What then shall we do?

Luke 3:1-10

Have you explored or wondered why both Jesus and John waited till the age of 30 to begin their ministry?  If you turn to the book of Numbers 4:1-3, it brings some understanding; “The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: “Among the Levites, take a census of the Kohathites by their clans and their ancestral house, men 30 years old to 50 years old –everyone who is qualified to do the work at the tent of meeting.”  In 1 Chronicles 23:3, “The Levites 30 years old or more were counted; the total number of men was 38,000 by head count.”  If you keep reading, the age requirement went down to 20 years of age, but it implies they were in training till the age of 30.

If you read commentaries you will find some that believe Zechariah and Elizabeth both died when John was still a young child, and this might explain why he grew up in the wilderness of Judea between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. But never doubt that it was God’s plan for John to be the forerunner of His Son. The prophet Isaiah gives this information in 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.”  And we find in the Gospel according to Mark this insight; “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”(Mark 1:1-3 ESV)

Also it is of importance to notice how Doctor Luke gave the history and time line of this very important event, with the area, the ruling governor and the high priest of Annas and Caiaphas.  When Luke tells us the “word of God came to John in the wilderness,” what is not told is how that word came, by a messenger such as an angel, or in a dream or vision, or in a time of prayer.  This we know, John’s calling was to the region around the Jordan and the message was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Now to you who like a no nonsense, straight shooter preacher, you are going to like John, I also appreciate such a man. This was the message from the Holy Spirit through John’s lips: “He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Now it seems the crowd identified with the message for this was their reply: “What then shall we do?”  What a wonderful reply, for until we are willing to come clean before God and man we will not experience repentance.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Jesus depended on His Father in heaven for Everything

Luke 2:39-52

My pastor Ray Still said in a sermon that Jesus is often thought of as a breaker of the Law of God, and went on to state that is just not true, it was men’s additions or changes to the Laws of God that Jesus took exception with.  It is clear that from birth Jesus fulfilled the Laws of God as found in Luke 2:39, “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.”  (Luke 2:39 ESV)  The next verse gives us an overview of the child Jesus; “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.”  (Luke 2:40 ESV) And what else would you expect from the Son of God, but that thinking is flawed, for those Jesus was the only Son of God, He was also 100% human without sin for His Father was God, not man.  So even as a child Jesus depended on His Father in heaven for everything, and His Father placed godly parents to guide him and teach him how to listen to His Father in heaven.

That takes nothing away from His emotions and desires, and verse 41 reminds me of my youth for each year we went to Lake Worth to my Aunt Violets and Uncle John A’s home for a Golden reunion.  It was the grandest of times, all of us sharing one bathroom, sleeping on mats on the floor and being with family, it still ranks high marks as the best of times.  Just a memory and has little to do with anything but when Jesus was a boy, I’m sure He looked forward to these visits to Jerusalem, for it was what they did every year at the Feast of the Passover.  It was a time for a boy to travel with family, to be with the cousins, with friends and family from back home and to see and hear about God’s favor to the people of Israel.

Now this trip to Jerusalem was when Jesus was twelve years of age, so lets pickup the story in verse 43, “And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” and they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”  (Luke 2:43-52 ESV)

Jesus was always about His fathers business, and there is no doubt in my mind that this was the first time since the angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt with the child and Mary that either parent had been distressed when it came to their son Jesus.  Now Jesus the Son of God who had taken on flesh so that He would pay for our sins by defeating sin and death on a Cross and buying us out of the control of sin, made a choice that day as a 12 year old child to be submissive to His parents, till His Father told him to begin His earthly ministry at age 30.  What an example of power under control, for I have no doubt Jesus the child of 12 was having the best day of His life as He set among the teachers asking questions and giving them answers.  But God’s plan was for later, and God’s plan was for His Son to be obedient to His earthly parents.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Lead by the Spirit

Luke 2:36-38

Yesterday we shared about Simeon and you and I may have identified with him in the area of being misunderstood, in that he looked to the prompting of the Spirit and not to his flesh.  You recall that the Holy Spirit told Simeon he would not see death before seeing the Messiah in the form of a baby.  So he was always hanging out at the temple for every firstborn dedication.  And we discussed how often one is misjudged by family and friends, especially when they are being lead by the Spirit.  It reminds me of Rees Howells the intercessor that lived from 1879 to 1950 and as a young man the Holy Spirit told him not to ware a hat outside, and to do so was unheard of at that time in England, and he was misunderstood by family and friends.  (Footnote: Jan, Joyce and Carroll Ray Jr. and I had the great honor of having tea at the Bible College in Wales with Rees’s only child, Samuel Rees Howells, a wonderful man.)

But in the area of being thought a little odd, Simeon and Rees and every person who has by faith followed the leadership of the Holy Spirit will look at the prophetess Anna with admiration.   This is her story told by Doctor Luke; “And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.  (Luke 2:36-38 ESV)

If Anna was like most young girls, she married around the age of 12 ½ to 14.  She lived with her husband seven years and then became a widow and she is recorded by Luke to be 84 at the time of seeing Christ.  She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.  Now my small mind has many questions but God does not choose to give us answers or insights into them, but a day is coming when I will get to meet Anna and she will fill in all the details. 

You may be wondering what a prophetess does and the author of this document gives a clear and accurate account: “A prophetess is simply a female prophet. Just like a prophet, a prophetess is a person called by God. A prophet (male or female) is the mouthpiece for the one who sends him or her; the prophet speaks on behalf of the sender (Exodus 7:1-2). A prophet is considered a seer (1 Samuel 9:9), because God gives him or her the gift of foreknowledge. God reveals his secrets to prophets (Amos 3:7), and true prophesy is initiated by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21)(1Corinthains 12:28) and Ephesians 4:11 both rank prophets as second only to apostles.”  (Stronginfaith.org)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Simeon may have been totally misunderstood

Luke 2:25-35

One of the many curses of selecting Sales’ as a profession was the desire to please my boss, to perform at a level that would build trust and respect within the company for the job I was given.  I’ve often stated that two things motivate a salesperson, money and acknowledgement in the form of praise, and in my case money was not first on the list.  So when I see Luke who is putting words on paper that the Holy Spirit has breathed into his heart about this man Simeon, this is what he writes; “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord Christ.”

How many of you are like this salesman; you are willing to go and do whatever is required to earn the recognition of men, but often have a small view of heaven in our thinking?  Simeon may have been totally misunderstood by the priest and leaders, the ones this salesman often looked to for approval, and in fact it is possible that even his family and friends thought of him as a little odd, but you and I and millions before and after us will understand God called him righteous; Simeon was in right-standing with God.  I was devout about the responsibility assigned to me by a man, I took them as serious projects and would ask God to give me the tools needed to complete each project, but Simeon’s earnestness to listen and do all that the Holy Spirit told him to do is what is needed, is it not?

Scripture does not tell us how many years Simeon had been hanging out at the temple, it does not tell us how many baby dedications Simeon has shown up for but it does tells us the following: “And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”  (Luke 2:27-32 ESV)

But the Holy Spirit was not through with Simeon, these are the words God put into his heart concerning Mary; “And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”  (Luke 2:33-35 ESV)  We often forget Joseph and Mary were new parents but they were also a lot like you and me, humans with all kinds of needs and concerns, and they were blown away at what was being said about Jesus.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

             

Words we often do not Grasp

Luke 2:22-24

We Gentiles do not always grasp the Laws God set for His people, and it is easy to read pass verses like Luke 2:22-24 without understanding what was taking place.  So lets read them: “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”  (Luke 2:22-24 ESV)  If we go to the Exodus out of Egypt, God gave Moses clear instructions on the consecration of the firstborn.  These were the words of God to Moses, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn.  Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” (Exodus 13:2)

God is not mixing words; all the firstborn in Israel are the Lords, both man and beast.  And we find God’s reason for doing so when the young man ask his dad why was he the first born consecrated to the Lord; the dad is to tell the story of how God killed the firstborn of Egypt both man and beast, and this should always be a reminder of the strong hand of the Lord as He brought His people out of Egypt. 

We find the requirements in Leviticus 12:6-8, “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, and he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”   It is clear that Joseph and Mary were what we call under-resourced and so they presented a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.   We should always hold to this truth; Jesus came to fulfill the Law not to abolish it, look at Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Real Story

Luke 2:6-21

It is very dangerous to second-guess God, and yet it is done everyday by multitudes of people all over the world.  The prophet Isaiah speaking for God said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.”  This is the Lord’s declaration.  “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  To second-guess God our Creator makes about as much sense as a person worshiping an image they made with their own hands.  With that stated, my mind often goes to how different you and I would do things if we were God, and aren’t you glad your not?

But let’s be foolish for a few moments and put ourselves in the role of God; Yes, I love the people I created, and yes they rebelled and chose self rule over my rule, so I’m going to send my Son to awaken them to how foolish they have been.  Now if my Son is going to step our of heaven where He is worshiped and go to earth, I will allow Him to be born of a woman for sin is only passed on from the man.  When He is born I will arrange all the leaders of the world and all the religious leaders to come to Jerusalem for his birth.  I will put into the heart of King Herod to build a special wing on the palace for His birth with the best of doctors to assist the Virgin Mary and her husband with childcare.  Angels will come to these leaders and religious dudes and blow them away with the magnitude of what I’ve done.

But then, I remember that I am just dust, dust God has breathed life into, and I recall the words from Isaiah 55:8-9, and I marvel at the wisdom of my God.  So let us look at the real story told by Doctor Luke; “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”  (Luke 2:6-20)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

God let Micah in on the Promise

Luke 2:1-7

Micah lived about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem, we are told God showed Micah the fall of Samaria, Jerusalem’s destruction, the Babylonian captivity and the return from exile, as well as the birth of God’s future Davidic ruler in Bethlehem.  (Thoughts taken from HCSB page 1522)  Do you recall King David and God’s promise to him about his throne?  You will find this in 2 Samuel 7:16, “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever.”  It is almost 700 years till the birth of the Messiah and God opened the eyes of His prophet Micah to see and record what was to come. "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."

Today we would refer to Bethlehem as a suburb of Jerusalem in that it is only about five miles outside of Jerusalem.  Bethlehem was very small, an insignificant city with this one exception, it was the birthplace of King David.  The Gospel according to Matthew gives this account:  “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  (Matthew 2:1-2 ESV) 

In the gospel according to John, we have more information on the birthplace of the Messiah.  In John 7 we find the people divided over if Jesus is the Christ or a prophet, and this shows the confusion among this group of where Christ was born.  Picking up the account in verse 41, “Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (John 7:41-42 ESV)

Luke 2:1-7 is a story preached and told before the day many refer to as the holiday season, but to all who have been changed, forgiven, redeemed, made new, we call it Christmas, for no one else in all the history of the world has done for mankind what Christ Jesus has done for us.  The great prophet Isaiah who lived from around 740-698 shared this event that would not happen till about 700+ years; “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Are you a manager or an owner?

Are you a manager or an owner?

Are you a label reader, do you look to see what is in the product you are consuming, and where it comes from?  If not you would be wise to do so, and as followers of Christ, you would be wise to look at the many warnings about money and possessions, for they can deceive a person into taking ownership and a state of being in control, forgetting your role of manager, not owner.

What are some of the warning labels in Scripture, one I recall is the dishonest manager’s money.  You can read the story in Luke 16:1-13, but I want to ponder on these verses: “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?”  King Solomon shared this warning label in Ecclesiastes 5:10, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.  This too is meaningless.”  The Bible is full of warning labels against allowing a good gift from God to become a little god in your life, never forget, your skill set, your mind, your training are a gift from God, and the more you are given the more is required of you.  The apostle Paul in his letter to young Timothy has this warning label; “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s.”

My story, as a student is one of not understanding these truths; a person reaps what they sow, and as a child, most of my schooling was not seen as an investment in knowledge but in keeping me from enjoying fun things.  So later as I attempted college I got my return on my contribution as a fun loving student in the first twelve years of my education.  My poor management of the skills and mind the Lord had given me became a reality, I was reaping what I had sown, and when I looked into the mirror it was apparent it was not my teachers fault. 

So I returned to what my dad and mother had taught, hard work brings a profit and laziness brings only harm.  To give more than is expected and to not build debt into your life, wait and pray and hope, but do not become a slave to credit, and to give the Lord a tenth of all He has bless you with, and that became the model of my life for many years.   Much later, I came to the understanding that true joy and blessing were in giving, not in acquiring.  And I’ve experienced that as a manager of all my Master has entrusted to me, the more I trust Him, the more freedom I have and fear has less of a hold on my life.

My hearts desire is to be wise to my Master’s desires and I’ve found this warning label that I have taken to heart will settle the issue of trying to own what was never mine.  “Thus says the Lord: “Let the wise man not boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, and justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23)

I often will keep quotes and this one from Pat Morley “Man in the Mirror” (Solving the 48 problems men face) has shed light on the verse above. “When possessions and money become a surrogate for our real identity, who we are is tied to things that rust and rot away.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

For nothing will be impossible with God

Luke 1:57-80

We may not understand what Elizabeth has experienced, being the wife of a priest and not being able to bare him a child especially a son, and the criticism is not from Zechariah but from family and friends, and the neighbors.  In that day and culture it was considered a curse from God for a woman not to be able to have children.  So Elizabeth stays in seclusion for five months and Mary arrives in the six month and I’m sure these words of Gabriel have played over and over in her heart and head; “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. For nothing will be impossible with God.”  (Luke 1:36-37 ESV)

Now it’s time to give birth to a male child, and both Elizabeth, Zechariah, and Mary have no doubt it will be a long awaited son, and now the neighbors, friends and family members are showing up for the birth.  There is no question that God has blessed Elizabeth, for she, as her husband has stated to the angel, is “well along in years.”  The same ones who have said all kinds of not so nice things are now showing up, but the spotlight is not on their past but on the present of rejoicing at the mercy God has shown to this family.

We may forget our God is a covenant God and you will find it in Genesis 17:1-2, “When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”  And this was the covenant; “This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised. You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Throughout your generations, every male among you at eight days old is to be circumcised.” (Genesis 17:10-12a)

Have you ever noticed how the group will try to take over, now they are excited, but they are not part of the decision making because God has already given this new born a name, it is John.  But the relatives and friends and even the community at large were going to name him after his dad, they said his name will be Zachariah, but His mother responded, “No! He will be called John.”  The relatives and members of the community would not except anything but Zachariah so they motioned to Zachariah and he asks for a writing tablet and wrote: “His name is John.”

Now it is getting exciting; “And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.”  (Luke 1:64-66 ESV)  “And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.  And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Special Dad for a Special Boy

Luke 1:56

Mary stayed with Elizabeth and Zechariah about three months and returned home, and guess what, no one at home maybe not even Joseph knew about Mary being with child.  She would have been four months pregnant and she returned to a small town were she is well known; this is found in Matthew 1:18, “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.”  (Note: Before they came together means that Joseph and Mary did not have sexual intercourse and so Joseph would have assumed Mary had been unfaithful.)   

Can you imagine what that thief the one Jesus refers to in John 10:10, the one that controls Channel One the deceptive channel is doing to Mary on her way home?  I bet it went something like this; “girl there is going to be a stoning and you are going to be at the center of it.”  Now for my young readers, Mary understood that an unfaithful wife by law could be taken out and the village or town people would throw stones at her till she was dead.  Do you recall my favorite saying: “But God,” and you can be sure what is referred to as Channel Two, controlled by the Holy Spirit is telling Mary; “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Joseph does not get much ink in the Scriptures, but do not doubt that He is the handpicked husband for Mary and a mentor and teacher and earthly dad to God’s one and only Son.  So it should not be a surprise to anyone the character found in Joseph.  “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 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. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”  (Matthew 1:18-25 ESV)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What is missing in the Pew Research Report?

In my past life of being a salesman, I was often reminded that perception is the way things are to that person, it does not mean the customer is correct in their observation but it does mean that is their belief or awareness of the subject.  I often found it was not based on logic or data, but on exposure, the current product or belief was all they had experienced.

With that backdrop of perception, it is the way it is to you; we must come to grips with this fact, the number of Americans who self-identify as Christians has dropped from 78 percent to 71 percent according to the Pew Research Center, which has just released its latest U.S. Religious Landscape Study.  As a follower of Christ, what is my perception of being a Christian, and how can 7% who make this claim quit being a Christian?

First, let’s look at what Scripture says about Christians, when did the term come into being?  At Antioch and you can find that in Acts 11:26, but that does not answer the question, why at Antioch?  The answer lies in a scattered group being persecuted and fleeing Jerusalem after the death of Stephen one of the first of a group called The Way, followers of Jesus Christ, over 500 had seen the risen Lord.  This first group had this understanding, Jesus was God, He lived and walked among them, He taught, He healed, and He died on a cross, for in doing so He overcame death and the grave, for on the third day He arose victorious over both the grave and death.  And he was seen by eleven of His disciples and the apostle Paul gives this account; “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of who are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-9)

So as one who believes this to be 100% correct, I’m basing being a Christian not on a religion or a denominational belief, but on entering a relationship with Jesus based on faith that He tells the truth.  And as I’ve shared with you often, I was a religious person, a member of the Baptist church, who believed Jesus was God, who gave ten percent of my income some of the time, and yet had never ask Jesus to forgive me, I had often tried to make deals with Him but had never ask Him to come into my heart and be the Lord of all my being, till one night in a hotel room after reading Romans 10:9-10, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” and by faith acting on the grace He gives freely, I entered into Christ’s time line, and it has no beginning or end, I was changed.  And this is what happened that night: “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (Matthew 14:20)

 

I was changed from religious Baptist Bob to a new creation in Christ, I was not a strong follower of Christ, but that came as I grew in my understanding of what He had done, and was doing in my life, but I was a Christian.  So if your definition of being a Christian is based on Scripture, on the finished work of Christ on the cross, where did the 7% go?  How does one get out of the Father, out of Christ, who is living in them, and they in Him?  For we have this word from Jesus; “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30)

My dad was a very wise man, a man of the Scripture, and he often would remind me that a word to the wise was sufficient, this is a word to the wise: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (1 Corinthians 13:5)  A wrong perception of truth does not change truth!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

All generations will call me Blessed

Luke 1:39-55

Luke tells us that Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah, and most of us do not grasp the fullness of what is being said.  Mary is from Nazareth that is in Galilee and her cousin Elizabeth lives in a town in Judah, it is not next-door, it is a journey and being a family who may have been under resourced, she probably walked.  God does not give us any of the details of the trip; in fact, the next thing we read Mary is entering the house of Zechariah and greeting Elizabeth.  Mary did not receive e-mail or snail mail, the first word of the great news about her relative Elizabeth is from an angel.  Doctor Luke tells us that Elizabeth hid her pregnancy for the first five months, so Gabriel’s message to Mary may have been the first time she had heard about her cousin.

Luke being a doctor may be giving information only a doctor would have found interesting; such as the baby in Elizabeth jumping when he heard the greeting from Mary.  But something else happened; Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and “and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”  (Luke 1:42-45 ESV) 

Now as you read Mary’s reply do it slowly for it is amazing: “And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.  And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Holy Spirit - how Scripture address Him

Luke 1:35

            “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.” 

We refer to Him as the third person of the Triune (Three in One) God, and Scripture addresses Him as the Holy Spirit, today is a good day to look deeper into what the Scriptures say about Him.  In the second letter of Peter, chapter one verse twenty-one, we are told the Holy Spirit is the “Author of Scripture.” Both the prophet Isaiah and the apostle John gives this insight into the Holy Spirit as Comforter / Counselor / Helper; Isaiah 11:2, “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.”   In John 14:16-17 we have this insight; “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

The apostle John calls the Holy Spirit our “Teacher” in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my mane, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”  Note: it requires one to read and study the Bible for the Holy Spirit to teach us and to bring to our memory what Jesus has said.  The apostle Paul tells us the Holy Spirit is also our “Intercessor” in Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

The apostle John tells us when the Helper comes He will “Convict of Sin” and of Righteousness” you will find this in John 16:7-11.  As one who is a follower of Jesus Christ, who put faith in the blood of Jesus that covers all sin, and in the finished work of the cross, this act of the Holy Spirit to be our “Deposit / Seal” “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

When the Holy Spirit comes upon you and the power of the Most High overshadows you your life will never be the same, God is the same today as He was yesterday.

Form the Back Porch,

Bob Rice