The Heaton File

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

The Gospel Of Christ In Ezekiel

There is little that has changed when it comes to the relationship of man to God and especially how man comes to God. The covenants have changed over time from a patriarchal law to the covenant established with Israel at Horeb and finally the grace of God in the new testament of Christ. What has not changed is how man comes to God. Israel lived under the curse of the law and through the Law of Moses fulfilled the requirements of God to be found just in His sight. While the law was given only to the Jews and abolished when Christ rose from the dead, the principles of obedience were the same as prescribed to Adam, Moses, David, Elijah and the preaching of the gospel in Christ in the first century.  Ezekiel the prophet is living in the exile with the people of God preaching the same message that Paul the apostle would preach many years later in any city of the Roman Empire. Repentance is the first word of the gospel whether in the time of Ezekiel or the time of Paul. The judgment of God places man at risk. Because of the wrath of God, man must decide to change his life conforming to the will of the Creator or face the fury and displeasure of the Lord. The first thing the heart must do is to be filled with remorse for the rebellion of heart characterizing a sinful nature. Repentance is demanding a change in soul, mind, and spirit turning to the Lord for help. Godly sorrow motivates the heart of man to divest himself of pride and embrace the mercy of a loving God willing to forgive. Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness. To repent is to act upon the reality of what sin has done to the nature of man and God. The people of Israel needed to repent as much as the people of Philippi, Colosse, Rome or Jerusalem in the days of Paul needed to repent. Preaching the gospel of repentance did not begin on the Day of Pentecost. This has been the eternal message since the Garden of Eden.

Ezekiel admonishes the people to repent and turn from their sins to God. The message of repentance is not just a feeling of remorse but an action of the person to change everything about what they have done. Sin will destroy the soul and removing it far from the heart, soul, and mind of the person will show the character of repentance. Repenting of transgressions against God cannot be complete until the sin has been removed, rejected and reviled. This requires all the transgressions be removed. Keeping a few things around to appease the desires of the flesh is not repentance. Turning away from all their transgressions is where God meets the heart of man and forgives. In the case of the Israelite’s, they had to completely remove their desire for idol worship. Many of the kings of the southern kingdom were evil and a few were good but even the good kings would often not completely remove the Baals, Ashtoreth or high places where idolatry was practiced. Repentance requires a complete cleansing. Casting away all the transgressions which you have committed is the language of true repentance. Ezekiel was not preaching a new doctrine. This was true before the Law of Moses and the early church preached the same message of turning away from sin completely to serve the true and living God.

The real key to repentance is when a heart turns away and casts away all the transgressions of rebellion that a new heart and a new spirit are infused in the soul of man. There is no reason to be punished by God when He has offered His grace to allow man back into His fellowship. Repentance is a desire to be a better person and this can only come about when the desire is given to get a new heart. When a person goes to a doctor and finds they have heart disease requiring a transplant, everything is done to move in that direction to preserve life. So it is in the spiritual world to seek a new heart with a new mind to attack sin not allowing it to overcome the soul again and again. Repentance means all efforts are made to change the heart from the transgressive nature of rebellion to the accepting grace of God’s love. A new spirit is the willingness to get rid of anything that will bring harm to the soul again and again. Ezekiel and the prophets preached this message of repentance but the people refused to listen. Some tried to live in both worlds of idolatry and worship of God but that cannot be done. Their hearts were not fully devoted to the Lord and because of this divided loyalty leaned towards the idols instead of righteousness. Repentance demands a new heart and a new spirit to remove the stain of sin. Then, and only then, can one finally say they have repented. The message of Ezekiel is still the message of repentance today. Christ died to bring all men to the Father. Peter’s first words on the Day of Pentecost began with “repent” and that is what they did. Repentance is followed by turning away from sin and creating a new heart and filling a new spirit with the love of God. Repent – turn – create. The gospel of Christ in three words.

So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. (John 4:5-9)

Look At The Fields

The life of Jesus was a wonderful cornucopia of moments that revealed the character of deity in the flesh and the surprising relationship of a teacher to His disciples. Jesus would find Himself in conflict with the religious leaders of the day because He made no separation of persons as He dined with Publicans, touched the flesh of lepers, spent time with little children, talked with tax collectors and was brazen enough to speak to a woman in the middle of the day at the well of Jacob. The Lord had left Judea wanting to return to Galilee but He needed to go through Samaria. More than a thousand years before the birth of Christ, Jacob gave a plot of ground to his son Joseph and there was a well that was still in use that was Jacob’s well. Wearied from His journey, the Lord sent the disciples into the city for food while He rested at the well. Soon after arriving at the well, a woman came from the city to draw water. As the woman approached the well, it would have been uncomfortable for her to see a Jew sitting by the well where she was to draw water. Being the middle of the day it has been surmised that because of the character of the woman which was later revealed by Jesus she came to the well at noon because of being shunned by the women of the city. Regardless, she was a Samaritan and the man resting by the well was a Jew. Long-held customs did not allow the Jews and Samaritans to interact much less a man dignify a woman by speaking to her. She warily took her vessel to draw water when Jesus speaks to her. He asked for a drink of water.

Jesus was tired. He was very tired. Exhausted from the grueling schedule and the long journey by foot from Judea, the Lord needed to take some time to refresh Himself and relax. Sending the disciples into the city to buy some food would give Him some much-needed downtime to reflect and gather Himself together. He was thirsty but there was nothing at the well that He could draw water. Deity sat by a well of water that He had created and could not draw the water. In the distance, a lone figure appeared carrying a bucket. It was a Samaritan woman who had lived a very immoral life. She was living with a man that she was not married although she had been married five times previous. When she began to draw the water from the well, Jesus asked a simple request. He desired a drink of water. This startled the woman as Jews would not ask a Samaritan for anything much less a Samaritan woman. As the conversation grew the man from Nazareth opened the eyes of the woman of Samaria to the bountiful grace of a loving God who came to give all men the water of life as a fountain springing up into everlasting life. There was no rabbinic prejudice in the man’s voice as He conversed with the woman and it did not dissuade the Lord the woman was not of the highest character in society. Two people came to a well to quench their thirsts but only one had the water of life. Jesus offered this outcast woman the greatest gift she would ever know.

The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is the eternal voice of God telling every man that He loves and cares for them desiring to save them from themselves. There are so many souls that wander the earth trying to find happiness in the carnal pleasures of the flesh like the woman from Samaria. She could not be satisfied in one marriage but had five husbands. This did not satisfy her and she decided to live with a man. She could never find happiness. As she walked to the well of Jacob she might have reflected on her life that had brought nothing but shame and heartache and believing there was no escaping her despondent life. There had been no hope in her life and there was no hope in her future. What she did not know was the man sitting by the well was going to give her something she had longed for all her life. He had the answer to what she needed. The water that He gave her would never make her thirst for the failings of human wisdom again. Believing in Jesus as the Son of God would change her life. Jesus was tired, weary and exhausted but He took the time to change the lives of not only the woman who came to the well but many of the Samaritans of that city who believed in Jesus that day. Everyone has a story and Jesus has the answer to every story. The disenfranchised of the world need the gospel as much (if not more) than the quiet neighbor who pays his taxes, work hard each day and attends church once in a while. Jesus talked to the woman at the well because she was not well. Her soul was corrupt with the filth of the world and Jesus washed her clean with the living water. Look at the fields for they are already white for harvest.

So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. (Judges 2:7-12)

It Only Took One Generation

The book of Judges is a case study of the fickle nature of men who cannot keep the focus on spiritual things being tempted and swayed by the trappings of the world to leave God. Time and again they are delivered to the hands of their enemies and after a while when they cry out to the Lord salvation comes in the form of a judge who delivers them from their oppression. This will last for a short time and they fall again into the clutches of Satan who takes their hearts away from the Lord. The book is a cycle of obedience, rebellion, grief, deliverance and after a short time of faithfulness falling back into rebellion and suffering brought on by the wrath of God repeated throughout the book. One of the keys to the book is found in the early writings. As long as Joshua was alive there was great prosperity in the land and the hearts of the people followed the leadership of Joshua to be faithful. The elders who outlived Joshua exerted a great influence over the land as they told the stories of the early conquest and how God had delivered the land into the hands of Israel. For as much influence and goodness given by the generation that conquered the land, something was missed in the translation of that faith to the succeeding generations. Sadly a generation arose that did not know God. They did not know the works of the Lord in delivering the Hebrews from Egypt and the great works of the wilderness wanderings. Their early history of dwelling in Canaan was not taught in the course of God’s power working among the people. What happened to the next generation was ignorance of the word of God and it nearly destroyed the people. As a result, the people did those things that were evil in the sight of the Lord. Baal worship was accepted as the norm and they took very little time (if any) in a study of God’s word. Forsaking the God of their fathers, this new generation prospered and filled their lives with the enjoyments of a land flowing with milk and honey. Times were good and hearts were merry and no one took time to think about the Lord.

The wrath of God would be brought against them time and again throughout the story of the Judges. Their nature to seek after other gods did not end there. During the times of the united kingdom and especially when the nation of Israel was divided, the worship of Baal and gods of the people became the stumbling block leading to the destruction of the nation of Israel. There were many reasons that led up to the destruction but as the home was built so was the nation and what was not happening in the home was the telling of the story of the Lord God. Generations after generations were raised up that did not know God and did not learn the stories of the power of God. In the case of the book of Judges, it only took one generation and the nation went into a spiral fall of apostasy. This would become their pattern throughout the telling of the Old Testament as a warning to the people of God of what happens when one generation is neglected and not taught about God. The generation before them had the responsibility to teach the word of God. It was incumbent upon the fathers and mothers to instill in the hearts of their children the love of God, His power and grace and the old, old stories of His majesty. Instead, the parents taught their children nothing and a generation arose that did not know God.

There is a great danger in not taking care of every generation. The church of Christ is being filled with generations of young people who are not taught the word of truth. They sit on pews and attend Bible classes but have little knowledge of the word of God because their homes are not filled with God. The material pursuits of the world are a priority and often when conflict with allegiance to God defers to the worldly pleasure rather than stand for the Lord. Joshua and the elders had great influence but they died. It is clearly a need for generational faith be established in the hearts of the children so that when the parents are gone they will continue on throughout the next generation. Each family prepares their family to be the next generation of faithful saints who will continue the work of the Lord. It is tragic when the generational flow of Christians stops within a family. The church will suffer in years to come because children are not obeying the gospel and families are not passing along the faith of God to the next generation. Like Israel, those who do not follow the Lord will bring the teachings and desires of the world into the church and destroy the work of the Lord. The church will never cease to exist but local congregations are dying because the next generation does not know God. If as much effort put forth to help children become successful pioneers in the business world was put into teaching those same children the worth of spiritual heritage, the church would explode in the community. Let it not be said of our families a generation arises that does not know God. The consequences are too grave and the results are too deadly for the future of the church lest we anger the Lord.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

The Lord’s Supper

There is something powerful in the act of a memorial where time is set aside to reflect, ponder and deeply consider the life of a loved one. Since the beginning of time places have been set aside to bury the dead with markers signifying their burial place so that loved ones can return and commune with the precious memories of lost love, friendships, sacrifices, and family. Often grieving souls will embrace the marble monuments in their deep sorrow for their personal loss. Reminders are placed within the home, conversations turn to the laughter of days gone by and stories told from generation to generation regaling the exploits of previous generations. Sadly, a time will come when these memories fade away and markers that once held great prominence in the lives of many fall prey to the dust of time and fade away to obscurity. The names of past generations hold no meaning and their lives are nothing more than notations in a book with no life story connected and no feelings of relationship. Memorials of men fade in time to insignificance and unimportance. Two thousand years ago a man gathered with eleven disciples and instituted a memorial that has thrived for every generation since and will continue to enliven the hearts and souls of men for generations to come. Jesus Christ gathered His remaining faithful disciples and proclaimed to them a feast that would live without end as a memorial to what He was about to do – sacrifice His life for the agony of all men. In an upper room where the feast of Passover had solemnly been held as it had for generations since the great night of deliverance God bestowed upon the Hebrews, the Lord’s Supper was established.

The early church immediately embraced the memorial of their Savior. Luke tells of how the first Christians learned of the feast of remembrance and it became a solid foundation of the worship in the first century. Every first day of the week the church gathered together as a body of believers to reflect, remember, and ponder the immense love of sacrifice given by Jesus when He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to His disciples. Jesus knew what was going to happen in the next few hours and He knew His disciples were going to be caught unaware of how sudden He would die. The unleavened bread of the Passover would become the emblem of His body that would be tortured that day for the sins of all men. As a memorial feast, the bread would remind the faithful of how much God loved the world in sending His only begotten Son to die on a cross. Jesus then took the cup of the blood of the grape, and gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples to drink in memorial of the blood of a new covenant. The crucifixion would be overshadowed by the blood of God’s Son being poured out like a lamb to the slaughter. Giving the cup to the disciples, Jesus establishes the blood of a new covenant that would find salvation in His blood through His sacrifice with better promises, a better hope, and a greater High Priest. Remission of sins would not come from the blood of bulls and goats or from the fruitless efforts of men seeking to save themselves. Now the glory of God would surround a table of grace where the blood of Jesus Christ would remind the faithful of God’s love and the love of Jesus to die for all men. The bread and the cup – emblematic of everything man could hope forgiven by a loving Father to an undeserving world who would kill His Son in accordance with His own will.

Years later the apostle Paul would write to a church in Corinth of the powerful message given by Jesus when He instituted the supper. The man from Tarsus was not witnessed to the supper when Jesus met with His disciples in the upper room but the Holy Spirit had revealed to him the impact of that moment on the world. Remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ would become a memorial that would not be written on stone, wood or marble but in the hearts of all disciples throughout every generation. The names and memories of loved ones would fade to a distant past but the name and memory of Jesus Christ would be as alive in generations to come as it was in the first century. His story of love and sacrifice would be remembered every first day of the week in every month of every year since the beginning of the church. No memorial has lasted as long and no remembrance has remained in the hearts of men as the feast of God’s love in the Lord’s Supper. In every corner of the globe on the same day of the week, the faithful of God gather to sing, pray and talk about the death of a man on a Roman cross killed for nothing He had done but all He did was for the saving of all men. Jesus gave His disciples a means to come to know Him more in the feast of the supper. Thank God for His great love in sending His Son and thank God each first day of the week when the saints can stop and say thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:8-11)

Heaven Is Not About Me

The description of eternal life from God’s view is very different than the carnal view most people have about heaven. Describing what it will be like to be in Heaven from the viewpoint of man sounds more like a family reunion where folk who have not seen one another for ages rekindle friendships, new babies are introduced, food flows in abundant rivers of variety surrounded by music, laughter and good times. Questions are posed whether individuals will know one another creating an atmosphere of worry or fear of being in a place not knowing those who have been companions for a lifetime. Fanciful ideas are put forth that when eternal life is gained there will be many questions for Noah and how he built the ark or David and what it was like to stand against the giant in the valley of Elah. There is a need to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and discuss the promises made by God or have Moses give an oratory on the wilderness wanderings. Perhaps the apostles of Christ can give lectures on how the New Testament church began and the struggles they faced. Of course the ever popular belief there are really streets of gold filling a city that is 1500 miles square housing mansions where the saved will dwell. The concern is raised on how the righteous can live in heaven knowing their loved ones are in eternal perdition. For many souls, eternal life is nothing more than sitting around on a cloud playing a harp eating grapes all eternal day. The descriptions of heaven and eternal life fill more pages in the fanciful mind of man that God reveals in the only authoritative message of what heaven will be like. And that is where the mind of man separates from the mind of God.

Heaven is described in the Bible but at best all the words that fill the pages of holy writ are limited to ideals that are difficult for the human mind to digest. The apostle Paul described going into a place where he heard inexpressible words which he could tell no man and was unable to elaborate on what he saw in what he called the third heaven. John’s revelation is lite on words that explain the real emphasis of what eternal life will be and yet, for the most part, gives the only details about what lies beyond the vale of death. There is one thing that is found in the Bible that is true about heaven and until man grasps the full knowledge of how God has revealed himself will always miss the real meaning of heaven. Eternal life is not about the man – eternal life is everything about God and the Lord God alone. Near the end of the revelation, John describes the great city of God that does not need the sun to shine on it because God is there. Throughout the book of the Revelation the core teaching is how great the Lord God Almighty is and that regardless if it is Satan, world powers, false religions, saints, angels or heavenly beings, one responsive chord is heard throughout the message: everyone will worship God and God alone. He is the one on the throne. His glory fills the heavens. All of the creatures great and small stand before Him and give honor to His presence. There is no power greater than His power. When the final day of reckoning comes, the devil and his angels will bow before the great Almighty and by the authority of God alone will be cast into Hell. No man will stand before God as all will bow before Him. There will be no slapping God on the back and having long discussions with Him about the world and creation. He will not be a friend that goes for long walks hand in hand with His buddies. God is God and everyone will prostrate themselves before His eternal glory.

Understanding heaven is removing the trappings of this carnal world and seeing eternal life for what it is. Heaven is heaven because God is there and that is the only reason heaven is heaven. It is easy to think that life is so good here on earth that heaven will be a lot like our life of prosperity transferred to the eternal realm. There are millions of people in the world that live in poverty oppressed by the burdens of life that see heaven more clearly than the satisfied, content and wealthy people of this land. We want to sit on the front porch of our mansions feasting at the table and talking to the patriarchs as if we own the place. Most people live so far below the spiritual bar of reality it would take a seismic catastrophe to awaken them to their senses that heaven is not about them. Heaven is about God. He is the center, the focus and the only reason that men will be allowed to enjoy eternal life. These words will mean nothing when eternity begins because when heaven happens there will be no more questions. We will understand it all by and by – in more ways than we know.

Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, who cause the seat of violence to come near; who lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on your couches, eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall; who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, and invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; who drink wine from bowls, and anoint yourselves with the best ointments, but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. (Amos 6:3-6)

The Ease Of Apathy

When the brothers of Joseph decided to sell their brother into slavery, they began a series of events that would change world history. Hated by his brothers, Joseph was a favored son of his father, Jacob. The older brothers began to resent and hate their brother because of the favoritism shown him by their father and also the dreams Joseph told them of declaring his rule over them. On a day when Joseph was looking for his brothers, they took him and threw him into a pit. While they sat down to eat, young Joseph begged them to let him go but they would not heed him. Rueben, the oldest brother, had planned on taking Joseph back to his father but while he was gone the other brothers sold Joseph to some Midianite traders passing by. Later the brothers would remember how they saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with them to let him go but they would not hear. Instead, they continued to eat their meal with an uncaring heart towards their own flesh and blood. The prophet Amos would use this story to indict the people of the northern kingdom of Israel for the extravagance and heartless feelings towards their fellow man. Israel in the time of the prophet was on the brink of destruction. The reign of Jeroboam II had ushered in unprecedented prosperity to the kingdom of Israel. It had also brought in social corruption, religious apostasy and luxurious living fueling apathy towards the spiritual condition of the nation and present need of repentance. The people of Zion were at ease and those who worshiped in Samaria trusted in the pagan idols. There was little or no concern for the religious fervor of serving the one true God. Life was filled with too much luxury and debauchery. While the prophets proclaimed the coming of the day of the Lord the ears of the people heard only the music of frivolity and entertainment. No one listened to those who preached judgment. Life was filled with too much raucous enjoyment to be bothered by the boring messages of the prophets of doom. Life was good and the good life was all there was.

Prosperity had brought the northern kingdom a period of wealth and abundance. The finest of life filled the hearts of the people. They lived in fine houses, drove nice cars and dressed in the finest of clothing. If there was a gadget to be had, it was theirs for the taking. Entertainment filled the screens of televisions, computers, cell-phones and electronic devices in every room and automobile. Weekends were filled with the frivolity of recreation and nights measured by the parties and love feasts of carnality. Food was abundant and wasted. Wine filled the bowls in oceans of pleasures as the aroma of sensuality filled the room. Life was exciting and unrestrained. Sadly, the description of the prophet Amos was not one of the nonbelievers in Jehovah God but what the prophet wrote about were the hearts of God’s people. It would not seem strange for pagans to live in such unrestrained measures but when the chosen nation of the righteous fills their hearts with the fleshly carnality of the world with little or no concern for the downtrodden, sinful person who needs the grace of God; judgment is coming. Amos was clear in his message. A plumb line was coming and the measure of God’s wrath will set aright the unmeasured rebellion of the people of Israel. The beds of ivory were taken away and there would be no lambs from the flock to enjoy as the Assyrians came down upon Israel with an unforgiving fury. There would be no music. Only the sounds of chains as the people are led away never to return. The affliction of Joseph was ignored by the people like the cries of their brother were ignored as they sat and ate.

The church of Christ is fighting against the prosperity of a country that has made the people of God a soft, unconcerned, disinterested and disassociated group who are more concerned with beds of ivory, lambs from flocks, sounds of music and wine from bowls than lost souls and unrepentant hearts. Churches are dying from the ease of apathy. The gospel is measured down so as not to offend. Judgment is frowned upon. Sin is softened or ignored. Apathy has filled the hearts with an hour of dull worship with as little time spent together so that the people can return to their hectic lives of luxury that brings them greater pleasure than the rewards of heaven. It is difficult for many in America to think heaven can be better than what they have now. Who would want to leave this world for something that could not be possibly better than the pursuit of happiness here? We have it all now so why worry about the lost, the needy, the disenfranchised, the lowly and the humble? Eat, drink and be merry and get through with church quickly so we can rush out during the invitation song to what we really enjoy. There is no time to assemble again or fellowship with brethren when schedules are filled with ball games, boat trips, golf games, travel and the joy of sitting in front of a glowing electronic box that excites and appeals and amazes our senses with so much entertainment. And there is no grief for the affliction of those who are crying out to be saved. Therefore thus will I do to you, O church; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O church! For behold, He who forms mountains, and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth — the Lord God of hosts is His name.

When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:51-56)

He Told Them To Tell No One

A grieving father came frantically to Jesus seeking an impossible task that he knew could only be made possible by the greater healer of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth. Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue and his twelve-year-old daughter lay dying at home. Hope rested in Jesus coming in time to heal her and sparing the family the loss of their precious daughter. The Lord agreed to come to the home of Jairus but on the way was interrupted by a woman whose faith exceeded that of Jairus as she believed by touching the garment of Jesus she would be healed of a disease that racked her body for twelve long years. While the discussion was being made with the woman Jairus must have been frantic in trying to get Jesus to come to the house before it was too late. As the event of the woman subsided, someone from the home of Jairus came with the terrible news that his daughter had died. They told him not to trouble the Lord for there was nothing more to do. Jesus exhorted the grief-stricken father to not be afraid and believe because his daughter would be made well. How conflicted Jairus must have felt at this time. His daughter had been dying and coming to Jesus he had hoped to find her relief before she died. Now his daughter was dead. Did Jesus have that much power to raise the dead? The Lord assured him to have faith and his daughter would be made well. Jesus comes to the house and many of the crowd ridiculed Him for thinking there was more to do. From their viewpoint, death was final and any work of healing was passed. They knew the girl was dead. Nothing remained but to mourn and prepare for a funeral. Jesus had other ideas. He put everyone out of the room except Peter, James, John and the parents. This would give Him more quiet time to commune with the little girl. It would also make for a better circumstance for the young lady to awaken with the hysteria of the crowd. Anxiously the parents waited to see what Jesus would do. There was no great ceremony, exuberant expression of theatrics or showmanship on the part of the Lord. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, arise.” And she did. As if in a quiet sleep the girl rose up and looked into the eyes of her adoring parents. Jesus told the parents to get their daughter something to eat. The disciples Peter, James, and John looked in wonderment at what they had witnessed with their own eyes as they saw life have victory over death.

Luke writes the parents were amazed and astonished at what they had witnessed. Embracing their daughter they held her tightly about them rejoicing in the knowledge that Jesus had brought their daughter back from the dead. And then in one of the more remarkable statements of Jesus, the great Physician instructs the parents to tell on one what had happened. For Jairus and his wife, this was the most extraordinary event of their life. Their precious twelve-year-old daughter had suffered a great deal in sickness that eventually took her life. While her father was away seeking the help of Jesus, her mother had stayed at her bedside and watched as her precious bundle of life slipped the bonds of life. How much the heart of the mother must have burst in that final moment when her daughter died? It took a little time for her husband and Jesus to arrive to see the stained filled eyes of a mother’s grief fill the room. Lying on the bed was the lifeless form of their daughter. And now she is alive and fully recovered without fever or sickness. Few have experienced the joy of a loved one who dies to see them again in full life. Mr. and Mrs. Jairus had a story that would seldom be matched by any other. And then Jesus commands they tell no one what had happened. Matthew records that after Jesus departed the parents spread the news about Him in all that country. Why did Jesus exhort the parents to not tell anyone? How could they not tell the wondrous news of their daughter who was dead is alive again? Many were gathered on that day and knew the girl was dead. When did they saw her alive what were they to do? Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”

The Holy Spirit never tells us why Jesus told many of those He healed not to tell anyone. Some miracles were a little hard to hide. When Jesus healed a blind man, He instructed him to tell no one yet that would be a little hard to hide. In the case of the daughter of Jairus, it was impossible for others not to know what had happened. Likewise, it would seem impossible the joy of the parents would not be heralded throughout the country at this their daughter who was dead is alive again. Jesus had incredible self-control over the power He wielded among the affairs of men and the power of healing. There was nothing Jesus could not do. He walked on water, raised the dead, healed every disease known to man and had power over the demon world. When He fed 5,000 men (not counting the women and children) He exhibited a power to feed the masses with a great supply that any king would die for in his country. The basic needs of men were met in the miracles of Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit men could be freed from the curse of the garden. The pain and sorrow of life were removed, the stain of death was washed away by His power and Jesus could reign as King over the earth in fulfillment of the words of Satan who said to Jesus, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” The Son of God could be king on earth to feed the hungry, heal the sick and raise the dead. Consider what the world would be if Jesus were here today to accomplish all these miracles. The answer is simple: a dark and decaying world filled with the wrath of God on a world unrepentant and unremorseful. Jesus did not come to take away the sorrow of the body but the tragedy of sin. He knew Jairus could not contain himself and He expected the mother to tell everyone how the daughter that died in her arms was alive again. They did not say anything until after Jesus left. The Lord was here for a greater mission and He did not want the distractions of His power to raise the dead to hinder His purpose. What He did in raising the daughter of Jairus was for the glory of His Father so that all men could see and know Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. A day was coming when the man from Nazareth would be crucified and it was then, like Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, that all men would be drawn to the Son of God. When Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead He told her parents to say nothing. This would not be the case when Jesus was raised from the dead. Now He wants all of His disciples to tell everyone of the greatest miracle of all – the risen Savior. That is the message that takes away sorrow, death and the sting of sin.

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” (Matthew 23:1-4)

Religious Hypocrisy

The nation of Israel was much changed from the royal days of David and Solomon when Jesus began His ministry. For nearly six hundred years, the people of God had been subjected to the rule of the Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks and in the days of Jesus, the Roman Empire. The organizational structure of the Jewish community had created sects called the Pharisees, Sadducee’s, Nazarene’s and the Herodians. Worship was found in synagogues following the Babylonian exile. Many of the conflicts Jesus had with His detractors were from His own people and especially the scribes and Pharisees. As a ruling class among the Jews, the Pharisees wielded the greatest influence. Driven by envy and arrogance, the Pharisees sought to trap Jesus in His teaching and constantly harassed Him wherever He went. Near the end of His life, the Lord put forth a clear statement on the nature of the Pharisees as much a warning to the disciples as it was to let the Jewish elite know He clearly saw the corruption of their hearts. The scribes and Pharisees acted as if they spoke for Moses when they declared the law to the people. A scribe was a man who studied, examined and interpreted the Law of Moses. Originally this was the work of the priests but in time became a profession on its own creating a class of scholars that would studiously examine and declare the legal renderings of the Law. They would have a great deal of influence over the people. The sect of the Pharisees closely aligned themselves with the scribes as those who explained the law to the people devoting themselves diligently to the law. Jesus would have none of this. It was hypocrisy for the leaders to interpret the law to their own advantage binding heavy burdens on the people yet not finding a reason to impose the law upon themselves.

Jesus astonished the people when He challenged the authority of the scribes and Pharisees. He admonished the multitudes to follow the Law of Moses but to reject the examples of the religious leaders as they failed to follow the law in their own life. It was easy for the scribes and Pharisees to demand the people be holy and not bind those same burdens of their lives because they were the teachers of the law. Keeping the law was needful for the people but they had to be aware the Jewish leaders were accountable to keep the law also. Hypocrisy is when a man tells another to be holy and does not follow the same path of holiness. They make the pretense of being students of the law but fail to see the application in their lives as necessary. Jesus tells the multitudes to do what the law says but do not follow the example of the scribes and Pharisees. Sadly, the religious leaders made the law difficult on the people by the manner of binding the laws that would make it hard for the common man to be justified yet finding no need to obey the same law.

Salvation is offered to all men because all men are in need of salvation. God makes no distinction between men. Whether rich or poor, young and old, free or slave, and male and female, Jesus died for all men for the same reason and the same purpose. The law applies to the scribe and Pharisee as much as it does to the common Jew who might be a carpenter, fishermen or tax collector. When Jesus built His church He invited all men to come to the judgment seat of the Father to receive His grace without distinction of color, gender, nationality or social status. When a man teaches another to obey the word of God, that same man must obey the word of God. Hypocrisy is found in the hearts of those who demand others live a stricter life of law-keeping than themselves. Modern-day mega preachers find themselves preaching one thing and living another. It is easy for a person to judge another because of their station of life and condemn them for the unfortunate circumstances they are in yet having no compassion to save their souls and help. Jesus condemns hypocrisy. No one has a greater need or lesser need for salvation. All men are created in the image of God and all men fall short of the glory of God and all men must obey the will of the Father. The man who is a devoted scholar of the Bible is just as much in need of forgiveness as the prostitute, drug user, murderer and reprobate of the world. Jesus brought a message of salvation for every soul without distinction or separation. For God so loved the world and He did not leave anyone out. You and I both are in need of Christ.

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

Leadership In The Church

The church was in the mind of God before time began. Established in the eternal ages as the embodiment of His grace, the church of Christ represents the body of saved individuals who have subjected themselves to the will of the Son. Jesus is King of the kingdom, Savior of the redeemed, spiritual groom of the church, head of the body and Lord of all those who subject themselves to His rule. When the Father ordained the organization of the church, He placed men in the position of authority to rule according to His will and His word. Jesus would die, raise from the dead but would ascend to rule at the right hand of the Father leaving the work of the church to those entrusted with guiding the spiritual flock of God. First, the twelve apostles established the church. As the church began to grow, elders were ordained in every church. The apostle Paul traveled extensively establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire and ordaining elders. The apostle exhorted Timothy and Titus in their respective letters to be mindful of the work of ordaining qualified men to serve as elders or bishops of the church. Peter was not only an apostle but served as an elder himself. We know from the gospels Peter was married and he writes in his first epistle that he also served as an elder showing he had children. In his letter, Peter exhorts other elders to serve with dignity and spiritual oversight. Leadership was required of those who took on the mantle of shepherding the flock of God. Like a man guarding a flock of sheep, the elder was a man who provided, protected and provisioned the church with all their spiritual needs. An elder was an overseer or bishop of the flock with no distinction being made between the two terms. Like a man who looks over the sheep entrusted to him, an elder is a man who carries out the work of looking after the souls of each one of his members.

Overseeing a local congregation of God’s people can be an exhausting task. Men who desire the office of the bishop must do so with a willing and happy heart without constraints of the will of men. Serving as an elder should never be compulsory and demanding if a man has no desire. Not everyone is suited for the role of overseer and the man who desire the office must have a spirit of love to do the work. The hours are long and tedious, challenging in many ways and often without acknowledgment. Key to the work of elders is the pleasing answer from the Lord for a work well done. There is a clear pattern for elders to serve in a full-time capacity was wards of the church. It was not unusual for a man to serve as an elder and to be supported by the church. There is an immense amount of work to be done requiring many long hours. It is not as common today for a man to leave his secular job and serve as an elder with support from the local congregation. Peter warns his fellow elders to serve not as a job to gain money but an eager spirit of serving the Lord in the role of leadership.

One of the most important roles of church leadership was the heart of a man who leads the flock of God in a humble and quiet manner. The apostle warns against the spirit of domination where a man demands the members follow his word in a dictatorial manner of lording over the brethren. God does not approve of men who force their will upon the members. The church has been entrusted to the elders to tend, feed, protect and nurture without the constraints being a spiritual bully forcing their wills upon the people. Leaders lead by showing the path of righteousness in their lives so that others will follow. If a man leads and no one follows he is only going for a walk. The art of leadership is showing men how to walk and walking that way themselves. Elders serve best when they model their lives after the example of Jesus Christ so that others may imitate them as they imitate Christ. The family of an elder should be a pattern of godliness from the wife and children to the elder himself. Finally, the elder should realize that he serves only at the pleasure of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Everyone will receive a reward according to the abilities and responsibilities of life. Teachers will receive a heavier judgment because they teach the word of God with greater accountability. A man who serves as an elder will be held to a higher standard as he watches out for the souls of those entrusted to him. When Jesus, the Chief Shepherd appears, then will the elder receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. God will say, “Well done,” and what a special greeting that will be for one of His shepherds to come home to glory. Thanks to all those men who serve with nobility and graciously as spiritual leaders of God’s church.

For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” (Genesis 18:19)

The Epitaph Of A Great Father

William S. Morris has well said, “The Christian renewal will take place only if the father, the head of the Christian home, regains effective spiritual leadership. (“The Father, The Head of the Home, 1953) The feminist movement of the 1960s has wreaked havoc on the stability of the home as fatherhood has been demeaned, decried and declared ancient history from an oppressive society. Television has portrayed the male role in the home as one short of a mutated brain dead caveman out of touch with the world where the woman dominates everything and the children rule the mother. The home has become a place of dysfunction, disarray, and despair. This is not a new phenomenon as Socrates said more than 2,000 years ago: “Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, they gobble their food, and they terrorize their teachers.” As in every generation when the leadership is destroyed the home will crumble and society will suffer. What is needed is for the creative order of God’s design to be instilled in the hearts of men who are willing to take up the standard of fatherhood and lead the family in the manner prescribed by the word of God. Abraham was a man who understood the need of being a leader in the home and the heavenly Father recognized the character of this godly man. No greater praise can a man receive than to be acknowledged by God that he is known as a godly father. All the accolades in the world can never measure what the Lord thinks of a man and his leadership in the home. When the father molds his character after the word of God, he will command his children and his household after him. He must lead first so the family can follow. Leadership without guidance and instruction is nothing more than going for a walk. Like a shepherd leading his flock, a man must possess the character of leadership that instills in the family a desire to follow. He seeks a higher plane of virtue, a greater sphere of things that are right and a spiritual character that possess godliness as the core system of belief in the home. Abraham exhorted his family to keep the way of the Lord and believe as he did in the promises of God. When the Lord came to Abram at the age of seventy-five, he was told a marvelous thing when he was promised a son. It would be twenty-five years before the promise came true but Abram did not waver in unbelief. Paul would describe how that Abraham did not consider the deadness of Sarah’s womb as a thing to be considered or the advanced age of his own body. As the father of a great family, Abraham had a deep and abiding faith in God and His word.

The epitaph of Abraham was his willingness to keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice. Everything about his life was a readiness to follow the word of God. He left his family and kindred land at the word of God. Later when his son of promise was a young man he did not hesitate when the Lord instructed him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. There was no hesitation on the belief of Abraham. He wanted to do those things that were right and just according to the law of God. His faith was manifested by his works. What moved this man to be a great father was his family could see his faith in his life. His system of belief was not an inner feeling alone but where he went, how he dealt with others, his faith in the promises of God all manifested themselves in the actions of his life. He went from place to place dwelling in tents because God had called him to another land. The promise of a son was believed on and longed for and Abraham accepted the impossible as possible by the God of truth. Abraham believed in things right and just and taught his family the word of God. One of the great lessons from Abraham was how much he believed in the promises of God. He looked for a city that was yet unseen but through the eyes of God, this man of faith could clearly see the promises fulfilled. Abraham was a man of faith and his life exhibited his faith. As a father, he became the leader of the greatest nation the world has ever known although he never saw the fulfillment. He was promised a son and he saw that. The land he was promised was never his and the promised nation would come many generations after his death but as the leader of his home, he taught his family to love and trust God. That is all that mattered and that is how he is remembered.

An epitaph is an inscription that briefly states the life of an individual. The epitaph of Abraham is simply stated as a man who commanded his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, and he accepted the will of the Father in every part of his life as true. There can be no greater message left in the shadows of a life lived in the sunshine of God’s word than a man who leads his home as Abraham led his family. The church will never be as strong as it should be if the men who are charged in the role of fatherhood abandon their obligations to lead as godly men. When spiritual leadership returns to the home, the church will grow. Let the life of Abraham and what God said about his life inspire the fathers of Christian homes to take up the reins of leadership and bring their families to the throne of God.