|
Good morning church family,
Here is your devotion for the week: There is a dichotomy that exists in the minds of many Christians concerning the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. It is as if there is no continuity between the two and God has acted one way in the Old Testament whereas He has acted completely different in the New. One idea that seems to support this view is that people were saved through works of the Law in the Old Testament, but now people are saved by the grace that has come through Christ’s work on the cross. However, this dichotomy is false and leads to an inconsistent and less than holy view of the character of God. How were people saved in the Old Testament? Were they saved through keeping the works of the Law? If so, then how much of it did they have to keep in order to get into Heaven? The truth is that any violation of the Law is enough to keep someone out of Heaven for all eternity. The Old Testament saint would have had to keep the Law perfectly in order to have a standing before God. Well, what about the sacrifices? Were they not supposed to provide forgiveness for these infractions of the Law? According to the Bible, sacrifices were only a “shadow of the good things to come and…can never make perfect those who draw near…for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Heb 10:1, 4). So, how did the Old Testament saint get saved? In Abraham’s case, it was his faith that was credited to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6). Also, the Ten Commandments are prefaced by the statement, “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” (Ex 20:2). Before the Law was ever given the people were being reminded of God’s incredible grace. The fact is that people were saved by grace through faith in the Old Testament just as they are in the New (cf. Eph 2:8). But, how could God show grace to people who had committed such terrible sins and still be considered good Himself? If a judge were to acquit a guilty murderer simply because he felt sorry for him, would he be considered to be a good judge? No! Then, how could God forgive people like Moses (who was a murderer) and David (who was an adulterer and murderer) and still be considered good? The answer to this dilemma lies in the cross of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us that it is not only New Testament saints that are saved through Jesus’ death. His death, while an act of love, was also a demonstration of God’s righteousness because He had passed over sins that had been previously committed (Rom 3:25-26). So, David’s sins and Moses’ sins, as well as our own, were all punished on the cross and paid for by Jesus. While the New Testament may be the fulfillment of the Old, it certainly does not display a different view of the character of God. In both testaments God is shown to be righteous, and in both He is shown to love sinners. In both cases, His righteousness and His love meet hand in hand at the cross where He is shown to be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus,” (Rom 3:26). We serve one God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Let us worship Him with praise. Blessings, Pastor Scott
0 Comments
Good Morning Church Family, Let me begin by wishing a very happy Mother's Day to all of our wonderful mother's. The love that you have shown to your families has been a great demonstration of the love of Christ shining into this world. We are so grateful for you all and hope that your day is as special as you are. I also want to remind you not to manipulate God by looking at Him as your own personal genie in a bottle. God's power is for His glory. Please join us for worship this morning at 10:30 as we discuss the danger of putting God in a box. You can watch the service on our website (click Livestream button), Facebook, or YouTube. There will be no zoom meeting this evening but we will meet again at 6:30 pm on Wednesday evening. Please enjoy this Mother's Day and let it be a day that is filled with worship! There will be no MYA sunday school at 1 today. God Bless You All, Pastor Scott The Death of Eli4 And the word of Samuel came to all [a]Israel. The Ark of God CapturedNow Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2 Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was [b]defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. 7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. [c]Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!” 10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was [d]defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. Death of Eli12 Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 13 Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat [e]by the wayside watching, for his heart [f]trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the sound of this tumult mean?” And the man came quickly and told Eli. 15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were so [g]dim that he could not see. 16 Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.” And he said, “What happened, my son?” 17 So the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. Ichabod19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she [h]regard it. 21 Then she named the child Ichabod,[i] saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” Footnotes
The Image of Gold3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was [a]sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried [b]aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” 7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” Saved in Fiery Trial19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was [c]urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his [d]counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the[e] Son of God.” Nebuchadnezzar Praises God26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the [f]mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel[g] and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” 30 Then the king [h]promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon. Footnotes
|
AuthorFBC of Mesquite Archives
March 2021
|