The Heaton File

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:1-6)

The Testimony Of His Life

There has never been a man who has impacted the world as Jesus of Nazareth. In less than three years, Jesus turned the world upside down and forever changed the course of human history and the eternal destiny of all men. No man rules the earth with such power and might as the little child born in an animal stall in Bethlehem. He was the supposed son of Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth. His mother was a quiet example of devotion to the Lord God. At the age of 30, Jesus began teaching the multitudes in a manner that astonished them. The world had not heard this kind of testimony as Jesus opened the scriptures of old revealing His nature and presence on every page. Opening the scrolls of the prophets, Jesus explained how He fulfilled the prophecy given long ago by the messengers of God. His teaching challenged the norm of Jewish theology breaking down the barriers placed by the scribes and Pharisees.

What was remarkable about the work of the man from Nazareth was His emphasis upon the common man, the poor and the rejected of society. Unlike the hypocrites of His day, Jesus spent time teaching every man with no concern for their station in life. He would take time to talk to a woman at a well, a ruler of the Jews at night and a rich tax collector who climbed a tree to see Him. This man would touch lepers, speak kindly to those of ill-repute, challenge the hierarchy of religious elite and admonish love for enemies. There was no man that ever spoke as this Jesus of Nazareth. Try as they may, many tried to trap Jesus in His teaching and always failing miserably; learned a greater lesson from His rebuke and soft answer. Incredibly enough, when the envious Jewish rulers had Jesus nailed to a cross, He forgave them.

Jesus of Nazareth was not just a remarkable teacher. He claimed to be the Son of God. Many men have walked that path influencing multitudes to follow them but to no avail. This man who taught so forcefully was also a true miracle worker. Charlatans were plenty and through their trickery convinced the people they were something when they were not. Jesus of Nazareth healed blind men and caused the lame to walk. Leprosy was not a disease that man could cure but Jesus of Nazareth cleansed many lepers by His word and His touch. Those who were deaf were healed of their infirmity. To the astonishment of everyone who were privileged to witness the power of Jesus, dead were brought to life again. One man had been dead for four days and the stench of decay had begun and Jesus restored him to life. He walked on water, commanded the forces of nature, subdued every spirit of Satan, and forgave sins.

John the Baptist languished in prison and questioned if the man he heard so much about was the true Christ. Jesus sent testimony of His work in teaching the people and healing all manner of disease. His life was His testimony. The miracles proved Him to be God’s son and His teaching established His authority. There can be no doubt. Faith is built on the testimony of the evidence of Jesus power and His word. The blessed man is the one who will not be offended by the clear sign that Jesus is the Christ. His power is written down for men to believe. His teaching is written down for men to accept. There is no other testimony. There is no other way, no other truth and no other life. Jesus is the Son of God.

It is impossible to do nothing about Jesus Christ. Not to decide for Him is to decide against Him, but decide we must. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (Hebrews 12:28)

The True Church In The Year 1217

Genghis Khan is undisputed ruler of the Mongol nation in the Far East and the Fifth Crusade reaches the Holy Land attempting to retake the city of Jerusalem. The crusade ends in disaster. In Europe, England and France are warring with one another. The Americas are writing an unknown history with its native population as many parts of the world fall into a historical blackout. Very little is known of the worldwide history of nations during the year 1217. The Roman Catholic Church has a strong hold on the European continent while the Eastern Orthodox Church influences the east. Medieval Europe lives under the sway of Roman Catholicism. History is a trivial master that fails to inscribe everything that happens in the vast territories of the world. A study of history is a selective piecing together of what is known and retained through the centuries. It is clear the majority of events that happened in history are unknown unless it involved a major story changing the course of the nations of men.

Church history is often viewed with skewed perspectives lacking the historical basis of proof. Not everything that happened in the year 1217 is recorded but this does not mean it did not happen. The Roman Catholic Church was not the only church in existence in the 13^th Century. According to the promise of the Holy Spirit the real church of the Lord was flourishing somewhere in the world. Begun on the Day of Pentecost, the New Testament church was established by the word of the Lord as disciples were added to the church daily. Luke tells the story of the early church growing from infancy to persecution. John writes in the Revelation the trials the church faced as Satan tried to destroy the body of Christ. The message of the Revelation is no government, religious or moral battles fought against the church of the Lord will succeed.

It has been two thousand years since the church began and there has never been a time the church was not existing somewhere in the world. Church history is mistakenly divided into the early church, apostasy, reformation and restoration. From a Biblical standpoint, true church history has been one single continued line of existence. It has been difficult to document where the church was and how it held to the teachings of Jesus Christ. As in the days of Noah, if only eight righteous souls made up the true church of Christ it fulfilled the promise the kingdom of God would never be shaken or removed. One of the great miracles of scripture is being fulfilled every year for the last two thousand years that the true church can be found somewhere in the world. The Roman Catholic Church is not the New Testament church. It has a historical footprint from the writings of men but the Book of Life engraves the names of the faithful few that rejected the apostasy of men for the truth of Jesus Christ.

The church in the year 1217 met on the first day of the week and remembered the sacrifice of the Lord in the supper. Hymns were sung and prayers offered and souls turned from pagan practices to obey the true God. Papists were turned from the apostasy of Catholic dogmas to obey the only true word of God. Families rejoiced in the joy of knowing the salvation offered by the Son of God. Men and women were baptized for the remission of their sins having believed the message of grace. Where was this little congregation? Only God knows – but He knew and that is the wonderful message of His will. The church of Christ has never stopped existing and we should never forget that. I am thankful for the legacy of the faithful few who through many trials and tribulations endured unspeakable hardships to preserve the nature of the one true church. To my brethren in the year 1217 – thank you.

It is not the history of families, nor of races and nation, nor of cultures that holds within itself the final meaning of history, but only the history of the salvation of persons in the kingdom of God. (Theodore Haecker, Dublin Review, CCXIX, 1946)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Thinking About Righteousness

What separates man from animal is the ability to reason and think. Created in the image of God, man has been given the gift of eternity in the image of the Heavenly Father and the responsibility to discern between right and wrong. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knew the significance of the trees in the midst of the garden. Given a choice by the Lord, they partook of the forbidden fruit because their willful thoughts rebelled against the command of God. Sin plunged humanity into the dark abyss of separation from the glory of the Lord until the coming of the Son of God who brought eternal light into the world. Through Christ, redemption is found in those who choose to turn their hearts toward the love and mercy of God finding peace and salvation. The battleground that man has always struggled with is the heart and what a man thinks in his heart.

Paul defined clearly the challenge faced in fighting Satan. On the one hand, the devil entices the hearts of men to consider his lies as true, his virtues as just and his will as pure. He attacks the eight pillars of righteousness that will destroy man. The Holy Spirit admonishes the Christian to fight against the wiles of the devil to think of things on a higher plane. Righteousness is built upon what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good and virtuous and worthy of praise. Truth pervades the mind as the foundation of life. Honesty is the virtue of speech and action. The Christian does what is right in the eyes of God. Purity fills the mind not allowing the pollution’s of the world to make the heart and eyes to stray. A heart of courage guides the mind to the lovely things of life seeing good in the will of God. Instead of dwelling on the bad and evil, children of God are good-thinking people who desire to know decency in dress, speech and character. The crown of the Christian character is a virtuous mind that sees the image of the Father and seeks to live reflecting that image. When the seven lights of Christian character shine through, the heart lifts up praise and glory to the Father and God is pleased.

All of the characters of the Christian are manifested in living each day reflecting the virtues of Jesus Christ. What Paul described in this atomic particle of scripture is the mind of Christ. Examining His life is a commentary on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, and lovely, of good report, virtue and praise. Imitating Jesus is clothing the heart with these beautiful tapestries of God’s love. Sin cannot stand against these pillars of holiness. Whatever challenge we have in life can be defeated implanting these guardians of spiritual warfare in our hearts. Spend time every day reflecting these virtues in your life and the devil will never have hold of your heart. Marriages will flourish, relationships will blossom and faith will be exalted to the throne of God. The world will be seen through the eyes of a meditated heart focused on righteousness. Think on these things. Think hard. Blessings await. Lives will be changed. Let the glory of God shine in your heart.

It would be as wise and reasonable to say that it does not matter which way the rudder swings as the ship moves, as to say that it does not matter what a man thinks. (W. J. Dawson, The Making of Manhood, 1895)

Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

Living For Bread

Canaan was the land of promise just beyond the turbulent waters of the Jordan. After forty years, the nation of Israel had come to the threshold of a land that would become their home in fulfillment of a promise given to Abraham so many years before. The generation that rebelled against the will of God is scattered throughout the wilderness and a new people stand anticipating the joy of finding their reward granted by the grace of God. Moses will not make that journey. He will turn the leadership of the nation to his assistant Joshua who will lead the people to many victories. In the final declaration of the aged Moses, God’s law is recounted in the hearing of the people to affirm once again the covenant made at Sinai. Moses impresses upon the minds of every soul the importance of having a dedicated heart to the cause of the Lord. Possessing the land must come from hearts that are dedicated to the word of God.

The joy of dwelling in the land of promise will only come from those who seek to keep the commandments of the Lord. Salvation is obedience measured from the love of God who bountifully gives to His people everything they need. In the forty years the children of Israel wandered from place to place, God took care of them. Their garments did not wear out, they were given ample food and water and gained victory over their enemies. The survival of the people would come only by the hand of the Lord. They should remember the wilderness journey was a test of their love for God. The Lord humbled them to see what was in their hearts. He tested them to see how deep their allegiance was for Him. His aim was to show the people they did not live by the bounty of bread alone but by the word of the Lord.

Part of the Ten Commandments admonishes the people to keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on that day. There was a message the Lord wanted to send to His people: life is not about the busy work we think is so necessary. They were not allowed to do any work on the Sabbath day – not even picking up sticks (for which a man was stoned to death for doing on the Sabbath). Man has not changed in his misunderstanding of what is important in life. He still rushes around like a mad-hatter so busy he has no time for God. While the Law of Moses is no longer binding including the keeping of the Sabbath laws, the principle of learning how to trust in the bread of Heaven is lost upon many Christians today. Life is filled with a hurried pace seven days a week with a non-stop rush to full life with all the empty promises of things that will pass away one day. When a person is lying on their deathbed, they are in no hurry to do anything. The reason is that they realize that life is not about the hectic pursuits that so captivated the heart before. Dying people take time to die. Sadly, living people make no provisions for the day of death.

Satan came to Jesus in the wilderness tempting the Lord with the desires of the flesh. He pleaded with Jesus to turn stones into bread so that He could satisfy His belly. After fasting forty days, the Lord had a powerful hunger. Rebuking the devil, Jesus condemned Satan with the truth that life is not about bread but devouring the manna of the Heavenly Father. Man does not live by bread alone; although looking around it is hard to see many people following that admonition. Jesus kept His focus on His Father. It seems that many Christians today live such vicarious lives pursing worthless things. Sunday has become a day of fun, frolic and focus on matters of the world instead of putting God first. Why are Sunday night services so frequently diminished from Sunday morning by the trivial pursuits of those who live for the flesh? In America, we are so busy we have little time for God. Face the truth. Look at this week. How much time have we spent with the Lord? When do we plan to fit Him into our schedule? Ironically, we live on His timetable because He holds our breath in His hand.

If you are not living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, you are dying.

When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. (2 Timothy 1:5)

Generational Teaching

The family unit is never as strong as when the generations of grandparents, parents and children are knitted together in a single bond of the love of God. There are many things we want to pass along to our children and even our grandchildren. A heritage is a valuable blessing to share with family as each passing generation builds upon the other leaving legacies that define who we are. Trinkets sprinkle the shelves of days gone by, treasures are safely hidden away and memories of the past dot the walls with pictures and mementoes of family. The apostle Paul mentions the greatest gift his young protégé Timothy could have when he mentions the faith that dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and was carried into the heart of his mother, Eunice. Timothy had the greatest treasure of all. A family legacy of faith.

A virtuous woman is a life worth more than rubies or great wealth. Her character is molded by the image of God, as she trusts in the mercy of God to guide her life and her family. Lois taught her daughter Eunice to embrace that love and make the Lord the guiding light of her life. It is difficult in any age to teach children the word of God and Lois was faced with no easy task. Her determination fueled her desire to see her daughter grow to womanhood serving the will of the Lord God in every part of her life. Following the admonition of the Law of Moses, Lois taught young Eunice when she walked by the way, laid down to sleep and rose up. The young daughter of Lois learned the wonderful stories of Creation, Abraham, Moses and great kings like David. Her mother taught her the voice of the prophets and the eternal truths in the word of God. Eunice grew up knowing the voice of the heavenly Father. Lois was also teaching Eunice another valuable lesson: how to teach her children.

Generational learning is when one generation teaches the next generation to teach the next generation. Lois taught Eunice to love the Lord with all her heart, soul, mind and body and to teach this same message to her own children. Eunice gave birth to a little boy that would grow up in the shadow of his grandmother and mother teaching him the eternal truths of God’s word. Timothy’s mother would sing the ancient hymns of the Psalms and tell the little boy the stories of Noah, Joseph, David and Daniel. Lois had taught Eunice well to carry on the faith of God in her own children. Timothy grew up knowing about the nature of God, His will and His word. He learned this because two women made certain he knew God.

Teaching is a lifetime of directing the hearts of our children and our grandchildren. Parenting lasts as long as we live. There is a need for families to begin building generations of children who love the Lord. Nothing is more important in the life of a child than knowing who God is and falling in love with Him. This work is especially important for grandparents to instill in their grandchildren. The greatest treasure we can leave our family is a legacy of service to God. It begins in the home. Fathers and mothers must teach their children the word of God above everything else. Grandfathers and grandmothers must be examples of fidelity and truth to their families. How many generations of faithful Christians do we find in our family? This must come from each generation teaching the next.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. (Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1906)

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)

Written In A Book

There is power in what is written down in a book. Oral traditions have carried the stories of men through the ages but lack the evidentiary proof to examine, discuss and read time and again learning the deeper meanings of truth. Writing a story in book form allows the seeker of truth to study carefully the nuances of the person, place and reasons of the story. No tale is as great as the one about God’s Son who came to earth of His own free will to die for the sins of all mankind. Moses writes the first words of the revelation of Christ when he penned, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The apostle John closed the message of the book with “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” What is contained between these pillars of truth is the story of the Son of God. John admits the failure of his own book to contain everything Jesus said in His life, what He did and the powerful miracles proving His deity. Later, the apostle would suggest that if everything known about God on earth were written one by one, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Sixty-six books making one unified book of testimony reveals the nature of God’s Son.

Books are written to be read. The Bible is a book of books spanning a time as old as the world. Moses tells us of the genesis of man and the world with the beginning of all the nations of men. Ancient stories burst from the pages painting a picture of the glory of God and the failures of men saved by the grace of God. The world is destroyed save eight souls and a promise of hope is given to a man from the Ur of Chaldeans. A new nation is formed by the hand of God that will realize the goodness and severity of God. History is carved through the landscape of one nation leading to the birth of the Son of God in a little town called Bethlehem. His life of thirty some years marks the whole world with the imprint of God’s face. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John reveal the humanity and divinity of Jesus showing Him a Savior for the Jew and the Gentile. These four books are the cornerstone of what is revealed in the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the remaining twenty-three books of the New Testament. God has chosen sixty-six books to unveil the story of His love to all men; no more and no less. Books. Words written down about Jesus Christ.

The Bible is given to man by the grace of God. Every page reveals Jesus Christ. The whole of the Bible speaks to the character of Jesus Christ. What is contained in these sixty-six books is the same message John reflects upon in his own book. The Bible tells the story of God’s Son so that all men will believe Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, Redeemer and Lord. No other book can make that claim. There is no other truth but the words of the Bible. Only one author composed this grand message and his name is the Lord God Almighty. Reading the words in the book of God will allow man to grace the presence of God and know His will. Knowing the mind of God brings peace, happiness and eternal life. Failure to read the book of books will leave man ignorant of the Lord and helpless. John knew the power of words. He understood the importance of the book. Through the Holy Spirit, the beloved apostle wrote down the story of his Lord, Jesus Christ. Read it to be wise. Read it to be saved.

In books cherubim expand their wings that the soul of the student may ascend and look around from pole to pole … in them the most high and incomprehensible God Himself is contained and worshiped. (Richard de Bury, Philobiblon, 1473)

That is, the Lord God of hosts. The Lord is His memorable name. So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually. (Hosea 12:5-6)

The Anchor Of The Soul

During the days of the divided kingdom of Israel, the prophets of God continually pleaded with the people to return to a faithful service to the Lord. Repentance would avert the tragedy that awaited the people if they refused but sadly, in time their rebellion cost them seventy years of hard captivity. Prophets like Hosea expressed the love God had for His people showing mercy and justice and them giving them opportunity to change their hearts. A clear message from reading the prophets is the character of the Lord God. He is a loving and forgiving God allowing man time to change his ways and redeem himself before the glory of the Lord. It must begin with a full recognition of who God is and what He demands. Knowing the authority of His name humbles a man to bow before the presence of his maker. Repentance can only come from the gracious help of the Lord and waiting upon His forgiveness. How great is the God we serve.

The stories of the Old Testament are written to impress upon our minds the infinite character of the Lord God Almighty. He is unchanging and unmoved in His dealings with man. From the Garden of Eden until the final moments of the earth’s existence, God remains the same. He is the Lord God of Hosts and there is no one like Him. He is the Creator of everything in this world and the expanse of the universe. All the worlds’ man can find rests within the span of God’s hand. The beat of the heart within man is measured by the power of God. Because of this, His name is sacred and to be held in honor. What great thing has man done that he can boast more than God? There is nothing man has done that is lasting. The sun that rises today is the same sun that the first man Adam gazed upon in the beginning of time. The Lord of Hosts sets the rising and falling of the sun and holds the germ of life in His hand.

God’s mercy saved man in the beginning when he disobeyed. Adam and Eve were cast from the garden with the promise of a seed salvation. Through Christ, all men can find the grace of God manifested through the blood of His Son on a cross of wood. The Lord has allowed man mercy to return to Him but this cannot be done apart from the power of God. No matter what man has done, an avenue of redemption is open for man to return to the Lord. There is no sin man can do that will not be forgiven by God if man will only come back to the Lord. The nation of Israel had fallen deeply into idolatry and wickedness; yet the Lord pleads with them to return. Their failure was not because God was unwilling to save them but their hearts were unmoved by the love of a forgiving Father. Jesus stands at the door of our hearts knocking but we have to open the door.

Mercy and justice are the keys to repentance. Showing mercy is humbling the heart before God and acknowledging the righteousness of the Lord brings forgiveness. This is the anchor of the soul that restores a rebellious heart with a spirit soothed by the love of a forgiving God. There is nothing more sure than anchoring the heart in the love of God. Coming back to the Lord is casting the anchor of faith in the troubled waters of life securing every part of our being on the rock of salvation. Nothing will tear us away from the love of God. When the storms come, our hope is built on nothing less than the promises of God. We stand firm in the mercy of the Lord of hosts. His name is memorable because of what He has done in my life. Thank God for his enduring grace that allows us to come before His presence and receive His kindness. How great is our God.

God would not have given us souls capable of contemplating and desiring this holy eternity, if He had not intended to bestow on us the means of obtaining it. (Frances of Sales; 1567-1622; Consoling Thoughts of, ed. Huguet)

You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:30-32)

Sabbaths, Mediums And The Gray-Headed

The Holy Spirit does not mince words. He puts exactly the right kind of words in the right type of framework to reveal the will of God. There is an emphasis upon the manner the Lord reveals His commandments, judgments and statutes to men so there is no misunderstanding. Often, a command is clarified with the remark, “I am the Lord.” This is where the scepter of God’s rule is accentuated with lucidity as a declaration for man to pay special attention to what is being said. Keeping the Sabbath was not just a command but it was a special reverence required by God to be kept in a proper way and a proper order. Following the law was obedience to the pattern of worship involving the Sabbaths and the reverence to His sanctuary. It required no association with those who were mediums or fortunetellers or those who practice the magic arts. Moses shows the import of this law by reminding again, “I am the Lord.”

In the context of keeping the Sabbaths, reverencing the sanctuary and forbidding the acceptance of mediums, Moses includes the admonition to give honor to the ‘hoary head’ (KJV) or the grey-headed old man. Think about what this means. This was not a suggestion but a law. Keeping the Sabbaths and forbidding mediums was a law that came with severe penalties. Included in the list of moral laws was the command that when a grey-headed old man came into the room, the younger must rise and give honor to God. Imagine the impact of teaching children to give that kind of honor to the aged. Tucked away in all the commandments of the Lord to His people is the family respect for the aged. And it was emphasized with the declaration, “I am the Lord.”

The foundation of the family determines where the church will find itself in the coming generations. When a lack of respect is given to older men and women by the younger generation, there will be a lack of respect for God. The Lord wanted His people to be filled with the honor of age. There is a need to recognize the importance of the gray-headed man who has lived a life of service to the Lord. Young women must learn from those women whose hair turned white from the years of being an example of marriage and motherhood. Respect is what the Lord commanded from his people. Young people must honor those who are older showing kindness and love. The nuclear family is seldom found anymore with grandparents, aunts, uncles and relatives living far apart. Parents must teach their children by their own example how to love and care for the aged giving honor to them. Children must learn to give respect by the way they speak to older folk. Self-absorbed children spoiled with the things of this world will not honor the aged and often parents encourage this. It is not uncommon to see children ignore or treat rudely an older person. The Lord emphasizes the command to reverence the hoary head when He said, “I am the Lord.”

Learning to honor the gray-headed is a valuable lesson to teach children how to honor God. The Father is not a white-headed old man sitting on a glowing throne but the visage of glory that should be reverenced by children. From an early age, children should be taught to respect the name of God, His word and His will. Contained within the command by Moses is this reverence for the elderly will instill the fear of God. A society that honors its elderly will be more likely to give honor to the word of God. Respect comes from showing honor to the silver-headed man and woman who by virtue of the color of their hair exhibit the devotion of the Lord God. It is well to include that gray-headed men should be an example to young men, as white-haired women should teach the young women how to be godly wives and mothers. The color of hair does not bring wisdom but those who have been trained by the years of service to the Lord will show by their gray-heads that God reigns in their lives. Give honor. Give respect. Show glory to God by reverencing the aged.

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. (Mark 1:16-20)

Leaving Our Football Nets

Mark’s gospel is a story of immediateness. Written for the Roman mind who loved power, the story of Jesus moves from one story to the next with the players in each story acting immediately. Mark was trying to impress upon his readers the power of Jesus Christ and the impact the disciples had with Jesus. The calling of Peter, Andrew, James and John illustrates the power of Mark’s message. It also shows the heart of four men who do not delay to serve the Lord. These men would give their lives to serve the Lord as fishers of men. They left their nets immediately and followed Jesus. There was no hesitancy in their devotion to Christ and little doubt. Where they were going was unknown and what the next few years would bring was not revealed. Regardless, these four men immediately left their nets and never turned back.

What kind of heart does it take to walk away from what you have known for a lifetime? James and John left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Jesus. Peter, Andrew, James and John were four men who understood the importance of servitude. They were not religious leaders of their day but they lead by example of what true devotion to the will of God should be. Worship for them was not a matter of convenience. It did not become something in their life that would be important only as long as nothing interfered with their plans. The focus of their lives became Jesus Christ. Twelve men who stood on Pentecost proclaiming the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ died by the persecuting hand of men save one – John. Religion to these four men was an immediate response with no reservations.

The church has always been filled with half-hearted disciples who often try to serve the Lord with an almost-have-to disposition of dedication. As long as everything is going their way, worship is important. If something more important to the individual comes along then God can be put on the back burner. It is amazing the excuses people give for not coming to worship services. There is a clear indication of spiritual laziness that permeates the heart. It is not uncommon for folk to miss the Sunday night service to stay home and watch the Super Bowl. The rational can be what difference does one worship service make if I stay home to watch an exercise in carnal pleasure? Company comes in and that takes coming to church services off the table. One of the common victims of this spiritual apathy is the number of people who feel confident attending one service on Sunday morning is all that is necessary to please God; excusing themselves from being part of the Sunday night worship. It is amazing the mindset that people develop to excuse their clear lack of commitment to Jesus Christ who left Heaven and came to earth to die for the same people who continually treat Him with contempt. If Jesus had the mind of man, He would have never come to earth.

Satan has convinced the children of God that worship is important but please do not get too serious about the whole matter. The way that people treat the church today would have kept Peter, Andrew, James and John in the fishing boat. They would have told Jesus, “We will follow you but first let me watch this football game or feed my family that dropped in or I have shopping to do and will get to you when I have time.” Religion in the body of Christ has become a matter of convenience to the useless whims of carnality. Thankfully, Jesus suffered miserably on the cross so that I can sit back, take my ease and serve God when I feel like it. How sad that so many people crucify again the Son of God by their lack of love, respect and honor for what He did. Four men left their boats to follow Jesus. These four men never gave up on Jesus, lived for Him each day, served a lifetime of dedication to Him and died working hard to let others know about Him. And all around the church today we have saints sitting in boats watching football games, eating, drinking and making merry unaware their boats are sinking.

We are a generation of cheap Christians going to heaven as inexpensively as possible; religious hobos and spiritual deadbeats living on milk instead of meat, crusts of bread instead of manna, as though we were on a cut-rate excursion. (Vance Havner; 1901-1988)

So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:13-14)

He Forgave

It began innocent enough. Taking a walk on the roof of the king’s house was not an uncommon thing for David. He had done it many times before. This evening would change his life forever. Peering over his great city, the king reflected on all his servants that trusted in him for leadership. He was king of God’s people and his responsibilities were vast. Looking over the city, he noticed a woman bathing and she was very beautiful to behold. Lingering on the scene, David sent messengers to inquire the identity of the woman. She was Bathsheba, the wife of one of his mighty men who was fighting against the people of Ammon and Rabbah. Her father was a trusted advisor of David named Eliam. Longing for her, he sent messengers to bring her to his house where he lay with her. The culpability of Bathsheba was as clear as David’s. She returned to her house and everything continued as normal until David received a message from Bathsheba that she was pregnant.

David could not be found out for his adultery because the Law demanded death for both he and Bathsheba. Sending a message to his commander Joab, David recalled Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba from the battlefield. His plan was a simple deception to cover his obvious sin. Uriah could not be the father if he was off fighting in the war. There still might be a question of how quickly the child was born but there were answers that could be given to explain the sudden birth. Ironically, when Uriah came to David, a righteous man stood before the king than he who sat on the throne. The king urged Uriah to return home and refresh his wife but he refused. David made Uriah drunk hoping he would go home but again the plan failed. In final desperation, David sent Uriah back to the battle with a note to Joab commanding him to have Uriah killed. The king’s plan finally worked.

Bathsheba mourned for her husband Uriah and then became one of David’s wives. The child was born some months later and David settled back into the role of king. Then a prophet came to visit David and everything changed. Nathan told David of the man who stole his neighbor’s sheep and the king became enraged against the man. He demanded the man be put to death for such an act. It was then the prophet revealed God’s message to David that his deed of treachery did not go unnoticed. David’s reaction was immediate. He confessed his sin realizing he tried to hide something from the Lord and that was not possible. His grief was tremendous. He learned the child born from adultery and deceit would die. David prayed fervently for God to change his mind but to no avail.

The mercy and grace of God is without understanding. No man can embrace the full context of how much God’s love is showered upon man in taking away sin. David was the anointed of God. He had been involved in an adulterous relationship, lied, acted deceptively, caused a man to become drunk and then tried to cover his sin by murder. The consequences of his actions were far reaching. What happened when Nathan came to him was beyond the measure of man’s wisdom. God forgave David. The Law prescribed death but the Lord chose to put away his sin and remove the death penalty. God has the authority because He was the Lawgiver. Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. He forgave David. How immense. How powerful. How loving His kindness toward David.

That same grace is afforded in Jesus Christ. The Lord God stands ready to forgive and remove the penalty of death upon those who repent and seek His mercy. There is no sin that God will not forgive when a man comes to Him in repentance. The difficult part is living with the consequences. David suffered for the rest of his life because of what he did. The Holy Spirit recounts the sin of David in the genealogy of Jesus hundreds of years later. But the joy of the Lord blessed the life of David because God removed his sin and took away the penalty of death. What higher meaning of forgiveness do we have today than the love God has to remove our sin and take away the fear of death? Thank you God.