember that meeting together is for mutual benefit in the faith – uplifting, encouraging, and helping to rejuvenate our brothers and sisters in the faith so they too can have joy for the journey.

For Reflection:

 How can I be more diligent in taking part in opportunities to fellowship with other believers?

Have I taken this sweet, refreshing gift for granted that Paul longed for?

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Gifts for the Body

I Corinthians 12:7  “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 12-14

Devotion by Merry Peterson (Canada)

Did you know you are a gift to everyone?  We are all given certain gifts for the common good of all believers.  God by His Spirit enables us to do different things but it is for a purpose – to benefit those whom we are in Christian fellowship with. As Paul was writing to the church body in Corinth he was letting them know that they all had various spiritual gifts.  They were the emerging church at the time, still getting established in the ideas and practices of the Christian faith.  Paul was reminding them of their individual gifts and that those gifts were to be used for the common good, edifying their brothers and sisters in Christ.

 Do you have a certain gift that God has given you?  I have a friend who has a God given gift of artistic ability. She blesses and encourages others with her drawings of Bible scriptures surrounded by scenes from nature.  I find encouragement each time I see one of her illustrations.  Sure, I can draw a stick figure – but I can’t meticulously draw the intricate details of a flower or butterfly that inspires the soul like she can – that is her God-given gift. 

Each one of us has a different gift and we are to use it to benefit our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Some people are empowered with prayer abilities, others give good Godly advice, others are good at teaching.  Some have the gift of evangelism or hospitality, and some are just plain the most helpful people you know.  These are all gifts that are given to us by God’s Spirit and they are all different.  My abilities are different than my friend’s abilities.  God doesn’t skip any one of us in the giving of these gifts – he wants us to use our specific gift for the benefit of everyone.  No one can say that one gift is better than another because all of these gifts were meant to be used together to make a complete picture for how a body of believers should function together building each other up.  Just imagine if your Christian fellowship group didn’t have anyone with a musical gift – the worship service might sound terrible!  We need each person to exercise their spiritual gift so that we all can be enriched and God can be glorified. 

For Reflection:

  1. What gifts has God given you to help enrich the lives of those you are in fellowship with? 
  2. How have you been enriched by the gifts of others recently?         
  3. Have you thanked God for your gifts and the gifts of others?

Merry Peterson pastors the Freedom In Christ Church in Welland, Ontario, Canada.  She has enjoyed being in pastoral ministry for many years and has worked on the side in education in both public and private sectors in various capacities.

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Getting Back to Business

1 Corinthians 5-8

Devotion by Emilee (Ross) Christian

I really enjoyed today’s reading. Paul had some zingers that actually got me laughing – my favorite being 8:2. In our reading today, we learn this letter is a response to one from the Corinthians (7:1). After a lengthy introduction in chapters 1-4, Paul gets right to addressing some specific concerns regarding the Corinthian church. There is a lot that can be discussed here, but the key seemed to be Paul encouraging the Corinthian church to remove distractions and get back to the business of spreading the Gospel. 

Earlier this week I wrote about how the early church was moving in the days of the Apostles. In today’s reading, we see a church that has come to a standstill. It seems the Cornintian church lost focus on spreading the Gospel and what it meant to be the body of Christ. Paul mentions when he told the church to stay away from people “who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols” he was referring specifically to believers who partake in these actions (5:10 NLT). Paul plainly puts that to stay away from all such people, you’d have to leave this earth – that was another one of those zingers I found humorous. The problem Paul has with the Corinthians is they are allowing a man living in sexual sin with this step mother to be an active member of their church. It’s a distraction. It’s giving the church a bad name, as Paul writes even pagans don’t tolerate such behavior. Paul is NOT telling the church to avoid sinners, but he is telling us to get the sin out of the church. There is a difference. Allowing one who is actively participating in sin with no signs of repentance within the church causes a distraction. Discord can break out amongst the people in the church over the issue. I believe Paul is also concerned with the Corinthians giving the church a bad name, in turn hindering the spread of “sincerity and truth” (5:8 NLT). He continues this idea in chapter 6, regarding the Corinthians use of the public courts to settle disputes. He doesn’t like that this is being done in front of non-believers. Why? Because, it is distracting from the Gospel message. It’s the same way with the issues of marriage and food discussed in chapters 7 and 8. 

We have to remember the church was on a mission. Our New Testament stories and scripture come from what the early church did. Paul understood the importance of the movement and the urgency to share the Gospel. It seemed this specific Corinthian church had forgotten. Paul is urging the Corinthians to remove distractions and get back to the business of the church. I believe that is the biggest take away from today’s scripture. It’s not about whether we should be married or not, whether we eat this or that. It’s not even about what people we should avoid or allow in the church. It’s about refocusing the efforts of the church to do the work of Christ. Jesus tells us the two most important commandments are to love God and secondly love others. That is the movement to which Paul wants the Corinthians to return. It must be our focus as well. Paul sums it up pretty nicely in his opening statement in chapter 8, “But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church” (verse 1 NLT). 

Reflection Questions

  1. What distractions have gotten in the way of you intentionally spreading the Gospel? How can you minimize them (or eliminate them or use them to your advantage – depending on what your distractions are) so that you focus more on how to best love God and love others which must include spreading the good news?
  2. What should our response be to sin in the church? What should our response be to sin outside of the church? Why the difference? What happens when we get it mixed up and treat outside sin as we are supposed to treat inside sin? What happens when we get it mixed up and treat inside sin as we are supposed to treat outside sin?
  3. After reading the whole Bible passage today, re-read 1 Corinthians 8:2. What is Paul saying in this verse? Why is he saying it? What can you learn from it? And how could you put it into practice?
  4. What do you think God wants you personally to learn and put into practice today from this letter from Paul to the church in Corinth?
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Believers on the Move

Acts 18:19-19:41

Devotion by Emilee (Ross) Christian

We revisit the story of the early church in today’s reading of Acts 18:19-19:41. In this section we meet Apollos, an influential Jew converting many to Christ. Paul concludes his second missionary journey and begins his third. There is an encounter with the Holy Spirit and men of Ephesus. We learn about God giving Paul the ability to perform miraculous signs. We get a story about demon casting and see how God can use all things for His good. Finally, this section ends with a huge riot in Ephesus. So much happened in this section, but the undercurrent was the movement in the church, the believers. I think it’s worth taking a closer look at what the believers were actually doing, so we can follow their example. 

In today’s reading, the collective term “the believers” is first used in 18:23 when “Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers” (NLT). Here, the church is seen hosting Paul and allowing themselves to be encouraged and strengthened through his teachings. In various letters Paul commends hospitality. The church is supposed to be a hospitable place. Soon many families will gather together for the holiday season. While this can cause stress, I challenge you to consider it a blessing and an opportunity to share God’s love by welcoming people into your home. 

The believers were also strengthened by Paul’s visit. We, too, need to allow ourselves to be encouraged. It is important we put ourselves in situations where we can feel revitalized. Find what reignites your passion for the Gospel. Maybe that’s simply going to church on a weekly basis. It could be attending a Bible Study, instead of leading one. Time alone in the Word. Church Camp or conferences. Attending a Christian concert. I think it is worth noting that while the early believers were welcoming and serving Paul, they also allowed themselves to be served as Paul’s visit strengthened their faith. 

Next we see believers teaching, correcting, and learning. I love the story in Acts 18:24-26. We meet Apollos, a man on fire for the Lord. In Ephesus, he meets Priscilla and Aquila, two students of Paul’s. Scripture says Priscilla and Aquila pulled Apollos aside and “explained the way of God more accurately” (18:26 NLT). They did not publicly call out Apollos, telling him he was wrong. Rather quietly and respectfully this couple sought to fill in the gaps in Apollos’ understanding of scripture. Furthermore, Apollos welcomed their knowledge. He was not so prideful, he could not learn. This is such a wonderful example of church conflict being resolved peacefully. We can learn from these early believers to have open hearts, ready to search scripture to receive truth, and share our own perspective and understanding of scripture in non-threatening ways. 

This next part of Apollos’ story especially intrigues me. Apollos has a desire to go to Achaia and shared it with his fellow believers. They in turn encourage him to go. We can follow this example by sharing with our brothers and sisters in the church our desires, hopes, plans. From little side stories like these, it is clear to me the church is meant to act as a unit, not one sole individual acting on his or her own. Apollos allowed himself to be encouraged by his fellow believers then set off to do the work God planned for him. Here we see the church in movement by sharing and encouraging. 

These believers in Ephesus not only encourage Apollos to go to Achaia, but intercede on his behalf. They write to their friends in Achaia asking them to welcome Apollos. Again, it is a short and sweet detail in this grand passage of Paul’s journeys. Yet, it shows how the early church was moving and interacting with one another during the time of the Apostles. It serves as a reminder to us how we should be interacting with one another. How can you intercede for those brothers and sisters around you? Are there unmet needs you may be able to provide? 

Looking into Chapter 19 Paul has some interesting interactions with the people of Ephesus. These twelve men were like Apollos believing in “John’s Baptism,” understanding the repentant side of the story, but not quite grasping the Jesus-new-life part. This new creation baptism was something Paul personally experienced. Essentially, he provides these Ephesian men with the rest of the story and they are “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (19:5 NLT). So, what are members of the church doing here? Getting baptized. Baptism is a public declaration of our faith. This symbolic action helps solidify our understanding of a new life in Christ. How can we follow the example here from the early church? Get baptized. Baptism has meant all sorts of different things to different people. However, in my opinion, scripture has made it pretty clear. Baptism is our call to action after hearing, believing, and accepting the Gospel. Baptism is not a necessity to our salvation but a consequence. It is what the early church did, it is what we should do. 

The next time “believers” are collectively mentioned as a group is in Acts 19:18. In the aftermath of the Sons of Sceva story, believers still practicing sorcery and incantation confess and repent by burning books associated with sorcery. While I am certainly not advocating for the burning of books, it is the action of physically turning away from their sin that is notable here. The church today can follow this example. The church is made up of humans. We are going to make mistakes, mess up, have our good and bad days. On the bad days, it is important we take responsibility. When the Ephesian people turned away from their sin “the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect” (20 NLT). This shows that repentance is not just for the sake of the sinner but can be used for spreading the Gospel. 

Finally, the last time we see the believers in this section is during the riot in Ephesus. Here, the believers are seen as protecting and defending Paul. I found the small details in this story fascinating. In Acts 19:30 the believers prevent Paul from entering the amphitheater where the rioting was taking place. While some of Paul’s companions are swept up in the chaos, Paul is held back. The Greek word used here is translated as “would not allow.” Eventually, the people are calmed down and dispersed with nothing more than shouting and confusion to show for their rioting. I have to wonder if the situation would have been made worse had Paul been present. Even some of Paul’s friends who were province officials sensed Paul would be in danger had he gone with the rioters. While we may not be facing an angry mob head on, in what ways can we protect and defend our fellow believers? Does your church have connections with missionaries who are in danger? Can you financially contribute to these organizations? Can you organize prayer for these people? Are there justice groups for which you could be involved? The early church played a role in protecting and defending other believers, so how can we?

The believers of the early church are seen acting in so many ways throughout this section. They are welcoming. Receptive of encouragement. They are teachers, correcting and learning from one another. They are involved in each other’s lives. They are responsive to the call of baptism. They are repentant. Lastly they are seen as protecting and defending. My hope is by further looking at their actions we can seek action as well. May we learn from the example of the early church and may their actions guide us as we continue the spread of the Gospel, two thousand years later.   

Reflection Questions

  1. From above: “How can you intercede for those brothers and sisters around you? Are there unmet needs you may be able to provide? “
  2. And, “The early church played a role in protecting and defending other believers, so how can we?”
  3. How can you be more like the early church believers today?
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Chosen – for Something

Be Strong and Do It!

1 Chronicles 26-29 & Psalm 127

Have you ever had an idea, or plans for something that you spent time putting together, but were not able to actually carry it out?

It might be because you don’t have the means, the talent, the time, but whatever the case, it can be disheartening, so I appreciate David’s example here on not being downtrodden about it but instead taking an opportunity to guide the nation and his son, directing them to serve God.

I also think it is pretty cool that despite David not being allowed to build the temple, we see an example of God’s Spirit working in David to come up with the plans.  Just because he wasn’t allowed to build, didn’t mean that he wasn’t able to still do something for the LORD.

In this case, David wasn’t allowed to build because of being a warrior who had killed others, but it is also a reminder to me that there isn’t just one thing to do.  God may call us differently or gift us differently to accomplish more things.  God didn’t use David to build the temple because of David’s actions over the past. But in other cases, God is just using people in different ways – not because one thing is better than the other (thinking of Paul describing the body – each part needs the others to properly function), but because multiple things need to be done.  We might sometimes feel saddened by being unable to do what we want, but that shouldn’t stop us from doing something.  We are all able to serve, but that service might look different from how others serve depending on our skills, or physical abilities, or God-given direction.

And then as we continue reading, we see how things are generously donated to the building of the temple, and to keep us all in check, David offers this in 29:14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

In a world/culture that is heavily focused on earning what we have, sometimes we need that reminder that the only reason we have is because God has given us things.  And that can fill us with gratefulness and love and inspire us to give as well.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Is there a job that you have wished God would chose you for, but He has not? What can you learn from David? What other jobs do you think God IS asking you to do? In what ways are God’s plans better than ours?
  2. What has God given to you that you can use to serve Him?
  3. Our Psalm today was written by Solomon and he wrote: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1 ESV). What did Solomon learn from his dad? How can you apply these words to how you are building your house/life/family and how you are building/supporting/growing God’s house/church?
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Succession Plans

Deuteronomy 30-31

Then Moses called Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous; for you will go with this people into the land that Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give to them, and you will cause them to inherit it. Yahweh, it is he who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (REV)

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses begins to reflect on the fact that his life is about to come to an end and he will not be leading the Israelites into the promised land. We see Joshua enshrined as Moses’s successor, as God directed Moses (Numbers 27).

Succession plans are important as leadership changes are critical junctures for organizations. When a known change is coming, it is easier to start laying the groundwork for succession, but that can be short-sighted. There is wisdom in succession plans that consider the unknown. No one knows how many days they have left to live in this age. Illness can come on suddenly, and tragic accidents happen frequently. By the grace of God, you reader, will live many more years to serve God faithfully, but what if the unthinkable happens? Have you ordered your house? Have you, in your role as pastor, leader, director, or church volunteer, poured into those around you and prepared individuals to do the necessary ministry of the church if, for some reason, you must vacate your position, voluntary or otherwise?

In my first year at Atlanta Bible College, I took the course Principles of Ministry and Leadership (I think that was the correct class name) with Professor Jon Cheatwood. One of the books that we used was the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell. While I have not touched that book in nearly twenty years, I remember clearly one of the concepts in the book: Leaders should be training their replacements, figuratively working themselves out of the job. You should ensure that those under you or around you can take over the tasks and responsibilities you are responsible for. This is not to create job insecurity but to ensure stability for an organization or ministry if unexpected departures happen.

Just as Moses was chosen by God to lead his people out of Egypt, Joshua was chosen to lead them into the promised land. Moses publicly enshrines Joshua as leader, making clear the succession plan and avoiding a power vacuum with multiple individuals striving for the top spot or fearful individuals that pick up camp and head back to Egypt.

Several years ago, there was a TV show called Succession that was loosely based on real events from a power struggle within a powerful business. I am not recommending the show, but it showcases the chaos that surrounds an organization that does not have clear protocols and succession plans in place.

About 10 years ago, my church was thrust into unexpected changes in pastoral leadership. While not without bumps in the road, the leadership of the church was equipped enough to manage a very difficult period. Clearer succession plans certainly could have made some things easier and maybe would have created some different dynamics in leadership structures than what was implemented during the transition. While you may not be able to perfectly clone yourself as a leader (and you probably shouldn’t), you can pour into the next wave or generation of leaders and begin preparing them for the joys and difficulties of ministry and leadership. Whether you are a senior pastor, a volunteer coordinator, or somewhere else on the spectrum of ministry roles, we should always be working to ensure that the ministry of the Gospel is primed to continue in our organizations, with or without us.

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever experienced a sudden change in leadership? Either as a member of leadership or someone that looked to leadership, what were some of the takeaways that you had from that experience? What could have been better in that situation?
  2. How important do you think it was that Moses made a public showing of the transition of leadership from himself to Joshua?
  3. What are some of the pitfalls of tight-fisted leadership that does not allow for the incremental growth and training of future leaders?
  4. Does God choose leaders now like he did in the times of Moses and Joshua? What does leadership selection look like now?
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Jesus Christ Our King

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 9-10
POETRY: Psalm 145
NEW TESTAMENT: John 18:1-11

Zechariah 9:9-10(NLT) 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.
10 I will remove the battle chariots from Israel
and the warhorses from Jerusalem.
I will destroy all the weapons used in battle,
and your king will bring peace to the nations.
His realm will stretch from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah 10:2(NLT)  Household gods give worthless advice,
fortune-tellers predict only lies,
and interpreters of dreams pronounce
falsehoods that give no comfort.
So my people are wandering like lost sheep;
they are attacked because they have no shepherd.

Psalms 145:8-13 (NLT) The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, LORD,
and your faithful followers will praise you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they will give examples of your power.
12 They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.

John 18:4-9(NKJV) Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”
5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”

It is so amazing and uplifting to read the OT prophecies and then see those prophecies fulfilled in the NT record of the life of Christ.  The sections we are reading this morning have a “golden nugget” of God’s Word shown to us.  Zechariah says that our King will come to us riding a donkey’s colt.  This prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 21 as we read.

Matthew 21:1-5(NKJV) Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

Who is this king that is riding on a lowly donkey?  Kings and rulers of that time rode the tallest, strongest horses that the country could provide for them.  Why does God have Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a humble donkey and not a strong horse?  The following verses 9:10-10:12 are a prophetic description of the second coming of Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom here on earth.  The OT in many places show Christ’s first coming and his second coming as being one event and the Jews read it that way.  That is why the disciples ask Jesus in the first chapter of Acts this question.

Acts 1:6(NLT)  So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

Even after Christ’s resurrection and the time he spends instructing them on what is going to happen they still see the message of the kingdom through the lens of their OT understanding.  This would definitely include this passage from Zechariah.  God answers our questions about what is to occur in the future with the words from Acts 17:7  He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know”.  This truth is explained also in our reading from Psalms in verse 13 where the psalmist says “For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.”.  We see this same truth when Jesus answers the question from Pilate in John. 

John 18:36(NLT) Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

From the Revised English Version Bible commentary:

“Actually, there are many Scriptures in the Old Testament that speak of the coming of Christ and God’s vengeance on the wicked as if they were going to happen at the same time (cp. Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-9; 61:1-3; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 9:9-10; Mal. 3:1-3; 4:1-3). Those many Scriptures, along with the fact that there are no clear Scriptures that portray the two comings of Christ, are the reason that at the time of Christ people did not think that Christ would die (cp. Matt. 16:21-22; Luke 18:31-34; 24:19-21, 44-46; John 12:34; 20:9).”

We are able to see now that God planned a time between the two comings of Christ and we know that this is the wonderful church of God that we are a part of today.  The Bible calls this the revealing of the “mystery” or better translated as “sacred secret”.  This is revealed to the apostle Paul, and he tells us what God has revealed to him in Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:1-6(NKJV)  For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

Jesus Christ is king of our hearts today and coming king of all the earth in the future.  We are part of this body of Christ church which is the mystery revealed and is no longer hidden to us.  Our goals should be to live out the truth and grace of what we have received and to give this truth to others to draw them to our “sacred secret”.  Have a great day walking in God’s grace and power!

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions

What changes the apostles from their OT understanding to the NT revelation?

What is the gospel (good news) that we can reveal to others?

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The Branch of the Lord

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 5-6
POETRY: Psalm 144
NEW TESTAMENT: John 17:6-19

Zechariah 6:12-13(NLT) Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the LORD. 13 Yes, he will build the Temple of the LORD. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’

Psalms 144:12-13 (NLT) May our sons flourish in their youth
like well-nurtured plants.
May our daughters be like graceful pillars,
carved to beautify a palace.
13 May our barns be filled
with crops of every kind.
May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands,
even tens of thousands,

John 17:13-21  (NLT)“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

This is a wonderful story that we are a part of in the church today.  We are called members of this wonderful church of the body of Christ where God has set us.  We are called out from the world for a purpose and God is building a holy temple for us to be part of where God will dwell.  To be called out from the world is the same as being made holy. When you build a structure out of stone the rocks must be cut or dressed to make them ready to be used in the construction of the structure.  Look at these verses from Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

God has chosen you who were rocks with no shape and dressed you to become part of His holy temple.  We have been separated from the world and given a purpose to be part of this great plan.  We are carefully joined together making us part of each other as well as part of God’s dwelling place.  Yesterday we looked at a different figure of the “Branch” who is Jesus Christ.  This word would be better translated as “shoot” or “tree”.  Israel is called the olive tree of God in the OT.  Jesus is the new olive tree growing from the stump and roots of Jesse.

Jeremiah 11:16 16 I, the LORD, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit.

This figure has the same meaning as the dressed stone from Ephesians.  Both of the figures of the dressed stone and the grafted branch give us insight into God’s matchless grace and love for mankind.  God is doing everything for His glory and the glory given to Christ Jesus His son.  We are His masterpiece in Christ, another figure of His love for us.  Live today as a wonderful child of God part of a present and future plan of deliverance for all heaven and earth.

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions:

Which figure of speech stands out the most in your mind?

How is God dressing (shaping) you for His service today?

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Dear Church in Smyrna – and You

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 30-31

POETRY: Psalm 119:33-40

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 2:8-11

Rev. 2:8-11 – Letter to Smyrna

Welcome back to our second letter!

Looking at some historical context of Smyrna is a bit harder than other churches, because it is only mentioned here in these verses.  However, we do know that the church of Smyrna is the only church still thriving in the modern day.  Reportedly, more Christians have lived in this area than any other Turkish city in the world.  This is quite impressive, considering this region has experienced repeated wars, massacres, earthquakes, and plague since they first received this letter.

Smyrna was a very rich area, populated by Roman and Jewish-born people.  Unfortunately, Christians were viewed as “cult followers” and often banned from being able to work, purchase needed items, and often faced social or physical persecution.  This really highlights what Jesus was speaking of in verse 9 when he described their poverty and afflictions.  So how could they possibly be rich?  Well, because just like all of us who are baptized, they had the promise of life, and avoiding hurt in the second death (v. 10-11).

From historical records, it has been concluded that a pastor at the church in Smyrna by the name of Polycarp, refused to worship Caesar and renounce the name of Christ.  Because of his choice, he was burned at the stake.  From these records, it is reported that when commanded to reject Christ, he stated “Eighty-six years have I served Him, and in nothing hath He wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?”.  From there, records indicate he was heard singing praises to the Son of God while being burned alive.  It seems Polycarp truly took the words of Jesus to heart, not fearing what he was suffering, and being faithful to the point of death.

It’s hard to imagine even a fraction of the persecution that was experienced in Biblical times, living in modern day America. Even harder, we know that both social and physical persecution still exists around the world today. In a recent report from Open Doors (link below), it is estimated that 1 in 7, or 365 million, Christians worldwide faced persecution in 2023.  Of those numbers, roughly 5,000 murders are recorded to be directly related to a person’s faith. Nearly 15,000 churches or Christian properties were attacked. From these reports, it has been determined that North Korea is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian.  Despite this, Christianity continues to be the highest category across the global population, AND is projected to continue to grow even higher based on current trends.  Even with the affliction and suffering, Jesus continues to touch the lives of billions around the world. 

Smyrna was one of many churches to experience persecution, but because of their faith, they are considered rich and worthy of the victor’s crown.  This message of reward was not meant just for them, but is for everyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit says (v.11).  You will face trials in this life as a Christian, whether or not they may be as severe as others around the world.  Will you remain faithful?

Reflection Questions:

  • Have you ever imagined yourself in the place of a Christian around the world?  Contemplate how you would respond when faced with persecution.  Pray today for those that experience this on a daily basis. For more information, check out the “World Watch List” found here: https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/ 
  • In the passages in Jeremiah today, we see an example of God describing His restoration on earth, sharing the same promise that we also cling to in times of trials.  Reading those chapters, what verse sticks out to you as most encouraging when you consider the perfect restoration we will get to experience?
  • What ways can you hold fast to your faith when you experience suffering in this life? What has worked for you in the past?  How can you encourage and support a fellow believer who may be struggling right now?

-Sarah Johnson

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