Expedience

Expedience

“Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.” Matthew 27:3-4 Matthew 27 is devoted to the trial and crucifixion of Christ. Judas expressed remorse and returned the money to the Chief Priest. The men who had plotted Jesus’ death were indifferent regarding whether or not He was innocent. However, they were “spiritual” enough that they did not want to place the returned money in the Temple treasury: “And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood” (v. 6). Evidently, they thought it proper to sacrifice an innocent Man to protect their nation, which they perceived was threatened by His existence. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, and was affirmed by his wife: “For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him” (vv. 18-19). For fear of the people rioting, Pilate executed an innocent Man. While Jesus hung on the cross, “… the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself he cannot save. If He be the King of Israel,...
Why People Marry

Why People Marry

“… to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:3 No one marries to meet the needs of his/her spouse, but rather to meet his/her own needs. For example, single men do not seek sex with women for the purpose of meeting the woman’s needs. This, Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 7, serves as the basis for determining whether or not the dedicated follower of Christ should marry. Once married, Christ’s followers are confronted with God’s command to meet the needs of the spouse, while looking to God alone for the meeting of personal needs; the husband lives a self-sacrificial life on behalf of his wife. “Husbands, love your wives like Christ loved the Church when He gave Himself for her”.1  Apart from God’s insistence that His followers live such lives, where do you find affirmation that you should sacrifice meeting your needs in order to meet the needs of others? You only have a small number of choices: 1 – You can divorce, remarry, divorce – seeking to meet your needs. 2 – You can assume responsibility for your family and meet their needs while suppressing your narcissistic desire for happiness – hoping that this “suppressed volcano” will not erupt. 3 – You can advocate the abolition of marriage, live as you like and let the “Village” raise the children you bring into the world.  4 –  Or, you can bend your will to the will of God and serve your family. Without the fear of eternal accountability for disobeying God, what motivates you to obey God, especially when you do not feel that your needs...
A Man Sent from God

A Man Sent from God

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” John 1:6 John the Baptist’s entrance in human history had a purpose; God sent him. Being sent from God is an essential component in why a person lives, otherwise why are you here? If you have no purpose, you are a biological accident, and if you do have a purpose for existence, what is it? As you reflect on the life of Jesus Christ, God reminds you that He sent Jesus for a purpose. Read through the gospels and note the reasons Jesus said He came into the world. For example, He said, “For the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). At the end of His life, Jesus said to His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (John 20:21). You, John the Baptist, and Jesus all have the same purpose for existence – to seek and save the lost. This, of course, is the Great Commission. God did not send you to make money, be a success in the world, raise a family, or any such thing. He sent you to represent Him. As you execute your purpose, He promises “…all these things shall be added to you.”1 The birth of the Savior is a reminder that you have a purpose for existence. 1  Matthew 6:33 for more articles by this...
Escape from Reality

Escape from Reality

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11 Four times in Revelation Jesus said He would “come quickly,” this verse and three times in Revelation 22:7, 12, and 20. One of the tensions most difficult for me to maintain in my life is gratitude to God for His goodness, on the one hand, and my longing to be with Him in heaven, on the other. By any standard of comparison, I am a rich man. Not just the affluence of our environment, but more profoundly things such as my health, a wonderful family, my friends in Christ, the privilege of ministering in His Name – all of these fill me with gratitude. Still, I find I am so very eager for His coming. Partly it is because of the incredible hurt and lostness I see everywhere I look; and partly it is the depth of my own depravity. As I may have shared with you before, I am sickened by the fact that I am more easily influenced by circumstances than the presence of God in my life. I have walked with Jesus for more than 60 years, and had hoped that there would be some abatement in the perniciousness of sin. But I am chagrined to confess that such is not the case, at least in my life. Thus I find it hard to be grateful for a life so disappointing to the One I love the most. Despair is the absence of gratitude. It is hard to maintain balance between the discouragement I feel over the depravity...