Category: Saturday Study

Saturday Study

Peter (11-12-16)

Who is Peter?

Peter was originally named Simon.
Simon was originally from Bethsaida (John 1:44) and lived in Capernaum (Mark 1:29).
He was married (1 Corinthians 9:5)
He ran a fishing business with James and John (Luke 5:10).
Simon met Jesus through his brother, Andrew.
Upon meeting Simon, Jesus gave him a new name: Cephas (Aramaic) or Peter (Greek), which means “rock” (John 1:40-42).
Later, Jesus officially called Peter to follow Him, producing a miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5:1-7). Immediately following this, Peter left everything behind to follow the Lord (verse 11).
For the next three years, Peter lived as a disciple of the Lord Jesus.
Being a natural-born leader, Peter became the unofficial spokesman for the Twelve (Matthew 15:15, 18:21, 19:27; Mark 11:21; Luke 8:45, 12:41; John 6:68, 13:6-9, 36).
It was Peter who first confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (
Matthew 16:16
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
(ESV)
).
Peter was part of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples, along with James and John.
Only those three were present when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain (Matthew 17:1-2).
Peter and John were given the special task of preparing the final Passover meal (Luke 22:8).
Peter was enthusiastic, faithful, strong-willed, impulsive, and, at times, brash.
It was Peter who left the boat to walk on the water to Jesus (Matthew 14:28-29).
It was Peter who took Jesus aside to rebuke Him for speaking of His death (Matthew 16:22).
It was Peter who drew his sword and attacked the servant of the high priest in the garden of Gethsemane (John 18:10).
It was Peter who boasted that he would never forsake the Lord, even if everyone else did (Matthew 26:33-35)
It was Peter who later denied three times that he even knew the Lord (
Matthew 16:69-74
28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
(ESV)
).
Jesus made a special point of forgiving and restoring Peter and re-commissioning him as an apostle (John 21:6-7, 15-17).
Through all of Peter’s ups and downs, the Lord Jesus remained his loving Lord and faithful Guide. Jesus told Peter that he would be instrumental in establishing Jesus’ Church (Matthew 16:18-19).
At Pentecost, Peter was the main preacher to the crowd in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14ff), and the New Testament Church began with an influx of about 3,000 new believers that were saved that day (
Matthew 16:41
28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
(ESV)
).
Later, Peter healed a lame beggar (Acts 3:2-8) and preached boldly before the high ranking Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1-22).
Even imprisonment, beatings, and threats could not dampen Peter’s resolve to preach the risen Christ (Acts 5).
Peter struggled in the area of his bias for the Jews and his favoritism to those he was with at the time. Thankfully he showed growth and repentance upon brotherly rebuke and correction. (Acts 15:7-11; Galatians 2:11-14).
Later in life, Peter spent time with John Mark (1 Peter 5:13), who with some of Peter’s insights wrote the gospel of Mark.
Peter wrote 1 and 2 Peter, likely between A.D. 60 and 68.
The prophecy of Christ that Peter would die a martyr’s death (John 21:18-19) came true, as he was killed for his faith.

Peter’s Faith and Struggles

Matthew 14:25-33
25 And in the fourth watch of the night¹ he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,² he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Footnotes
[1] 14:25 That is, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.

[2] 14:30 Some manuscripts strong wind
(ESV)

In our

Matthew 14
The Death of John the Baptist
14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,¹ 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way² from the land,³ beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night⁴ he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,⁵ he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Footnotes
[1] 14:3 Some manuscripts his brother’s wife

[2] 14:24 Greek many stadia, a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

[3] 14:24 Some manuscripts was out on the sea

[4] 14:25 That is, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.

[5] 14:30 Some manuscripts strong wind
(ESV)

text on Monday, we read the account of Jesus walking on water. Peter asks Jesus to tell him to come to Him on the water. Jesus did, so Peter climbed over the side and began to walk on the water towards Jesus.

Now I want you to realize that the storm and the wind are still raging, however Peter’s faith in Jesus gives him a confidence to trust Him to do the unthinkable.

Consider for a moment with me the disciples who stayed in the boat.

What causes them to stay in the boat and not follow Peter out onto the water?

ANSWER: To them the boat was safer. They trusted the craftsmanship of the boat more than the power of Jesus. Are you trusting more in your man-made boats than in Jesus?

The question Is this: What is the boat in your life? What is the thing you rely on to weather life’s storms?

For you it might be a relationship that you look to for your identity, personal significance, sense of security, purpose for living, and happiness.

It might be your job or money that you look to for your identity, personal significance, sense of security, purpose for living, and happiness.

It might be your addiction (internet, drugs, eating, TV) that you look to for your identity, personal significance, sense of security, purpose for living, and happiness.

Essentially these things become the functional boat into which you put your trust.

I know many “Christians” who think their trust in is Jesus, however when the storms of life rage it reveals their trust is in a functional savior and not in the one true Savior.

Your “boat” is something that has become more fundamental than God in your life for your identity, personal significance, sense of security, purpose for living, and joy.

Instead, we must trust in Jesus. Not ourselves, not our functional saviors or “boats”– Jesus!

Matthew 14:29-31
29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,¹ he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Footnotes
[1] 14:30 Some manuscripts strong wind
(ESV)

says, “So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”

Peter, with the power of Jesus at work, was able to successfully walk on the water.

–This is incredible!

<>In Christ we can and will do things we could never do on our own<>

But the reality is, the storms still rage. This world is still fallen and in sin. The good news is that God is still working out His plan of redemption while we testify of the Gospel and make disciples.

The temptations constantly before us are the plentiful distractions of this world vying for our focus.

The problem is when we put our focus on temporary things àwe take our eyes off of Jesus.

I ask you plainly today: Where is your focus?

When the storms come, do you focus on Jesus, or do you put your focus on the storms?

Peter is modeling this for us: It’s a focus thing… A forward thing!

When he focused on the problem (the storm) he forgot to stay focused on the solution: Jesus!

When we focus on the temporary troubles of today, we forget that we have a God that is with us and is ultimately the One who holds all things in His hands… even the storms.

When Peter stepped out of the boat, the storm was already raging. In that moment, his faith and focus was on Christ, who was his power and hope.

This shows us that: On our own, we will not endure the race before us. When we will rely on our own power (which constantly changes) or our circumstances (which constantly change) we will fail. We must instead place our hope and trust in our God who remains constant despite our circumstances.

One of my favorite passages in the New Testament helps us with this. I’ll highlight a little from the NLT.

Hebrews 12:1
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
(ESV)

b …And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us

Hebrews 12:2
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(ESV)

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.

I love the words to the old hymn that go like this:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face,

and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Review

Matthew 26:30-75
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch¹ with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.² See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”³ Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant⁴ of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council
57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council⁵ were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”⁶ 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Peter Denies Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Footnotes
[1] 26:38 Or keep awake; also verses 40, 41

[2] 26:45 Or Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?

[3] 26:50 Or Friend, why are you here?

[4] 26:51 Or bondservant

[5] 26:59 Greek Sanhedrin

[6] 26:62 Or Have you no answer to what these men testify against you?
(ESV)

Peter’s struggles were exponentially put on display the night Jesus was arrested. While the Jewish trials were taking place, Peter found his way to the house of the high priest and was waiting with others outside in the courtyard.

They were awaiting the verdict as you or I would gather with others around a TV.

–I can only imagine the conversation taking place about this historical event. Imagine their speculation of what was going on and what might happen to Jesus.

What a prime moment for Peter to defend his friend. But he didn’t. He decided to save his own hide instead.

Read again

Matthew 26:69-75
Peter Denies Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
(ESV)

There is no greater betrayal than to be so very close to someone and then not acknowledge that you even know them. Many of you know what it is like to experience great betrayal. We can be confident that Jesus sympathizes with us when we go through this, because He too experienced deep betrayal by His closest friends.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. –

Hebrews 4:15
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
(ESV)

While many of us can relate to Jesus and the pain we feel when betrayed by someone we love, some of you may be feeling like you relate more to Peter as the betrayer.

Thank God for grace, forgiveness, and restoration. Thank God that He pursues us when we don’t deserve it. He paid the high price for our betrayal against the Holy God. He restores us to walk in the newness of life and to live for Him, just like He did for Peter.

Read

John 21:7-25
7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards¹ off.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Jesus and the Beloved Apostle
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers² that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Footnotes
[1] 21:8 Greek two hundred cubits; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

[2] 21:23 Or brothers and sisters
(ESV)

Jesus sought out Peter and led him through his restoration. Three times Peter confirmed his love for Jesus. Jesus commissions Peter to feed his sheep. And oh, did Peter go on to preach! The man that was once timid and constantly messing up was redeemed and empowered to be a leader in the early church and someone God would work through to do mighty things.

We must remember that although we mess up greatly at times, God is able to restore and sanctify us in mighty ways.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study Scripture

Saturday Study

John the Baptist (11-5-16)

Who is John the Baptist?

John the Baptist lived the first thirty years of his life in the obscurity of the Judean desert. The story of his miraculous birth is told in Luke 1.

Read Luke 1:5-17

Here is what the angel says about John the Baptist

For he will be great before the Lord.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.

Mark’s Gospel also begins with the testimony of John the Baptist saying,

Mark 1:1-3 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”

So John is the promised voice calling out and preparing the people for the Lord.

He is the announcer that the Lord has come.. but more than the angels who announced his birth.

No, this is a special man chosen by God and led by the Holy Spirit to ready God’s chosen people for the work of Christ to save them from their sins.

John 1:6-7 says, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him”

But John the Beloved (the Author of the Gospel of John), unlike the other Gospel writers is not concerned with the history of John the Baptist but instead he is concerned with the message of John the Baptist.

So to John it doesn’t matter where he lived; it doesn’t matter what he wore;

it doesn’t matter that he had a camel’s hair coat;

it doesn’t matter that he ate locusts and wild honey.

The history of this man as remarkable and wonderful as it was, isn’t the focus of John.

What matters is what he said. So that is what we must focus on.

We will see this as we dig into verse 19, the priest and the Levites are trying to focus on who John the Baptist was and all John is concerned about is what he has to say. Look with me..

Not the Christ

John 1:19-20 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

Huge numbers of people were flocking to hear this strange preacher in the wilderness, and many had been baptized by him. A great stir had been made, so much so that many began to wonder if he was the promised messiah. Remember that Christ means Messiah. Here he says, clearly, I AM NOT THE CHRIST. Why is it a big deal for him to say this so bluntly?

àJohn’s ministry had become so big that it drew the attention of the Big Time Jewish religious leaders of the day… so much so that they traveled to come and see what all the buzz was about… To understand, Why John was growing such a big following, we have to understand the culture at the time..

the Roman Empire was over everything and dominating life..

so the Jewish world is already on edge & now they are hearing lots of talk about the coming of the messiah, the greatest news they could imagine, the promised one of God. People were ripe for a deliverer. John was testifying of one. He was preaching a new beginning. Come repent of your old ways and look to the Messiah.

What I love about John Is…. here come the top guys in his game..

the coolest cats in town.. the guys that you want to be known by & recognized by..

and instead of letting the fear of man sway him.. instead of putting the light on himself… he is all about pointing to Jesus and wants no credit.

This is why he says so bluntly, I am not the CHRIST and leaves it at that. He doesn’t say, Hey, but check out my portfolio, let me show you have I have accomplished. Again, this is big considering that in these guys eyes he would have had a lot to prove considering he wasn’t an established or trained Rabbi.

Now, realize that John is a nobody in the Jewish elite circles.

He had not been trained in the schools of the Rabbis. He had held no position of honor in the temple and he was not identified with either the Pharisees, the Sadducees, or the Herodians.

So from whom then did he receive his authority? Who commissioned him to preach and call men to “Repent.”? By what right did he baptize people?
What I love is that he boldly stood his ground. WHY? Because he knew who sent him. The Holy God.

He knew who he came to proclaim. But the inquiry continued….

B. Not Elijah

John 1:21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”

Now, why did they ask him if he was Elijah? Elijah had been carried into heaven almost 900 years prior.

It is because Elijah didn’t die but was carried into heaven that people believed Elijah would come again to the earth. This is common held belief is confirmed later by the disciples who answer Jesus inquiry about who they thought he was this way.

Matthew 16:13-14 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Now, This expectation of the Jews to look for Elijah did have a scriptural foundation because in the last verses of the Old Testament , it says,

Malachi 4:5-6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

The problem is, This prophecy has reference to the return to earth of Elijah, to perform a ministry just before the second coming of Christ. What we will see is that the work of John the Baptist just prior to the beginning of the ministry of Christ in his first coming is very similar.

So much so that the word given to John’s father was that “he (speaking of John) will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared. Luke 1:16-17

The grilling inquiry continues….

C. Not the Prophet

John 1:21b “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Who is “the Prophet” a reference to?

the answer is, The “prophet” was predicted through Moses. This is a prediction recorded in…

Deuteronomy 18:15 & 18

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen & I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him”

This was one of the many Messianic prophecies given in the Old Testament times, which received its fulfillment in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, again, John says, NO.

The Voice

John 1:22-23 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

When John referred to himself as “the voice,” he is employing the very term, which the Holy Spirit had used of him seven hundred years previously, when speaking through Isaiah the prophet.

Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Stop and consider with me the difference and yet the tie between John’s title of Jesus as “the WORD” and the title of John “the voice”.

AW Pink points out something wonderful in its connection here:

“In the first place, the word exists (in the mind) before the voice articulates it. Such was the relation between Christ and His forerunner. It is true that John was the first to appear before the public eye; yet, as the “Word,” Christ had existed from all eternity. Second, the voice is simply the vehicle or medium by which the word is expressed or made known. Such was John. The object of his mission and the purpose of his ministry was to bear witness to “the Word.” Again, the voice is simply heard but not seen. John was not seeking to display himself. His work was to get men to listen to his God-given message in order that they might behold “the Lamb.”

We need not miss how we can apply this to our own lives today.

Like John, may we embrace our God given call to testify and share witness of Christ to others.

To be his “voices”. But most importantly, that we be heard but not seen!

IN other words, To make our lives about Him not us. When they hear us speak or see us live may we be like John and constantly point to Jesus. May our hearers and watchers see and know Jesus as a result of their time spent around us.

Another great point is this, once the voice or the testimony goes silent it is the word that endures.

The word endures after the voice is silent.

Again, may this be true of us also. That long after we have left the scene or even this world that the word, Jesus Christ, is the one people remember. If you forget who Joshua Kristine is but as a result of my life and testimony and preaching and influence, you know and walk with and enjoy Jesus. Praise be to God.

When approached to speak of what I have done, I want my answer to point to all that Jesus has done. To him be the Glory. To him be the fame.
So when John says, he is the voice. He is saying, it is my great privilege to point to Jesus.

John is essentially saying:

I am just a Man … who has been called to point to the one in the spotlight.

I am just one voice in a big land that is very lost… saying,

Get ready, the Messiah is Coming! Hope is coming, the one that can save us from ourselves, our fleeting pursuit of our fame, the lie we have lived in far to long, FREEDOM IS COMING!

He is saying:

I am just a little, tiny, galactic nobody of a man….

The one who is coming…. the one whom I live for and point to.. He is the Holy God!

He is everything and I am not. Please don’t mistake me for Him.

John is saying: My name is, “I am Not” ……you are looking for “I AM”

Jesus First

The inquisition and challenge of John’s authority to Baptize continues.

John 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Did you see what John does in this answer? He doesn’t engage them about his merits to practice water baptism. Instead he confirms that he does indeed practice water baptism but makes it clear that the formality or religious practice of baptism is not the issue.

The issue is Christ. The most important topic is Jesus and who is Jesus to them.

For he declares, that they do not know the one whom among them stands.

The one whom he has been sent to point to and announce the one who will change everything.

The only one through whom one can have new life. Jesus Christ.

This is another big take away for us today.

We, the body of Christ, are often guilty of allowing the religious world and the secular world who do not know Jesus personally to argue and debate over secondary issues about form and function or secondary doctrines when the doctrine that brings new life is ignored or set aside. When, the Issue of Christ is ignored or set aside.

These people claim Jesus but they know him not! We must first and foremost talk about Jesus.

I watched an interview once with a prominent pastor who was on a TV show and was being interviewed and he was being grilled about what he thought on one issue after another but the pastor simply said, what we must first talk about is who is Jesus and who is Jesus in your life.

Why is this so important? Because until one has new life in Christ, until their heart is spiritually discerned they can not obey God’s law, the word of God and the ways of the Christian will be folly to them.

So too major of the secondary issues is to talk about something they have no power or will to obey. Not until God has given them new birth and new heart and a trust in Christ as Lord and Savior of their life. So Jesus must come first. John doesn’t get caught up in the secondary issues. He keeps it first and foremost on Christ.

Humbly living for Him

Next John says, This one I speak of, the one whom you do not know, is so important and big that,

“even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

Even though he is physically younger than me.. Even though I am his elder, I am not worthy to do the work of the lowest slave and untie his sandals.

Remember, John 1:15 John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This is he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.

John knows that even though Jesus was born after HIM, He was already in the story way before Him. Why? Because as we have already covered, Jesus is Eternal. John knows that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He is so vast and worthy and magnificent that John is not even worthy to untie his sandals.

We have to get this, too! We have to start seeing what John saw so clearly….

<>This thing called life you & I do every day is not for all the stuff we typically do life for!

HEAR this from me today: In recognizing our place in the shadow of the Lord Jesus.

we should feel humble not humiliated. Recognizing who Christ is compared to ourself doesn’t mean we are to wither into a hole and feel lonely, miserable, unloved and down!

John did not do that, He joyfully lived LIFE. Even though he has a RIGHT view of who he was in comparison to Jesus.

Let’s think about this for a moment:

John has a lot of reasons to proclaim that he was someone important.

-John was No ordinary man.

-He was the key subject of Old Testament prophecy,

-the son of a priest, born as the result of the direct intervention of God’s power.

-He was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb, engaged in a ministry, which drew great multitudes unto him.

And yet he understood rightly who Jesus was. And therefore who he was in his shadow.

The shadow of the Holy Divine. Not even worthy to hold his sandals at the door.

The ? for us is: What else, what other STUFF, what little waste of time, trophy or personal glory do we make our lives about instead of Jesus?

No matter where you are with God coming in here today.. you have to hear the massive revelation this is to our everyday lives…

You have to see that Jesus is this what your entire existence is about.. He is why you breathe, why you go to school, why you work, why you parent, why you date, why you eat and drink, why you do anything…

We are to live and lead like John did… making a big impact on the things we do and people we are around… àbut realizing every step of the way that when we accomplish great things or taste success… we do so knowing that God has been on the seen a long time ago and that He is the source for our vision, giftedness, opportunity, creativity, energy and breath!

It is for His Glory not our own that we do good things and succeed!

John says, he is not even worthy to untie his filthy sandals….

You have to understand how LOW it was to even touch someone’s sandals in that day.

They are covered in feces and filth and grime. To do this was to interact with nothing you would ever want to touch with your bare hands.. and John says, he is not even worthy to do that job.

Now this is either a recognition of how low you are or how HIGH the person you speak of is.

In this case I believe it was both!

John understood how low he was in the towering shadow of the Son of GOD!

John new: who “he” wasn’t (*point at myself) and who “ HE” is! (*point up)

Do you get this in your life? If you say you get it, does your life truly represent this fact?

One of the greatest blessings we can give each other is to model this for each other.

Or what about the world.. When the world see’s us get low and serve… that they see us point to Jesus who humbles the proud and lifts up the downtrodden.

There is a lot we can learn from John the Baptist. This is just a taste. I pray it is helpful and inspiring as to how we can better live humbly for our King.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study Scripture

Saturday Study

Joseph and Mary (10-29-16)

Luke 1:26-30 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Mary is a teenage girl… Committed to Joseph to be married… In preparation for her wedding….

And she is visited by an Angel of the Lord… Now, any of us would be freaked out at the sight of the angel.. but instead.. Notice that she is troubled, not at the sight of an Angel, but at his announcement that she is favored and the Lord is with her…

What I love about Mary’s response here is what it reveals about her heart for God!

An angel just told her that she was “highly favored and that God was with her”.

Realize that the way the Jewish people thought about God’s presence was in the tabernacle: The Holy of Holies, where only the High Priest could go on their behalf.

So these are not casual flippant words for Mary… the concept of God being with us… the concept of us being favored by God … are not words that Mary took Lightly! IT Rocked her!

Here is the Point: it should rock us too! She was blown away at the thought that God would draw near to her.

What life altering profound power does the reality that the Living God of all things has drawn near to you?

Not only does he draw near but he has plan for us! A Provision for us! àHE did for MARY as well…

Luke 1:31-33 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

We also see this life-altering announcement given to Joseph in…

Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Joseph and Mary both show signs of great faith in God despite being told life changing news.

How big do you believe God is?

We serve a HUGE God who knows no bounds. He is able. He does and will do what is best for his eternal purposes.

There is no situation is above God’s pay grade.

The reality is .. you will only know this kind of peace if you really know God in the true vastness that he is!

IF God is small and limited in your mind and heart.. You will worry! You will doubt!

IF God is big and sovereign and over it all.. you will lean not on your own understanding but trust in him.

You will know true peace!

Luke 1:34-37 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Now, Surely in Mary’s life this news is not the peace she was looking for. But, we must step back and understand her situation…

Her people are in unrest:

Incredibly High Taxation under Caesar, the hate and brutality of Herod who ruled in her region: The Military force Rome applied to the Jewish people.

The Unplanned pregnancy of a teenage girl who is engaged to be married

<>By tradition… her pledged spouse will try to divorce her or have her stoned for her perceived adultery!

<> What does this do to her wedding plans? Because, you don’t mess with a girl’s wedding!

<> Can you imagine what the town will say when she starts to show?

What does she say, “Oh an angel visited me… the Holy Spirit made me pregnant”

Come on Mary… just admit it… you are a floozy.. you are a liar. Just leave us!

There are so many reasons for Mary to be freaking out… RIGHT?

But listen carefully to the response of a scared teenage girl who is in the midst of an oppressive upbringing.. an arranged marriage and news that would rip any young girls social life apart… She says…

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

In the midst of all of life’s chaos.. on the heels of more chaotic news… She is at peace!

She is experiencing great harmony with God and as a result…even in the midst of the storm… with more curveballs to come (a 100 mile donkey ride while pregnant and giving birth in a dirty animal cave)

She is at peace! How? WHY? There are three things we see in Mary that help us understand real peace … lasting peace!

Mary has a high view of God-

Just a few more verses down… listen to her heart as she sings out to God these words…

Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

(Listen to the great divine insight she has as she must be thinking about who really is in power instead of Herod or Caesar.)

52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Her soul magnifies the LORD and Rejoices in GOD for Holy is his name and Mighty is his power.

There are a lot of things in our sin that we can magnify and rejoice in.

Mary’s heart is fixed on GOD! She sees him as HOLY and Worthy. She sees him as Mighty over all things. This is how she has peace! Because she has a healthy and High view of God.

Author Steve Brown, says it so well, “As long as I could keep God in church, in my theology books, & in my God discussions, I could deal with Him. But when the real GOD came, it felt like he shook the church, burned the books, & laughed at some of our God discussion. I then realized that one doesn’t “DEAL WITH” God. He Deals with Us!”

We must be growing in our View of WHO God is. If Peace is going to be REAL in our hearts and minds. So must our HUGE GOD! “He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:30

Mary surrendered to the will of God-

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

If you are in charge of your life and you have not truly surrendered it to God in ALL things..

That means you still are trying to hold onto the controls… no wonder why you have no peace!

No wonder you are freaking out…

Mary had every opportunity to doubt God, to make excuses, to run away… but she surrendered.

How are you at surrendering yourself to God’s Will? To God’s Word? So that he is the True Authority in your life?

Mary models a life that is truly surrendered to God. Truly yielding to his WILL.

Saying… “Let it be to me according to your word.”

Mary & Joseph Embraced the Good news of Jesus

Later to Joseph the Angel says, She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

We must understand that à We are Powerless for Peace by ourselves

Why are we powerless for Peace? Because of our SIN. This is why we need a savior!

Man’s Power produces idolatry and when I over elevate anything over God that is SIN.

Sin is Idolatry! When my relationships, my stuff, my status, my success is more important to me than God that is sin. What we have to understand is… When these things are so important to me I will stress about keeping them in order.. from breaking down.

The problem is.. my relationships, my stuff, my status my success, my health… all BREAK DOWN.

Psalm 38:18 I am full of anxiety because of my sin. (NASB)

Man does not have the POWER to not STRESS.. to not Worry! Because man is Sinful!

Because when I value the things God created more than God I am in SIN. And when that stuff breaks down.. I STRESS!

The Good NEWS is the Arrival of Jesus!

“You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

There is not peace in this world without the Prince of Peace.

There will be no peace in your life without the Prince of Peace.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called the Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6

What Mary & Joseph understood: The reason why they had true peace is that their very soul received the Good News of the child that would set us free!

The Question is.. Do you have a HIGH view of God that causes you to truly surrender your life to Jesus alone… To trust in Him and rest in His Peace even when times are hard, not going well and or not looking good on the horizon?

Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the Lord your God and lean not on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will direct your paths.”

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study Scripture

Saturday Study

God the Son, Jesus Christ (10-22-16)

This week we finally turned to the New Testament and, as we do, we must start where the New Testament starts and the key figure it introduces.

Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Jesus Christ is the promised messiah. The son of Abraham. The son of David.

All of the Old Testament has been essentially pointing to him from the beginning.

God’s first gospel declaration and announcement at the fall of mankind in the garden was made in Genesis 3:15 that he would send his redeemer (an offspring of the woman) who would defeat sin and Satan and death for his people.

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

ALL of the Old Testament points to the messiah. The redeemer. The son of David. The son of Abraham.

So, it is so exciting when we read in the opening of the New Testament that this redeemer’s name is Jesus and his title is Christ.

His Name: Jesus – was pronounced “Jeshua”: which means “Yahweh Saves” – God Saves.

His title: Christ – the Greek word is Christos, which means an anointed Royal figure.

Christ is also translated in the Hebrew as the messiah– the redeemer foretold in all Jewish history who would come reconcile God’s people to God.

In our first reading this week, we started in Luke 1.

In verse 35, we read the angel told Mary that “the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”

So, not only has the promised redeemer arrived, but he is no ordinary man. He is the eternal Son of God and his name is Jesus.

This sets the table for us to look at our next passage which is John 1.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

Here we learn that Jesus is the spokesman of the Godhead. Jesus, the son of God, is the Word.

Also in Revelation 1:8, a title declared of Jesus is “I am Alpha and Omega,” which intimates that He is God’s alphabet, the One who spells out deity, the One who utters the word of God.

Even clearer, perhaps, is the testimony of John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John 1:1a In the beginning was the Word…

The phrase “In the beginning” precedes the making of the “all things” that we read about in John 1:3.

It is therefore a reference to the beginning of creation, the beginning of time.

It says, in the beginning “WAS the word.”

There are two separate words in the Greek which, in this passage, are both rendered “was”.

One use means “to exist”. The other means “to come into being”.

The latter word (egeneto) is used in John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. Have you ever wondered why this sentence is spoken so weirdly?

It is because the point being made is critical. John is saying, ALL THINGS THAT “ARE MADE” were made by him. In other words, it is John’s way of saying that Jesus is not made. He is eternal.

John 1:1b and the Word was with God…

Different than the opening verses of the other gospels, John opens his gospel by presenting Christ not as the son of David, nor as the son of man, but as the Son of God. John shows Jesus’ separate personality and shows that there is a relationship to the other persons of the blessed Trinity.

John states it again clearly in John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

The word “with” clarifies a togetherness, a fellowship, a relationship.

In this simple, but concise statement we have the needed foundation for the Holy Trinity.

We also have one of many places by which we denounce another terrible, but often believed heresy which is called modalism.

Modalism = God is successively the Father then Son and then Holy Spirit and is not simultaneously Father, Son & Holy Spirit. In other words, God is one being or person who reveals himself in three modes or manifestations at different times.

This completely goes against the teaching of God’s word which tells us that the one true God is a triune God- a Trinitarian God. A tri-unity or three in oneness.

Trinity – One God, three persons. There is but one eternal Godhead that exists in three co-equal, co-eternal persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully and completely God; each has the same essence and is described in Scripture as possessing the attributes of God.

Again, John 1:1b says, “and the Word was with God”.

This is the heart of the great historic doctrine of the Trinity.

Jesus is God and he is the image of God perfectly reflecting all that God is and standing forth from all eternity as the fullness of deity in a distinct Person. There are three Persons—three centers of consciousness. Two of them are mentioned here.

John 1:1c and the Word was God.

He repeats his claim in John 1:18 saying the one who is at the Father’s side, the one who has made him known is himself the only God.

This is the Christian confession. Jesus Christ (The Word) is God.

Martin Luther said, “this text is a strong and valid attestation of the divinity of Christ”.

Like the necessity of the eternality of Jesus, if Jesus Christ is not God, he could not accomplish your salvation (Hebrews 2:14–15) and his glory would not be sufficient to satisfy your everlasting longing for new discoveries of beauty. John Piper said it well, “If you throw away the deity of Jesus Christ, you throw away your soul and with it all your joy in the age to come.”

John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

Again, Jesus was not made. He is self-existent within the Godhead.

Now, suppose a Muslim or a Jehovah’s Witness or someone who embraces Arianism says, “Jesus was not God, was not eternal—not eternally begotten—but rather Jesus was created. He was the first of creation. The highest of the high angels.”

John has written verse 3 precisely in a way that makes this line of thinking impossible.

See it with me… Take it in and let it ground itself in your mind and heart.

John says, “Without him (Jesus) was not anything made that was made.”

It is made explicit and emphatic and crystal clear that “anything” that was made. Christ made it.

Hebrews 1:2 He (God) has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

This is John’s emphasis as he starts with the fact that Jesus is the pre-existent, eternal God and not a part of creation! It is the Lord Jesus Christ by whom the Godhead made everything that He made as we read here and in Hebrews chapter 1. Jesus is the agent of creation.

Look down at…

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh…

The living God took on human form and human nature.

This is the doctrine of the incarnation. It is good news church that the invisible became visible.

The incarnation does not mean that God dwelt in a man, but that God became man.

To understand the incarnation of God rightly you must know …

He became what He was not previously though He never ceased to be all that He was before. The babe that was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born in Bethlehem was named Immanuel—which means “God with us.” * The one true God is not a distant, far-off God. No, he has come to us.

Jesus, who is God, put on flesh and a human nature.

The fact that Jesus is fully God and became fully man is so important to our salvation and His redemptive work as the messiah because he had to be like us in every way to be our representative and had to be without sin to be the only worthy atonement for our eternal standing with God.

Hebrews 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

So, Jesus had to be made like us. This is the incarnation. He took on meat. Incarnation.

Carne= Meat. Flesh.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the important aspects of the incarnation of Christ.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh…

Jesus was a normal looking man. He looked like a regular guy.

He had a mother. He was born. He grew up. He had to learn to walk and read and write.

Luke 2:42 says he grew in favor and stature and wisdom with men and God. He had friends.

God the son became a real Man, yet a sinless, perfect man.

As man, He was “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26).

Jesus is the only one who was sinless. He came near. He took on flesh so that he could be our representative. And even though he was tempted in every way as we are… he did not sin!

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Why is this so important?

Listen… here is the good news that changes everything!

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

He had to become the perfect substitute to satisfy God’s wrath that was on his people because of their sin.

Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin.”

The Bible says in Romans 6:23 the wages for sin is death.

The good news that we celebrate today is that “Jesus died for our sins”. 1 Corinthians 15:3

He suffered. He died physically.

He did so as a substitute in our place. He died the death we deserve.

He did so to pay the penalty for our sins because the wage for sin is death.

Jesus alone can reconcile a holy God to a sinful people because he, as God, became a man, took sin upon himself. That’s why Paul says “there is only one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:8 says it this way. “God demonstrates his love for us in this. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Luther calls this “the great exchange.” <>My death for his life. <>My sin for his righteousness.

<>My condemnation for his salvation. <>My failure for his success. <>My defeat for his victory.

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

There is nothing more important than the death of Jesus.

It is literally the crux of human history and the crux of our faith.

Without Jesus’ death, there is no forgiveness of sin. Without Jesus’ resurrection, there is no eternal life.

<>Without Jesus, there is no relationship with a good, holy, just, and living God.

But it doesn’t end there.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

Jesus Christ died for sins (that was Friday) and was raised from the dead (on Sunday) all in accordance with the scriptures. In other words, just as it was foretold it would be.

Jesus Himself proclaimed in all four gospels that he must RISE!

For example, look at Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Why is it important that Jesus rose from the grave?

All authority for salvation is granted to Jesus in His resurrection. Without His resurrection, faith in Christ would be useless, no one would be redeemed from sin, and Christians would be the most pitiable people on the earth.

If we stop at the cross, then we stop with an incomplete view of our new life with God.

Salvation is not just the removal of our sin- not just the payment of our sin.

The payment Jesus made on the cross for our sins makes possible for us to have new life with God. It sets the table for us to be reborn to live in righteousness for his glory.

This is why Jesus had to RISE! So he could pave the way. To lead the victory march.

Jesus rising from the dead is his way of leading us forward in righteousness.

After being seen by hundreds of witnesses, Jesus ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our high priest and head of the church, He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate for His people as he rules as Lord over all. We believe Jesus is personally and visibly coming again to judge the living and the dead. Praise God for the costly grace of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is this gospel, this good news, that we testify to all God puts in our path. May we be diligent and passionate in all we do to make much of the name above every name, the name of Jesus Christ. To God be the glory forever and ever.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study Scripture

Saturday Study

Minor Prophets (10-15-16)

The last twelve books of the Old Testament are known as the Minor Prophets. The combined length is 67 chapters about the same length of Isaiah. These are minor as their length is shorter. The message of these books is still large as it comes from the Lord. The minor prophets have many different attributes that make them specific. Generally, they are written directly to a people. Sometimes that is Israel sometimes that is against a pagan nation. The minor prophets reveal great things about the character of God, the coming messiah, and our ourselves. It has probably been challenging to even find them in your Bible as many times they are seldom referenced. As you become used to them, hopefully you will start to desire to turn to them more often.

Hosea 1:1-10; 3:1-5

Hosea is called by God to prophesy during the last days in Israel. Israel was the northern kingdom, and they continually followed after idols. Israel separated under Rehaboam. All the kings that ruled over them were wicked. In the Bible worship of false deities by Gods people is adultery. Israel whored after false Gods. In the Mosaic Covenant God told Israel that this would break the covenant and that they would be punished for it.

Hosea’s was commanded to marry a women (Gomer) who would commit adultery. This is an intense illustration of Israel’s national tragedy. This is a story of one sided love and faithfulness between a prophet and his wife. This one sided love and faithfulness is a parallel for God’s love of His people.

Hosea Can be broken in two large parts. Part one is the adulterous wife and faithful husband (1:1-3:5). Part two is the adulterous Israel and the faithful Lord (4:1-14:9). Idolatry and worshiping false deities, are sins that Israel and Judah both got in trouble for. This sin is the sin that Israel is continually guilty of and the most prominent sin recorded in the prophets. God parallels this act to that of a spouse cheating on the other who is faithful and loving. Hosea list over 150 statements concerning the sin of Israel, over half these statements are concerning idolatry.

Think about this illustration that God is giving to the people of Israel. If you were Hosea how would you feel knowing that your spouse is going to cheat on you? That they are going to leave you for another and shack up together for a while. Not only is this going to happen but you are going to have to redeem them. Redeem means to buy back or buy out off. Hosea did just that, he went and redeemed his wife. Is this not a beautiful picture of the faithfulness and love of God for His people? If you are the faithful spouse would you not be heartbroken at what your spouse did? Would you not be saddened? This is the paradigm of how God loves His bride.

Some of you have experienced this unfaithfulness in reality and for this I am truly sorry. This sin has had horrible effects on many areas of your life. Know that God can heal the brokenness you are experiencing. God displays his steadfast love to His people as an example of what can be found in Him. He gives us an example of how we are to love in the gospel. All of us have sinned and put something before God at many points in our life. God calls us to repent of these actions and to show pure love from a faithful heart. Hosea portrays God’s faithfulness, justice, love, and forgiveness toward His people. For those who are His people we are told that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. What sin are you holding onto, confess this before God, repent and ask God for help. Throw yourself on His mercy, and grace. Do not commit spiritual adultery with your sin. By continuing in sin you are committing spiritual adultery. Lay your sin before God.

Jonah 2

Jonah was the selfish prophet. God called him to go to Nineveh to warn them of coming judgment. Nineveh was a most brutal people and they were heathens (meaning they did not know God). Jonah did not want to go, so much so, that Jonah ran the other way rather than obeying God. Take note of a large theme in Jonah: the sovereignty of God. First, God commands Jonah to go. Second when Jonah disobeyed God and got on a boat to flee, God ‘hurled’ a great wind onto the sea and this created a great tempest so that the boat would soon be destroyed. This word “hurled” implies throwing far with great power. It is used four times in the chapter indicating direct action with intent. Third after they cast Jonah into the seas the seas went still. Fourth, God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah. Fifth, God spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah up. Sixth, God commanded Jonah again to go to Nineveh. Seventh, God appointed a plant to grow up. Eighth, God appointed a worm to eat the plant. Ninth, God appointed a scorching wind from the east. We see the sovereignty of God laid open in this book.

Jonah knew the character of God, in chapter 4 verse 2 we see that Jonah knew what God would do if the people repented. That is the very reason Jonah left to Tarshish, do you see the compassion of God? Jonah has declared the greatness of God (1:9; 2:1-9), yet Jonah is upset that God does not bring destruction on Nineveh. He even responds back to God upset. God does not strike Jonah down as he deserves but teaches him a lesson on the sanctity of human life and that God has compassion for His creation (4:11).

Jonah can teach us a lot! What God commands us to do, we must do. We do not hear directly from the Lord now, but we do have God’s Word and the expectation is that we are obedient to it. Proclaim the greatness of God. The sailors heard about the greatness of God and they saw it. Proclaim His greatness and let him work through the situation. When the sailors saw the power of the Lord they feared the Lord and offered a sacrifice to the Him.

Even in the midst of his deserved punishment Jonah cried out to God and was heard. In chapter two we see some beautiful proclamations of God. Jonah looks to God as his salvation and proclaims the glory of God. We can understand God’s sovereignty and obey His commands, but there is something very different about having the same heart as God. We see by the end of the book that Jonah knows who God is but is not in sync with some of God’s attributes. Where is your knowledge of God correct but you do not practice your theology (understanding of who God is) based on his character? How are you not trusting in God’s sovereignty? Where are you fighting for control of your life, rather than accepting God’s wise, good, and sovereign hand?

Habakkuk 2:1-5; 3:1-19

Habakkuk prophesied just before the fall of Assyria to Babylon. Habakkuk asks a great question, “Why are the wicked prospering in the midst of God’s people, why are the righteous beaten down, why does it seem that God is inactive?” How many times have you wondered this question?

God gives Habakkuk an answer. God tells Habakkuk that he is going to use the Chaldeans a wicked nation, more corrupt than Judah, as a rod of chastisement. Habakkuk reacts with shock and dismay. God patiently teaches Habakkuk, until Habakkuk is able to sing a psalm of praise to God. In Habakkuk we see a very different faith than what is in Jonah. God called on Jonah, Habakkuk called on God. Jonah ran from God and Habakkuk ran to God. Jonah ends in foolishness; Habakkuk ends in faith. Jonah sent to save Gentiles from destruction, Habakkuk shows the sovereignty of God over the Gentiles. Jonah waits for destruction; Habakkuk waits for God’s glory.

Habakkuk wrestles with tough issues of faith. He does not try to hide these questions but honestly ask God and awaits and answer. God’s response here is interesting, it is certainly not what we expect. God created everything and has the right to do with everything as He wishes. God does not have to answer Habakkuk, nor does He have to be patient and show Habakkuk what He is doing. Yet God’s response is amazing, He declares to Habakkuk what He is doing and shows Habakkuk His might, power, and wisdom. Habakkuk responds in awe and wonder composing a hymn or psalm of praise. Habakkuk comes to know God in a way that changed His perspective.

Habakkuk 2:4 …but the righteous shall live by faith. A verse quoted by Paul in the New Testament. God tells Habakkuk this is the standard for the righteous, that they live by faith. This faith is in God, they are not puffed up when they are living by faith. God proceeds to make clear to Habakkuk what this really means, “to live by faith”. This is not to trust in strength of an army, or in wicked men, but to trust in the one who raises up and tears down kingdoms and nations. Habakkuk declares this faith in the last part of chapter 3. If the vine is bare and the flock is cut off I will still praise God. Can you do this? If everything you owned turned to ash, all of your possessions gone and you did not know where your next meal would come from, could you praise God? Can you trust in His perfect plan? Are you waiting to see the great work of God?

Zechariah 3:1-10

For a dozen years or more the task of rebuilding the temple has stood half completed. Zechariah is commissioned by God to encourage the people to finish the temple. Zechariah reminds the people of the future importance of the temple, that one day the Messiah will come and inhabit it. Zechariah reminds them that this future blessing is built on their present obedience. This great hope of the Messiah coming is the encouragement to get the people to be excited about the temple being rebuilt.

Zechariah uses a series of eight visions (1-6), four messages (7-8), and two burdens (words that weigh heavily on the prophet, solemnly proclaimed) (9-14) to help show the future plans of Israel. This future is not one of gentile domination but of the Messiah ruling.

Chapter 3 is part of the vision section. Joshua is in the temple working, He is a priest and his clothes are filthy. These filthy garments are representative of iniquity and they are removed, symbolizing the purification of sin. That sin has been dealt with. The text goes on to give covenant language: if you will walk in my…. If the people obey and walk in my ways, then the Branch of Jesse (Jesus) will come and remove sin one day. This is a prophecy concerning Jesus making atonement for sin. This is a beautiful promise of blessing which is for the eternal state, the true promised land, this is the eternal rest proclaimed.

Only by the Messiah coming can sin be atoned for, only by the Messiah, the branch of Jesse are we made spotless, our iniquity taken away. Do you see the precious promise in this verse of the coming Messiah? Zechariah is telling the people this can only be fulfilled when the temple is rebuilt, because that is when the priesthood will be reinstated. How beautiful is it that our filthy garments are taken away?

Malachi 3 & 4

Malachi marks the close of the Old Testament. He was a prophet during the days of Nehemiah. Malachi directs his message at the corrupt priesthood in Israel. He proclaimed that they are not prospering because of their wicked practices. The nation of Israel is so corrupt with divorce, hypocrisy, infidelity, mixed marriages, false worship, and arrogance. After Malachi is 430 years of God’s silence to the people of Israel.

In Malachi a series of questions and answers are used to probe the hearts of the people. In each case a divine accusation is given and denied. The people don’t consider themselves that bad. They have allowed the view of an amazing God to become clouded and can no longer see the importance of keeping His commands with a right heart. These penetrating questions are ones we should ask of ourselves. Are we, in this age, guilty of the same sins as the people of Israel? We see the promise of the coming Messiah as we end out the Old Testament.

There is a lot of great bible study to be done in the Minor Prophets. I pray you will continue to seek time in them and study them further than we were able to this week. I recently preached through Habakkuk if you are interested in a further bible study there.

You can find the sermon audio at: http://www.olivedrivechurch.com/habakkuk/

Next week we will turn to the New Testament and cover many of the key figures there as we approach the end of this year’s reading. I look forward to what God has in store for us in the coming months.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church