The Heaton File

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.(Romans 16:1-2)

She Was A Helper

Paul’s final admonition to the saints at Rome is a remarkable list of noble people who served the Lord in many different capacities. Most of the names listed are unknown beyond this brief mention at the end of his letter to the Roman Christians. The brethren at Rome knew them or had heard of their impact upon the work of the Lord. Men and women are remembered including sons and mothers and fellow prisoners. At the head of the list is a woman named Phoebe of which nothing is known. She appears remarkably brief on this final page and disappears with the stroke of a pen. There would be a natural desire to know so much more about her. What is known is an example by itself because Paul takes the time to mention her and he commends her life as an example of Christian industry. It can be easily assumed she bore the letter to Rome or at least accompanied the letter to be delivered to the saints at Rome. Paul entrusted her with being present when his letter was received by the Italian brethren.

Phoebe was a person of activity. As a servant of the church at Cenchrea, she was not slothful in doing all she could do to help the cause of Christ. These were difficult times for brethren in many cities. It would not be easy to bear the cross of Christ in a world filled with idolatry and emperor worship. For a woman it would be much more difficult. This did not dissuade Phoebe from being a helper not only to the apostle Paul but to as many others as she could help. Her hands were not idle nor did her feet wear the sandals of slothfulness. What Paul was writing has been preserved for more than two thousand years and imprinted on every Bible is the name of an unknown woman who left a mark on the early church because she was a helper. She did what she could do. Paul was so thankful for this benevolent woman. When she arrived in Rome she had a lot to do. The apostle exhorts the saints in Rome to receive this woman with the kindest regards and help her with all her needs. He almost warns them to get ready for what she is going to bring to the church in Rome. They were going to have a worker among them. What a wonderful commendation for a woman. Especially is this true for a Christian woman who is serving the Lord in whatever capacity she can be used.

There is a lot of work to be done in the kingdom of God. Romans 16 is a chapter filled with names of workers, servants, laborers – people who were busy in the church. Growing churches are filled with growing Christians who are busy doing whatever they can do to help the cause of Christ. The spirit of Phoebe is left as an example of someone who served the needs of the church because of her love for Jesus Christ. She did not hesitate to do all she could do. It would be doubtful she had to be told there was work to be done as she seems to be a person who saw a need and took care of it. Paul commends the brethren in Rome to receive Phoebe as a greater worker for the Lord. When brethren work hard for the church the word of God will spread throughout the community. Those who shepherd the flock of Christ love to have their brethren come and ask what they can do to help the church grow. There are many things that are done by the silent brethren who quietly go and help the needy, visit the sick and encourage the downtrodden. Churches that have people like Phoebe in them will be strong and vibrant in the work of God. If Paul were writing his letter today would my name be included as a helper of many?

The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.” And the Lord said to me: “What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

Jesus And Moses

In the Garden of Eden, the Lord had promised a Seed would come that would bruise the head of Satan. This prophecy is the golden thread woven throughout the ancient scriptures declaring the coming of the Son of God. The Law of Moses is filled with the promise of a new covenant, a new hope and a new Savior. Moses became the legislator of the covenant given at Sinai to the Hebrews and he mediated between the Lord and the people of Israel as lawgiver. There are many types and antitypes in the imagery of Moses and Jesus Christ. Through the power of God Moses led the Hebrews from bondage across the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai where a covenant was established. Wandering in the wilderness for forty years the man of God brought the people to the shores of the Jordan River. Looking forward to the Promised Land the nation crossed Jordan and found their home in the land that flowed with milk and honey.

Jesus fulfills the pattern of Moses as He came to earth to be a King, Mediator and the one to guide all men from the bondage of sin to the eternal home of rest. The Egyptians held the Hebrews in slavery and nothing they could do would bring them freedom. Sending the plagues upon the nation, God sought deliverance for His people from the curse of the Egyptians. As a final sign of His power, the Lord brought death to all firstborn of the land. The Hebrews were spared the swift hand of death if they obeyed the instructions of the Lord and observed the Passover feast. When God saw the blood He passed over them sparing them from the hand of death. Jesus became Passover as His blood was shed so that all men could be free from the bondage of sin. Leading the people of God through the Red Sea, Moses became the shadow of Christ leading men through the waters of baptism where sins were washed away. The crossing of the Red Sea was by the power of God. Salvation in the waters of baptism can only be seen by the power of God.

Moses led the people in their journey towards the land of promise. When the people obeyed the word of the Lord they were blessed. If they disobeyed His commands they perished. Only the faithful crossed into the promised land because they were faithful to the word of the Lord. Jesus guides us on our journey to eternal life but obedience is required. He guides us, leads us in the paths of righteousness and shows us the power of His Father. Our faithfulness to His word will bring us happiness and peace. Like Moses, Jesus is our prophet that leads us to the promises of the Father. Instead of the Law of Moses we serve the Law of Christ.

Jesus is like Moses but Moses is not like Jesus. Moses was a man who sinned and did not die for the people. Jesus lived without sin and died for all men. The imagery of Jesus being a prophet like Moses is the giving of the Law and requirement of the people to listen to the words of Jesus. Refusing to obey the Law of Moses brought penalty from the Lord. When people refuse to obey words of Jesus they rebel against the will of the Lord. God’s final covenant for all men is summed up in His Son. The words Jesus spoke were the words of His Father. Everything Jesus said was commanded from God and He never spoke of His own accord. Those who will not hear the words of God spoken by His Son will be judged accordingly. Moses gave the people the word of God to obey. Jesus gives all men the words of God to obey. All men must hear the words of Jesus. There is no other man where salvation comes. Jesus superseded Moses. The Law of Christ has abolished the Law of Moses and we serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who leads us through the wilderness of life to our promised rest beyond the Jordan of death.

But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:20-32)

The Home Christ Built

There are a lot of books written on how to have a happy marriage, complete family, loving children and a lasting life. If all the knowledge contained in these books were brought together in one single volume there would still be a vacuum to answer the questions of the home desired by God. As Creator and planner for the home, the Lord is the only one who can give the instructions needed to make a marriage fulfilling, a home built on love and a family that cherishes each other. His message is filled with the many attributes that will bring happiness to the home. Learning to follow the word of God and implementing His instructions in the relationship of husband and wives, fathers and mothers and children – is the basis of a home built on God’s love. It is important to see that all of what God has given in the Bible applies to the relationship of the family. Paul’s letter to Ephesus contains many practical applications of how a Christian is to form their character of holiness in the bond of unity in the body of Christ. These exhortations are just as important in the home as they are in our regards to others.

A home that is built on Christ is a home that has transformed from the old man of sin to the new man of grace. Everything about the home is reborn in the image of God. The relationship of the husband and wife takes on a deeper meaning because of Christ. Parenting is guided by the principles of righteousness. Looking to the grace of God to guide the home is the purpose of every person involved. Learning about Jesus Christ changes the heart. The man and woman have left their first homes and formed a union of their hearts together as one. Their lives are intertwined in hearing the words of Christ and are taught by Him. Putting off the former conduct of a life based upon the carnal desires of the world, the couple renews the spirit of their minds with the new man created according to God. Everything they seek in their marriage is true righteousness and holiness. This is the proper foundation for building a family as parents. When children come into the world they find their parents living according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. The kind of husbands and wives we are today will determine the kind of fathers and mothers we will be tomorrow.

As the family unit grows in the knowledge of Christ, a transformation takes place. Truth is always spoken in the home built by the Lord. There is no lying and deceit. Anger may show itself in the home but it is never allowed to increase in decibels to the level of sin. No day will ever end (and here we emphasize ‘NO DAY’) when someone is angry at another person. The sun will not go down on a home built by Christ where anger exists. This gives the devil an opportunity to divide the home and create division. Because truth is the virtue of a home built by Christ, issues are resolved on a daily basis. The character of the home is industry. Laziness or slothfulness is not the character of the home built by Christ. Laboring with the hands and sharing with others is an attribute of a godly home. The language of the home is pure. Letting disrespect, dishonor to parents, cursing and foul language fill the home is not the righteousness of God. The home built by Christ is one that is filled with speech that is good for edification imparting grace to the hearers – especially the children.

There are some things not allowed in the home built by Christ. Bitterness? Gone. Wrath? Not allowed. Anger? Under control. Clamor? Don’t even think about it. Evil Speaking? Put it away. What is a part of the home built by Christ? People that are kind to one another. Husbands – when was the last time you made up the bed for your wife or washed the dishes for her know she had a hard day and needs some help? Wives – how often do you show kindness to your husband in some special way? Kindness should be a large part of the love a man has for a woman and a woman for the man. Be kind to one another in action, speech and attitude. The home built by Christ is filled with tenderhearted people. Love is the ointment that soothes the weary soul in the home filled with compassion. Husbands and wives must be kind and tenderhearted in their love for one another. God designed the home to be like this.

Finally, one of the biggest needs in the home today is the spirit of forgiveness. Paul writes, “Forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” It would be safe to say that if forgiveness was a foundational rock of the home, 99.9% of the problems faced by husbands and wives will never happen. If we are commanded to forgive others as God forgives us – why do we not forgive our husbands or wives? Is there a double standard of Christian graces that apply to my brethren but not to my spouse? It must be easier to forgive someone we barely know than to forgive someone we have devoted our lives to. The home built by Christ is a home that says, “I’m sorry.” This home is filled with the words of “I forgive you.” When we treat our husbands and wives with distrust and contempt because we are unwilling to forgive them, why do we suppose God will forgive us of all the wrong we have done Him? It is clear that we have sinned more against the Lord than we have our husband or wife and yet we expect Him to forgive us the millions of sins we commit against Him – but forgive my husband or wife for the few things they have done is not possible? The home built by Christ has forgiveness as the roof that covers the family. God’s designed the marriage of a man and woman to be a blessing filled with joy and happiness. Building a home like Christ wants it to be built will create and sustain a world of godliness in the lives of the husband and wife and the children will see God living in their parents.

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.” (Luke 10:21-24)

What Prophets And Kings Desired To See

Jesus shared a special bond with His Father no man could understand. He had come to earth to live in the fleshly form of His own creation. His mission was to bring man back to the Father redeeming him from the penalty of sin. Man tried to save himself as a law of his own accord and the Jews tried to save themselves with the Law. Neither could save themselves. The Father had given up His Son to reconcile all men to Him and bring the eternal hope back to the hearts of a lost and dying world. There was much to do in the ministry of Jesus. He was not born of noble blood from the trappings of man’s prideful wisdom. Growing up in Nazareth the son of a carpenter, Jesus was as ordinary a man as any other. It was not until he turned thirty years old He showed the power of His teaching and miracles. Gathering men around Him as disciples, He would send them forth to spread the message of His kingdom. Unknown to men, the battle that was being waged was between God and Satan. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the enemy of the Lord held sway over the hearts of men. With the coming of Jesus into the world the forces of evil sought to destroy all Jesus did. Sending the seventy out to preach the good news of salvation destroyed much of the influence of Satan. It was a time of great victory. Men could not see the larger picture and purpose of the Lord. His work was being done in great strides.

In a reflective moment, Jesus gave thanks to His Father for the plan of redemption and the unveiling of the eternal plan to save man. The disciples of Jesus were devoted to the cause of the Lord and through their love shared the gospel of truth to all who would listen. No one realized what the mission of Jesus would be. His death was a shock to all of His disciples because it was the culmination of the bigger plan to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus knew this. The Father planned it. Jesus was thankful for the relationship He and the Father shared in the work to redeem man. Wise men could not imagine the purpose of God. The cross was foolishness to the wisdom of men but for the Father it was the full sacrifice of His only Son that would save man.

The disciples lived in a remarkable time. No period of history is so incredible and so magnificent than those three short decades when God walked among men in the flesh. Jesus was unremarkable as men go and for thirty years worked as the son of a carpenter in the city of Nazareth. He had no special appearance about him that would make Him different. Mary had other children and Jesus was the oldest of the five sons. It was not until the age of thirty-three the world changed. Jesus began to perform miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit and people saw things never seen before. He healed every known disease, walked on water, calmed the storm, fed thousands of people with a few loaves and fishes, raised the dead and cast out demons. Those disciples that followed Jesus saw things that generations of men and women longed to see. All the generations following Jesus can only imagine how amazing those three short years of His ministry must have been. Yet the ones who walked with Jesus were party to the greatest revelation of God’s power known to man. Prophets and kings desired to see what they saw. The ministry of Jesus was a time of great power.

There is no way to go back in time to share in the great events in the life of Jesus. God has provided a means by which all men can see the power of God revealed through the acts of His Son. The Bible is the testimony that bears all the truth men need to find salvation. All men today have the fully revealed word of God. The truth is given to men in all of its completion. That which is perfect has come in the form of a book that unfolds the scheme of God’s redemptive plan to save man. No time in early history can match the grandeur of the pages of Holy Writ as has now been revealed through the word of God, the Bible. Every man can read and understand the full mystery of Christ promised in the Old Testament, revealed in the Gospels and established in the teachings of the New Testament. It would have been amazing to see Jesus heal the sick. What is more amazing and powerful is to read about all the miracles the Lord and His teaching so that we can come to know the Son of God. We have in our hands the complete revelation of God. Many prophets and kings desired to have what we have. The question remains: what are we doing with this wonderful gift we call the Bible?

Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:12-19)

Glorify God Giving Him Thanks

Leprosy was a horrible disease that disfigured the body and brought certain death. In one of the most remarkable stories of scripture, Jesus finds ten men who were afflicted with the malady begging Him to do something to help them. Their faith was substantial to consider Jesus could do anything. There was no cure or treatment for leprosy. Abandoned by all as a contagion and ostracized for life, it was a psychological slow death feared by everyone. Ten men huddled together apart from everyone begging alms and crumbs of food was a pitiful sight. Seeing Jesus they mustered the courage to have Him consider their plight extending mercy if He was willing. The Lord instructs them to show themselves to the priest which was in accordance to the Law of Moses. As they went to see the priest, a miracle of all miracles happened to each man. The leprosy that had afflicted their bodies disappeared. What an intense feeling of joy must have flooded the hearts of the former lepers. How wonderful to no longer feel the agonizing pain and horrible stench of leprosy. They would no longer be set apart and they would be able to return home to the families. This was more than they could have hoped for. Their lives would forever be changed as they raced towards the temple.

Suddenly, one of the men realized what had happened and what his cleansing meant. The former leper knew the power of cleansing leprosy from the body and nothing short of the mercy of God brought the miracle to happen. He recognized that something greater had taken place than the changing of the skin and restoration of the body. His heart was filled with an overwhelming spirit of thanksgiving. Before going to the priest, he returned to where Jesus stood and fell at His feet. He was in the presence of God. The man was more than thankful that leprosy no longer imprisoned his body but he knew the only way he could enjoy his new found blessings was to thank the one who made it possible. Oddly enough, the man was from a mongrel race despised by the Jews. He was a Samaritan. They were the outcast of Israel. A mixed race of Jew and Gentile loathed by the spiritual elite of the Jews. He was the one that came back. Only he was the one who returned to give thanks to God for the incredible gift of salvation.

Jesus was disappointed that only one returned. The other nine men kept going without returning to give thanks for the miracle of life. What made the return of the one more remarkable was he was the foreigner of the group. The Samaritan was the only one to return and give glory to God and to thank the Lord for the miracle. His body had been afflicted with leprosy but his heart was filled with love. A simple act but a powerful show of godliness. The one returned and worshiped God because he knew the only way his salvation was made possible was by the power of the Lord God.

Sin is more heinous than leprosy. Many have been cleansed from the stain of sin but few return to give God the glory and to fill their hearts with thanksgiving. Like the nine there is joy in the healing and forgotten is the daily gratitude for the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. Nothing man can do will wash away the penalty of sin. Jesus died on the cross to give life to all men. God loved the world so much He allowed His Son to die. They treated Jesus in the vilest and most vicious manner and He accepted His death as the will of the Father. Through the grace of a loving God salvation and cleansing is given. Where is the thanksgiving? How can we go through any day without returning to the feet of Jesus and give thanks to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? We stand justified before the Father because of His power, His love, His mercy and His gift of Jesus Christ. Today I say thank you.

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (Titus 3:1-2)

Biblical Guidelines For Social Media

Everyone needs a little reminding. Paul exhorted the preacher Titus to repeat some teaching to the brethren and reinforce the character of the child of God. Example is a powerful tool to show the grace of God. The manner of life of a Christian will be like a light in a dark world or salt upon an unseasoned heart. What is amazing about the admonition to Titus is the Holy Spirit knew the social media was coming in the generations to come. How else could He have described so clearly the problem with Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and the host of other avenues called social media? Frankly it is not very sociable at times. What is more disturbing is how people who call themselves children of God fall into the same carnal trappings of a corrupt world in their use of social media. Rantings, ungodly posts, irreverent behavior, gossip, bullying and sexually immoral pictures and posts fill the air waves. The advice of the Holy Spirit is a powerful tool to keep oneself unspotted from the world and show a perverse generation what truth and righteousness should be.

Christian’s are to honor those in authority whether they like or agree with the leadership. When Paul wrote his letter to Titus he did not live in a democratic society that allowed him to be as critical as many find themselves expressing today. When Herod the king sent troops to Bethlehem his sole purpose was to ferret out some baby that people thought would be a king. He murdered untold numbers of young children and it was legal. Did anyone protest in the streets and fill Facebook with political rants against the government? They knew they would be imprisoned or killed. This was the same government that held power in the Roman Empire when Paul told Christians to be subject to rulers and authorities. Social media should never be used to criticize and revile the President or government leaders whether it is the present day administration or the ones previous. The Holy Spirit calls that sinful. Citizens of the United States who are citizens of the Kingdom of God are to obey with gladness the laws of the land. The only laws that are permitted to be disobeyed are those that come in direct conflict with the law of God – the word of God. Not an opinion, not a political viewpoint or societal acceptance. Jesus commanded honor be given to Caesar when due as well as to God as required.

There are many good things that can be done in social media. Being ready for every good work is a great way to use social media. The gospel can be shared, downtrodden can be encouraged and teaching of truth can be spread throughout the world. Let the light of Christ shine through the example of godly, modest Christians showing the glory of Christ in their life. Speaking evil of no one is a good model to follow in social media. Kind words, encouraging words and exhortations to help others will bring about more good than the vile gossip often littered across social media. Learn to be peaceable. Reacting to some post is not showing self-control. There are many mechanisms to safeguard against what is offensive. Not everyone has to be a friend and often those who are accepted as friends do not have to be followed. Have the courage to unfriend someone who does not bring the glory of God to the social media platform. Gentleness is a proper way to address social media. Showing all humility to all men is a wonderful way to use social media. The Holy Spirit gave instructions on social media two thousand years ago because whether it was done electronically or not, the problem remains the same.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Seeing The Invisible

What a glorious day it will be to stand before the Lord and see His face after all the years of earthly toil. Life can be tedious at times with its challenges that tax the body, soul and mind. Sorrow is the lot of all men as they travel the road of life. There is pain from the fleshly tabernacle that weighs heavily upon the spirit of man. Tears abound from loss or disparity. Age is a cruel task master that ravages the body of youth with disease. Death is real but often ignored. All men sin and while this describes the relationship to God it also highlights how difficult it can be to have confidence in others due to failings, distrust, disappointment and insult. Trust can be a fleeting commodity from men who struggle with their own sin. Admittedly, viewing life from the standpoint of carnal reality can be a pretty dim picture. For the child of God, there is an ‘up-look’ that changes the view from an unbearable affliction to a burden that is light. It has everything to do with how we understand our relationship with God.

The Lord does not leave us unaware of the problems of life. Knowing the outward body or physical body is deteriorating is easy to understand. Time will tell this story in vivid terms. Youth is full of vitality and vigor. With each passing year a realization of the limitations become very apparent. The industry to find the fountain of youth is a billion dollar profit. For the Christian, the outward body is not the focus. What is more important than the fleshly body is the spiritual relationship with the Lord and this does not grow old. When the child of God spends daily time in renewing their minds with the word of God, a youthful spirit infuses itself into life. The eyes that may grow dim with age brighten with the knowledge of the Holy Spirit. Life and all its trappings is considered a light affliction. Imagine thinking that life is as weighty as a feather. With the grace of God it can be done. Sorrow does not blanket the soul of the one who looks to the Savior for consolation. The heart is tuned into an eternal reward instead of trying to find happiness in this life. Joy is found in death because this is the open door of eternal glory with the Father.

Looking at things of this world is seeing what is temporal. There is nothing lasting from our houses, lands, monies and pleasures. They are perishable and victims of disaster, theft and ruin. Death removes us from all the things of this life. How sad to spend a lifetime gathering stuff that we cannot take with us. Looking at the things that are eternal makes life a burden easy to bear. The eternal weight of glory is the measure of the man who does not lose heart and renews his spirit in the Lord daily. When a man possesses the Lord, this can never be taken away. Death will not remove it. Sorrow cannot overshadow it. Awakening in eternity is all that a man has and if he is without God there is no joy. Putting trust in the Lord will bring eternal reward. Believing in the one true God will carry the spirit of man from a temporal world to an eternal home. All the tragedies of life are nothing when the heart of man fully trusts in the Lord. Look at the things that are not seen and you will see greater treasures.

You are the children of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 14:1-2)

Set Apart From The World

The greatest challenge to the faith of a Christian is the allurement of the world and desire to be like the world. This has always been a problem when the people of God have tried to separate themselves from the trappings of the carnal world. It is hard to be different from friends, family and what society deems acceptable. Peer pressure weighs heavy upon the hearts of those who seek to walk the path of righteousness. There are many commandments that condemn the actions of an unrighteous world as found in our passage for the day. The real focus is not what should not be done but the reasons the people of God must be different. Forbidding the Israelite’s from cutting themselves or shaving the front of their heads was not a flippant command allowing God to exercise authority over His people. The children of Israel were holy people and He wanted them to act in such a way to show His glory. It is easy for people to read the Bible and see all of the “Thou shall nots” and go away discouraged because the Lord is such a domineering spirit. He has that right because He is the Lord God Creator and His law is the final say on everything. However, man should not view Him as some cosmic bully who demands His way without understanding the nature of the character of God. Israel was forbidden to be like the nations around them because they were very special people and that is what God wanted them to understand.

God chose the Israelite’s – they did not choose Him. Setting the Hebrews apart was by the grace of God because of His love for them. He had promised Abraham a seed would come from him and through the lineage of Isaac and Jacob, God raised up a nation to be a people for Himself. The Law of Moses was a covenant that set them apart in every part of their lives. Food was regulated by what was clean and unclean, judicial laws were established according to the righteous judgment of God, celebration of days and weeks were instituted and a hosts of laws that impacted every part of daily living for the Jews. Central to all of the commands was a love for God. The Lord wanted the people to serve Him out of love, not duty. His commands were not burdensome. They were designed to give the people peace, safety and security in knowing God would take care of all of their needs.

Israel was a special treasure of the Lord. They were set apart for His glory and when they lived in harmony with His will, all people would see and fear the great nation of Israel. The pagans lived as a law to themselves. When they mourned for the dead they would cut themselves and shave their heads. This was against the nature of how God created man to indulge in self-inflicted mutilation. It was an unholy act. Forbidding the people of Israel to cut themselves and shave their heads was to set them apart from the carnal and immoral pleasures of those who did not believe in God as Creator. As a holy people, they lived by a higher standard walking in the ways of righteousness. Chosen by the Lord to be a special treasure, the Jews would be a symbol of God’s grace to all men. Of all the people on the face of the earth they would show the love of God in their hearts. Sadly, they failed in keeping the covenant and the Law of Moses was abolished.

Christ came to bring all men to the Father. In His death He joined all men into a special treasure of one body called His bride. The church of the Lord is where the saved are found as they are set apart from all people. Now the ones set apart for God are the ones called Christian, disciple, saint or a follower of the Way. The special treasure of the Lord is found in the church of Christ as He bought the church with His blood, redeeming it with His sacrifice. Only in Christ will the promises of eternal life be found. There are commands to keep but like the laws of old, God desires the heart to be in love with Him. He wants His people to be holy people and not live like the world. The church is filled with those who live like the world and try to serve the Lord. Being set apart is to not be like the people of the world. Christian’s are chosen people, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. If the disciples of Christ do not live apart from the world they will not show the world how treasured they are by God. Three things define the Christian: holy, chosen and treasured. Be set apart from the world.

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

Jesus Took Them In His Arms

There are many pictures given of the Son of God. He faced with boldness the tempter, showed His power by walking on the water, cleared out the money changers in the Temple, prayed earnestly in the garden and died humbly on a cross at Golgotha. All of these images describe the character of the man from Nazareth who was God in the flesh. One of the most endearing images of Jesus was His time with children. He was not so aloof that He did not want to take time out of His incredibly busy schedule to take some children in His arms and talk with them. The parents who brought the children wanted the Lord to touch them and bless them. Standing in their way were the disciples who felt the work of the Lord was too important to fuss about children. This is a mistake made by those who do not understand the true character of Jesus. He wants and longs to spend time with children. They are a breath of fresh air to the uptight, worried and anxious adults. Jesus was upset with His disciples that they would keep the children away from Him. Did they not realize how important the children are to His ministry? Jesus did not come just to talk to adults. He wanted to talk to the children.

The Lord made a powerful spiritual lesson with the children but there was more to it than that. He took them in His arms and laid His hands on them. Can you see the smiles, giggles and the shy child who is not sure about this man? Look a little closer and you will see a calm delight fall over the eyes of Jesus as He looks into the face of these innocent children who are as pure as the driven snow. The little boy who feels the firm grip of the man who embraces him feels secure and content. From the face of the little girl comes a smile radiant as the sun because she knows this man is full of love. All the children sitting on the knees of Jesus asking questions, laughing, talking and feeling this man with whom they somehow know is a place of safety. The heart of Jesus is bursting. He had been challenged by the Pharisees about marriage and divorce. The disciples had argued about greatness. There is concern that there are those who do not follow Jesus casting out demons. The adults that surrounded Him were filled with problems and questions and pride. In the midst of this storm of doctrinal issues sits a man holding a group of children and smiling. Jesus is blessing the pure in heart.

Children need to be brought to Jesus. They need to learn from the earliest age that Jesus cares for them. He wants to know them, teach them and mold their hearts to love His Father. The Bible is not a book for adults alone. Parents must teach their children from the day they are born to know the songs of love for God. Littles babies need to hear the voice of the father and mother reading the holy scriptures. They need to hear the hymns of praise from the lips of their parents. Church services should be a time of reverence as they sing, pray and learn from the preaching of the gospel. Jesus wants the little children to come to Him so that He can bless them. Forbidding the children displeases the Father. Learning to fall in love with the Lord is a vital part of the growing heart that will one day become a child of God. Children who learn to love Jesus today will learn to love His Father in obedience later. Let the little child come.

So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. (John 19:1-3)

Mocked With A Crown Of Thorns

It is difficult to imagine the humiliation the soldiers of Pilate put upon Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Even more unimaginable is the fortitude it required for the Lord to allow the mockery and not bring down a legion of angels to dismiss the puny humans who treated Him so contemptable. After the brutal scourging by the soldiers, the whole garrison surrounded Jesus of Nazareth which numbered more than 400 men. The man who stood before them had declared himself a king and they were going to make sport of this foolish Galilean who sought to exalt himself above Caesar. Reeling from the intense pain of the scourging, Jesus’ garments were stripped off His bleeding body and a scarlet robe draped around His shoulders. Some men gathered a pile of brambles to form a crown of thorns which they placed on the head of Jesus. Laughing as they mocked a man who claimed to be king, the soldiers bowed the knee in jest, spitting on Him and striking Jesus repeatedly with a rod and their hands. All the while the Son of God stood silent. Getting no satisfaction from their victim and boring of their sport, they put his clothes back on Him and lead Jesus away to be crucified.

Satan was doing his best to humiliate the Son of God. He knew who Jesus was. What a joy it must have been to the devil allowing such treatment of the one he knew as God. No man had treated God as vile as this day. It is difficult to consider how the Father allowed His Son to be so treated but love ruled His heart. The crown of thorns was symbolic of the putridity of sin and how far man had fallen in his mire of wickedness, hatred and ridicule of righteousness. Jesus willing gave Himself to be treated as the scum of the earth by those whom He created. By His hand the breath of life coursed through the blood of these soldiers. The soldiers were making sport of Jesus. He felt pity for them. They did not know a day would come when they would be standing before Him. On that day there would be no laughter and no mocking. Instead of a crown of thorns there would be a crown with many diadems. He would not bow before them; they would bow before the Lord God and receive judgment for their actions.

Within hours Jesus would be crucified. The same soldiers who mocked Him would return to their barracks and live out their lives unattached to the one among many they crucified that year. Jesus of Nazareth was nothing more than a faceless victim who (in their minds) deserved to die. They had treated him as they treated all the poor souls who came before them. Others may have been given a crown of thorns like Jesus. Mockery was their pastime. And then they died. Everything changed from that moment on. Eternity does not dismiss the memories of earthly life. There is no doubt these men who placed a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus know full well what they had done and to whom they had made fun. Sadly there is nothing to do but to see the face of that man from Galilee and to remember the day they mocked Him with a crown of thorns. Caesar was not a king. Jesus of Nazareth was the true King. The crown of thorns became a symbol of the love of God to allow man to kill His Son. Through the power of the Father, Jesus was raised from the dead to wear a crown of victory.

Two crowns. One fashioned by man and one given by God. What man sought to do in making sport of Jesus becomes the image of love as Christ died for all men – including the men who hours earlier had treated Him so terribly. There is a tinge of hope that someone among the garrison would come to know the real Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not reveal what happened. What is preserved in holy scrip is the example of the Son of God dripping in blood, with his back severely beaten, as men placed a crown of thorns on His head and He did nothing. Thank you Jesus for taking that crown of thorns and to become the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all men to see your crown of grace. His crown becomes our victory. It reminds us of the price for sin.