Liberty & Slavery

In America we celebrate every year the liberty that we have. It is a time of patriotism, fireworks, hot dogs and apple pie. It is a time that the nation seems to come together but for a single moment. But the moment of liberty is something that has far reaching aspects in our daily lives. Liberty is the political philosophy that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will and to take responsibility for their actions. There are different conceptions of liberty, which articulate the relationship of individuals to society in different ways, including some which relate to life under a “social contract” or to existence in a “state of nature”, and some which see the active exercise of freedom and rights as essential to liberty.1


Slavery on the other hand is a system under which people are treated as property and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation. Slavery predates written records, has existed in many cultures and in some historical situations it has been legal for owners to kill slaves.2 Slavery is the stark opposite of liberty. Whether we realize it or not, or want to realize it or not, slavery today is higher than at any point in human history (a friend of mine who works for the Department of Homeland Security says that the US has the highest rate of human trafficking in the world today).

Our understanding of slavery and liberty may differ. But one thing is for sure: God’s idea of slavery and liberty is exact, sure, true and proven. It is the slavery that every man faces from the time he is conceived to the time that he dies if he never trusts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is slavery to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote it this way in Romans 6:15-18: What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not! Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. Sin is ever present in our liberated society. And because this is the case, there really is no liberty at all except to a certain class of people.

Now that sounds pretty precocious on my part to say except to a certain class of people. Be careful not to misunderstand what I mean by what I say. The class of people of whom I am speaking is every single person in the world: sinners! But there are some of us who have come to the knowledge of our sinfulness, have trusted the Person and Work of Jesus Christ unto salvation, and who are attempting to live our lives as obedient to Him. However, there are those who struggle with the liberty they have in Christ. For some reason we just continually give ourselves to the enslavement of sin. The Word of God, however, keeps telling us that we are freed from sin and that we have liberty in Jesus Christ.

Read what Jesus Christ says about liberty John 8:31-35: Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed Him, “If you continue to follow My teaching, you are really my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. the slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever.” Find true liberty and be freed from slavery in Jesus Christ!

Hidden Treasure

Have you ever searched for hidden treasures? Bill Fair can only wish it were his garage he was cleaning out. Hired by the Texas attorney general’s office to clean out a storage unit after a judgment against the building’s owner, the Lecompton, Kansas, man made an incredible discovery. Under piles of junk, Fair discovered a classic 1966 Shelby Mustang—one of only 1,100 ever made. Encased in rubbish for perhaps decades, the vintage sports car was pristine, according to Fair. After he reported the discovery to the Texas attorney general’s office, the car was quickly towed away where state officials hope to auction it off for around $200,000.

Carroll Shelby was a race car enthusiast and he is also known as one of the greatest car designers in the world. He had a streak in him that said speed! When AC Cars of Thames Ditton in England lost their manufacturer for the lightweight, but powerful Bristol motor in 1961, Shelby saw a great design in a car that he really treasured. It was known as the Ace Cobra. He ended up contacting Charles Hurlock, the owner of AC Cars, and talked him into continuing to build the chassis but with a certain modification: a chassis that could stand up to a good old US V-8 engine! Shelby was not sure where he would get the V-8 motor but he liked the idea and was determined to pull it off—which he did in 1962, just a year after receiving the first chassis from AC. It was a marriage of the British Ace roadster and Ford’s hot new 260-cid V-8 engine. Later there was a 289 which now put the Cobra up to 380 horsepower and crowns in the SCCA-A-production and the US Road Racing Championship.

I understand that for some this story is not really all that exciting. After all, some of you just want to have a car that takes you from point A to point B. That’s understandable. But I tell you this story for this simple reason: when a man finds a treasure he is determined to get it and to make it his very own. He’ll work hard to get it. He’ll work harder to make sure that his treasure stays in pristine condition. He’ll go as far as to keep it to himself so that no one will have the inclination to steal it or to vandalize his treasure. Shelby no doubt saw the beauty in what he found to be his treasure. His treasure was in the designs that he made and the cars that he built for speed.

And this is how the Lord would have us to be. Now don’t mistake me! He doesn’t want us to chase after something that we have made with our hands or with our minds to be the treasure that we find and keep. The treasure that He wants for us is only found in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ! Read what Paul wrote in Colossians 2:1-3: For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The true treasure that lasts for an eternity is actually knowing the One who is to be treasured.

In Jesus Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It is the knowledge of us being knit together in love—Christ’s love—and attaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding—understanding that our riches are Christ Himself. Beloved, we have a treasure that is beyond anything imaginable. Shelby dreamt of a car. Jesus dreamt of our redemption. Shelby attained his dream only for it to die with him. Jesus attained His dream only to rise again!

Good News for Those Who Are Hopeless

It appears that there is a deep depression affecting so many in the United States. This depression is not just an economic depression. In fact, that is only a minuscule part of the depression. The depression actually stems (in my opinion) from a lack of hope. There seems to be hopelessness all around us today. From factories closing to loved ones perishing from tragic accidents or diseases or even suicide, a lack of hope is surrounding us.

Over the last twelve months alone in my small town there have been five suicides. Why? Because of a lack of hope. There is hopelessness in hearing the news of these tragedies. There are people who are dying of all sorts of diseases, cancers and other ailments. And how are they fairing? Many of them are hopeless. In Arizona a 22-year-old fired in excess of 15-20 rounds from a 9mm pistol killing six innocent people including a 9-year-old girl, injuring 13 others and a United States Congresswoman. Why? According to news reports, this young man was hopeless and was planning on committing suicide after he went on his killing spree. Over and over again we are hearing of young people taking weapons to their schools and using them to kill other students because of bullying or for some other reasons. Why? Because of hopelessness.

But there is Good News this evening! It is the same news that has been told for centuries and even for a couple of millenia. The Good News is that God is not surprised at any of this. In fact, He is not surprised to hear of the tragic shootings or the car accidents or the diseases or even the suicides. He is fully aware of what is going on in our world today; He is not silent nor is He aloof or afar off. In the midst of all of this tragedy, God is still in control!

"But how can this be? These young men and women, these older men and women, these children that are dying...how can you say that God is in control of all of this? If God is in such control, why doesn't He act like it?"

The Bible answers these questions in various verses. For example:

"Because you rage against Me and your insolence has reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came." (2 Kings 19:28)

"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases." (Proverbs 21:1)

These are but two verses that speak of God's sovereignty over the lives of men. In the arena of man's will raging against Almighty God He acts to bring man and his pride to a grinding halt. The politics of a man's heart will be directed as the rivers of the world in the direction that God sees fit. But there is more Good News. Not only is God sovereign over the lives of men, but He is sovereign in how He chooses to save men. And how does He choose this? Through the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ! This is exciting knowing that God even has this in control! Read how the Scriptures again describe this incredible Good News:

Jesus said, "I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture." (John 10:9) 

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

"No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (Acts 15:11)

"Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:9-11) 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will -- the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us int he One he loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment -- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of HIm who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in christ, might be for the praise of His glory. And you also were included in christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession -- to the praise of His glory...For it is by grace you have been saved, thorugh faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 1:3-14; 2:8-10)

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

If you are hopeless today, rest assured that there is hope in Jesus Christ. I leave you with this thought:

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope int he Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:30-31)

30 Days With Jesus - Jesus Foretold

Today we will begin a series of posts called 30 Days With Jesus. It will follow a daily reading plan as given by Zondervan Publishers.

Isaiah the Prophet

Isaiah 53 is a passage of Scripture that foretells the coming of the Messiah -- Jesus Christ. It is a well-known and well-loved passage by many. And for those who have studied this passage they have discovered that Jesus Christ was not necessarily the kingly looking Messiah for whom men sought. Isaiah says:

..he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. (53:2)

Isaiah was quite exact in describing this Messiah who would come to save his people. Continue reading this account and this is what you will find:

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. (53:3-4)

Although this Messiah was the One who was foretold, people did not recognize him as such. Rather, they looked at him and they despised and rejected him. To despise someone is to disdain them, to reject them, to loathe. It was not just the fact that Jesus Christ claimed his Messiahship, it was the fact that the people who heard him were disgusted with him. And, besides being disgusted with him, they had no respect for him - ...we esteemed him not. With this idea of disgust the people eventually rejected him as the Messiah of whom they were waiting. Although the Messiah has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, Isaiah continues to tell us that even though he gave his life and carried our sorrows, the people still rejected him saying that God had smitten and afflicted him. In other words, God has done this to him because of who he said he was.

But notice how Isaiah reassures his readers that he has borne our griefs and sorrows. Here the prophet is telling us the good news of the Messiah. Even though people rejected him and were disgusted with him, the fact still remained that the Messiah had borne our griefs and sorrows. And what are these griefs and sorrows? But the very sin that resides in each of us. Read how Isaiah continues to tell us this good news of the Messiah -- of Jesus Christ:

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (53:5-6)

Not only has he borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, but the Messiah was also wounded for our transgressions. This wounding resulted in his death. Isaiah tells us that he bore our griefs and sorrows and tells us what those griefs and sorrows were -- our transgressions. It is the sin that ever resides in each of us. It is what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans:

As it is written, "None is righteous, no, not one...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:10, 23)

All of us have transgressed against God. There is none who is able to reach God because of this sin. And it was this Messiah of whom Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53. What have we done about this Messiah coming to save us? Read what Isaiah says: because none of us is righteous, because all of us have fallen short of the glory of God, the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. This Messiah has taken the very wrath of God upon himself so that we would be freed from this wrath. Even though we have turned to our own way, God loved us enough that he would lay this burden on this Messiah -- on Jesus Christ. The Messiah's attitude was such that he was willing to take on the iniquity of us all. Read what else Isaiah says:

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (53:10-11)

Why was the Messiah's attitude that he was willing to take on the iniquity of us all? Because out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied. Jesus Christ was satisfied with his payment and God the Father was satisfied with the willingness and the dying of Jesus Christ for the transgressors -- for us -- for the ones who went their own way and transgressed against him. And it was also for the satisfaction that the Messiah would make many to be accounted righteous. This righteousness would come directly from himself for he lived a perfectly sinless life so that we might have life. His righteousness has been imputed on those who have trusted him in salvation.

This Messiah, Jesus Christ, was foretold by Isaiah. He was foretold to have borne our iniquities and he willingly did this. This Messiah -- this Jesus Christ -- is worthy of all praise!

He's Here!

It was no doubt a great day for John the Baptist. He had been baptizing in the Jordan River when he first saw him. But he was not surprised by him. John expected to see him at some time - he just didn't know when. In fact, I'm pretty sure that his mother Elizabeth spoke of him often. She knew that he was the expected one - that he was coming to cleanse her and her son of their sin. He was John's cousin.

But what would he look like? John had been in the wilderness for so long. It was most likely that he had not seen Jesus for quite a long time. Would he recognize him?

As John the Baptist was baptizing followers, he saw Jesus coming towards him. His response was simple and succinct:

"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." What an incredible declaration! The "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world?" And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." (John 1:29-34)

John bore witness of who Jesus Christ is. He proclaimed that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He didn't mince words and he certainly didn't waste words. He simply had been waiting for years to see this one opportunity come to fruition...and it did!

But notice how John the Baptist began to wonder if he was right or not:

"The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (John 1:35-37)

He knew who Jesus was at this time. He knew that this was he was the One who would come after him. However, you can sense some hesitation in John's voice at this time. And although there was hesitation, his disciples followed after Jesus. That in itself is amazing to think that they heard what John said and they all of a sudden followed after Jesus. Was there doubt in their minds? Could it be that John had been in the wilderness too long and he just didn't know what he was speaking? No, these two disciples chose to follow Jesus and to learn from him. See what happens next:

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying and they stayed with him that day for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). (John 1:38-42)

They followed him and they called others to come to him. Jesus had a profound impact on them. But what about John? He pointed these men to Jesus Christ as the Messiah - the long-expected One. Was he still hesitant? Did he still wonder about who Jesus is? Read what John said:

"You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:28-30)

Not an iota of doubt was in the Baptizer. He knew of whom he was speaking. He knew that Jesus was truly the Messiah - the Anointed One - the Savior - the King - the Lord - God Himself.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, make sure to point people to Jesus Christ. He's here! Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

Going...

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
–Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus Christ, prior to his ascension, spoke these words to His disciples. This command is an interesting one because preacher after preacher has always tried to spurn his people into action. What action? Reaching out to a lost and dying world. But what has happened to the church today?

First, I think that society itself has infiltrated the church of our day. That is not to say that we ought not have people from our world in our church. On the contrary! We should be reaching out to our society with the Good News of Jesus Christ—the Gospel! But it seems that the whole idea of “tolerance” is pervading the church today as is the case with our society. In other words, we shouldn't’t be so intolerant of thinking that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. Others believe strongly in their religion and they all teach about going to heaven or paradise or bliss. So what makes us think that we have the market on the Good News? Well, because Jesus Christ said we do! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life is what Jesus Christ said.

Secondly, I think that fear has infiltrated the church of our day. People in the church today seem to be frightened of what others will think of them if they share their faith in the Good News of Jesus Christ. Quite frankly, I suspect that there are people just waiting for you and I to share the Good News of Jesus Christ!



I remember hearing of a story from a pastor friend of mine who traveled to South Africa on a mission trip. A ninety year old woman told him that she had waited for nearly thirty years for his arrival. She had never known who the Savior was until he arrived. But prior to his coming—thirty years prior– she saw in a vision someone who would bring her Good News of the Savior. People are waiting for us to tell them about Jesus Christ!

Third, I think that we have become too lax in our faith. What I mean by this is that there seems to be too many of us that are quite comfortable with the knowledge that we have. We sit and glory in what we know but do we really know it? If we know that the Good News is that Jesus Christ died according to the Scriptures, he was buried and he rose again according to the Scriptures and then we don’t tell others, do we really know it to be true? If it is true for you then it has be true for everyone else. Relativism is alive and well in the church today and it ought to be killed! It’s not what I think or what you think but what God thinks!

So how do we apply these verses to our church today? First, we need to “stick to the stuff” as my friend Ed Ethridge says. Stick to what the Bible says and live it out and tell it to others. Second, we trusted Jesus Christ for salvation so we can trust him to take care of our fear of sharing the Good News. Finally, we need to simply live out what it is that we believe! That means going and making disciples. It is an action that is continual.

We Want To Be Like Other Nations!

"Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." - 1 Samuel 8:5


Does this cry sound familiar? Have you ever heard a people cry out for a new king so they could look like all of the other nations? This was Israel's plight in Samuel the Prophet's day. It was not unlike the Israelites to turn away from their God and turn to their own desires. If you recall, they did this quite often.

While wandering through the wilderness for 40 years, they kept telling Moses and Aaron that they wanted to return to Egypt because they were tired of being out there. What is interesting about the story in Exodus is that while they were out wandering in the wilderness, God was ever providing for them. They had shoes that would not wear out. They had clothes that would not wear out. They had bread from heaven that did not run out. When they wanted something other than this bread from heaven they wanted meat. So what did God do? He provided quail for them.

In today's Church we find the same sense -- or might I say nonsense! We want more of this or more of that. We want to have our desires, our pleasures met. When we don't get our way, then we just want to do whatever comes to mind neverminding what it is that God desires.

As the story goes in 1 Samuel 8, the people were demanding a king. Samuel's sons were to take over the family business of judging Israel. Now understand, this was not a judgmental type of judging -- the kind that people today talk about -- the kind that puts down and tears down rather than encouraging and building up. They were to take care of judging Israel; in other words, they were supposed to keep Israel on the right track! The people were tired of Samuel's sons. His sons "turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice" (1 Samuel 8:3). Who wouldn't be tired of this? But they also thought that Samuel was too old to lead the nation (1 Samuel 8:1).

So the people cried out, Samuel was frustrated with his sons and with the people. But the Lord had a different plan (as He usually does; remember Isaiah 55:8-9). God told Samuel to let the people have what they want! Can you believe it?!? Really?!? Give them what they want?!? But in giving the people what they wanted God still lovingly told them what the ramifications of their desire would be (1 Samuel 8:9). It was not going to be a pretty sight. In fact, God was very plain spoken about what their king would do and how he would mistreat his people.

Now why would I go through all of this? It's because the people then are no different than we are today. It's like water: Water is water in 500 BC as water is in 2010 and human nature is to war against God! We want it our way and not His way. But how can we correct this? It is a matter of making the moral choice to give up our rights and to follow God...period! To surrender our rights is to give ourselves completely to Him; and, quite frankly, it is a day-to-day surrendering and even a moment-by-moment surrendering to Him.

Today, if you hear God's voice, do not harden your heart and turn to your own selfish desires or pleasures. Rather, turn to the Lord and acknowledge Him as your King.