Tag: jesus

JESUS CAME TO CONQUER SPIRITUAL DEATH

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It all began with Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.” Die physically or spiritually? They woould eventually die phyically since they were kicked out of the garden of Eden and could no longer eat of the tree of life, but they did not die physically the very. day they sinned. So it must be that they died spiritually the very day they sinned. Spiritual death is the result of sin. Sin causes us to be separated from a relationship with God. Isaiah 59:But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Paul confirms that Adam’s sin brought spiritual death to himself and to all men, but why? Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned.” Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus came to conquer spiritual death. Hebrews 2: 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”  Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken. 9 And it will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; Let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” So when was Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled? 1 Corinthians 15 tells us when. In that chapter Paul is discussing the resurrection and what kind of a body wll believers recieve in the resurrection. He says that the resurrected body will be a spiritual, imperishable body. He then says, 15:51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” Paul is clearly saying that the resurrection of the dead would occur while some of those he is writiing to were still alive. He is saying that, dead or alive, the believers would receive immortality. 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He quotes Isaiah 25:8,9 and says that in the resurrection “death would be swallowed up in victory”. That would be spiritual death caused by the sting of sin. He says that the power of sin was the Law of Moses. So when did the Law end? The Law ended in 70 AD. Hebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” The Hebrew author wrote that about 60 AD and he said that the first covenent was “ready to vanish away” at the time he wrote the letter. That has to be 70 AD whe the Romans destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The temple has never been rebult since then. There have been no Levitical priests and animal sacrifices since then. God replaced the old covenant with the new covenant in 70 AD. Thus he destroyed death by taking away the Law which was the power of sin which caused spiritual death. Spiritual death was the last enemy conquered by Jesus in 70 AD. 1 Corinthians 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” That would be spiritual death. Daniel had predicted that a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous would occur at the end of the age, i.e. the end of the Jewish Age in 70 AD. Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Paul predicted the imminence of that resurrrection in Acts 24:14 `And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written, 15 having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be (mello in the Greek which always mean something about to happen when used in the New Testament but is usually mistranslated as “certainly will be”) a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous.” (Young’s Literal Translation). Notice that Paul says that resurrection was predicted in the law and the prophets, so he must be referring to Daniel 12:2! That resurrection was fulfilled in 70 AD. The dead under the old covenant had been in hades awaiting their resurrection and final sentencing at 70 AD. In 70 AD the righteous dead of the old covenant and the believers in Jesus would be given immortality whether dead or alive. That is why Paul told the Thessalonians not to worry about their dead believing loved ones who died before that resurrection. They would still get their immortality. Immortality is only promised to believers in Jesus in the New Testament and never to unbelievers.

Jesus accomplished his mission of destroying spiritual death in the lives of believers. 2 Timothy 1:10 and 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.” John 11: 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life (spiritual). Whoever believes in me, though he die (physically), yet shall he live (spiritually), 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die (spiritually).” I just had an epiphany! In one sense, he did conquer physical death. Not that he stopped believers from dying or that he abolished physical death all together. Instead, he conquered spiritual death for believers so that physical death was not the end for them. They would keep on living spiritually, eternally, after death. That makes Hebrews 2:15 even more meaningful: 15 and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Believers don’t have to fear physical death any longer. Thank you Lord for that thought b/c many of us still have that fear of death that has a constant hold on us making us death’s slaves!


INVISIBLE PEOPLE

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My wife suggested this one. I told her that no one was invisible b/c I can see them. But I really knew what she meant. We always eat our Egg McMuffins at McDonalds every Sunday morning at 7 AM. The one we eat at is especially clean and has great managers. They hire one man to do nothing but clean, mop, pick up trash, etc. He looks to be a very simple fellow although he might be the boss like in the TV show “undercover boss”. But he is there every week, so I don’t think he is the boss! My wife called him one of the “invisible people” that we seldom take notice of. AI: “”Invisible people” can include mentally challenged adults, disadvantaged, unwed mothers on welfare, runaway teens, ex offenders, uneducated and unskilled people, illegal immigrants who clean hotels or do menial jobs, residents in inner city projects, elderly, child orphans or foster children, homeless people or anyone who experiences a sense of being ignored or separated from society as a whole. It can include just ordinary people doing all the little jobs that make life easier for us, people that we take for granted. We might say “thank you” but that’s about it, or we might even tip a little. But often we just get our service from them and ignore them.

Jesus was good at not ignoring the invisible people. The woman at the well. Would you pay much attention to a woman who had been divorced 5 times, was living with someone not her husband, and who was a foreigner that many looked down on in society? Jesus did. He would not even “snuff out a smoldering wick or break a bruised reed”. He would try to bring out the best in everyone. He would draw out what little faith someone had. He would give hope to those struggling with life. We don’t know how that woman at the well ended up, but he gave her hope of a better life if she would accept the living water Jesus had to offer.

Jesus stopped to heal the blind men who were following him, even though they were crying out, making a disturbance. He talked with a sinful woman who anointed his feet at Simon the Pharisee’s house. Simon was appalled that Jesus would even let this sinful woman touch his feet. He laid his hands on and blessed the little children who were brought to him by their parents, even when his disciples were rebuking them for bringing the children. He stopped to heal the woman with the 12 year bleeding issue. He did not rebuke her for secretly touching his garment but praised her faith instead. Jesus took note of the demon possessed man who had been living in the tombs and cast the demon Legion out of him. The whole town nearby ignored this man and just hoped that he would stay in the tombs area. Jesus ate with the tax collector Matthew and his “sinner friends” even though he was criticized greatly for doing so. Jesus stopped to talk to the Syrophoenician woman even though his disciples were begging him to send her away b/c she was crying out loud, annoying them. He then challenged and drew out her faith and case the demon out of her daughter.

So the lesson today is for us to pay attention to the “invisible people” that we see every day. Not just pay attention to them, but seek them out. “To visit the widows and orphans is pure and undefiled religion” according to James 1:28. There are plenty of widows out there who might not need financial help but who would love to have some one come visit and talk to them. Each one has a story to tell. Go to some place like the House of the Harvest here in Huntsville on Saturday morning and you will find plenty of invisible people. Many of them speak Spanish and are delighted when I give them breakfast with a little Spanish conversation. Go offer to help someone who fosters children. They often have many challenges. Think through your own daily experiences and identify those invisible people in your life. Stop and take time to talk to them and help them if possible.

Remember, the invisible people are all very visible to God so don’t ignore them.

STOP ALONG THE WAY

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Are you always in a hurry? My wife and I have different hiking styles. I attack the trail to finish it as quickly as I can. She stops often, and I have to wait on her. She says that we should stop along the way to, as Jesus said, “consider” the great things God has created in nature. “Consider” in the Greek is katanoeó: To observe, consider, perceive, understand. (AI): “The verb κατανοέω (katanoeó) is used in the New Testament to denote a deep, attentive observation or consideration. It implies more than a casual glance, suggesting a thorough and careful examination or contemplation. This term is often used to encourage believers to pay close attention to spiritual truths or to the example set by others.” I am Type A: Type A individuals as outgoing, ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, impatient, anxious, proactive, and concerned with time management. People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving workaholics.” My wife is Type B: People with a type B personality may be easygoing and laid-back, and approach tasks with less urgency. Type B personality traits include patience, flexibility, and an even temper. People with a type B personality may be more prone to procrastination or distraction from a task.” So combining a Type A and a Type B in marriage for 54 has been an experiment of patience with each other’s personality quirks. I won’t go any further in that discussion! I’m sure she has put up with a lot more of my quirks than I have hers. At least I am saying that for this article!

Back to hiking and life in general. Every day in an adventure with God if you will make it: the statement “everyday is an adventure with God if you will make it” suggests that embracing a life of faith and actively seeking God’s presence can transform ordinary days into meaningful and exciting experiences.” That means that we have to “stop along the way” and “consider” everything closely. We should ask, “What might God be doing in this situation? How can God use me in this situation? How can I be kind and help that person I see who needs help?” We can consider nature and everything God has created, and then praise God for creating it all, whether He did it in 6,000 or 6 billion years. Either way, it’s amazing to create everything from nothing with such amazing design. We can consider scriptures, looking more closely at what they meant to the original recipients and how they might apply to us today. Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” Most of us dont just quit our devotion to Jesus. We just “drift away” slowly, like a small boat drifts out into the lake when it is loosed from the dock. We are so busy with our “worries, riches, and pleasures” (Luke 8:14) that keep us from bearing fruit and spiritual growth. We just drift away from our devotion, praying less, meditating on God and His word less.

So, short and sweet. Make today an adventure with God, considering God’s presence in everything in your life today.

MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

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Are you familiar with the book of devotionals by Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)? It is 365 devotionals to be read one at a time for the whole years. Oswald Chambers was talented in poetry, music, and art, but his passion was preaching the gospel. His parents were baptized by. the famed British pastor Charles Spurgeon and were very spiritual. Oswald felt that he heard the Lord call him, “I want you in My service but I can do without you.” He spent a decade in a theological training school and later began his own Bible Training School. He had a very “dry” period of several years until he asked God “for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, whatever that meant”. Jesus’ words in Luke 11:13 changed everything for him. Luke 11:3 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” He asked God the Holy Spirit and relied on the Spirit for the rest of his life in his preaching and writing. He married Gertrude Hobbs but he called her “Biddy”. He died from complications from an appendectomy in 1917. After his death, Biddy began putting his writings into some 4 dozen books, most notably My Utmost For His Highest. With her help, Oswald reached more people after death than he had in life.

I remember reading his devotionals in My Utmost For His Highest. It just seemed that each one spoke to my needs for that particular day. Is that just coincidence or the work of the Holy Spirit through Oswald giving me what I need for that day? I don’t know, but it sure seemed to work everyday. Maybe that is why so many people read these same 365 devotionals year and year and they never get old.

I urge you to go online and request the daily devotionals from the book to be sent to your email. I feel the same way about the Spirit using the Bible every day to meet our particular needs for that day. The Bible is not just like our constitution, filled with laws and doctrines, once for all time (and it does have that). All of it was written specifically to someone living in the past: to the Jews, to people living in the first century, to believers in churches, and to individuals like Timothy and Titus. None of it was written directly to us and yet the Spirit can use the Bible to speak to us through the application of what the Spirit wrote to others. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Spirit can apply the word to our lives and needs. So when we read the word, we should be asking, “Ok, I know this was written to someone else, but what would the Sprit want me to take from it in my life today?” My mom wrote several looooooong letters before she died, dealing with some issues. When I read those letters, I can feel her spirit still speaking behind those words. It is the same with the Spirit and the word. When you read the word, try to picture the Spirit (however you might picture the Sprit) watching you reading the word and hoping that you will apply what you read to your daily life and needs.

I AM COMING QUICKLY! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

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If you are not into eschatology, you might want to skip this article! If you are interested, what did Jesus mean when he said “I am coming quickly” in Revelation 22:7,12,20?

Jesus said “I am coming quickly” 3 times in Revelation 22 (22:7,12,20). Does that mean “like a speeding bullet” but not necessarily “soon”? Or does it mean “soon” as translated in the ESV and the YLT (Young’s Literal Translation)? Does it mean that, when He does come, it will happen swiftly, but not necessarily soon? The Greek word is tachu: Quickly, swiftly, soon. “The adverb “tachu” is used in the New Testament to convey a sense of immediacy or urgency. It often describes actions that are to be undertaken without delay or events that are expected to occur soon. The term emphasizes the promptness or rapidity of an action or event.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: ταχύ (neuter of the adjective ταχύς), adverb (from Pindar down), quickly, speedily (without delay): Matthew 5:25; Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:8 Rec.; Luke 15:22 L Tr brackets WH; John 11:29; ἔρχεσθαι, Revelation 2:5 Rec.bez elz, ; ; forthwith, i. e. while in the use of my name he is performing mighty works, Mark 9:39.” An example of its use in Matthew 22:7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” 8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to report to His disciples.” So the use here is swiftly but also without delay. It is used two other times in Revelation: 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. (ESV) 3:10 `Because thou didst keep the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of the trial that is about to (mello in the New Testament always means something about to happen) come upon all the world, to try those dwelling upon the earth. (YLT) 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (ESV). In 3:10,11 the coming “soon” is tied to things “about to happen”, so the context shows that “soon” is the best interpretation of tachu in 3:11.

μέλλω (melló) (melló: to be about to, to intend, to be destined) is used several times in the messages to the seven churches. 1:19; 2:10; 3:2,10, 16. It is obvious that the meaning is things about to happen to the 7 churches. “The Greek verb “μέλλω” (melló) always means “about to happen” in the New Testament. It is often mistranslated “certainly or surely or just is to happen” but that is not how it is used in the New Testament. It always means “about to happen”. Young’s Literal Translation does a good job of always translating mello correctly as “about to”.

The 2nd coming is part of the predictions of Revelation. Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” This is the same language as Matthew 24:30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. ” That coming in Matthew 24 had to happen within that generation. 24:34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (genea in the New Testament always means a 40 year period or the people living in a 40 year period, just as we use it in the “baby boomers’ generation”). So what is the context of Revelation 1:7? The context is things that will happen shortly or soon. Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon (tachos: Speed, swiftness, quickness: Strongs “From the same as tachus; a brief space (of time), i.e. (with en prefixed) in haste — + quickly, + shortly, + speedily.”) take place. Tachos is the same word in Revelation 22:6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” The Greek for “near” is eggus: Near, close, at hand. “The Greek word “ἐγγύς” (eggus) is used to denote proximity in terms of space, time, or relationship. It conveys the idea of something being near or imminent. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe the nearness of the Kingdom of God, the coming of Christ, or the proximity of a person or event.” It is translated 29 out of 31 times used as “near”, so the context of Revelation is things that are “imminent”. Eggus is the word used in Revelation 22:10 And he *said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” Just two verses after that is 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” There is that tachu word that means quickly, swiftly, soon, but the ESV translates it “soon” because it is predicting something that is “near” (22:10). The same with Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” One other thing. In 22:10, John is told “do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” Why is he told not to seal up the prophecies? It, again, is b/c their fulfillment is “near“. How could that be thousands of years later? Daniel was told to seal up his predictions, and his predictions would happen about 600 years after he made them. So to not seal up the predictions of Revelation would have to mean they were going to happen at least in the next few hundred years, and not thousands of years. But “near” makes it mean soon after Revelation was written.

Hopefully, that is enough Greek word studies and Revelation context (probably overkill for most readers). But it should be apparent (at least I think it is) that the events predicted in the book of Revelation were “about to happen”, “soon”, “shortly”, “near”. Not just some of the events, but all of them. The book begins and ends with the same words: “the time is near”, these things are going to happen “soon”. That would include the 2nd coming which be both swiftly, soon, without delay: usually translated “quickly” but “soon would be the better translation as in the ESV. Those who believe that the 2nd coming “quickly” in Revelation 22:7,12,20 does not mean “soon” are those who do not believe that John is predicting that the 2nd coming was “near” and would happen “soon”. So they take “quickly” to mean just “swiftly” but not necessarily “soon”, but that is not the context of the 2nd coming in Revelation. So, is John predicting that the 2nd coming was soon, near? If so, could he be referring to Jesus’ coming in judgment on the Jews in 70 AD, just as Jesus predicted in Matthew 24:30-34, and not to some coming that would be thousands of years later? If he was predicting that Jesus’ 2nd coming would be soon, near and then it didn’t happen soon or near, then would that make him mistaken or a false prophet?

Something to think about!



SIGNALS MUSEUM IN HUNTSVILLE

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A little human interest story. Recently a mentally challenged adult was able to visit the Signals Museum in Huntsville, Al. He has listened to radios 24/7 all his life and his parents let him buy radios, stereos, etc. all through the years. He has bought hundred of them. If you go on a trip and call him, he will always ask “what radio station do they have”. He enjoyed the visit to the Signals Museum. It’s mission is “to educate visitors about the history of information communication advancements and the scientists, engineers and business leaders who made them possible” (from their brochure). It has many amazing exhibits and displays, such as telephone, telegraph, radio, television, Ham Shack, etc. . Go visit if you can.

One of the exhibits is “telegraphs”. In big letters on the display are the words, “What God hath wrought”. That is taken from Numbers 23:23 (KJV). That was the first message ever sent over a long distance telegraph line (from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, Maryland). The inventor of the telegraph was Samuel Morse and the message was sent in “morse code” on May 24, 1844. Annie Elsworth composed the message. The context of Numbers 23 is the prophet Balaam’s 2nd attempt to curse Israel as they passed through Moab on the final leg to the Promised Land under Joshua. Balaam tried 4 times to curse Israel to get his pay from Balaak the king of Moab, but all 4 times the Spirit took over and Balaam blessed Israel. The whole verse reads: Numbers 23:23 For there is no magic curse against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel; at the proper time it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, what God has done!” (NASB). In other words, not only would the Spirit not curse Israel but one day in the future people would be amazed at what God did for Israel, HIs people. He would lead them into the. Promised Land and defeat all the Canaanite nations. He would make a great nation of Israel and established the mighty kingdom of David. He would do mighty miracles for them such as the walls of Jericho and the sun standing still. People would look at the history of Israel and her God Yahweh and say, “Wow! Look what God did with them. What an amazing God!”

I can’t read what Annie Elsworth had in mind when she composed that 4 word message, but I can only guess that she was amazed at what God had accomplished through Morse and others in inventing the telegraph. What an amazing way of sending information. That was just the beginning, of course, and look at where we are today. The history of all that is at the museum. Even as late as 1974, when we were in Trinidad, West Indies, we had to find a ham operator in Trinidad and get him to talk to a ham operator in the U.S. who would then call our parents collect so we could talk through the them via ham. Now I can call people in Trinidad on whatsapp and see their faces as we talk.

All that got me thinking about signals from God. How did He communicate with man? How did he reveal Himself to man? It starts with “general revelation”. Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” The very existence of a universe created from nothing and the design of that universe tell us there is a creator God. Psalm 19:1 “The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out into all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.” Constantly 24/7 the universe and everything created is speaking to us, telling “there is a glorious God who created everything. Give Him the honor and praise that is due Him.” Atheists can’t hear that message appaarently.

But gneral revelation via the creation does not tell us what that God is like. Is is the Greek pantheon of gods headed by the chief god Zeus? Or is the many gods of Hinduism with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva? Or is it Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu of Zoroastrianism? Or is it the many Egyptian gods like Ra, the sun god? Thus God used “special revelation” to tell us what He is like and what His plans are. He used prophets who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” They told us in inspired words what God has been doing throughout history with Israel. They told us about the many miracles of God. They told us about the nature of God. They told us about God’s plan to save sinners by sending His Son to die for us. There had to be a message sent via the telegraph or it would mean nothing. God’s special revelation through prophets was that message sent via God’s telegraph system.

Just as communication methods have progressed from the simple first message sent via telegraph, God’s revelatiion progressed. After centuries of prophets, God spoke through HIs Son. Hebrews 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 [a]in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.” Now it is the “red letter” words of Jesus (used in the gospels in some Bibles) that tell us even more about the Father and HIs will. He then left the Spirit with His apostles, guiding them to “all truth” and they preached and wrote the rest of the New Testament, leaving us a core of all the truth that we would need to “not be tossed about by every wind of doctrine”. God sill speaks to us through creation and through His word. He even speaks to us in personal ways as we listen for HIs voice.

Well, there you have it. The “Signals” history of God’s communication to us. We live in an amazing time of communication. We also llive in an amazing time of studying God’s communication via HIs word. You can click on biblehub.com and get the Greek or Hebrew for any word in the Bible with its meaning, its cultural usage, different translations of the word, and the places in the Bible where it is used. You can google the internet to get amazing research on any Bible topic.

“What God hath wrought!”

WAS JESUS DEPRESSED? HOW TO DEAL WITH DEPRESSION (3)

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Here is Peyton Synthetic Gospel Harmony for Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. I like Peyton b/c it blends all 3 accounts of his prayer into one.

FRIDAY

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane – Before Dawn (Mk 14:32-42; Mt 26:36-46; Lk 22:39-46; Jn 18:1)

Lk 22:39 Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, Mt 26:36 to a place called Gethsemane, Jn 18:1 across the Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there, and he and his disciples went into it. Lk 22:40 When he came to the place, he said to them, “Sit here and pray that you will not fall into temptation Mt 26:36 while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter, James, and John, the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” Mk 14:35 Going a little farther, about a stone’s throw, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him. 36 He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Lk 22:42 If you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And in his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, exhausted from grief. Mk 14:37 He said to Peter, “Simon, why are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 38 Get up, stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mt 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed the same thing, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” Mk 14:40 When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him. Mt 26:44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to the disciples a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of that! Look, the hour is approaching and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!”

Notice the words that describe Jesus’ mental and emotional state in the Garden. 1) Mt 26:37 “Anguished” (lupeó: To grieve, to cause sorrow, to distress). 2) “distressed” (adémoneó: To be distressed, troubled, or deeply grieved). 3) Mt 26:38 “Deeply grieved” (perilupos: Deeply distressed, exceedingly sorrowful, very sad). perílypos (an adjective, derived from 4012 /perí, “encompassing” and 3077 /lýpē, “sorrow”) – properly, being sorrowful “all-around,” i.e. engulfed in sorrow. AI: “The term “perilupos” is used to describe a state of profound emotional distress or sorrow. It conveys a sense of being overwhelmed by grief or sadness, often in response to a significant or impending event. In the New Testament, it is used to express the deep emotional turmoil experienced by individuals in moments of great trial or anticipation of suffering.” In other words, not just grieved (lupeo in 26:37) but overwhelmed with grief, perilupos 26:38). 4) Mt 26:38 “to the point of death”. What does that mean? “He confesses a deeply troubled state of mind. “Jesus describes this as being so distressed that He almost feels the emotion would kill Him.” Have you ever been so troubled, depressed, grieved that you just felt like you couldn’t go one, you couldn’t face life any longer? Jesus felt that. 5) Lk 22:44 “sweat like drops of blood falling to the ground”. 2 possible meanings for this: “Hematohidrosis: This condition occurs when blood vessels around the sweat glands rupture, allowing blood to mix with sweat. It can be caused by extreme distress or bleeding disorders.  Simile: The phrase “like drops of blood” could be a simile to compare the large, heavy drops of sweat to blood dripping from a wound.” Since it says “like”, I think it means a simile.

So, was Jesus depressed? It would seem so. He is “overwhelmed” with grief which is a symptom of depression. He feels that his grief and anxiety is going to kill him. He is sweating thick drops of sweat, which is a sign of a panic attack for me (I have awakened from a panic attack, sweating profusely even though the room temperature is cool). Is depression a lack of faith? Had Jesus lost his faith in the Father’s plan? Of course not.  Some might feel guilt b/c they feel that their depression is due to their lack of faith. That just adds more stress to their depression. Depression is just a fact of our human weakness that we all endure at one time or another, some for longer periods than others.

So how did Jesus handle his depression? He prayed. Mk 14:35 Going a little farther, about a stone’s throw, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him. 36 He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Lk 22:42 If you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done. 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And in his anguish he prayed more earnestly.” He prayed this same prayer 3 times. Did he really think that it was “possible” that his impending hour of suffering and death would pass from him and not happen? He knew that his fate, dying on the cross, was imminent, but He knew it had to happen to do the Father’s will and save sinners. After his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” I think his mind knew that it was not possible at the last moment to change God’s plan for him to die, but his fleshly spirit was so overwhelmed that he asked the Father if there was any other way. He is so distressed that he even reminds the Father “all things are possible for you”. But then he adds, “yet not my will but yours be done”. He is totally ready to accept his fate, suffer, and die. I think he knew there was no other way.

When we pray for a loved one with cancer, we know that all things are possible with God. He can use doctors and medicine to reverse a death sentence, or He can just reverse it mysteriously without medicine. So our grief causes us to pray for healing. We pray with faith that God can heal. We don’t pray with faith that God will heal. We know, as Jesus did, that for whatever reason God might not let the fate of our loved one pass: he/she will die from the cancer. We should not feel guilty if our loved one dies, thinking that he/she died b/c of our lack of faith or lack of prayer. I have heard some expressing that thought when we had a loved one die and it devastating to the survivors, causing them to live with unnecessary guilt for years afterward. We lost a loved one in a car accident, and as she was in intensive care I was asked, “we prayed and we believe so she will be okay, right?” We lost another loved one in intensive care and I heard someone say that if we prayed hard enough and believed enough that the loved one would live. She did not live and I wonder how that statement affected others’ faith in God.

We just have to pray, believing that God might heal, but we must be ready to accept whatever the will of the Father is. Not some predetermined Calvinistic fate, but whatever the Father feels is best. Then we just leave the outcome to God. We don’t lose any faith in God is he doesn’t heal. We accept it and move on. If we pray like Jesus did, then the Father can say “yes” to all of our prayers. We pray, “heal my loved one, but if not, do what is best”. The Father can say, “yes, I wil do that”: even if our loved one dies, He has answered “yes” to our prayer. If we just pray, “Father heal my loved one”, then He can’t say yes. He can say “I hear your prayer, but “no”, I will not heal your loved one.”

We can learn so much from the prayer life of Jesus. Here is a great site that lists all the verses (and you can click on the verses for each time of prayer listed) in which Jesus prayed: https://jesusalive.cc/times-jesus-prayed/. Here is a great summary from the article by Steve Shirley:

“The Bible tells us in (1 Th 5:17) to “pray without ceasing.” While I don’t believe this literally means to never stop praying, I would say that Jesus probably came closer to never stopping than any person who has ever lived on this planet. He was continually in a prayer mode. He is shown to pray: alone (Mt 14:23)(Mk 1:35)(Lk 9:18)(Lk 22:39-41), in public (Jn 11:41-42)(Jn 12:27-30), before meals (Mt 26:26)(Mk 8:6)(Lk 24:30)(Jn 6:11), before important decisions (Lk 6:12-13), before healing (Mk 7:34-35), after healing (Lk 5:16), to do the Father’s will (Mt 26:36-44), among other things. He also taught on the importance of prayer (Mt 21:22)(Mk 11:24-26)(Mt 7:7-11)(Lk 11:9-13)(Jn 14:13-14)(Jn 15:7,16)(Jn 16:23-24)(Mt 5:44)(Lk 6:27-28)(Mt 6:5-15: including the Lord’s Prayer)(Lk 11:2-4)(Mt 18:19-20). If you take all of the places that show Jesus praying, you will have a PERFECT outline of how to pray (check out Jn 17).”
Go to the article and read this summary b/c you can click on the verses and see each verse for each category. You can’t do that from reading the summary in this blog article. The author lists 25 places, times, and occasions where Jesus prayed and you can click on the verses for each one.

I don’t know about you, but my prayer life is weak and I hope this article will help me be more prayerful.

So, add “prayer” to “heal to deal with depression.”

HOW TO DEAL WITH DEPRESSION (2): ELIJAH’S DEPRESSION

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The prophet Elijah had just achieved a maor victory over the wicked King Ahab and his wicked wife, Queen Jezebel. On Mt. Carmel, he had just defeated the 400 prophets of Baal and the 450 prophets of Asherah. He should feel quite victorious, yes? No. Instead he goes into depression, even what would be considered suicidal depression. The mental health questionaires always ask, “did you ever consider killing yourself when you were depressed?” Eliah did. After his victory, he heard that Jezebel had sworn to kill him the next day. There would probably be many of her soldiers tracking him down 24/7. 1 Kings 19:3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” That is suicidal thinking. An angel gave him food and sent him on a 40 day journey to Mt. Sinai. 1 Kings 19:9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” “I have accomplished nothing, my life is a failure.”

What happens next is interesting. 1 Kings 19:11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. ” In other words: The Lord doesn’t always punish our enemies when and how we want him to. He doesn’t always remove our enemies when we want him to. It would be several years before God punishes Jezebel and the dogs eat almost all of her body and lick up her blood. Sometimes God has a more gentle way of dealing with our depressing circumstances, so we just need to trust him and be patient.

1 Kings 19:13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” Apparently Elijah didn’t get the lesson with the gentle breeze whisper! God asked him the same question that he did before the breeze. God was not asking that for His sake. He was asking that to challenge Elijah’s depression thinking. In other words: “Elijah, why are you even here? You should not even be here, several days away from the action. You should not be here feeling sorry for yourself.” Self pity is a big part of depression. You get the “victim mentality. You complain a lot. You dwell on things that have happened to you or past mistakes. You look at others who are doing better than you. You just feel sorry for yourself. Why me? Have you ever felt that? Self pity is a symptom of depression or can lead to depression. Of course, if you look at how many others are suffering then you won’t feel so sorry for yourself.

So what did God tell him to do to deal with his self pity and suicidal depression? 1 Kings 19:15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” In other words: “Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Get back to work using your gift to do what I have commissioned you to do, i.e. to do the work of a prophet. I have work for you to do and this self pity and depression is hindering that work. Go anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: I will use him to punish the idolatry of Israel (and God did that later). Go anoint Jehu to wipe out the household and descendants to Ahab and Jezebel, which he did later. Go anoint Elisha to take your place later, and he will pronounce even more punishments on Israel for their idolatry. But be patient. The strong wind, earthquake, and fire will come, but only when I am ready and how I dictate it to happen. You just get back to work using your prophetic gift.” Elijah apparently immediately did what God said. Maybe it helped him deal with his depression and self pity.

So in part 1, we got lessons from the depression of Job. What is the main takeaway from the depression of Elijah. To me it is this: Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Get up and go use your gift to help others. 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 2 main types of gifts: teaching and serving. Using our gifts will help get our minds off our depression and make us feel useful. The world is full of opportunities for us to use our gifts. Find something that gives you purpose and perspective, that gives you a reason to live and gives meaning to your existence.

So, from Job: trust in God that he knows what’s best and humbly accept depressing circumstances.

From Elijah: quit feeling sorry for yourself and go use your gift to serve others.

From Paul: Keep your eyes on eternal life and whatever you face here on earth will be light and momentary in comparison with our eternal weight of glory.

When you have done all that, go get some good home made banana pudding, a good cup of coffee, and make the best of every day that you have left. At least, that’s what I do!

HOW TO DEAL WITH DEPRESSION (1): JOB’S DEPRESSION

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I was a little shocked at the severity of Job’s depression. Someone has said that Job 30 is a classical definition of the symptoms of depression. Justing quoting one section from that chapter.

Job 30:16 “And now my soul is poured out within me;
    days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 The night racks my bones,
    and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.
18 With great force my garment is disfigured;
    it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.
19 God has cast me into the mire,
    and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you for help and you do not answer me;
    I stand, and you only look at me.
21 You have turned cruel to me;
    with the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it,
    and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.
23 For I know that you will bring me to death
    and to the house appointed for all living.

Physical and emotional pain, crying, hopeless feeling, physical exhaustion, sleeplessness, anger at God, self pity, loneliness, feeling of isolation. It’s all there. He had already wished that he had never been born or that he had been born dead in chapter 3 when his trials began. His 3 “friends” say that his suffering must be as a result of his sins. He argues that he has not committed sin and has always helped the needy, not lusted, etc. He wants an umpire to settle this dispute with God. He challenges God’s fairness. We don’t know how long Job sat with boils from head to foot, but by chapter 30 it seems that he is in full blown depression. A 4th friend, Elihu, speaks for the first time. He rebukes the 3 other men for not giving Job satisfactory advice, and he rebukes Job for his self righteousness and for challenging God.

Finally, for the first time in the book, the Lord speaks.

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.” In other words: “Man up. If you think you can challenge God, I have some questions for you. Where were you when I created all these wondrous things in nature?” 40:1 And the Lord said to Job: 2 “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” In other words: “Job, who do you think you are than you can challenge Me and question My character and fairness.”

Job 40:3 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.” In other words: “Shut my mouth. I will never challenge you again, God.”

God is not through with him. Job 40:6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:7 “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 8 Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?” In other words: “Man up. I’ve got some more questions for you.”

Job has had enough! Job 42:Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” In other words: “I repent of my attitude, my challenging you, God. I will humbly accept whatever you do to me and just trust you even if I don’t know why You are doing what You are doing.”

I don’t claim to be a counselor for depression, but at least my advice is free! I always told them when I was preaching every Sunday for a congregation of 500, only getting part time pay since I was full time in Christian education, “My preaching is not some super speaker, but at least it’s cheap!”

The next article on depression will be Elijah. God’s rebuke of Elijah in his depression will add to “how to deal with depression”. But what do we get from God’s rebuke of Job in his depression? Simple: “You just need to recognize that I am the Creator and Sustainer of all things and trust me whether you know why I am doing what I am doing or not. Just humbly recognize that I am God and trust Me that I know what’s best.”

Counselors give great advice on how to deal with depression that should be included here. From AI:

Seek Professional Help: 

  • Consult a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or therapist, for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. 
  • Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT), can help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. 
  • Antidepressant medications may be prescribed in some cases to improve mood and reduce symptoms. 

Lifestyle Changes: 

  • Engage in regular exercise, even if it’s just a short walk or bike ride.
  • Get enough sleep and maintain a healthy diet.
  • Avoid alcohol and drugs, as they can worsen symptoms.
  • Spend time with supportive friends and family members. 

Self-Help Techniques: 

  • Practice mindfulness and meditation to reduce stress and improve emotional regulation. 
  • Engage in activities that bring joy, such as hobbies, reading, or spending time in nature. 
  • Set small, achievable goals and celebrate your successes. 
  • Keep a journal to track your thoughts and feelings, and identify triggers that may worsen depression. 

That’s great thorough advice, so follow it. But Christian counseling adds another dimension, the spiritual. The very first step in dealing with depression is to simply trust God that He knows what is best. Just humbly accept whatever it is that depresses you. Trust God that He has something really good for you in the future that will make your depressing circumstances seem like nothing one day, sooner or later.

It might even be that God will reward your trust in this life, as he did with Job. 42:12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and full of days.”

But for most, that reward might be eternal life with the Father, Jesus, and loved ones. Jesus had jsut finished telling his apostles that riches would not be the reward for following Him. Peter then asked, “We have left everything to follow you. If the reward is not riches, what’s in it for us?” Jesus answered: Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”

So, when depressed, keep your eyes on eternal life after death. Whatever it is that depresses you will seem like nothing in eternity, so why are you allowing it to take away your joy of living? Just trust God and accept your depressing circumstances. Don’t question God or spend time asking “Why?” You might even be able just to laugh at it all and say, “Thanks God. This just keeps me humble and makes me appreciate heaven even more.” And then go do all those tips the counsellors gave you.

Paul’s suffered so much for Christ, but listen to his perspective on suffering. 2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

He calls his suffering “light momentary affliction?” Listen to what that “light” affliction was: 2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?” I bet your depressing circumstances pale compared to what Paul suffered, but he was not depressed.

Why not? Because he knew his suffering was only “momentary”. But they lasted a lot longer than one moment of pain, didn’t they? Yes, his suffering lasted about 30 years from his conversion to his death by beheading at the hands of Nero. But Paul calls them “momentary” b/c he kept his eyes on his eternal reward in heaven. He viewed his suffering as “preparing an eternal weight in glory beyond all comparison”. In other words: “what I am suffering here is nothing compared to my eternal reward.” So that’s the key. Don’t let your mind dwell on your depressing circumstances. Make you mind look with faith to the distant future, eternal life in heaven. Block out all other thoughts and think about heaven. An atheiest can’t do that. We can. Even facing death, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” We have the hope of eternal life, which God promised, and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

I hope this helps if you suffer from depression. Trust God. Keep your eyes on eternal life in heaven. Enjoy the day as best as you can.

CHRIST IS ALL YOU NEED AND COLOSSIANS IS ALL YOU NEED!

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Please read the last article on the all sufficiency of Christ (Colossians chapters 1 and 2). Summary:Jesus is all sufficient for your forgiveness and guidance. He is the Son of God, the very icon (exact image) of the Father. He is the Creator and all things hold together by His power. He is your redemption from sin and reconciliation with God. He is the head of the church and directs every thought, word, and deed. Don’t let anyone tell you that simple faith and obedience is not enough, that you need to focus on sectarian rules or new revelation or asceticism or visions or intellectual doctrinal debates or charisms of some latter day prophet or legalism withdrawing fellowship with other believers. You don’t need those things to be “spiritual”, to be more “complete or mature” as a Christian.

So, Christ is all sufficient but what does that mean in practical daily Christian living? Since he is all sufficient, do we even need to try to quit sinning? Will the all sufficient grace of Jesus save us no matter what we do (universalism)? Do we need to do good works since salvation can’t be earned by good works? Are there any rules to keep? Are there any doctrines essential to salvation and fellowship with other Christians?

I think the Colossian letter answers all those questions. Remember, Paul is writing to house churches in Colossae who don’t have a completed New Testament. Some false teachers are trying to persuade them to focus on some new philosophy about the nature of Christ or some food laws of the Old Testament or some visions they have seen. After discussing the all sufficiency of Christ in chapters 1 and 2, what will Paul tell them to focus on.

  1. 1:4 Continue “your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints.”
  2. 1:10 Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
  3. 1:23 Continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard.”
  4. 3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Don’t focus of all that stuff the false teachers are pushing at you.
  5. 3:5-11 Put off the old sinful self and all your old sinful thoughts, deeds, and practices. Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. lying. That list covers it all, doesn’t it? Look at each one of those and ask yourself, “How hard am I really tryin to no commit those sins?”
  6. 3:10-13 Put on the new self that is constantly being “renewed”. The Greek for renewed is anakainoó: To renew, to make new again. (AI): “The verb ἀνακαινόω (anakainoó) is used in the New Testament to describe the process of renewal or making something new again. It conveys the idea of restoration and transformation, often in a spiritual or moral sense. This renewal is typically associated with the inner self or mind, indicating a profound change that aligns with God’s will and purposes.” Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other just as Christ forgives you, love, which is the perfect bond of unity, peace, be thankful. Let the word richly dwell within you b/c that is the main way that the Spirit renews your mind every day to put off the old and put on the new. It is a constant battle of the mind 24/7 to do that, but you have to stay in the word. Look at that list to put on. Which ones do you need to ask the Spirit to help you practice more? Ephesians expresses this same “put off the old, put on the new renewal of the mind: Ephesians 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” A great summary verse: Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
  7. 3:18-4:1. Be a submissive wife, loving husband, obedience child, gentle father, obedient slave, fair slave master. It should all start in the home!
  8. 4:2-4. Be devoted to prayer with thanksgiving. 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. Pray for the spread of the gospel throughout the world. Pray and support organizations like EEM that print and distribute Bibles in many countries in many languages.
  9. 4:5-6. Make the most of every opportunity that you have to influence outsiders, non Christians. 6 Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” That would include handling conflicts, not returning insult for insult, defending the faith ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you about the hope of eternal life that you have, and just being kind to others in your speech, encouraging others. That would include: Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”
  10. 4:7-18 Share greetings with fellow believers and co-workers in the kingdom. Paul mentions several, including John Mark and Luike. Special mention of Epaphras who started and pastored the church at Coossae but was in Rome when Paul wrote the letter: 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and  fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” Also share this letter with the Laodiceans and read the letter I wrote to them.

In closing, remember that Paul told how they became Christians and how they were saved. Colossians 2:9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made  complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.“

I’m still convinced that one must believe, repent, confess, and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). These verses teach that baptism is the final “step”, being buried (the word baptizo means immersion) in the water and then raised up from the water. Still saved by grace through faith, but baptism is part of that initial saving faith. Similar to Namaan being told to dip in the River Jordan 7 times to be healed of leprosy. The water or the number of dips didn’t save him, it was the power of God. But he was given “conditions” to meet to be cleansed and he would not have been cleansed if he did not obey those conditions. The same with baptism. It’s not the water. It’s not a “work” by which we earn salvation. It’s simply a condition of faith that must be met. We were dead in sin, but after baptism we were raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-6). Baptism is not just something you do to join a church. It is a critical step in being saved by grace through faith.

So, if you are not a Christian, please do so. If you have not been baptized, please do so. Don’t let anyone get your focus off the all sufficiency of Jesus and what simple Christian living is.

Do you see why I made the title? If Colossians was the only book in the New Testament that you had, it would be more than adequate for you to believe in the all sufficiency of Christ and how you should live a a believer.

CHRIST IS ALL YOU NEED AND COLOSSIANS IS ALL YOU NEED!