SEPTEMBER 29
Today you begin
Philippians. You may want to celebrate with your favorite latte.
Isaiah 57:14-59:21
Isaiah 57:14-21
Having
described the Messiah as the Servant of the Lord who will redeem both Israel
and the Gentiles, this section concludes with a call to the people to prepare
the way for the Messiah.
Vs. 14-15 This
sounds like the message of John the Baptist. Notice that this leveling is
described by God as humility that welcomes His blessing.
Vs. 16-19 As
the Lord's servant, Israel failed, but in the future God will heal and restore
them. I think the humility of that future generation will be the key.
Vs. 20-21 But
this is a warning to all who resist God.
Isaiah 58
Chapters 58-66
are the last of three, nine-chapter blocks. This group of chapters looks at the
sin of the people in Isaiah's day, and the coming of peace and prosperity to
Israel and the entire earth, under the Messiah.
Vs. 1-2 This
could well have been the people of Hezekiah's day. They were following the
rules, but they were worshiping for their own benefit.
Vs. 3-5 They
thought God should have regarded their fasting. This is God's commentary on
their fasting. It makes you think of Jesus' words to the Samaritan woman that
those who worship the Father must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Vs. 6-12 This
is what God really wanted. Loving God with all one's heart was to turn into an
outpouring of compassion for one's neighbor.
Vs. 13-14 The
Sabbath was a day to delight in the Lord. It wasn't just a day off.
Isaiah 59
This sounds
more like the early years of Manasseh.
Vs. 1-2 These
verses state the real issue between God and man.
Vs. 3-8 I'm
sure Paul had this section of Isaiah in mind when he wrote Romans 3:10-18. What
Isaiah is describing here seems to indicate there was an ungodly king leading
the nation.
Vs. 9-15 This
is why God could not use Israel as a light to the world. Sin had infected
everything about them. This is true of every man and woman on earth without
Christ. All would be lost for us, But
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--6and raised us up with Him and seated us with
Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:4-6)
Vs. 16-21 So,
with Israel failing as God's servant, God chose another to intercede. This is
all about Jesus.
When I read
this, I realize how well Paul knew these verses. Verse 17 sounds like the
spiritual armor. Verse 20 is quoted in Romans 11:26 as proof that God has a
future plan for Israel to fulfill its calling.
V. 21 is the
future covenant God will make with Israel because of the work of Jesus.
When I read v.
16, I thought of the fact that Jesus isn't "named," but you know it
is Him. Who is this guy? Then I thought, "Dost ask who that may be? Christ
Jesus it is He." You might want to think of these verses as you listen to
the second verse of this song, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
Philippians 1:1-26
Philippians is
another of those amazing letters from Paul where we find great statements of
what it means to walk as a disciple of Jesus in the harvest. These statements
like, For to me to live is Christ, and to
die is gain, and Have this mind among
yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of
God…he humbled himself…, and that I
may know Him and the power of His resurrection, stand alone as great
teaching. But in the flow of Paul's encouragement and warnings to this church,
they are expressed as the mature desires of a disciple totally in love with
Christ. As we'll see, these expressions are meant to be our desires, too, as we
follow Christ in the harvest.
Like Ephesians,
Paul wrote this while he was being held in Rome awaiting trial. This is where
we left Paul at the end of Acts. It was a polite imprisonment. Later, Paul was
heard by Nero and released. Epaphroditus (a pastor or elder at Philippi) had
brought a collection from the church to Paul. While there, "E" must
have shared the general state of affairs in the church. He also got really sick
for a while. Now that "E" was back on his feet, Paul was sending him
back with this letter. As the spiritual father of the church, Paul not only
thanks them for the gift, but he expresses some concern and suggestions. The
biggest of these concerns is with those Jewish Christians trying to get people
to obey the law to get saved. The other concern is that there seems to be a
growing persecution of the church. Philippi was a very special Roman town. The
people there had privileges as if they were living in Rome, but that meant that
Rome had a very strong control of the city. About seven years after the writing
of this letter, Roman persecution would take the lives of many Christians, Paul
included. There is just a hint of it now. Generally, this letter is a thank you
to a church that was very close to Paul's heart.
Vs. 3-6 The key
phrase here is partnership in the gospel.
The church at Philippi is the only church we know of that Paul planted and
immediately, on their own, began supporting Paul financially. It wasn't just
that they wanted to help the kind old man who helped them. They caught Paul's
passion for following Christ: to be partners in the blessings of the gospel,
reaching the lost and making disciples for Christ. They are now supporting Paul
ten years after his work in Philippi.
V. 7 This is
what a true partnership in missions gives the people back home. The people see
what has been done by God's grace and become partakers of that grace and those
blessings.
Vs. 8-11 Paul's
prayer is that their love would abound more and more. The rest is important and descriptive, but
don't lose sight of the focus of Paul's request. Love for Christ and others
grows in the harvest, and Paul wanted it to grow in a certain way. If this love
grew, the end product would be the glory
and praise of God.
Vs. 12-18 This
is like Job writing why it is good to suffer. Paul couldn't control the
attitudes of the Christians who were trying to make him feel bad, but he was
happy that the unbelieving public was hearing about Christ. God would take care
of that other stuff.
V. 19 Paul had
a good feeling that he would be released. We'll see this expressed again in
chapter 2.
Vs. 20-21 The
thought of being ashamed, I think, came from those bratty preachers trying to
make Paul look small. But the real issue was that Paul was where he was, to
give testimony of Jesus Christ to the Roman authorities. In this sense
especially, he knew he wouldn't be ashamed. I like that line, but that with full courage now as always
Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. Amen!
V. 21 Many
Christians would say "amen" to this, but their treasure is really on
earth. If they were to die they would be losing everything.
Vs. 21-26 The
life that Paul describes here seems like discipleship on steroids. If you read
what Paul wrote after his even bigger declaration in chapter 3, you'll see that
Paul and the Spirit mean this to be normative thinking for the disciple of
Jesus on earth. Why else are we here except to follow in the harvest, reaching
the lost, and making disciples, who make disciples? Being with Jesus will be so
much better, except this life isn't about us and what would be better for us?
It is about following Jesus and reaching those He died to save.
Psalm 71
This psalm
doesn't have information regarding the author; but reading it, I say, "You
can't fool me. This is David." Just an older version of him, possibly
before and after the civil war with Absalom. I see a lot of Psalm 40 in here,
but really, it echoes all of David's praying and crying out and celebrating.
The only thing that’s missing is a reference to God's steadfast love.
Vs. 1-3 If this
is David, the years had passed and now there was a new threat. David had been
forgiven for what he had done regarding Bathsheba and Uriah, but there were
many who were unwilling to forgive. David's hope was in the Lord, and again, he
was looking to the Lord to vindicate him.
Vs. 4-13 This
alternates between David's plea for help and the threat of his enemies.
Vs. 14-24 The
one thing that strikes me is the long celebration of hope in these verses. The
writer was now old and had been following God from his early years. He had seen
adversity, and yet, he had known so much deliverance. He knew God.
Proverbs 24:9-10
I guess these
are good general truths. But in the context of yesterday, seeing Satan referred
to as a schemer, I guess you could take that application into today. You should
have a note that devising can be read
"scheming."
Adversity often
comes from the human and spiritual side of scheming or devising sin. To scoff
at God, His existence, His holiness and justice, is an abomination. That
spiritual origin of these things is literally an abomination to mankind. It
degrades mankind.
So what does
God do for us? He gives us the Word, the Spirit, and insight into what's really
happening in life. He gives us a place in the fight, in the harvest, winning
the lost, turning them into disciples. We have seen everywhere that God makes
us strong through adversity, but only through that adversity that is somehow
linked to the harvest. Remember that verse from yesterday about Jesus sharing
the spoil with the strong? Can you see some connection to that verse and v. 10
here? The work makes us strong. To hold back makes us weak, because our
strength is in the Lord and in the Spirit; and they are both active in reaching
a lost world. We all need to be in the Word in the harvest. That is where we
draw close to Christ, use the armor and develop spiritual strength.
Even a seasoned
disciple like Timothy was shocked into fear by the sudden aggression of Nero
that had risen. Paul, facing death in a Roman dungeon, wrote to Timothy to
remind him to be strong in Christ in the harvest.
2 Timothy 1:7-10 For
God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony
about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel
by the power of God, 9who
saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because
of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages
began, 10and which now has
been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished
death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
If you’re reading along
and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these
comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in
growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see
the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples,
meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out
and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal
manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us
more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is
that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a
year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples,
disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more
descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the
Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the
commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never
hurts.
I am not endorsing any
particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte
Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with
us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their
own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular
tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to
criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has
written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to
print.
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