Epaggelia

Just a few decades after Jesus left his disciples to carry on the work of their apostleship, many problems arose. One of those problems is that Christians who had a Jewish background did not grow as zealous as Christians who had a pagan background. Jewish Christians became sluggish and were in danger of losing their faith in Christ because persecution was fast approaching. Hebrews 6:1-8 is a warning. The author is trying to show them that although they are grieving the Holy Spirit of Christ, it is in His nature to patiently encourage them, so that they do not continue to be sluggish and lose their faith completely, Hebrew 6:10-12.

Grieving the Holy Spirit of Christ is very dangerous, Ephesians 4:30. A lifestyle of apathetic self-satisfaction can breed hate, when persecution arises. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit can get you condemned, Mark 3:28-20 & James 2:7. The Jewish Christians were not interested in being mature, they were satisfied with what they knew about Jesus and were bored with the doctrine of Christ, Hebrews 4:11-12. This attitude is an ongoing lifestyle, and if we continue living it, it is impossible to turn around from it while feeding spiritual laziness, Heb. 6:4. The term “crucifying once again” is present tense. If we stop that lifestyle, then we are no longer blaspheming His Spirit, and THEN we can turn around. Christ’s Spirit takes on this abuse and still pleads for us to STOP, even while we are refusing to grow. Faithful Christians should pray for sluggish Christians losing interest in Christ, so that God may give them an opportunity to repent, see 2nd Timothy 2:25. What can motivate them to stop being lazy?

Perhaps we need to remember the picture of burning crop fields? If you water a seeded field, but actually end up producing more thorns & weeds than actual harvest of the crop you wanted, what happens? You burn it, and start again. Hebrew 6:7-8. If these Christians won’t grow, then God will find Christians that WILL GROW the fruit of His Spirit. Meanwhile, this chapter is a reminder that Christ is patient and does not want to break a bruised reed, or extinguish smoking flax, Matthew 12:20.

The basics of our faith refresh us and are good, but we can not live exclusively on just the basics. The subjects of repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, the resurrection and the judgment, are all fundamentals of the faith. For some of us, they are complicated subjects but to Jewish Christians they were basic and simple. This teaches us to be understanding of a person’s religious background, what is simple to one person, may be very complicated to another person. So no matter where we are in our spiritual growth, we should always be willing to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, 2nd Peter 3:18.

God made a promise to Abraham and He kept it, even though Abraham was a sinner. What was that promise? That he would bless his descendant and multiply him innumerably, Gen.15:3-7. This came true in Jesus, and these Jewish Christians were proof. The “two immutable things” are firstly His promise made to Abraham, in which He did not lie, and also secondly the fulfillment of His promise being His Word in Jesus proving a multiplicity of growth in them and the Gentiles, in this God could not lie. Jesus does not change, or grow fickle like them, He motivates, Hebrews 13:8,
2nd Corinthians 1:20 & Jude 1:25. He is our hope 1st Timothy 1:1, and allows us to enter into the place behind the curtain, Colossians 1:27, the Holy of Holies in the new Jerusalem. We have every spiritual blessing in Christ, seated with him in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:1-6. What a wonderful place to be as a Christian! Don’t drift away, Galatians 5:4-5.

The most popular version of the Bible uses the phrase “Word of the Lord”, 255 times. It is the King James Authorized Version of 1611, turning 400 years old this year. It has gone through many revisions over the centuries and is seldom used now because of it’s archaic phrases. But as our Nation turns 235 years old tomorrow, we should remember that our Founding Fathers all believed the Bible was the Word of the Lord. Their faith was the basis for creating our Constitution, which has needed many amendments, but the Word of the Lord needs no amendments. Whatever version of the Bible you read, it is still:

Good, (Hebrews 6:5) “taste the goodness of God’s word”

Holy, (Romans 1:2-3) “God promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son…”

Truthful, (Daniel 10:21) “I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth”

Living & Active, (Hebrews 4:12) “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword..”

Do you believe your Bible is the Word of the Lord? How do we come to believe that the Bible holds God’s authority and that He is able to place His Kingdom in our heart? Consider it’s composition, durability, prophecies & application.

Composition. It was composed over sixteen centuries by forty authors with one central theme. Written by soldiers, shepherds, scholars, and fishermen. Begun by Moses in lonely Arabia, finished by John on lonely Patmos. Penned by kings in palaces, shepherds in tents, and inmates in prisons. Forty writers, most unknown to each other, writing in different countries and three different languages, separated by three times the number of centuries since Columbus discovered America — was it possible for these authors to produce a book of singular theme unless behind them there was one mind, one designer? The Bible is remarkable in composition.

Durability. It is the single most published book in history. The top seller for over three hundred years. Translated into twelve hundred languages by an army of translators. Bibles have been burned by dictators and banished from courtrooms, but God’s Word continues. The death knell has tolled a hundred times, but each time the grave is opened, and God’s Word continues. The Bible is indomitable in durability.

Prophecy. The pages of your Bible contain more than three hundred fulfilled prophecies about the life of Christ. A subtle but substantial biography was written about Jesus five hundred years before he was born. Can you imagine if the same occurred today? Can you imagine if we found a book written in 1900 that prophesied two world wars, a depression, an atomic bomb, and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King? What would we think of the book? Wouldn’t we trust it? The Bible is stupendous in fulfillment of prophecy.

Application. Paul says the Bible “is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching us how to live right” (2 Tim. 3:16 NCV). Apply this wisdom to your budget, and see if you don’t get out of debt. Apply the principles of fidelity to your marriage, and see if you don’t have a happier home. Apply the principles of forgiveness to your relationships, and see if you aren’t more peaceful. Apply the principles of honesty at school, and see if you don’t succeed. Apply the Bible, and see if you don’t agree—the Bible works. This book’s veracity and message can make you desire His power, not your past life, as you turn into an abundant, eternal life in Jesus Christ.

146 years ago today, in Galveston Texas, the call for Slaves to be given freedom was REPEATED. Many States were not observing any recognition of Lincoln’s emancipation given 3 years earlier. The stubborn pride and fear of many white people would not act on the courage of Lincoln to publically express freedom towards their slaves. Freedom came at a price they were not willing to pay, but over time, sacrifices paid off. Patience is such a priceless virtue, and love for our fellow man is even greater than freedom.

In the Old Testament, freedom is most commonly understood in the Exodus, where God rescues, or frees, his people from slavery in Egypt. In Judaism, this episode of freedom is considered the central narrative of faith-a story where God demonstrates his faithfulness to his promise to his people as he sets them free and calls them to set others free. Essentially, Israel is to be for the world, the very gift God is for them. But since Israel does not always embrace their calling, God sends prophets to them in an attempt to correct their course. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah are two who get pretty riled up about Israel’s lack of purpose and power to do what is right (read Isaiah 61-65 and Jeremiah 34 for a taste). This is actually a loss of freedom, because their sin, enslaves them to a spiritual Egypt, which binds them from doing what is right.

Hundreds of years after Isaiah and Jeremiah, another prophet appears on the scene, one who a group of Jews considers to be the promised Messiah. His name is one that means “God saves” and in his own description of the purpose for his coming, Jesus says he was sent by God “to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18). Freedom is at the heart of Jesus’ ministry and if we read the Gospel accounts of his activities while on earth, we find that he did indeed free people from captivity and slavery in a myriad of ways. In this way, Jesus can be seen as ushering in a new Exodus. If anything, Jesus demonstrates that God is a God who loves to set people free.

The Scriptures have much more to say about freedom, particularly in the letters of Paul and Peter. Does living a life of freedom necessarily entail that someone has been enslaved?, If we consider ourselves to be people of freedom, from what have we been freed?

Freedom is not the right to do as one pleases, but the power and capacity both to will and to do as one ought. True freedom is never freedom from responsibility, but responsibility not only for choice, but right choices. Freedom is an inner contentment with who we are in Christ and with what we have. It means we have the ability to covet only heavenly treasure. It means the willingness and ability to allow God to be in control of your life. It means single-mindedness which turns the control of one’s life over to Christ which in turn frees us psychologically to follow the Lord. It means the liberty for self-responsibility to both God and man under the grace of God.

A train is a good illustration because it is only effective when it is on the tracks for which it was designed. Tracks don’t inhibit a train, but enable it to run freely as long as it is running under the power of the steam or fuel of its engines.

Understand that freedom is particularly concerned with human relationships which flow from a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. This is a key point throughout the fifth chapter of Galatians. Five times the apostle uses “one another” in relation to our freedom—once in verse 13, twice in verse 15, and twice in verse 26. Central to each reference is the presence & power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 2 :19. promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved

Galatians 5:1. It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
13. For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1 Peter 2 :16. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

We use power to get different jobs done, and without energy, we
are in a world of hurt. We pay lots of money for our electricity and
gas, but what do we pay for the power to do the job God wants us to
do? Have you ever thought of how much it costs to get God’s job
done? Power is important, and the spiritual task of spreading the
word of God to the lost world around us is expensive. God
addresses this problem of the cost of power by teaching us in the
Bible, how we should treat the money He allows us to make. Read
1st Corinthians 16: 1-2. This addresses the physical price we pay to
do God’s work physically, like buying Bibles and paying for gas to
distribute lessons, and paying for electricity to offer preaching in a
chapel. But do we think about the power to do the spiritual jobs God
wants us to do? What about the power to make the right choice?
What about the power to follow through on the right choice? What
about the power to learn how to make the right choice or what
the right choice really is? I don’t know about you, but this seems to
be the hardest for me. Where do we get the power to do what is
right? The answer is in God’s word. The Spirit of Christ is our
teacher and can convict us of sin, righteousness and judgment, see
John 16:8. His presence is powerful and his wisdom is enlightening.
Let Him pour His love into your heart and prayerfully ask Him for
the power to do what is right. Don’t be fooled into thinking that physical
power is more desirable and greater than spiritual power, like love, forgiveness and the power to humbly submit your desires to obey God. It is more glorious to empower a sinner to change into a saint, than it is to make a lame man walk or a blind person see. It takes more power to create a new person than it does to fix a person’s limb. God has this power and the good news is this: It is freely offered to you in Jesus Christ. Enter into His abundant life. Read Romans 6:1-7 to learn more about this great and powerful place!

…To Mary of Magdala & the other Mary, (John 20:1-2, Matthew 28:8-10)

…To the 10 Apostles, (John 20:19-25)

…To Thomas & the 10 Apostles, (John 20:26-29 & Luke 24:33-49 & Mark 16:14-20)

…To Cleopas & the other disciple on the road to Emmaus, (Lk. 24:13-35 & Mark 16:12)

…To the 11 Apostles in Galilee while fishing, (Matthew 28:16-20, John 21:1-24)

…To the 11 Apostles on Mt. Olivet while Ascending, (Luke 24:50-53 & Acts 1:4-12)

…To the 12 Apostles, (1st Corinthians 15:5-7)

…To more than 500 brethren at once, (1st Corinthians 15:6)

…To Stephen during his martyrdom, (Acts 7:55-60)

…To Saul on the road to Damascus, (Acts 9:1-6, 18:9-10, 22:1-8, 26:12-18)

…To Paul in the Roman barracks at Jerusalem, (Acts 23:11)

…To John on the Isle of Patmos, (Revelation 1:9-20)

Jesus said, “Do not be astonished at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will rise, those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment”. John 5:28-29

“…there will certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked”. Acts 24:15

Do you believe that Jesus can be seen as an example in you? The Apostle Paul did, read Galatians 1:16. When we talk about Jesus in a virtuous way, sharing our faith in His presence, love and wisdom. He is there. Even if we have problem that only affects two people. If they come together to prayerfully solve the problem, He, that is Jesus, is there with them, this is His promise. Read Matthew 18:20.

The only problem with churches using buildings, is not money, but windows. There are never enough of them. Why? Because the church has a constant need to stay in touch with His glory and holiness in the earth and heavens around us, (Isa. 6:3) it is healthy and generates praise! Keeping a congregation closed in a building to worship is good in preventing distractions and a harsh environment, but limiting our worship to an auditorium limits our whole view of how big and great God really is. This is why Jesus said that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, because he is constantly following ‘rules’ instead of God Himself. Rich people are bombarded by our own dependency on ‘things’ instead of God. Therefore we are more easily attracted to making our worship to God more materialistic and attractive by the world’s expectations, instead of God’s expectations. Matthew 19:16-26. Rich people are good at making rules about our way of life for God, instead of making sacrifices as a way of life for God. If this is our emphasis and direction, we will experience the ‘awe’ in reverence towards God in worship. Our God is great & worthy of constant praise & prayer. 1Ths. 5:17-18. Tennyson the English poet wrote “Let knowledge grow from more to more, but more of reverence in us dwell, that mind and soul, according well, may make one music as before” (1850). He is observing the truth that when humans replace reverence for the Creator with knowledge of the creation we become uglier.

To help us express reverence in our praise & prayer, we should learn about three contrasts David puts in Psalm 8:1-9. A. The glory of God and the frailty of our humanity, v1-2. See also, Psalm 19:1-2.
B. The vastness of the Universe and the tiny space mankind occupies, Psa.8:3-4. C. The dominion God gave us over His creation in our service, Psa. 8:5-6, and Gen. 1:28. Of course all of these things are magnified in Jesus (Son of Man), and in a smaller way, exemplified in the Christian (siblings of the Son of Man). Jesus proved in the transfiguration that He possessed the glory of God, yet suffered death at humanities horrors inflicted on himself. Jesus was small in this Universe he helped create, in that he was born in poverty, lived homeless and died a pauper, but was raised eternally victorious. Jesus also reflected dominion over creation in many miracles, yet had to work with his own hands with the servants in creation to eek out a physical existence while on earth. It is amazing that scientist with all their knowledge can accept our universe as infinite, but reject an eternal God who created and controls it. Even sceptics and scoffers can not question “a superior power” when they truly consider the conception and birth of a single baby human being, Psa. 8:2, 14:1-2.

Now that we have examined what helps and hinders reverence, let’s define it: Leviticus 25:35-43 is a good example of what it means to reverence God in our lifestyle. Ecclesiastes 12:13 expresses our deepest respect in our heart for God in daily life. Hebrews 12:9, shows a good analogy of Christian reverence towards God in our heart. Boldness is sometimes confused with arrogance, Hebrews 4:16. But when we accept that an Almighty God can listen to a human that can reverence Him, all because of the blood of Christ, we have a position to be BOLD in. Boldness in prayer obviously comes from real faith growing stronger. We must know the power of God, Mt. 22:29 & Mk. 12:24. Boldness in prayer comes from God, Jude v20. This is only true, if we are praying a prayer instead of just saying a prayer. The Apostle Paul knew that if we were united in this faith, that we could “JOIN FERVENTLY” in prayer to get work done. See Romans 15:30-32. This is a military term which actually means to fight alongside one another.

If you were to make a list of priorities, surely somewhere at the top, would be to show devotion to Jesus. Oddly enough, the word ‘devotion’ is not in the King James New Testament, but the phrase “CONTINUED STEADFASTLY” is used. It means to show devotion, be dedicated and keep a priority. The New Testament does not leave us guessing about how we are to show devotion, it is specific and repetitive in telling us that Christians are to be devoted and continue steadfastly in prayer. Prayer is a top priority in showing who we are committed to in this life. Look at the following verses, Acts 1:14, “devoting themselves to prayer”. In Acts 2:42, “devoted themselves to…the prayers”. In Acts 6:4, “devote ourselves to prayer”. In Romans 12:12, “constant in prayer”. Ephesians 6:18, “praying at all times in the Spirit”. Colossians 4:2, “Be devoted to prayer”, and 1st Thessalonians 5:17, “pray always!”. Why all this devotion? Because God never stops loving you more than anything in this world! The world is devoted to making money, looking pretty and dominating power over the next person. Jesus is devoted to loving you, tell Him you love Him, every day!

This is the essence of praising God, by our action, our words and whole lifestyle. Anyone who worships (loves) God and does his will, is heard by God, Jn 9:31. What God does after hearing someone who loves him and does what He wants, is a good question. Cornelius is a great example. His prayer and good deeds went up as a memorial, and God answered him with the good news of his salvation by His Spirit and Peter’s command of baptism, Acts 10:45-48. This empowers us to praise Him. We of course, are not coming into salvation as the first ever Gentile believer, with the purpose of proving God’s work miraculously. But we are just as precious, loved and destined for a divine purpose. The reason we should praise God is best defined by David who wrote in Psalm 40:1-3, “I relied completely on the Lord, and he turned toward me and heard my cry for help, He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. he placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing. He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God. May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord”. This kind of praise that is rooted in recognition of God’s help, is the kind of praise that keeps us devoted to prayer and our Savior Jesus Christ. Do we lack the strength and stamina to keep praising Christ? It may only be because we do not recognize His very real help and work on us and all around us. Look! Read! Believe and live it out!