Get to Work

Posted on April 24, 2009 by russellmckinney

Throughout the Bible, we find verses that can be broken down into two parts: your part and God’s part. Here are a few examples, all from the New King James Version, with me adding in the designations “your part” and “God’s part.”

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself also in the Lord, (your part) and He shall give you the desires of your heart. (God’s part)

Proverbs 3:6: In all your ways acknowledge Him, (your part) and He shall direct your paths. (God’s part)

Matthew 6:4: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; (your part) and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (God’s part)

Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, (your part) and all these things shall be added to you.” (God’s part)

Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, (your part) and I will give you rest.” (God’s part)

Mark 1:17: “Follow Me, (your part) and I will make you become fishers of men.” (God’s part)

Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, (your part) I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (God’s part)

In regards to each of these verses, God won’t do your part and you can’t do His part. You see, this isn’t God imposing His will on you any more than it is you imposing your will upon Him. Instead, it is a pair working in tandem.

One of those verses I cited was Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Now let me tell you what Jesus says in the verse that follows. He says: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29, N.K.J.V.)”

For years, I missed the meaning of that verse simply because I didn’t know what a yoke was. Now I know that a “yoke” is a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (such as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for the purpose of working together. To picture a yoke in your mind, envision a wooden board laid across the necks of two animals standing side by side. The board has a slight arc in each place where an animal’s neck rests, and underneath each side of the board hangs a u-shaped harnessing device that buckles the board under each animal’s neck.

This makes for an incredibly graphic illustration. While it would be blasphemous for me to describe Jesus as an ox and for me to place myself right alongside Him in anything, it’s a different story when He is the one painting the word picture. Jesus is saying to me, “I have taken My place here on one side of the yoke. The board is resting upon My shoulders, and the harness is tightened underneath My neck. I’m ready to work. Now I want you to take your place alongside Me in the yoke. Let the other side of the board rest upon your shoulders and let the other harnessing device hang tight under your neck.”

Furthermore, in Christ’s illustration, God the Father is the farmer who owns the yoke and is ready to work the team of animals. Remember that Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me” (John 9:4, N.K.J.V.). Isn’t it amazing that Jesus wants me to work with Him to get God the Father’s work done? Despite the fact that Jesus is omnipotent and could do the work by Himself, He asks me to work with Him!

Do you know what that means? For Jesus to want to work alongside me day after day, night after night, He must enjoy my company. He must like having a relationship with me and spending time with me. Make no mistake, it’s an honor for Jesus to ask a person to work beside Him. It means He has saved a place for that person inside the yoke. There He is, shoulders stooped, with the yoke resting upon Him. Then He turns His head from inside the harness, looks at the person, gives a little grin, and says, “Get in here, we’ve got work to do.”

You say, “But I’m not sure I like the sounds of that. I’m afraid the work Jesus has in mind for me will wear me out.” Don’t worry, this work won’t lay you to waste. Notice that Jesus ends His invitation by saying, “…and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30, N.K.J.V.).”

What we are dealing with here is a paradox. A yoke shouldn’t be easy, and the burden of being in it shouldn’t be light. Keep in mind, though, that we are talking about Jesus, and He can make the impossible possible. Just as He Himself never tires of doing God the Father’s work, you won’t tire of doing it either when you work with Him. To the contrary, you will find yourself rested.

Oh, and here’s another thing: You don’t have to be super qualified before you can get in the yoke with Jesus because He will teach you how to do the work. I’ve heard that farmers will put an inexperienced animal in a yoke with an experienced one so the experienced animal can teach the inexperienced one how to do the work. By mimicking what the experienced animal does inside the yoke, the inexperienced animal learns. This is what Jesus means when He says, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” He’s saying, “You don’t know how to do God the Father’s work, but I do. All you have to do is join Me in the yoke, follow My lead, and do as I do. In that way, you will learn.”

Tell me, how much of God the Father’s work are you getting done these days? If it isn’t much, you obviously aren’t living the life Jesus wants you to live. Even if you are getting some of the work done, but it is burning you out, something is wrong there, too.

The answer to both problems is simple: Get in yoke with Jesus. That will result in you not only getting God the Father’s work done but also in you enjoying rest for your soul. So, what are you waiting for? Take your place alongside Jesus in God the Father’s yoke and get to work.

Posted in Brokenness, Commitment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, God's Will, God's Work, Ministry, Service, Submission, Work | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Does the Bible Teach about Homosexuality?

Posted on April 22, 2009 by russellmckinney

The issue of homosexuality has once again been front and center in recent days. First, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a state ban on gay marriage violates the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians. Second, celebrity blogger and outspoken homosexual Perez Hilton created quite a stir during his stint as a judge at the Miss USA 2009 pageant in Las Vegas. During the Q&A portion of the contest, Carrie Prejean (Miss California) had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of Perez’s question. The question was, “Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?” Man, talk about a loaded question! That’s a far cry from, “Should you win the title of Miss USA, how would you use your crown to promote world peace?”

For the record, I hate beauty pageants. All of the charitable causes and college scholarships in the world can’t change the fact that they are a shameless celebration of outer beauty in addition to being an enticement to lust. I watched them when I was a hormone-driven teenager, and I promise you that I didn’t care one iota about the talent competitions, the Q&A segments, or the evening gowns. I just wanted to see beautiful women in bathing suits. I’m not proud of this. I’m just telling you how it was. Not surprisingly, when I gave my life fully to Christ, I stopped watching beauty pageants. To me, they are barely a notch above “soft porn.”

Still, I couldn’t help but empathize with Carrie Prejean when I heard what had happened to her. Many people are now saying she lost the pageant when she answered Perez’s question by stating that she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. Frankly, I don’t know whether or not that answer cost her the pageant. What I do know is that it is absolutely INFURIATING that Perez got away with asking the question. Someone should have drug out one of those extra-long staffs, the kind with the big crook at the end, and yanked him backstage. Of course, I can’t feel any sorrow for the Miss USA pageant. Keep in mind that they did select Perez to be a judge. When you ask a pseudo-celebrity who thrives on controversy to be part of your show, you get what you have coming to you.

In case you haven’t guessed, I’m not a social activist or a politically correct person. I’m a Bible-teaching pastor. As such, it’s my job to make people aware of what the Book teaches about homosexuality. And what it teaches is that homosexuality is rank sexual sin. It isn’t the only sexual sin. No, premarital sex, adultery, incest, and bestiality are on that list, too. But, please, let’s declare an injunction on trying to make the Bible and homosexuality compatible. If the Bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality as sin, it doesn’t condemn anything as sin!

If you are interested (and many aren’t), the scriptural case against homosexuality is as follows (all references from the N.K.J.V.):

1. Genesis 1:26-28; Matthew 19:4-6: God’s plan for the sexual relationship is obviously man-woman.

2. Genesis 19:1-29; Ezekiel 16:49-50; 2 Peter 2:4-6; Jude v.7: Homosexuality was rampant in the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and God destroyed those cities for their wickedness. The Ezekiel passage uses the word “abomination” in reference to homosexuality, while the Jude verse describes the sin as giving one’s self over to sexual immorality and going after “strange flesh.”

3. Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17: Under the body of law God gave the Israelites to live by, homosexuality was a crime. More than that, it was a capital punishment offense (Leviticus 18:29, “cut off” means “put to death”). Again, the word “abomination” is used in the Leviticus verses in reference to the sin. Furthermore, the context of the Leviticus 18:22 verse groups homosexuality with incest (Leviticus 18:6-18) and bestiality (Leviticus 18:23).

4. Judges 19:11-30: This passage gives an account from the days when various Judges ruled over different parts of Israel. It labels a group of homosexuals as “perverted men.”

5. 1 Kings 14:21-24; 15:9-15; 22:41-46; 2 Kings 22:1-2; 23:7: The homosexuals (“perverted persons”) who are mentioned in these passages were religious prostitutes who played major roles in the worship of false gods. There is a distinct pattern seen in the passages. During the reigns of good kings, these sodomites were banished from the land. During the reigns of wicked kings, they were allowed to remain in the land.

6. Romans 1:18-32: These verses trace the origins of homosexuality and lesbianism back to mankind’s rejecting of God and embracing of idol worship. Homosexuals and lesbians are labeled as people who have: a knowledge of God (v.18-21), no excuse (v.20), a lack of glorifying God (v.21), a lack of thankfulness (v.21), futile thoughts (v.21), foolish, darkened hearts (v.21-22), a profession of wisdom (v.22), a foolishness about them (v.22), a bent towards idolatry (v.23), unclean, lustful hearts (v.24), dishonored bodies (v.24), an abandonment of the truth (v.25), a worship of self (v.25), vile passions (v.26), a desire to pervert nature (v.26-27), shameful conduct (v.27), a forgetfulness of God (v.28), debased minds (v.28), a love of doing those things which aren’t fitting (v.28), a nature geared towards being ungodly in many other ways (v.29-31), a knowledge of the judgment of God (v.32), a worthiness of death (v.32), and an approval of others who commit the same sins (v.32). Actually, the argument that homosexuality is “natural” is correct in one sense. The sin is just as natural to sin-fallen mankind as rebelling against God and worshipping false gods.

7. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: The category “homosexuals” (N.K.J.V.) or “effeminate” (K.J.V.) refers to homosexuals as does the category “sodomites” (N.K.J.V.) or “abusers of themselves with mankind” (K.J.V.). It is noteworthy that this passage teaches that the homosexual doesn’t have to continue in the sin. Verse 11 says “And such were some of you.” The homosexuals say, “God made us this way” and contend this allows them to equate their movement to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. But the crippling flaw in this line of thought is: Whereas there are some former homosexuals, there are no former African-Americans. By the way, this passage also teaches that homosexuality has no more place in the life of the Christian than fornication (all other forms of sexual sin), idolatry, adultery (the specific sexual sin of cheating on a spouse), theft, covetousness, drunkenness, reviling, or extortion. But we don’t see any big push to embrace these sins as being acceptable, do we?

8. 1 Timothy 1:8-10: The category “sodomites” (N.K.J.V.) or “them that defile themselves with mankind” (K.J.V.) refers to homosexuals. These verses place the homosexual on the same level as: the lawless, the insubordinate, the ungodly, the sinful, the unholy, the profane, the murderer of a father or a mother, the manslayer, the fornicator, the kidnapper, the perjurer, and anyone else who is contrary to sound doctrine.

Okay, if you are still reading, and your mind is open to the truth, you should now be in agreement with me that the Bible condemns homosexuality as sin. It really is an open-and-shut case. There is, however, an argument that homosexuals use in their efforts to get out from under obvious Biblical teaching. They say, “If God condemns homosexuality so much, why didn’t Jesus specifically preach against it?” This question is easily answered in three ways.

Answer #1: Jesus didn’t specifically preach against rape, spousal abuse, child abuse, pedophilia, or genocide, either. It’s safe to say, though, that He was against such acts.

Answer #2: Jesus did say, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). In three passages (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17), the Old Testament law condemned homosexuality. As for the Old Testament prophets, Isaiah negatively called the sinful people of Israel “rulers of Sodom” and “people of Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:10), and Ezekiel spoke of the “abomination” and “lewdness” of Sodom (Ezekiel 16:44-59).

Answer #3: Jesus confirmed and reiterated the Adam and Eve standard of marriage between a man and a woman (Matthew 19:4-6). To say that He didn’t speak against homosexuality is the same as saying that a judge who consults the law to render all his decisions, but never specifically condemns the breaking of that law, must be in favor of lawlessness. The argument simply makes no sense.

Now let me mention another route the homosexuals take in their useless efforts to align their sin with the Bible: They quote Christ’s words, “Judge not that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This is supposed to be some kind of trump card that muzzles Bible believers from speaking against homosexuality. Really, though, it is just another argument that doesn’t make honest sense.

I say this because it is obvious to anyone who studies the verses following Matthew 7:1 that Jesus isn’t forbidding all judging. (In Luke 12:57 and John 7:24, He even advocates righteous judging). What He is forbidding in Matthew 7:1 is hypocritical judging. He illustrates His point by saying, “If you have a plank (a large piece of wood) in your eye, you have no business criticizing someone else for having a speck (a small piece of wood) in his eye.” Then He says, “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5).

To apply this teaching to my own life, if I am a homosexual who unashamedly engages in homosexual sex every night, it is wrong for me to stand in my pulpit and preach against someone I know to be a closet homosexual. It is only when I have removed the plank from my own eye (repented of my prolific homosexuality) that I can help that closet homosexual remove the speck from his eye (repent of his lesser homosexuality). Please notice, though, that Jesus taught that the goal in each situation is the repentance of the sin, the removal of the plank or speck.

Someone says, “But Russell, why are you singling out homosexuals for a blog post? You’ve already admitted there are other sexual sins.” Well, as far as I know, those who engage in premarital sex, adultery, incest, or bestiality haven’t banded together to force people to accept their sinful lifestyles. When that happens, I’ll post blogs about their sins.

Oh, and let me say that I’ve used that word “force” legitimately. Homosexual activists such as Perez Hilton are arrogant, pushy people who are proud of their sin. They demand that we accept, in the name of tolerance, that which is ungodly and immoral. The irony is that they aren’t even tolerant themselves. If you think they are, try crossing one sometime!

But perhaps some Christian is asking, “Why do Bible believers have to fight this fight? Can’t we just agree to disagree? Can’t we all just get along?” Well, the answer is, we must fight this fight because we don’t want to be lumped in with those who “delight in the perversity of the wicked” (Proverbs 3:14). Instead, we want to learn from David’s experience. He used Psalm 39:1-3 to describe his attempt at remaining “mute with silence” even as the wicked were before him. He said, “I held my peace even from good, and my sorrow was stirred up.” It was only after his heart had grown so hot within him that he was compelled to speak out against the wicked.

In closing, please hear me when I say that God loves homosexuals. He loves them so much that Jesus (God the Son) died on a Roman cross as the potential payment for all their sins, including the sin of homosexuality. But God loves homosexuals too much to leave them in that state. That’s why He calls their sin what it is and demands that they repent of it. This isn’t the message they want to hear, of course, but it is the only one that accords with the Bible.

Posted in Homosexuality, Scripture, Sin, The Bible | 10 Comments

Preacher Cassity’s Desires

Posted on April 21, 2009 by russellmckinney

I was sorting through some old stuff and came across a sermon outline from Richard M. Cassity. His friends called him Dick, but our entire county knew him as “Preacher Cassity.” He befriended me when my days as a young pastor were just beginning and his as an elderly one were coming to a close.

To give you an idea how great a man of God Preacher Cassity was, allow me to list some facts that were included in a couple of little booklets that were produced about his life and ministry. Over the course of his ministry, he served as Supply or Interim Pastor in 30 churches, performed over 300 weddings, conducted over 1,400 funerals, and preached over 200 revivals. Most importantly, his ministry produced over 5,000 conversions to Jesus.

I was privileged to hear the last sermon Preacher Cassity preached for our local pastors’ conference. The date was February 3rd, 2003. The sermon was entitled “My Desire,” and the opening text was Psalm 37:4: “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (K.J.V.).

After Preacher Cassity’s death, a fellow pastor gave me a copy of the simple, handwritten outline Preacher Cassity had with him at the podium the morning he preached that sermon. That’s the outline I still have, and I’d like to name for you the nine desires listed on it. After each desire, I’ll cite an appropriate passage (all references from the N.K.J.V.). Some of these were passages Preacher Cassity referenced in his sermon, but others are ones I’ve included myself. I’ll also add an application question after each desire to drive home the point of the desire.

#1: A Closer Union with God: Psalm 42:1: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to have a deeper fellowship with God?)

#2: A Deeper Compassion for the Lost: 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to win others to Jesus?)

#3: A Spirit-Filled Life: Ephesians 5:18: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to filled with — controlled by — the indwelling Holy Spirit?)

#4: A Committed Life That My Prayers Be Answered: Psalm 37:5: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in him; and He shall bring it to pass.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to live a life committed to the Lord so He will be able to bless you by answering your prayers?)

#5: To Be Kept from Care: 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to reach a spiritual state wherein your life is free from worry because you so consistently cast all your care upon the Lord?)

#6: To Fulfill My Ministry: Acts 20:24: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to faithfully fulfill all the acts of ministry to which God calls you in service to Him?) 

#7: To Thank Him For “The Calling”: 2 Timothy 1:8-9: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to live the kind of life by which you show the Lord daily how thankful you are to Him for calling you to salvation?)

#8: To See All the “Family” Saved: Acts 16:31-32: “So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to see your entire family experience the salvation offered in Jesus?)

#9: Most of All to See Jesus: Philippians 1:21-23: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” (As a Christian, do you have a burning desire to depart from this life and go to be with Jesus?)

Well, after reading Preacher Cassity’s list, it isn’t hard to see why he was such a wonderful servant of God. Instead of desiring money, fame, power, or status, his desires were all wrapped up in Jesus. Tell me, Christian, can the same be said of your desires? If not, what better time could there be than right now to change your desires? And if you need a good list to get you headed in the right direction, I’d say the one you just read is a worthy one.

I miss my friend, Preacher Cassity. To me, he was a role model, a mentor, and an inspiration. I’ll see him again one day, though. I know exactly where he is: in heaven with Jesus. That was, after all, the one desire he prefaced with the words “Most of all.” As I read that last and greatest desire on his list, I couldn’t help but think, “That one is being fulfilled at this very moment.”

Posted in Desires, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Family, God's Will, God's Work, Heaven, Ministry, Personal, Personal Holiness, Priorities, Salvation, Sanctification, Service, Thankfulness, Trusting In God, Witnessing, Worry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Intercessory Prayer

Posted on April 16, 2009 by russellmckinney

The apostle Paul was a man who knew what it was to pray for others. In Romans 1:9, he says to the Christians of Rome, “…I remember you in my prayers at all times…” (N.I.V.). He was also a man who wanted others to pray for him. In Romans 15:30, he asks those same Christians to, “…join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (N.I.V.). Intercessory prayer is such a wonderful concept! It’s a shame we Christians treat it so lightly.

V. Raymond Edman, of Wheaton, Illinois, was a twenty-five-year-old doctor on a medical mission trip to the aboriginal villages high in the Ecuadorian Andes. The Inca children of those villages were dying of a mysterious disease. While attempting to treat them, Edman was stricken with typhus fever. Somehow, he made the long trip back down the mountain trails to his home in Riobamba. Once there, he was found by a fellow American who convinced some of the natives to carry him to the railroad. From the railroad, he was taken to the region’s Parker Clinic.

As Edman lingered between life and death, he recalled how his mother had once told him that people who are dying oftentimes review their lives in detail. To his amazement, this began happening to him. He remembered his old homeplace in Illinois, his grade-school teachers, his high-school friends, and his days as a solider serving in a medical unit overseas. It all played out in his mind like he was watching a newsreel. When it was finished, he thought, “Now I have come to die. I’ll be in eternity in just a few moments.”

At first, he felt alone and frightened by that assumption, not knowing exactly what to expect. But then he became aware of some type of “presence” (for lack of a better word) in the room. It began on the floor and rose up to the level of the bed, engulfing everything as it went. It wasn’t until the presence began to engulf his body that Edman realized what it was: the love of God in Christ. That love was so amazing and so powerful that it quickly erased every fear the young doctor had about dying. He realized that “the great beyond” was a place far better than this world, and he began to think of himself as wading out to meet the afterlife as if he was wading out into a stream.

The next thing Edman knew, two full weeks had passed and he was recovering from his near-death experience. The Ecuadorian nurses told him how they had cared for him and how Dr. Parker, the founder of the clinic, had advised Edman’s wife to prepare for a funeral. She had done so by purchasing a coffin, arranging for a burial service, and dying her wedding dress black.

Then Edman was told another story. It was one about a small group of Christians who had been meeting for a Bible conference near Attleboro, Massachusetts. One morning the conference director, Rev. E. Joseph Evans, had told the group that he was experiencing a deep concern for Dr. Edman in Ecuador and had suggested that the group pray for the doctor. So, for the next several hours the group had done just that. They had prayed through the remainder of the morning, through the lunch hour, and up into the middle of the afternoon. Finally, God had given them the assurance that their prayers had been answered. Little had they known just how close Dr. Edman had coming to leaving this world.

In one of my former pastorates, I had a deacon who would say to people, “If you don’t have anybody else to pray for, pray for me.” I always liked it when he said that. The request was so humble, so earnest, so genuine. He really wanted others to pray for him.

Abraham (in the sense of prayer being a conversation with God) prayed for Lot and Lot’s family (Genesis 18:16-33). Isaac prayed for his wife, Rebekah (Genesis 25:21). Paul prayed for Philemon (Philemon 1:4) and Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16-18). Peter and John prayed for the new believers of Samaria (Acts 8:14-17). You get the idea. The believer whose prayer life is what God wants it to be will be well versed in intercessory prayer.

Of course, I realize that intercessory prayer doesn’t have to be limited to a Christian praying for another Christian. It can just as easily be a Christian praying for a lost person. For the purposes of this post, though, let’s narrow the beam down to you, the Christian, praying for one particular brother or sister in Christ. I’m not talking about you praying one of those “all-around-the-world” prayers, the one that goes, “Lord, bless all Christians everywhere.” No, I want you to hone yourself in on one believer and spend some time fervently praying to God for that person. There’s no telling what a difference you might make in that Christian’s life. And by the way, if you can’t think of anyone to pray for, pray for me. I can always use it.

Posted in Intercessory Prayer, Prayer | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Getting Your Toes Stepped On

Posted on April 15, 2009 by russellmckinney

A preacher had just finished a very strong sermon on the subject of sin. One of the officers of his church came to him and asked for a private word in the preacher’s study. Once there, the scolding began.

The officer said, “We don’t want you to talk so openly about peoples’ guilt and corruption. If our boys and girls hear you discussing such subjects, they will more easily become sinners. Please do not speak so plainly about sin.”

To that, the preacher answered, “Consider a bottle of strychnine. On the bottle the word ‘Poison’ is written in red letters. Do you understand what you are asking me to do? You are suggesting that I change the label on the bottle. Suppose I paste on the label ‘Essence of Peppermint’? Don’t you see what might happen? Someone would use it, not knowing the danger involved, and would certainly die. So it is with the matter of sin. The milder you make your label, the more dangerous you make your poison!”

As a preacher, I must admit that such illustrations sting me a bit because they cause me to wonder if I preach too lightly against sin. My problem is, I (like most preachers) don’t want to offend anyone. I really don’t enjoy fighting or hurting peoples’ feelings. Jesus took that stuff out of me some time ago.

But if I don’t call sin what it is, I’m not much of a preacher. Sometimes I have to remind myself God didn’t call me to be liked. Of course, I want to be liked. Every right-thinking person does. Being liked, though, can come at too steep a price. If I have to shave the edges off the truth, water down right doctrine, and wink at sin, I’ll have to get used to being disliked by some.

As for having a preacher “step on your toes,” did you know that the Bible teaches that how you respond sets the course for your life? Note carefully the following verses from the book of Proverbs (all references from the N.K.J.V.):

Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction. But he who regards a rebuke will be honored. (Proverbs 13:18)

The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul. But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. (Proverbs 15:31-32)

He who receives correction is prudent. (Proverbs 15:5)

He who hates correction will die. (Proverbs 15:10)

We don’t have to read very far into the Bible to find a man who didn’t receive rebuke and correction well. The story of Cain is recorded in Genesis 4:1-24. Cain and his younger brother, Abel, each brought offerings to the Lord. Cain’s offering consisted of the fruit of the ground, while Abel’s was a slain animal from the firstborn of his flock. God accepted Abel’s offering but not Cain’s.

Theologians have long debated why God didn’t accept Cain’s offering, but I agree with those who say the reason involved the shedding of blood. After Adam and Eve’s sin, God made them tunics of skin to wear to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21). This meant He shed the blood of either one or two animals. This was the world’s first object lesson on the subject of forgiveness of sin, and the lesson was: God only forgives on the basis of shed blood (Hebrews 9:22). Adam and Eve then passed this divine truth down to their sons, Cain and Abel. Abel received it gladly and brought an offering in line with it, but Cain rejected it and brought a bloodless offering that appealed to him.

And how did Cain respond to God’s rejection of the offering? He got mad (Genesis 4:5)! That’s when God came to him and warned him about the ramifications of his attitude towards the rebuke. He said, “Cain, if you do well, will you not be accepted?” That was God’s way of telling Cain He wasn’t playing favorites with Abel. But then God gave the warning: “And if you do not well, sin lies at the door” (Genesis 4:7). Clearly, Cain had a choice to make. He could heed the rebuke and gain understanding or he could disdain it and send his life down a bad road. The choice was his.

Sadly, Cain chose poorly. Rather than bring the right kind of offering to God, Cain went out and killed Abel. The man who wouldn’t shed the blood of a sacrificial animal didn’t mind shedding the blood of his brother! For that murder, God said to him, “Now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:11-12). Cain then lived out the rest of his long life away from his family and out of relationship with God.

I hope you remember Cain the next time a preacher comes down hard on your sin. Remember that Cain’s response to being rebuked pointed him in an undesirable direction in which he continued for the rest of his life. Don’t get mad at the messenger and ignore the message. Instead, embrace both as God’s way of keeping you from poison. And, by the way, if you have a preacher who doesn’t shy away from preaching against sin, be thankful for him. I can tell you from personal experience the man doesn’t have an easy job.

Posted in Choices, Church, Conviction, Disobedience, Forgiveness, God's Chastening, God's Holiness, God's Judgment, God's Word, Man's Freewill, Obedience, Pastors, Personal, Personal Holiness, Preaching, Rebellion, Sin, Truth | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Real Help in Understanding the Bible

Posted on April 13, 2009 by russellmckinney

Every so often someone will ask me to recommend a resource that will help them understand the Bible. This gets into the area of study Bibles, commentaries, reference works, etc. The problem with these resources is that the bad ones cost as much as the good ones. So, I thought I’d use today’s post to name some good ones.

Before I begin, though, let me offer a few qualifying remarks. First, I believe the books of the Bible, as they were originally written by men who were inspired by God, were perfect, infallible, and authoritative. They were nothing less than God’s written words to the human race. Second, I believe the copying process that left us with a great number of copies (copies of copies of copies of copies, etc.) of those original books was faithful enough and meticulous enough to give us a Bible we can still trust in this 21st century. Third, with only a few exceptions here and there, I believe in interpreting the Bible literally. Fourth, I believe Jesus is going to come to earth’s sky to claim His people by way of the Rapture before the seven-year tribulation period this earth is prophesied to undergo. Fifth, I believe Jesus is going to walk this earth again seven years later at the end of that tribulation period when He comes for His Second Coming. At that time, He will establish his literal 1,000-year reign upon the earth.

I’m telling you what I believe about the Bible and what I believe about the Rapture, Christ’s Second Coming, and Christ’s 1,000-year reign because the study Bibles, commentaries, and reference works I recommend all align with these views. You see, what you believe affects what resources you prefer. For example, while I can get some use from a commentary on the book of The Revelation that holds to a post-tribulation-period Rapture interpretation, I’m not going to enjoy or recommend that commentary nearly as much as I will one that employs a pre-tribulation-period Rapture interpretation. Do you understand?

Finally, let me say I am old enough to have started studying the Bible in an era that was before the internet, personal computers, and cellphones. That means I started out by holding literal books in my hands whenever I was studying the Bible. I’ve never gotten over that, which means I am quite out of step with the younger folks today who only know how to receive information by way of some type of screen. Nevertheless, with that understood, let’s get down to business.

Study Bibles (listed in no particular order):

1. The MacArthur Study Bible: The commentary notes per page in this Bible are numerous and excellent. Also, at the beginning of each book, MacArthur’s identifies the book’s: title, author, date, background, setting, historical themes, theological themes, and interpretive challenges. This information is simply awesome. The only negative thing I can say is that he is a staunch Calvinist and there are a few places, especially in the New Testament, where his Calvinism, in my opinion, adversely affects his interpretations. But if you can ease around these places, this study Bible is great. I have the New King James Version of this Bible, but MacArthur also offers it in the New American Standard Version, the New International Version, and the English Standard Version.

2. Nelson’s Study Bible: This study Bible has as many commentary notes per page as you will find in any study Bible, and they are wonderfully helpful. It also features many in-depth articles, charts, and word studies. I have the New King James Version of this Bible, but Nelson also offers it in the classic King James Version.

3. NLT Study Bible: The initials “NLT” stand for New Living Translation. My son Royce didn’t like reading the King James Version of the Bible because he said he couldn’t understand what he was reading. So, I bought him a NLT Study Bible for Christmas one year and almost overnight he became a devout reader of scripture. Not only does the New Living Translation text make for easier reading than other translations, this Bible is absolutely chocked full of commentary notes at the bottom of each page. At the beginning of each book, it also features an extensive section that identifies the author of the book, describes the book’s setting, summarizes the book, and explains the book’s meaning and message.

4. The Ryrie Study Bible: For many years, Charles Ryrie served on staff at Dallas Theological Seminary and in the process became a legend as a Bible teacher. The commentary notes in his study Bible are excellent, but there aren’t quite as many of them as there are in those first three study Bibles I’ve listed. With that said, though, I’m always interested in what Ryrie has to say about any passages he chooses to address. I have the New International Version of this Bible, but Ryrie also offers it in the King James Version, the New American Standard Version, and the English Standard Version.

5. The Jeremiah Study Bible: This is the study Bible put together by the popular pastor and author, David Jeremiah. As is the case with the Ryrie Study Bible, the commentary notes offered in this Bible are solid, but there just aren’t as many of them per page as there are in other study Bibles. I have the English Standard Version of this Bible, but Jeremiah also offers it in the New King James Version and the New International Version.

6. The Tony Evans Study Bible: Another popular pastor and author is Tony Evans. The number of commentary notes in his study Bible are pretty much on par with the number in The Ryrie Study Bible and The Jeremiah Study Bible, but they are different in that many of them are written in a conversational style that sounds more like Evans as a preacher than a scholar. To me, that is a good thing because he is one of the best preachers I’ve ever heard. I have the Christian Standard Bible version of this Bible, but Evans also offers it in the New American Standard Version.

7. The Scofield Study Bible, The New Scofield Study Bible, The Scofield Study Bible III: I’ve listed these three study Bibles together because they all come under the heading “The Scofield Study Bible.” This is the study Bible that basically invented the whole market of study Bibles. The original version of The Scofield Study Bible first appeared in 1909, but the most popular edition of it is the revised 1917 one. Both the 1909 and 1917 editions were edited by C.I. Scofield and were only offered in the King James Version. Therefore, I have this study Bible in the King James Version.

Overall, the 1917 edition of The Scofield Study Bible provided relatively few commentary notes per page, but the notes it did provide would heavily influence conservative preachers for decades to follow. Most famously (or infamously, depending upon your point of view), The Scofield Study Bible taught: (A.) There are 7 distinct eras (Dispensations) to God’s working in human history. This led to the popular use of the term “Dispensationalism.” (B.) Christ’s Millennial (1,000 years) reign upon the earth will be literal and will be preceded by His Second Coming. This led to the popular use of the term “Premillennialism.” (C.) There is an eons-long gap of time between Genesis 1:1-2 that was the result of God’s original Genesis 1:1 creation becoming ruined by the fall of Satan. Consequently, beginning with Genesis 1:3, God began the process of recreating His ruined creation. This interpretation led to the popular use of the term “The Gap Theory.”

In 1967, a committee was put together to update The Scofield Study Bible, thus creating The New Scofield Study Bible. This version kept many of C.I. Scofield’s original teachings in place but also provided certain other possible interpretations to some of his most controversial teachings, such as The Gap Theory. The 1967 version added more maps and illustrations as well and featured references to archaeological finds that were more current than the ones mentioned in the 1917 edition. The New Scofield Bible was offered in the King James Version and the New American Standard Version. I have it in the New American Standard Version.

In 2008, The Scofield Study Bible III was published. It was edited by Doris White Harris. While still retaining many of C.I. Scofield’s original study notes and his basic framework of a Dispensational view of human history, this update featured more up-to-date archaeological finds, more current and expanded maps, and an even more balanced approach to Scofield’s original teachings. This version is offered in the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New American Standard Version, the New International Version, and the English Standard Version. I myself do not have a copy of this third edition.

Commentaries That Cover the Whole Bible (listed in no particular order):

1. William MacDonald’s Believer’s Bible Commentary. William MacDonald taught at Emmaus Bible College from 1947 until 1965 and served as the President of the school from 1959 until 1965. He then began an extensive career as a Bible teacher and Christian writer. His commentary is probably my favorite of all the one-volume commentaries I have. It is based upon the text of the New King James Version.

2. The Moody Bible Commentary: If the Believer’s Bible Commentary isn’t my favorite one-volume commentary, this one is. It was written by some of the faculty members of Moody Bible Institute and is incredibly thorough. I especially like the fact that this commentary not only frequently provides multiple potential interpretations of difficult-to-interpret passages, it usually lets the reader know which interpretation it prefers. Even if I don’t agree with the given conclusion, I appreciate the whole approach. This commentary is based upon the text of The New American Standard Version.

3. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: This two-volume set was written by some of the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary, and both volumes are superb. In particular, their scores of charts and diagrams such as “An Overview of Old Testament History”; “Chronology of the Flood”; “Plan of Solomon’s Temple”; “Jesus’ Six Trials”; “Harmony of Events of Jesus’ Crucifixion”; “Sermons & Speeches in Acts”; etc. are great. They are the best such things I’ve ever seen anywhere. Both volumes of The Bible Knowledge Commentary are based upon the text of the New International Version. 

4. The Bible Exposition Commentary: This six-volume set was written by Warren Wiersbe, the popular pastor, preacher, and author. For years, Wiersbe wrote the little “Be” books: “Be Delivered” (Exodus); “Be Skillful” (Proverbs); “Be Right” (Romans); “”Be Victorious” (Revelation); etc. The “Be” books can still be purchased individually, but now they’ve all been compiled into this six-volume set. Wiersbe uses multiple translations in offering his commentary remarks, and anything he writes is well worth reading. Putting it simply, I’ve never heard or read a better teacher of scripture than Warren Wiersbe.

5. The MacArthur Bible Commentary: This one-volume commentary provides all the excellent information of The MacArthur Study Bible and much more. Whereas MacArthur is provided limited space per page for his commentary remarks in his study Bible, his one-volume commentary affords him much more space to offer much more commentary. That’s why, if I had to choose between purchasing his study Bible or his one-volume commentary, I would purchase the commentary. It is based upon the text of the New King James Version.

6. The King James Bible Commentary: Most of the writers who helped compile this commentary were on the faculty of Liberty University/Seminary, but there are some contributors from other seminaries. Anytime I use this commentary, I find it helpful and it’s the commentary I tend to recommend for anyone who prefers to exclusively use the King James Version to do their Bible studying. As the commentary’s title suggests, it is based upon the text of the King James Version.

7. The Baker Commentary on the Bible: This one-volume commentary was edited for Baker Books by Walter A. Elwell, the well-known Christian scholar who taught at Wheaton College from 1975 to 2003. This commentary is not quite as conservative as the other ones I’ve listed, but what I like the most about it is that I find helpful material in it that I simply do not find in any other commentary. It is based upon the text of the New International Version.

Other Helpful Resources (listed in no particular order):

1. Charles Ryrie’s Basic Theology: This is a wonderful easy-to-read book on Bible doctrine.

2. Steven Waterhouse’s Not By Bread Alone: This is an outlined guide to doctrine that offers a ton of good information on just about every Bible topic. It is actually more thorough and extensive than Charles Ryrie’s Basic Theology.

3. Nave’s Topical Bible: When you are trying to locate all the relevant passages on a specific topic in the Bible, this book is a must.

4. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: If you know one word from a certain verse and want to locate that verse, this is the book you grab. It also gives definitions for the Hebrew words of the Old Testament and the Greek words of the New Testament.

5. Adrian Rogers’ What Every Christian Ought To Know: This book does a wonderful job of covering the basics of living the Christian life. For example, some of the chapters are: “Every Christian Ought to Know the Bible Is the Word of God”; “Every Christian Ought to Know the Assurance of Salvation”; “Every Christian Ought to Know How to Handle Temptation”; “Every Christian Ought to Know How to Discern the Will of God”; and “Every Christian Ought to Know How to Discover His Spiritual Gift.”

6. Ray Stedman’s Adventuring Through the Bible: This one-volume book describes itself as “A Comprehensive Guide to the Entire Bible,” and it really does back up that claim. It is not a commentary in the classic sense of that word, and it certainly doesn’t use a verse-by-verse approach to explain scripture. What it does do, though, is provide the reader with an overview of each book of the Bible and cut into quite a bit of the “meat” of each book.

7. Richards Complete Bible Dictionary: Every student of the Bible needs a good Bible dictionary. I myself have no less than five of them, and I suppose this one is the best of the five. Let me say, however, that there are many excellent Bible dictionaries on the market. Some other good ones are: The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary; Easton’s Bible Dictionary; and Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary. It’s hard to go wrong with any of these (or others than could be named).

8. Halley’s Bible Handbook and Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible: Neither of these little books is a true commentary, but each one gives a lot of “bang for the buck” by relaying a wealth of information about the Bible.

9. David Jeremiah’s God In You: This is the best book I’ve ever seen on the topic of the Holy Spirit.

10. John MacArthur’s Charismatic Chaos: If you wondering about speaking in tongues, healing, signs and wonders, the “health and wealth” gospel, and “prosperity preachers,” this book is the gold standard that exposes the outright fraud that passes for a lot of “religion” these days.

11. Tim Lahaye’s Revelation Unveiled: Everybody is fascinated by the book of The Revelation, and I have dozens of good commentaries on the book. To me, though, this commentary does the simplest, best job of explaining the book.

12. Walter Martin’s The Kingdom of the Cults and the Josh McDowell-Don Stewart book Handbook of Today’s Religions. Each of these books does a fantastic job of naming religions other than Christianity and explaining how they differ from Christianity.

Well, I’ll stop here, but please understand I’m not claiming to have done any kind of thorough job on this topic. Just because a study Bible, commentary, or other type of resource isn’t on my list, don’t automatically take that to mean I wouldn’t recommend it. This post has simply been my attempt to offer a relatively brief list of some of the books that sit on the shelves of my study and have helped me over the years. Since the prices on each of these is very reasonable considering what they will give you in return, what are you waiting for? If you really want to understand the Bible, all this help is readily available. Pretty much whatever I know about the Bible, I learned from these books and others like them, and you can as well if you will put in the effort.

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7 Evidences for Christ’s Resurrection

Posted on April 12, 2009 by russellmckinney

Certain legal experts have studied the case of Christ’s resurrection and concluded that an honest jury would reach the verdict that Jesus really did arise from the dead. It is with this in mind that I present to you seven evidences for His resurrection. I wouldn’t call this an exhaustive list, but I do believe it’s a good one.

Evidence #1: The actions of the guards who guarded Christ’s tomb: There is a debate as to what type of guards were assigned to Christ’s tomb. On the one hand, they were assigned by the Roman ruler Pontius Pilate, which many take to mean they were Roman guards. On the other hand, in the wake of Christ’s resurrection they reported to the Jewish chief priests. Some take that to mean they were part of the Jewish temple guards. But whatever type of guards they were, on the morning of Christ’s resurrection that group of guards shook with fear (Matthew 28:4), fainted (Matthew 28:4), and abandoned their posts (Matthew 28:11). How convinced were those guards that something miraculous and supernatural had happened at that tomb site that morning? They were convinced enough that it took nothing less than bribery to get them to say that Christ’s disciples had stolen His body (Matthew 28:11-15).

Evidence #2: The tomb’s broken seal: The Bible says that Christ’s tomb was “sealed” (Matthew 27:66). A Roman seal of this sort wasn’t very impressive in appearance. It could have been just two globs of wax and a cord. One glob would have been placed upon the circular door to Christ’s tomb, and the other glob would have been placed upon the tomb itself. One end of the cord would have been fastened into the first glob, and the other end would have been fastened into the second. It’s likely that a signet ring was used to make an impression in the wax. So, what was it that made such a seal so intimidating? It was the fact that the seal carried with it the authority of the Roman government. The penalty for anyone breaking such a seal was death. Sometimes the death sentence involved crucifixion, and sometimes the crucifixion was an upside-down crucifixion. Nevertheless, the seal upon Christ’s tomb was broken.

Evidence #3: The stone door was rolled away: Jesus was buried in a very expensive tomb. It had been constructed for Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man who had become a follower of Christ (Matthew 27:57-60). The tomb was a small cave that had been cut out of the rock. Just in front of the tomb’s opening was a trench. In this trench sat a massive circular stone that served as the door to the tomb. The stone weighed over a ton. According to an ancient note that has been discovered, it took more than twenty men to move the stone. Remarkably, however, the apostle John used the Greek word airo to describe what happened to that stone (John 20:1). This specific word speaks of much more than the stone being merely rolled backward inside the trench. What airo actually indicates is that the stone was literally picked up and moved quite a distance. How could such a stone have been moved in this way? The Bible says that an angel descended from heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat down on it (Matthew 28:1-2). That angel is what scared those guards to the point of causing them to faint.

Evidence #4: Jesus, in His resurrection body, appeared alive to hundreds of witnesses: Early on resurrection Sunday morning, a handful of devout women saw the risen Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:11-18). Later that same morning, He appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). That afternoon, Cleopas and another unnamed believer saw Him (Luke 24:13-32). That night, He appeared to a gathering of ten of the apostles — Judas Iscariot having committed suicide, and Thomas not being present that night (1 Cor. 15:5; John 20:19-23). The following Sunday night, He appeared again to a gathering of the apostles, with Thomas being present this time (John 20:24-29). Several days later, He appeared to a group of seven of the apostles on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and had breakfast with them (John 21:1-14). Sometime shortly after that, He appeared to the entire group of apostles at a mountain site in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20). That same appearance might also have been the time when over 500 people saw Him at once (1 Cor. 15:6). Additionally, He was seen at some unspecified time by His earthly half-brother James (1 Cor. 15:7) and by approximately 120 believers just before His ascension back to heaven (Acts 1:1-12). Imagine a trial in which over 500 reputable people each took the witness stand and said, “I know that Jesus arose from the dead because I saw Him in His resurrected body.” You talk about compelling evidence!

Evidence #5: The coming of the Holy Spirit: Before Jesus was crucified He said to His disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (God the Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7, N.K.J.V.). Later, in Acts 2:1-13, the Holy Spirit’s coming is described in detail. Consequently, the obvious indication is that Jesus resurrected, ascended back to heaven, and kept His promise to send the Holy Spirit.

Evidence #6: The change in Christ’s apostles: Immediately following Christ’s crucifixion, His eleven apostles (minus Judas Iscariot) went into hiding. Evidently, they were operating under the assumption that the same authorities who had arrested Jesus and executed Him would be coming for them next. But something happened that emboldened those eleven men to come out of hiding and start fearlessly proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. What was it? It was their experience with the risen Christ. The change that came over them simply cannot be explained any other way. They knew that Jesus was alive! Those men even began their proclaiming of Christ’s resurrection in Jerusalem of all places, with Christ’s tomb being located just outside the city. That was the last place they would have begun if they had known that His resurrection was a lie.

Evidence #7: The fact that Christ’s body was never discovered: Although a popular tourist site is strongly considered to be the tomb of Christ, there is still some debate about the actual location. The people of Christ’s day, however, knew exactly where He was buried. It was common knowledge to them, which meant that any of them could have paid a visit to the opened tomb and checked it for a body. But no body was ever recovered. Think about this: All that was required to stamp out the fledgling religion of Christianity was the decaying corpse of Jesus, and yet no such corpse was ever produced. That in itself is incredibly strong evidence that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead.

Well, there they are, my seven evidences for Christ’s resurrection. And as long as I’m on the subject, let me give you one more just for free: Jesus has changed my life. I’m like the fellow who said, “I know that Jesus is alive because I talked to Him this morning.” Even more than talking with Him each morning, I try to walk with Him each day. By doing so, I can report that He has made me a new creation by causing old things to pass away and all things to become new (2 Cor. 5:17). You see, that simply wouldn’t have happened in my life if death had been able to hold Him. Therefore, that is my own personal evidence for knowing that Jesus is alive.

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Good Friday

Posted on April 10, 2009 by russellmckinney

Today is Good Friday, so called because this is the day we honor Christ’s death on the cross. The traditional timeline puts Jesus on the cross the Friday before Easter (Resurrection) Sunday. I use the words “traditional timeline” because there are other possible timelines.

Down through the years some excellent Bible scholars have contended that Jesus was actually crucified on the Wednesday before Easter Sunday. The linchpin for this line of interpretation is Matthew 12:40, where Jesus says, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” As the argument goes, for Jesus to be in the tomb three literal days and nights He had to be crucified on Wednesday, not Friday. The list of well known preachers who have believed in a Wednesday crucifixion includes R.A. Torrey, Dave Breese, Howard Estep, Oliver B. Greene, and John R. Rice.  

However, other excellent students of the Bible continue to hold to a Friday crucifixion. They point out that the Jews considered any part of a day to be a whole day. Thus, if Jesus was buried Friday afternoon, that would be day one. He was in the tomb all day Saturday for day two. Then He arose just after dawn on Sunday morning, which amounted to day three.

Now let me complicate things even further. A few years ago noted prophecy expert Jimmy Deyoung came to our town and preached a three-night series of meetings. On the last night, he held a question and answer session. I didn’t get the chance to submit a question to him, but I stole a chance as he was shaking hands after the meeting. I shook his hand and asked him, “Was Jesus crucified on Friday or Wednesday?” Without a moment’s hesitation he said, “Thursday. Look it up.” I went home and did just that by doing a Goggle search on “Thursday crucifixion.” Sure enough, I found an excellent article that laid out a believable case that Jesus was crucified on Thursday.

Frustrated yet? Please don’t be. If someone came to you and handed you a brown paper bag that had one million dollars inside it, how would you react? Would you say, “Let’s talk about this paper bag. The stores normally use plastic bags these days. I have to know every detail concerning this bag”? You wouldn’t obsess over the bag, would you? You’d want to spend all your time talking about the contents of that bag. Well, that should be our attitude toward Christ’s crucifixion. In our debating over the exact details of the event, let’s make sure that we don’t miss the event’s significance!

That significance is: Jesus died for your sins and my sins. There are so many passages that I could cite here, but I’ll go with Romans 5:6-8: “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Take some time today and dwell upon the fact that Jesus (God the Son in the flesh) died to pay the debt for your sins. He took your place. The godly died for the ungodly. The righteous died for the unrighteous. The sinless died for the sinful. How can you ever doubt that God loves you? What more could He have done to prove it? In return for His great love and sacrifice on your behalf, He asks that you place your belief in Jesus as your personal Savior (John 7:38; John 20:27-31; Acts 10:43; Acts 16:30-31). If you haven’t made this decision, I can think of no better day than Good Friday to make it. If you have made it, be sure to say, “Thank you” to Jesus today for dying for you.

Posted in Christ's Death, Crucifixion, Good Friday | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Food Won’t Come to You

Posted on April 9, 2009 by russellmckinney

My son Ryan, who was eleven years old at the time, got off a classic line one day. He was lying on his bed watching television, and his mother had just finished her nightly chore of preparing his supper. But when she told him that supper was ready, he didn’t respond. Finally, after a few minutes, she ratcheted up the tone to a vintage motherly level and said, “Ryan, get in there and get your food!” In startled response, he said with genuine surprise, “Oh, I thought it was going to come to me.”

As a pastor, I just have to relate that line to church attendance. Christian, the spiritual food doesn’t come to you. No, you have to actually go to church and get it. It’s all there, laid out for you, but it won’t magically make its way to where you are and jump into your mouth.

Now, I know all about the television ministries, You Tube ministries, and Facebook Live ministries most churches now offer. Those ministries allow you to sit right there wherever you are and be fed. Still, though, there is nothing like experiencing the complete “meal” you get by attending your local congregation. Furthermore, those ministries were never meant to take the place of you literally attending your local church. Unfortunately, during the months when most churches only offered online services because of the Covid-19 pandemic, far too many Christians got far too comfortable staying at home for church rather than going to church.

Some years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine special athletes lined up at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. When the starting pistol sounded, eight of them took off down the track, but one boy stumbled out of the blocks, rolled a couple of times, and began to cry. That’s when something truly wonderful happened. When the other eight runners heard the boy crying, they slowed down to see what was wrong and then went back to help him. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down, kissed him, and said, “This will make it better.” Later, with their arms linked tightly together, all nine runners walked down the track and crossed the finish line together. That’s a beautiful picture of what church can be like. Brothers and sisters in Christ can help each other in life’s race by encouraging and supporting one another. Try getting that from television, You Tube, or Facebook.

Of course, I realize that I’m painting a very idyllic view of churches. I’m a pastor, remember? It’s not like I haven’t seen my share of church members behaving badly toward one other. Nevertheless, when church is right, there is no place like it on earth. It’s a place for learning, growing, fellowshipping, sharing, giving, and worshiping. Seriously, if you are a Christian, why wouldn’t you want to be there?

And believe me, I’ve heard just about all the excuses for not going to church. Again, I’m a pastor, remember? However, many of those excuses don’t hold any weight with the Lord. In his book, The Miracles of Our Lord, Charles Ryrie offers a good word about such excuses. He does it in the context of his comments concerning Christ’s attendance of synagogue. He writes:

If our Lord had wanted to use reasons, such as those often heard today, for not attending public worship He could have found many. Certainly He got very little out of the message, for after all He was the fulfillment of every Scripture read or explained in the service. Surely He knew more about God and spiritual things than anyone present, including the leaders in the synagogue. Too, He knew that the organization He was supporting would soon be replaced by the church. But still He went regularly. Christian liberty, properly understood, does not free one from regular responsibilities, including attending worship services (see Heb. 10:25).

So, Christian, I ask you, “How is your church attendance these days?” It’s been said that church attendees are like cars in that they start missing before they quit. Well, you haven’t been sputtering, have you?  If you have, then consider this God’s wakeup call for you to get back in tune. Alluding again to my opening illustration, you need to realize that the food won’t come to you, and you should go claim that fulfilling meal that is awaiting you down there at your local church.

Posted in Church, Church Attendance, Personal, Worship | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

God’s Chemistry

Posted on April 7, 2009 by russellmckinney

My yard is currently covered in snow. Living where I do, I’m quite used to the stuff. But there is one thing about snow that always, without exception, takes me by surprise: how bright it is. Every time I pull back the curtains on a new day and find snow on the ground, my eyes receive a jolt because I’m never ready for the startling effect of snow’s pure whiteness. This effect takes my mind to Psalm 51:7, where David says to God:

“…Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (N.K.J.V.)

The heading of Psalm 51 leaves no doubt as to what prompted David’s need of cleansing. The prophet Nathan had just confronted him regarding the adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel chapters 11 & 12). Shockingly, David, the “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), had broken three of the ten commandments that made up the moral summation of that body of law God had given to Israel. He had coveted his neighbor’s wife (Exodus 20:17), committed adultery (Exodus 20:14), and murdered (Exodus 20:13).

David understood God was the only One who could remove the dark stain of his sins. There was no heroic deed David could perform to remove that stain. There were no good works, rites, or rituals that would result in his cleansing. There was only God. If He would forgive, David could be restored. If He wouldn’t, there was no hope.

And did David receive his forgiveness and cleansing? Yes. God used that odd chemical process of His to do it. He took David’s sins, which in His holy eyes were crimson, scarlet red, and covered them with sacrificial blood, which was also crimson, scarlet red. That covering turned David’s sins white as snow. While it’s true that dark red on dark red shouldn’t produce white, somehow in God’s chemistry it does. As the Bible says in Isaiah 1:18:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord., “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” (N.K.J.V.)

Of course, David lived in Old Testament days, days in which God commanded the people of Israel to offer up blood sacrifices to Him (Leviticus 17:11). What we must understand, though, is that those sacrifices couldn’t truly “take away” sins (Hebrews 10:4,11). All they could do was roll those sins forward and stay the wrath of God (Hebrews 10:1-3) until Jesus (God the Son), the One whose blood could take away sins (John 1:29), would come and die on the cross as the eternal payment for all sins (Hebrews 10:12-14).

It was only by way of Christ’s death that all the Old Testament sacrifices found legitimacy. Just as we look back upon that death, Old Testament believers such as David looked ahead to it. Therefore, ultimately, it was in the crimson blood that flowed through Christ’s sacrificial body that David found his eternal cleansing.

Maybe you have done something that makes you want to cry out to God for cleansing. Maybe you have committed sins you want God to make whiter than snow. If so, you need to know that such forgiveness is available to you as well. Again, it’s found in Jesus, the One who died on a Roman cross as an Old Testament style, blood sacrifice for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). There is no sin so scarlet He cannot plunge it under His blood and make it as white as snow.

However, just as there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22), there is no application of Christ’s blood without belief in Him. Whereas His death was sufficient for everyone’s sins, it is only efficient for those who place their belief in Him as Savior (John 3:16-18). This profound doctrinal truth is presented in 1 John 1:5-10, which says to Christians specifically:

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (N.K.J.V.)

You see, it is only the authentic believer (the Christian) who has fellowship with God, walks in spiritual light, has fellowship with other Christians, and has his or her sins cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Such people freely confess their sins and have those sins forgiven. The Greek word translated as “confess” is homologeo, which literally means “to speak the same thing.” Therefore, to honestly confess one’s sins is to say the same thing about them God says about them rather than try to defend or deny them.

The point in all this is that God’s chemistry does work as scarlet sins are turned snow white, but the agent that produces the reaction is the blood of Jesus. And that blood only gets applied to those who make the voluntary decision to believe in Jesus as Savior. Just as homologeo, the Greek word for “confess,” has a specific definition, so does pisteuo, the Greek word for “believe.” It means “to place confidence in” or “to trust.” One popular definition defines it as “to place one’s full weight down upon.”

So, tell me, have you believed in Jesus (God the Son) as your personal Savior in this way? Are you right now resting all your hopes of forgiveness (i.e. salvation) solely upon Him? Have you confessed your sins to Him, agreeing completely with His assessment of them? And have those crimson, scarlet sins of yours been made white as snow by His crimson, scarlet blood? If so, you can say like David, “I have been washed and made whiter than snow.” If not, God has no choice but to see you as unclean and dirty. No, that’s not His preference, but His perfect holiness demands nothing less and your unforgiven sins leave Him no other choice.

Posted in Belief, Christ's Death, Confession, Depravity, Forgiveness, God's Holiness, Personal, Sacrifice, Salvation, The Old Testament Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments