Drippings from the Honeycomb
More to be desired are [the rules of the Lord] than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)
Procrastination is when we put off something we know we should do, even when we know we will suffer as a result. It could be something as simple as not wanting to put out the garbage in the rain, then we miss the garbage truck and have to latter take it to the dump, but concerned about the cost of the dump we store it up at home and in time our house becomes a dump!
Psychologists note a variety of reasons why people procrastinate (low self [God]-confidence, anxiety [fear]). Some have even created two general behavioural types of procrastinators: anxiety and boredom/rebellion (that is they procrastinate so they get a thrill at the last minute or rebel and don’t want to do it).[1] We can procrastinate in coming to know and follow the Lord too, all to our harm. Why do people spiritually procrastinate? Why do they put off going to church, trusting in the Gospel, being baptized, joining a church? Why do they put off responding to a leader, calling to encourage someone, having that difficult conversation? Why do they put off reading their Bible, praying or any number of spiritual disciplines? Why do they put off killing that known sin in their life? Why do they do these things when they know they are wrong and they know they will harm them? It comes down to faith vs. fear and pride vs. humility in some form. God asked Cain a timeless question, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Gen 4:7) What is the spiritual reason for procrastination? The reasons may be complex but the Lord calls us to overcome them by rising to obedience in faith. How can we rule over procrastination or help others to do so? How to fight procrastination?
The same way the Lord deals with us, in grace and truth. We need to be gracious with procrastinators (remembering when we have and learning from this). We must be sympathetic and willing to listen for the reasons why someone might procrastinate so we can help address these. We need to seek to encourage folks to do right and offer any help we can in this regard. However, grace alone is not sufficient. We must also be truthful. We must seek to teach and spur and call and guide the procrastinator. All this is done in prayer. Truth graciously administered is the best medicine. So let us rise to trust the Lord and walk before Him in obedience and so overcome procrastination. [1] https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/news/article/7797/The-Psychology-Behind-Procrastination/#:~:text=Psychologists%20have%20found%20various%20reasons,is%20emotion%20and%20mood%20regulation. WORTHLESS MEN. It is an Old Testament category of its own- and you don't want to be one! To be worthless can have two meanings: 1) perverted or wicked and 2) being good for nothing, useless, without profit or benefit. The first refers to not attaining to God's standards and the second to not contributing positively to your family or community. Question- Avoiding judgementalism, what caricature comes to mind when you think of a 'worthless man?' Look up the following Scriptural references and not what the context is and why the man/men are is being described as worthless. Use the following chart to summarize and expand. Job 11:11; Deut 13:13; Judg 9:4, 11:3, 19:22/20:13; 1 Sam 2:12, 10:27, 25:25, 30:22; 2 Sam 23:6; 1 Ki 21:10, 13
While worthless men certainly exist, is any man worthy? (Ro 3:23). Not referring to value as created in God's image, we are all worthless for we've not met God's holy standard nor aspired to His grand design for manhood.
Who alone is worthy? (Mk 1:7, Rev 4:11, 5:9). The worth of Jesus (axis) speaks of His tipping the balance, of His supreme weight of person and character. Through repentance and faith His worth may be imputed to us (credited righteousness) and His worth imparted to us through His Spirit and by His Word. Like David who gathered worthless men around him, we should seek to do the same in discipleship remembering those men eventually became leaders in his kingdom. As we are men of worth through Christ, like David, our worth becomes central to our witness in a world of worthless men. May the Lord save and transform many worthless men for His glory. What is a credible conversion? What ought we to expect of ourself or another who is converted so we might know who is saved and with whom we can have Christian fellowship.
While today ‘conversion’ has very negative connotations, biblically it is very positive. Conversion means to be transformed from one state (a sinner) into another (a saint). A key biblical word for this is metamorphosis (a glorious change), like that of an ugly worm into a beautiful butterfly. It is what happens to the believer who responds to the Good News of Jesus in repentance and faith (Acts 20:21). Like Faith and Following, repentance and faith are really flip sides of what we call conversion; they represent a change, a turning. Repentance means a change of mind, a sorrow over one’s sin and so a turning from it toward one’s only hope—the provision of forgiveness and new life in the Gospel. Faith (explored more in Saving Faith) means more than mere mental assent or belief (c.f. James 2:19), but an active trust, a crying out to Jesus for mercy, believing His promised offer of salvation to be true. It is personal trust in the Saviour. While the path to conversion may be very long (Engel’s Scale of Evangelism) and can even be parsed (Order of Salvation), conversion is always a moment (you can’t be 75% saved). The normative momentary nature is seen in across Scripture (e.g. Paul, Lydia, the Philippian Jailer). It is like the flipping of a coin; the sudden onset of a new season. However, sometimes conversion is more like a slow turning of a coin where someone grows in their realization of their sin and then imperceptibly in their faith in Jesus (e.g. the disciples. This can be true of children in Christian homes or an adult who has sat under the Gospel for some time). While it appears like a season of conversion, at some point there is a hidden moment when our heart believes. Whether in a moment or a season repentance and faith must be passed through, either consciously or evidently, for conversion to be credible. Do you have a clear understanding of the Gospel and a trust in it. Are you aware of your sinfulness, your need of and faith in a Saviour, and the assurance of salvation (Ro 8:13). (Have you been convicted, convinced and comforted?). Do you have a new softness of heart, a new love for God, regard for others, general humility, a desire to do God’s will. These were not present before but now by the regenerating and indwelling of the Spirit you are a ‘new creation’ (2 Cor 5:16). They are changed, permanently. Thus, repentance and faith are not just for conversion but the Christian life; they are traits of a truly changed person, “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Col 2:6).
Reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984 there is some cause to question at least some of this advertisement. This is because a key tenant of the social-marxist ideology (woke) that drives the present government is bent on a disinformation campaign of its own. There is a perceptible campaign to condition people to its agenda and question other narratives (i.e. gender). The problem is that a key component of the campaign are emotional triggers (how convenient). However, there are lots of things that can trigger, be controversial, extraordinary or seem to good to be true.
Consider the Gospel; it is offensive (1 Cor 1:23; 2 Cor 2:16). Christ's death (and a host of other Biblical teachings, will be found to be offensive to our culture. It isn't because the Gospel is false that it is found to be an offense but because human hearts are proud and resistant to the truth. Might the Gospel become 'disinformation?' It is some places and has been in the past. There and back again is the subtitle to the children’s book The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937). It is the journey of a small hobbit from Hobbiton in the Shire to the Lonely Mountain on the other side of Middle Earth. Along the way he passes through many dangers but in the end returns safely home.
Mark wants his readers to: a) repent and believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and in His Kingdom (Mk 1:1; 1:15; Mk 8:29) for their salvation from sin (Mk 10:45); and b) to follow Him as a disciple (Mk 8:34). These are keystone verses in Mark that pain the picture of faith and following. To Mark, these are flip sides of the same coin. Let me explain.
Faith is not a noun or a spiritual force we tap into, it is a verb—an action. Faith means trust; it is more than mere good opinion of Jesus. We must exercise true saving faith. This faith is an active vs. passive faith that does more than merely assent, it recognizes who Jesus is, our need and His authority, trusts in Him alone for salvation, placing our very lives in His hands. It goes on trusting in His commands. It demonstrates a real loving preference for Christ’s Kingdom and commands. ‘Faith’ without following is dead. (See Paul and James on justification). Following is an unpopular idea today, though it is steeped in adventurous appeal. However, true faith in a person, necessitates that we follow. We step where He asks us to step. While just as it is possible that people who have ‘faith’ don’t follow, it is likewise possible to ‘follow’ without faith. However, the following Jesus has in view is not simply following Him as a good moral teacher. It is following Him as Lord. And here is the flip side of the coin. If we truly follow Jesus in a cruciform way (all the radical things that the Law of Christ commands), such following reveals that we have faith just as true faith is shown in the fruit of following. Following trusts the King and His good words displaying this in action. Jesus wants us to have faith in Him; He also wants us to follow Him. When we truly believe we follow; when we truly follow we show we have faith. Faith and following are both actions; they are flip sides of the same coin. May we persevere in faith and following the Lord Jesus. What exactly is the unforgiveable sin or “eternal sin”?
Some have thought it is suicide or homosexuality or killing a child or a whole host of things.[1] When the context is understood one doesn’t have to guess. Mark is seeking to show that Jesus is the “Christ, the Son of God.” The first 3 chapters are filled with examples of who He is. However, many are confused. His family thinks He is insane and His opponents think He is Satanic. Neither of these responses allows for someone to join the new family Jesus is forming. In v. 28 Jesus assures that there are many serious sins that can be forgiven (“blasphemies”). To blaspheme is to curse God, a serious crime. In v. 29 blasphemy against the Spirit is what is unforgiveable. What role does God the Holy Spirit have? Jn 16 tells us He generally ‘convicts of sin’ (v. 8) and “glorifies” or point toward Jesus like a flood light. The eternal unforgiveable sin then is in v. 30—to persist in not recognizing who Jesus is and believe in Him. This is the sin the Pharisees were guilty of. The unforgiveable sin is ‘dying outside of Christ.’ Jesus can make the vilest sinner who repents clean. Those who think otherwise have too low a view of God’s character, an insufficient view of the work of Christ or too high a view of themselves. No one is beyond God’s grace if they would but turn and trust in Jesus. [1] If we persist in these sins rather than persevering in the faith this indicates we haven’t truly trusted in Christ and thus are guilty of the unforgiveable sin. A lovely crowd gathered with some amazing singing, all helped by other members of the church. I spoke on the first four verses of 1 Cor 15, Good News of Easter.
Service is a vital for being part of a local community. It shows that you are giving, committed and involved. It benefits you directly in untold ways as well. Now say you wanted to work with children at a library club. What would be required? Do you like children and reading? (Can you read well?) Do you have any experience? Are you a local resident? You’d certainly need a police check since you’d be working with a vulnerable group. Let alone standing for public office or joining the military, there are requirements for service.[1]
Service is a vital part of Christian discipleship. Faith isn’t static, it’s an action. We express it through holy living and service in the local church. Joy attends to the servant who reflects the serving nature of their Master, for it is “better to give than receive.” (Acts 20:35; Phil 2:6–8). Every member is meant to have a ministry to serve in (1 Cor 12:1). But to be able to serve in the local church there is a similar check: are you a Christian? Do you have a credible testimony of conversion? Have you been baptized by immersion? Do you show the fruit of faith? Do you agree with our Statement of Faith? What gifts do you have? Christianity, while personal, is not private; it is meant to be lived out corporately. You cannot have the bee without the hive, and bees serve the hive! Our faith is expressed and the local church authoritatively discerns it through membership (Mt 16:18, 18:18). Membership is how we know who represents Jesus as part of Markdale Baptist Church. As such, membership is the ordinary pathway to service in the local church.[2] (Handbook 7.1; 13.3.5 and 13.4.1.3). This should not surprise; just as police checks ensure the safety and success of library programs, the local church, as Christ’s representative body on earth, warrants equal care. Being a member ensures those involved in ministry are qualified to serve as Christians, are committed, teach the same doctrine and practice, are held accountable, exemplify the ‘one anothers’ and are united in purpose. To be a member is not only to aid your assurance but enable one to fulfil their call to service as a follower of Christ. Other blogs on Membership Learn more or apply to become a member. [1] Another illustration is marriage. To enjoy the legal and spiritual blessings and privileges of marriage you must get married! [2] Exceptions might include when we ask someone we believe to be a believer to help in a one off capacity (or an unbeliever in appropriate settings) or when we partner with other likeminded churches and their members. In Mark 1:15, as Jesus begins His ministry, He says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” What is the Kingdom of God? (What is the Gospel?) It is another one of those Christianese words that is easy to talk about but more difficult to define. Yet, it is important we understand it because it is a central theme in the Bible. A kingdom denotes rule and reign. When God created the world He ruled it and humans recognized/submitted to His reign. His general will was done on earth as in heaven. We see a glimpse of this in the opening chapters of Genesis. Adam participated in God’s reign. He had dominion and was to be His imager bearer/representative. However, while God’s absolute reign was total, His kingdom was localized to the Garden. After the Fall, while his absolute reign remained total (Ps 93:2, “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.”) His saving reign was restricted to the increasing minority of faithful humans scattered on the earth. This is a simple way to define God’s Kingdom, His saving reign over His people in His place. These recognized Him as King and through faith were part of His Kingdom, representing Him in Eden, the Promised Land or on Earth; albeit incompletely before Christ. There is Kingdom language used throughout the OT but since Jesus said, ‘is at hand’ infers the Kingdom was partial, wanting or incomplete. God’s ‘Kingdom’ came in fits and starts through Israel in the Promised Land. However, even here, more than a geographical limitation, Israel revealed their need of the Holy Spirit to reign in their hearts. His Kingdom was thus incomplete and local vs. global. The whole OT story pointed forward to the Messiah King, the chosen One who would bring salvation by ushering in God’s Kingdom and salvation. Jesus is the Christ/King/Lord, though not as people envisioned. This is what we should think of when we say, ‘Jesus is Lord.’ (1 Cor 12:3). He is Lord of all and Lord of His Church (Kingdom and Church are largely synonymous). When He said the Kingdom was near Jesus meant that the King had come. He was the King exercising authority and power. Through His life, death and resurrection He would demonstrate He was the King, receive the Father’s crown of glory. Like kings, Jesus defeated sin and death and hell and Satan through His Easter victory. There is irony in the sign above the cross, ‘King of the Jews,’ for He really was, though in a spiritual sense. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended to Heaven where ‘He is seated at the right hand of the Father.’ (Apostles Creed). Jesus reigns over all, including His Kingdom/Church. Before ascending He commissioned His princes (the 12 Disciples, of a new people of God) to found and expand His Kingdom on earth. ‘Thy Kingdom come’ is a prayer not only for a future realization but a present expansion. It should be our desire that His ‘will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Lord’s Prayer). Jesus now reigns over His Kingdom by the power of His Spirit sent at Pentecost and through the authority of His Word, the Bible. As the Gospel (Good News) about this victorious King was proclaimed rebel sinners outside of God’s Kingdom were invited to be transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness/this World and into the Kingdom of His glorious light (Col 1:13). If they would repent and believe the Good News, i.e. turn from rebellion and sin and toward King Jesus, and ask for admittance according to the victory and benefits Jesus won through His death and resurrection, they would find entry. This is what is meant by Ro 10:9, to confess (agree) that “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Jesus is building a Kingdom from amongst the kingdoms of this earth. The believer is visibly admitted to the Kingdom through the rite of Baptism. This is how they display loyalty to the King. They then become a citizen, with rich meaning for our identity along with both initial blessings but also responsibility. They gather to worship the King and hear His Word. They live in accordance with the Royal Law (Ja 2:8), to live out Kingdom values (Sermon on the Mount; Parables), are equipped by the Holy Spirit to fight a spiritual war (Eph 6), be an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20) and herald the King’s Gospel. Like a mustard seed (Lk 13:18, or Dan 2) the Kingdom expands geographically and numerically (even sanctification); a reality that history attests to. The rebellion is shrinking and the opposition growing, despite how it may appear. However, the paradox of the Kingdom is that it is ‘already but not yet.’ Christ inaugurated (began) the Kingdom at His first coming and will bring it to completion (consummation) at His Second Coming. Rev 11:15b says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” After the Resurrection, Last Battle and Judgement, Christ will reign over His people forever in the New Heavens and New Earth. The rebellion will be over. The Kingdom will be fully and eternally here, a Kingdom of life free from the curse of rebellion and death. All this may be visualized as follows: Have you turned and trusted in the Good News of King Jesus?
Have you confessed Jesus as Lord? Have you joined His Kingdom through baptism? Are you serving the King and your fellow citizens, walking in His ways, becoming the best Kingdom citizen you can be for your King’s glory? Are you awaiting your King’s return? |
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