Song of Songs Pt. 5: A Secure, Exclusive and Passionate Allegiance

What makes this book so special: the layered meanings. In my research I have come across a wide variety of interpretations. But what is historical fact is that it has always been considered to be Scripture / Holy Writing / God Breathed.

The Jews sing Song of Song as part of their Passover celebration. As Christ and His disciples left the upper room and moved through the city headed for the garden of Gethsemane they would have heard people singing the lines of this epic poem. 

There is a 3rd character that has been seen previously in Chapter 3, The King, Solomon. Now we are going to see a memory of a run in with the Prince. This character represents the influences of the world: corruption, sin and excess. He will attempt to lure the bride away from the groom to come between them.

We are going to see the use of the garden again as a symbol of what is meant to be, and we will to see how this ‘Song’ is about marriage AND relationship with God. This comparison is throughout the Scriptures, an example from Isiah:

For the Lord delights in you, and to Him your land will be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your Creator will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you. ~ Isaiah 62:4b-5

Previously on Song of Songs…

The Bride, caught up in herself, hesitated when her darling called her…She was unsure of the relationship (Her feelings) & sought to be reunited with her darling. She suffered the loss of not being one with her darling, and wisely sought help. The community leads her to remember why Her darling is special. In that remembrance she finds peace, will she in turn find Him?

Chapter 6:1-13

(Guests) 1 Where has your darling gone, you most beautiful of women? Which way did your darling turn, so that we can help you find him?

  • Again she is called by her community / God’s people: ‘most beautiful of women’
  • The disunity / distance originated with her, she repented, now they can help
  • They tell her she knows how to find him… come on you know where he went
  • The remembrance of her darling will lead her to where The Groom is
  • In marriage & with Christ, we need to feel & think to fully experience intimacy

(Bride) 2 My darling went down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens and to gather lilies. 3 I belong to the man I love, and he belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies.

  • Her darling is exactly where he was meant to be, the shepherd in ‘His Garden’
  • She is His Flock / She is His Garden / She is His Peace
  • What she believes about him & their relationship is true
  • She is His, He is Hers, and that is where they find Shalom 
  • When she remembers fully who He is and what He means to her she is secure
  • This is the essence of what every woman was made to enjoy: security

(Groom) 4 You are as beautiful as Tizah, my love, as lovely as Jerusalem, but formidable as an army marching under banners. 5 Turn your eyes away from me, because they overwhelm me! 

  • This is a woman approaching Her Groom with passion
  • Tizah was the seat of the 1st kings of the divided kingdom: ‘Delightful’
  • Nothing is more beautiful that Jerusalem, the height of excellence & favor
  • With ‘fire in her eyes’ she is declaring who she belongs to
  • Braziers (fire bearing devices) & Banners denoted your tribe, your allegiance
  • The groom is blown away by ‘His Love’! Turn your eyes away = ‘I’m not worthy’

(Groom) Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Gilead. 6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep that have just come up from being washed; each of them is matched, and none of them is missing. 7 Your cheeks are like a pomegranate split open behind your veil.

  • As he composes himself the familiar words she so longs to hear begin to flow
  • The imagery of seeing goats descend by switching trails down a mountain
  • Pretty unique to have white (washed), straight (matched) & all of your teeth!
  • The skin of a pomegranate is very taught, super smooth 
  • The veil: the bride is ever modest, ever chaste

(Groom) 8 There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, as well as young women beyond number; 9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, her mother’s only child, the darling of the one who bore her. The daughters see her and call her happy; the queens and concubines praise her.

  • Now the groom puts her in a special class above all of the listed royalty
  • Solomon is recorded to have had 700 wives / queens & 300 concubines!!!
  • All women in the region… HIS dove, HIS perfect ONE, is one of a kind

(Groom) 10 “Who is this, shining forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun” — but formidable as an army marching under banners?

  • He has compared her to cities, goats, sheep & pomegranates
  • Elevated her above all the women in the land
  • Now the groom compares her to things beyond his knowledge
  • How the dawn breaks he doesn’t know, just that it is beautiful
  • How is the moon so fair? How is the sun so bright?
  • She is an imposing force come to fight for what is hers, she has his attention

The Bride becomes all she can be, the apex of her beauty, when she is undivided, when she is fiercely passionate for Her Darling. The Groom sees the fullness of her beauty flowing from her exclusive, passionate allegiance to Him.

This sort of union, this joining of souls has been constantly threatened and will be going forward. It is good to remember what has been overcome in the past to solidify a watchful mentality.

Next is a flashback scene… a remembrance of a time before

(Bride) 11 I had gone down to the nut orchard to see the fresh green plants in the valley, to see if the vine had budded, or if the pomegranate trees were in bloom. 12 Before I knew it, I found myself in a chariot, and with me was a prince.

  • It was not yet full spring, so she was going to look for sings of spring
  • This epitomizes innocence, the naivety of being immature
  • Perhaps this was before she knew better than to be in such a place alone
  • She seems to have been snatched up onto the Chariot of a Prince
  • She is being swept up in ‘Tech’ & ‘Lux’… dazzled by the world of sin

(Guests) 13 Come back, come back, girl from Shulam! Come back, come back to where we can see you! 

  • The prince takes her out of sight, perhaps to His tents…
  • The community is worried about her, worried she might be in over her head
  • They want her to stay in the safety of the community (1st Peter 5:8)

(Guests) Why are you looking at the girl from Shulam as if she were dancing for two army camps?

  • The community is concerned about the appearance of what is happening
  • They know that the glamour of The Prince / The World, could allure her
  • They realize we all face the prospect of split loyalties
  • They are concerned it looks like she is ‘working both sides of the street’

In marriage we will be tempted to let our affections be divided, we will have opportunities to dance for more than one army. It is the same with Christ, the world is set up to divide us from Him. Are we prepared to fight off the temptation to share our affections with other gods, such as wealth, career, approval, image, self-fulfillment? The scripture teaches we should have a passionate allegiance to Christ and if God wills it, to our spouse. We need to demonstrate our undivided allegiance, our spouses need to see it & Christ desires to see it. But are we dancing for two army camps far too often?

What will the Bride, the girl from Shulam do? Will her passionate allegiance to her darling enable her to resist a prince? Tune in next week to see…

SUMMARY:

Biblical marriage is built on trust that flows from a balance of present feelings AND what we know to be true about our spouse. 

An intimate walk with Christ is about relating to Him with our intellect and emotions.

God wants us to be secure in our marriage, to be passionate about our marriages and to leave no doubt about the exclusive allegiance we have to our spouse. 

It is meant to be the same with Christ: A secure, passionate & exclusive allegiance.

The Union of one man and one woman done God’s way (Biblical Marriage) gives us a vision of the beauty, pleasure and fulfillment found in eternity with Christ. 

In marriage and in our walk with Christ our unity is always under threat, for even in innocence we will be divided by the world, dazzled by tech & lux, and lured into dancing for more than one army camp.

APPLICATION:

In marriage or with Christ, what are your trust issues that can hinder relationship?

What are situations where your emotions dominate in your response to God or your spouse?

How have you declared your passionate allegiance to your Lord or your spouse?

Why is it attractive when it is clear who a bride or a Christian belongs to?

/by

Song of Songs Pt. 4 : Don’t Hesitate When True Love Calls

Can you think of a time in your life when you hesitated & missed out on something? 33 years ago I did not hesitate when true love called: Happy Valentines Day.

Back to you…have you hesitated and paid dearly for it? Did you learned something? The Bride of Christ, you and I, we are prone to be caught up in our routine, to let worldly pursuits distract us, and we hesitate to follow Jesus Christ as He call us to.

We have ideas about what it means to truly follow Christ, but we must get out of our heads and act when Christ calls to us, not tomorrow or when it is more convenient. And in a Biblical marriage we can’t hesitate when our spouse needs us, we must respond to their needs in a timely manner, with our active presence. 

The crucial ingredient of intimacy is presence, really being there, in our relationship with God and our marriages. It is also crucial to actively remember why it is we love our spouses and our Savior. As a community of Jesus Christ followers we are called to encourage each other in the Lord. That means worshiping whole heartedly. Listening to each other tell our God stories, reminding us why we love our Lord so much! And in our marriages we need to actively remember and tell our spouses why they are our one and only beloved.

As we read Song of Songs we see the dual story of a Bride and Groom and the bigger picture of Christ and His Church. The growth of intimacy and the uniting in both cases is sacred and beautiful, fulfilling the promise of The Garden, how it was meant to be, Shalom!

This morning our passage starts in the dream of what the bride and groom are to become, but that dream is endangered by the bride being too caught up in herself to respond without hesitation to the call of her beloved. In the course of learning a hard lesson she clarifies exactly why he is her one true love. But like I said this is not just about a bride and a groom, this is about how we respond to our Savior and Lord as His Bride.

Chapter 4:16-5:16

(Bride) 4:16 Awake, north wind! Come, south wind! Blow on my garden to spread its fragrance. Let my darling enter his garden and eat its finest fruit.

  • The bride is responding to the Groom seeing her as HIS garden
  • She is declaring her desire for their love to be a return to ‘The Garden’
  • She is expressing her total vulnerability and inviting her darling into this love

(Groom) 5:1 My sister, my bride, I have entered my garden; I am gathering my myrrh and my spices; I am eating my honeycomb along with my honey; I am drinking my wine as well as my milk.

  • The idea of exclusivity: MY Sister; MY bride
  • This creates ‘The Shalom’. Intimacy between a man and a woman God’s way
  • The Groom finds total fulfillment: He enjoys all the pleasures of ‘The Garden’

(Guests) Eat, friends, and drink, until you are drunk with love!

  • The guests encourage & approve of the full enjoyment of love by bride & groom
  • In this context (one man & one woman united under God) love is at it’s best!
  • The guests represent the community of God’s people
  • This is the yet to be realized perfect state of intimacy: Shalom

(Bride) 2 I am asleep, but my heart is awake. Listen! I hear my darling knocking!

  • It is unclear whether she now is in a dream state or she was previously
  • her desire is to hold on to the dream but she is called to ‘real life’

(Groom) Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my flawless one! For my head is wet with dew, my hair with the moisture of the night.

  • The groom is entreating her to open the door to Him
  • He call to her as: Perfect / Peaceful / His Passion / His Trust
  • He has come at an unexpected time, after sundown
  • The best of life is not always convenient…

(Bride) 3 I’ve removed my coat; must I put it back on? I’ve washed my feet; must I dirty them again? 4 The man I love put his hand through the hole by the door-latch, and my heart began pounding at the thought of him. 5 I got up to open for the man I love. My hands were dripping with myrrh —pure myrrh ran off my fingers onto the handle of the bolt.

  • The bride express some hesitation, some thought of selfishness, some doubt
  • Then knowing that he truly come for her she is overcome and she acts
  • She seems to be in the midst of preparing to sleep, (bedtime routine)
  • After hesitating she goes to him without stoping her anointing routine

(Bride) 6 I opened for my darling, but my darling had turned and gone. My heart had failed me when he spoke — I sought him, but I couldn’t find him; I called him, but he didn’t answer. 7 The watchmen roaming the city found me; they beat me, they wounded me; they took away my cloak, those guardians of the walls! 8 I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, that if you find the man I love, what are you to tell him? That I am sick with love.

  • Her hesitation has proved to be her undoing…now she haas to seek him
  • He is not able to be found and she pays the price for not responding to him
  • She experiences the harshness of the world outside ‘The Garden’
  • The bride invokes an oath from the daughters of Jerusalem / God’s People
  • They are to send a message to the groom: There will be no more hesitation

(Guests) 9 How does the man you love differ from any other, you most beautiful of women? How does the man you love differ from any other, that you should give us this charge?

  • The guests refer to her ‘most beautiful of women’ 
  • The community of God’s people appreciate her desire to seek the groom
  • The guests want to know why the man she loves is one of a kind
  • What is it about this groom? Why do they want her explain why He is special

(Bride) 10 The man I love is radiant and ruddy; he stands out among ten thousand. 11 His head is like the finest gold; his locks are wavy and black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves by running streams, bathed in milk and set just right.

  • Radiant: an expression of glory
  • Ruddy: King David, Man of Sorrows in Isaiah & Jesus were described this way
  • The Bridegroom stands out, one of a kind
  • Head like the finest gold = value in the thoughts and insights he has, the finest
  • The hair symbolizes youth and vitality, jet black, no grey
  • Eye like doves: gentle, full of integrity, cleansed of filth and inviting

(Bride) 13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, like banks of fragrant herbs. His lips are like lilies dripping with sweet myrrh. 14 His arms are rods of gold set with beryl, his body polished ivory adorned with sapphires. 15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His stature is like Lebanon, as imposing as the cedars.

  • His face is sweetness personified to her
  • Lilies dripping myrrh: what comes from his lips in unrivaled in all creation
  • The works of his hands are precious and pure
  • His body denotes his ‘Guts / Bowels’… the source of his character
  • His affections for his bride are rich and strong
  • Legs denote stability and consistency
  • His countenance / appearance is one of a kind excellence

(Bride) 16His words are sweetness itself; he is altogether desirable. This is my darling, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

  • What he speaks to her is the icing on the cake: the epitome of sweetness
  • All of these things combine to make him the perfect object of her affections
  • He is my ‘Brother Groom’ she declares to the people of God

SUMMARY:

The bride and groom are imagining the consummation of the marriage, a return to ‘The Garden’.

The groom comes tot he bride unannounced, but the bride is selfishly focused on ‘her world’.

Her excuses and hesitation are overwhelmed by the strength of her feelings for the groom.

Hesitation comes with a high price, he is gone and in her search for him, the world now treats her with pain and shame.

The bride wisely seeks help from the guests, ‘The Daughters of Jerusalem’ confessing the error of her ways.

God’s people encourage her to clarify her desire, to share why her love for the groom consumes her.

She describes the groom as being everything desirable and His words to her are the ultimate source of desire.

APPLICATION:

How do you imagine your relationship with Jesus Christ?

How have you hesitated to respond to Christ’s call on your life?

How might you seek the help of God’s people to clear distractions from your life so you can respond to God?

How well have you clarified the basis for your conversion to Christ Following?

When Loves Comes To Town by U2 & BB King

When love comes to town, I’m gonna jump that train
When love comes to town, I’m gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town
I was there when they crucified my Lord
I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword
I threw the dice when they pierced his side
But I’ve seen love conquer the great divide

/by

Songs of Songs Pt. 3: How Christ sees his bride

All of our text today is spoken by The Groom. What we are going to hear is the way God intended a man to be attracted to and protective of his one and only bride.  We are also going to hear how God feels about each and everyone of those who have become HIS bride, how he sees and cares for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ.

This epic poem, uses the most important of all human relationships to show how bringing that desire, passion & fulfillment completely under Jesus Christ’s control is a picture of how it was in the beginning, and how it will be in heaven. One of the constant themes throughout this ‘Song’ is how much better love is when we let God take the lead, that we submit to His timing. That the ideal love relationship must not be awakened before the right time. That the special things a man and a women can share in marriage are meant to be kept until the proper time, as God reveals.

This principal goes for everything; when we put our lives under Jesus’ Lordship we become what HE created us to be: His perfect, special, secure and fruitful Bride. This is how we are meant to be, in this exclusive, intimate with our Creator. ‘Shalom’

The CSNY song ‘Woodstock’ has a line: ‘We’ve got to get ourselves, back to The Garden’. We have God given desire to experience Shalom, to walk with God like Adam & Eve did in the Garden.  God wants to take us back to The Garden, That is why Christ came! This book is scripture because it helps complete the picture of God’s redemptive story.

Song of Songs 4:1-15

(Groom) 1 How beautiful you are, my love! How beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. 2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep that have just come up from being washed; each of them is matched, and none of them is missing.

  • The repetition is on purpose
  • Imagery drawn from the experience of a shepherd
  • Doves are a symbol of purity
  • She is veiled, the totality of her beauty is still unknown; she is not his yet…
  • Hair like goats on a mountain….picture it
  • It was rare to have nice teeth…

(Groom)3 Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like a pomegranate split open behind your veil. 4 Your neck is like the tower of David, built magnificently, on which hang a thousand bucklers, each one a brave warrior’s shield. 5 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle grazing among lilies. 

  • Using the things that were familiar in that world
  • Scarlet thread was rare, woven into temple curtains & High Priest’s Ephod
  • Pomegranate: soft and round yet behind the veil;  they are not fully known yet
  • Tower of David was a Citadel, the description speaks of splendor & strength 
  • The ‘lilies’ is a place of security and sweetness

(Groom) 6 When the day’s cool breeze comes up and the shadows lengthen, I will get myself to the mountain of myrrh, to the hill of frankincense. 

  • Lengthening shadows denote the end of the work day
  • He will seek the sweetness of His Bride when work is done; a fitting reward

(Groom) 7 Everything about you is beautiful, my love; you are without a flaw. 8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Come down from the heights of Amana, from the heights of Senir and Hermon, down from the lions’ lairs and the leopard-haunted hills.

  • It is a subjective vision, to see your Bride as flawless…
  • If we are ‘In Christ’ God doesn’t see sinful you or me, He sees His perfect Son!
  • The groom wants the bride to come to him, choosing to leave her world
  • Mountains are a place of excitement and danger, the valley is secure & sweet
  • ‘Leave and Cleve’  In marriage and ‘In Christ’

(Groom) 9 My sister, my bride, you have carried my heart away! With just one glance, with one bead of your necklace you have carried my heart away. 10 My sister, my bride, how sweet is your love! How much better your love than wine, more fragrant your perfumes than any spice!

  • Calling her ‘Sister Bride’ is telling her how multifaceted their relationship is
  • Protection & Loyalty for a sister, Union & Exclusivity with your Bride 
  • She carries his heart away, he is naturally attracted
  • Her love is what the Groom desires the most, it’s more intoxicating than wine
  • The reaction of his senses to her is beyond any other experience
  • This is How God sees you Christian: desirable for all the right reasons
  • THIS love of a Bride & Groom can illustrate the love of God & His people

(Groom) 11 Your lips, my bride, drip honey; honey and milk are under your tongue; and the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon.

  • Kisses and words come from the lips
  • He only calls her Bride now for these things are shared only with that one.
  • Mystery & intrigue, the scent of the unfamiliar…

(Groom) 12 My sister, my bride, is a garden locked up, a pool covered over, a spring sealed shut. 

  • Again the dual title invokes secure care and exclusive passion
  • Water is what gives every growing thing life
  • This water is not available to everyone, it is held for a one of a kind purpose

(Groom) 13 You are an orchard that puts forth pomegranates and other precious fruits, henna and nard —14 nard with saffron and aromatic cane, cinnamon and all kinds of frankincense trees, myrrh, aloes, all the best spices.

  • V13 is sometimes over sexualized… (shoots or limbs translated as thighs) 
  • Literal translation: ‘Your shoots, a paradise of pomegranates…’
  • To Him she is all things stimulating to the senses
  • In this God ordained love she is a place where everything is put right: Shalom
  • The Big Idea: in God ordained marriage we can get a glimpse of ‘The Garden’

(Groom)15 You are a garden fountain, a spring of running water, flowing down from Lebanon.

  • As they trust each other and enter into intimacy, the life giving goodness flows!
  • When joined God’s way the spring is to be released and the Garden thrives

SUMMARY:

The Groom compares the beauty of his bride to the beauty of God’s creation from the perspective of a shepherd. This is how the ‘Great Shepherd’ sees His bride.

The Groom’s daily toil is rewarded by ‘The Sweet Heights’ of his Bride. The mountains are exciting & risky, the valley is safe & peaceful.  He calls her to come to him and find security.

Sister Bride is a name that expresses incredible protective care & loyalty along with passionate unity and exclusivity!  This is who Jesus Christ sees His followers as!

Our sexual intimacy is precious to God, He desires us to share it exclusively in the confines He prescribes (Biblical Marriage). In the same way He wants us to be intimate with Him exclusively.

This is a picture of how a ‘God Prescribed Marriage’ can give us a vision of what a return to the Garden of Eden Heaven will be.

APPLICATION:

What are some ways you can practice being a beautiful part of God’s creation? 

How do you respond to Jesus Christ seeing you as His unique ‘Sister Bride’?

Since Christ enthusiastically enjoys your honest love, how can you express it more?

What would it look like for you to be a garden spring of running water in your relationship with God?

/by

Song of Songs Pt. 2 : Our Longings Fulfilled

Doing things God’s way

How and why did I chose this book to preach: Guidance is needed! We need guidance & inspiration to have Biblical relationships with Christ & a spouse. 

Why is Biblical Marriage important? Scripture defines Biblical Marriage as one man and one woman under one God.  THIS IS THE ONLY sanctified place of sexual intimacy for humans according to God’s revealed Word.  This is God’s ideal for humans.

Why is a Biblical relationship with Christ important? Love is under the sovereignty of God, just like everything else!  With this Scripture, God is showing us how to do it HIS way! The fierceness & strength of pure love is God’s ideal for our relationship with Him.

So it‘s about God’s ideal for marriage and His ideal for relating to Him. Understanding the Song’s literal meaning regarding the ideal marriage enables us to understand its allegorical implications. They are meant to work together pointing us to good theology and good doxology.

Why is it Scripture?

Song of Songs was included in the Hebrew Canon because it affirms the ‘radical monotheism’ of Judaism. This absolute exclusivity is expressed in Biblical marriage, one man & one woman under God, that is also seen in the writing of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Jeremiah and Amos. New Testament wise, it matches Christ’s teaching of ‘The Wedding Feast of The Lamb’ and other such imagery.

Why it is needed? It is the ideal God has for us. There are lots of examples in scripture for of how marriage is done wrong & relationship with God done wrong. This is how it is supposed to be: Shalom. This ideal marriage is an earthly picture of the eternal reversal of the punishment of Eve in Genesis 3:16 (“your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you”), the woman in the Song declares, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” There is mutuality, honoring and ‘how God would have it’ about this love that places the lovers back into the Garden. God’s love redeems!

Our passage today deals with the longing and desire for the kind of love God designed for us.  It speaks of new beginnings and plans that will soon be brough to fruition. The growing of these two into one flesh in right relationship with God, the consuming love we are to share with Christ.

PRAY

Song of Songs 2:8 – 3:11

(Bride) 8 The voice of the man I love! Here he comes, bounding over the mountains, skipping over the hills! 9 My darling is like a gazelle or young stag. There he is, standing outside our wall, looking in through the windows, peering in through the lattice.

  • Sound is an emotional trigger
  • The gazelle or stag symbolizes vitality and exuberance
  • He has come to where she is but doesn’t barge in 

(Bride) 10 My darling speaks; he is saying to me, “Get up, my love! My beauty! Come away! 11 For you see that the winter has passed, the rain is finished and gone, 12 the flowers are appearing in the countryside, the time has come for birds to sing, and the cooing of doves can be heard in the land. 13 The fig trees are forming their unripe figs, and the grapevines in bloom give out their perfume. Get up, my love, my beauty! Come away!”

  • This is what she imagines she hears the groom say: Spring is Here!
  • The garden, the vineyard, the trees the birds all declare it!
  • Spring denotes the blooming of their love, headed to the apex: Marriage!
  • She receives an invitation into the fullness of the relationship

(Groom) 14 My dove, hiding in holes in the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, let me see your face and hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

  • She is elusive, she is shy…
  • The groom acknowledges the humble posture of the bride
  • He asks her to reveal herself (The Ultimate Gentleman)
  • The groom waits for the bride to be intimate at her pace

(Bride) 15 “Catch the foxes for us, yes, the little foxes! They are ruining the vineyards when our vineyards are in bloom!”

  • Little Foxes represent things that could damage their growing love   
  • ‘Little things’ if left unaddressed, can ruin the bloom of God ordained love 
  • Don’t let the little things go unaddressed! Key principal for all relationships!
  • Take preventative measures to protect this love from anything that could harm it.”
  • The bride asked the groom to do this. We ask Christ to do this
  • A proactive approach to dealing with issues is God’s way

Some examples of ‘little foxes’

Uncontrolled desire that drives a wedge of guilt and mistrust between the couple.

Mistrust and jealousy that strains or breaks the bond of love.

Selfishness and pride that refuses to acknowledge wrong and fault to one another.

An unforgiving attitude that will not accept an apology.

(Bride) 16 My darling is mine, and I am his, as he pastures his flock among the lilies. 17 Before the daytime breeze rises and the shadows flee, return, my love, like a stag or gazelle on the hills of Beter.

  • The exclusivity of belonging solely to the other
  • She considers herself the ‘flock’ of the groom
  • The place where he keeps her is sweet and lush
  • When He is not there she longs for His return

(Bride) 3:1 Night after night on my bed I looked for the man I love. I looked for him, but I did not find him. 2 “I will get up now and roam the city, through the streets and the open places, I will look for the man I love.” I looked for him, but I did not find him.

  • This is a dream the bride has (previous sequence?)
  • She has dreamed of being His bride
  • Then she goes everywhere to find him

(Bride) 3 The guards roaming the city found me. “Have you seen the man I love?” 4 Scarcely had I left them, when I found the man I love. I took hold of him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the bedroom of the woman who conceived me.

  • Last place to check was with the guards: did he leave the city?
  • When she finally finds him she is fiercely possessive
  • She wants to take the groom to the beginning of her story and lay everything out
  • She is ready to become totally intimate with the groom… 

(Bride) 5 I warn you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and deer in the wilds, not to awaken or stir up love until it wants to arise!

  • The warning is like before: This God given gift must be handled with care
  • It must happen on God’s timetable, not ours
  • We must respect the power of what God wants for us, in marriage and in HIM!

(Bride)

6 Who is this, coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, chosen from the merchant’s crushed spices? 7 It is Solomon’s litter, escorted by sixty valiant men chosen from Israel’s finest; 8 all of them wield the sword and are expert fighters; each one has his sword ready at his side to combat the terrors of night.

  • This is imagery of King Solomon representing God
  • God can appear unapproachable, guarded and unreachable
  • There is power against evil, it is His

(Bride)
9 King Solomon made himself a royal litter of wood from Lebanon. 10 He made its columns of silver, its roof of gold, its seat of purple cloth; its inside was lovingly inlaid by the daughters of Jerusalem. 11 Daughters of Zion, come out, and gaze upon King Solomon, wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, his day of joy!

  • HE has placed himself in this spot, it is His rightful place
  • We do well to approach Him in awe and wonder, but approach we must
  • Tie in to the King’s wedding day and the joy of that. (Wedding feast of the Lamb?)

SUMMARY:

The ideal is needed to guide us: in Marriage and in our life with God.

There is a proper way to approach Marriage and to approach God.

Exclusivity is God’s ideal for marriage AND His relationship with us. 

God gives us an exciting vision, but we must cooperate with Him to properly experience the fullness of what He desires for us in marriage and our walk with HIM.

We are called to be intentional in the addressing all relationship issues, with God and in Marriage.

Putting God in His proper place will enable everything else to be properly aligned.

APPLICATION:

Are you convinced this book is ‘God breathed’ and a guide for us in marriage and our relationship with Christ? Why or why not?

How exclusive is your walk with Christ? How exclusive is your relationship with your spouse?

How can you look at your walk with Christ as a new beginning today?

What are the ‘Little Foxes’ you need to attend to in your marriage or in your walk with Jesus?

/by

Songs of Songs PT. 1: ‘God’s Perfect Union for Humans’

Summary of The Book:

A celebration of how the most important human relationship can be the greatest experience we ever have on earth, when done the God of the scriptures way.

It is also the story of Christ and His church. We don’t have to be ashamed to talk abut sexual intimacy within God’s holy plan for it.

Pt. 1: Song of Songs 1:1 – 2:8

(Author)

1 The Ultimate Song, by Solomon.

  • Compilation of wedding songs / poems by Solomon
  • Two ways to read the book: Multi-Layered meaning of Scripture
  • #1. The description of the ideal union of two humans done God’s way
  • #1. The description of how we should be intimate in our relationship with God
  • We should be the Bride and Christ is our Groom!

(Bride)

2 Let him smother me with kisses from his mouth, for your love is better than wine. 3 Your anointing oils have a wonderful fragrance; your name is like anointing oil poured out. This is why young women love you. 4 “Take me with you. We will run together”. The king has brought me into his rooms.

  • The groom’s love is better than wine: intoxicating at different levels (spiritual)
  • Good smells were a luxury,
  • God’s idea of love & commitment between a man & a woman is enjoyable!

(Guests)

We will be glad and rejoice for you. We will praise your love more than wine.
How right it is for us to love you!

  • The community of God’s people affirm this God ordained relationship

(Bride)

5 I am dark tan but beautiful, you daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. 6 Don’t stare at me because I’m dark; it’s the sun that tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me and made me look after the vineyards. But I haven’t cared for my own vineyard.

  • There is a humility that is part of the character of the Bride
  • She is not to be judged by appearances alone

(Bride)

7 Tell me, my love, where you pasture your flock, where you have them rest at noon; for why should I veil myself beside the flocks of your friends?

  • She is asking to be incorporated into every aspect of her beloved’s life
  • She want to be fully associated as HIS, she wants to be taken off the market

(Guests)

8 If you do not know, you most beautiful of women, then follow the footprints of the flock and let your kids graze by the shepherds’ tents.

  • They are telling her she could know if she would follow the right guidance
  • Some of being brought to union by God involves letting it happen organically

(Groom)

9 My love, I compare you with my mare, pulling one of Pharaoh’s chariots —10 your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with its strings of beads; 11 we will make you ornaments of gold, studded with silver.

  • This is an expression of how the groom wants to show his bride off
  • These ornaments highlight her natural beauty, but they don’t overshadow it
  • She deserves nice things but she doesn’t need them to be his desire

(Bride)

12 As the king reclines at table, my nard gives forth its perfume: 13 to me the man I love is a sachet of myrrh lodged between my breasts; 14 to me the man I love is a spray of henna flowers in the vineyards of En Gedi.

  • When the groom is in his place the bride will naturally attract him
  • To the bride the groom is a secure pleasure, an ever present source of delight
  • A great spot at a great location

(Groom)

15 Look at you, my love! How beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves!

  • Doves used as items of sacrifice
  • The affection is genuine

(Bride)

16 — Look at you! So handsome, so pleasing, my darling! Our bed is the greenery; 17 cedars are the beams of our houses, cypresses the rafters.

  • The bride is enthralled with the groom because he is HER darling (exclusive)
  • The location of their intimacy is all creation! (not just sexually in a bed)

(Bride)

2:1 I am but a rose from the Sharon, just a lily in the valleys.

  • Another expression of humility by the bride
  • She is saying she is not anything special but an ordinary, common flower

(Groom)

2 Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the other women.

  • In comparison to others the groom views his bride as a breed unto herself!
  • There is no comparison in his eyes

(Bride)

3 Like an apple tree among the other trees in the forest is my darling among the other men. I love to sit in his shadow; his fruit is sweet to my taste. 4 He brings me to the banquet hall; his banner over me is love.

  • The apple is the most valuable of trees: vary hardy, long producing, & beautiful
  • Security is found in the groom’s covering,
  • The bride wants to be overshadowed by the groom
  • His natural gift to is enjoyable to HER
  • It’s a place of celebration & honor: public display of the grooms affection
  • His banner is who He is and what He believers about her

(Bride)
5 Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. 6 I wish his left arm under my head, and his right arm around me. 7 I warn you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and deer in the wilds, not to awaken or stir up love until it wants to arise!

  • The groom at once flusters the bride and sustains her
  • For the bride to be sick with love is to be overcome, but the groom is the cure
  • The embrace of the groom is almost too much for her t handle
  • God wants the fullness of intimacy to be an overwhelming experience
  • But it is only to be experienced in the way HE has sanctioned
  • The warning is that to get the full experience you need to do it God’s way!

Summary:

The experience of God ordained marriage goes beyond natural pleasures. A Biblical relationship with Christ is supernatural.

The Bride is drawn to the Groom as the Biblical Church is drawn to Christ!

The Bride is humble & focused on others. Christ’s Bride exists only through humility

The Groom is proud of His Bride and brings Her into every dimension of His life. Christ wants us to share every aspect of Himself with us.

The exclusivity of the marriage relationship provides ‘secure pleasures.’ Only ‘In Christ’ can we experience ‘peaceful Joy’.

There is a proper time for love between a man and a woman to be expressed in sexual intimacy: The union of Biblical marriage. The terms of our surrender to Christ’s Lordship are His to dictate.

APPLICATION:

Why do you believe (or not believe) that sexual intimacy should only occur between a man and a woman in the relationship of Biblical marriage?

How do you see yourself as Christ’s Bride? How do you act as Christ’s Bride?

Married Couples: what ‘secure pleasures’ can you provide for your spouse?

Not yet Married: how will invite your future spouse into every part of your life?

How can you live more like Jesus Christ is proud of you and wants to show you off?

/by

LORDSHIP DISCIPLESHIP

Biblical Christianity

True biblical conversion to Christianity comes only through the giving up of your life to Jesus Christ, making Him Your Lord. Our discipleship should be characterized by the laying down of our life, just as our salvation is:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” ~ Jesus The Christ @ Mark 8:34b & 35

Lordship Salvation creates Lordship Discipleship. Lordship Discipleship results from Lordship Salvation. Lordship Discipleship is the Biblical Model and mode for all Christians.

But were does the motivation come from? Should we change a lot? Should we see things differently than we did before Christ? How does our discipleship fit into God’s plan for us to be part of a church body? How do we figure out what our role is in the church body? What should the life of a ‘Lordship Disciple’ look like?

Today’s passage gives a clear & complete vision of what I call ‘Lordship Discipleship’. It answers all the questions I just asked.

Romans 12:1-16

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

  • Brothers and Sisters who have received God’s mercy means: ‘Saved People’
  • What might be considered a proper view of God’s mercy?
  • We should be awed, amazed, remorseful, grateful, repentant & convicted!
  • Understanding what God has done for us will compel us to to lay down our life
  • ‘Being’ A living sacrifice is a continuous process
  • A living sacrifice can crawl off the alter…but will always crawl back on.
  • A Proper / Reasonable response to God’s mercy is surrender
  • This is the only ‘True’ response, the only response that pleases God

Lordship Disciples respond to God’s mercy by laying down their life!

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

  • Conforming to the pattern of this world involves where you place your treasure
  • What you conform to is what you value, it is what you put your trust in
  • The pattern of this world is NOT the pattern of God’s ways!
  • The pattern of this world is mostly dictated by Satan and human sin
  • Prior to Christ entering our lives we’re all conformed to the pattern of this world
  • You cannot be who God wants you to be and still value this world’s views
  • You cannot be a True follower of Christ and not change how you think
  • You must ‘Change Your Mind’ about a lot of things
  • Our brain is capable of being renewed, the physiology exists (God designed)
  • Lordship Discipleship is a process of mental & emotional transformation
  • It is through that transformation that you begin to see things from God’s view
  • Only through that transformation (Led by The HS) that you see God’s viewpoint
  • You have to learn & know God’s will to recognize it in your life. (Counterfeit Money)

Lordship Disciples are changed by God’s Will & Word so they know His will!

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

  • God placed Paul in the position to bring this hard truth to us:
  • Be honest with yourself, especially beware of overrating yourself
  • Use realistic judgement (we need others for this)
  • Be realistic about how you are, where God brought you from & where you are
  • Don’t work from who you would like to be or hope to be, but from who you really are
  • Knowing more about who God is helps us know who we are

Lordship Disciples are real with themselves & God!

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

  • We are not all meant to play the same role, we are pieces of God’s puzzle
  • The picture is only complete when every piece is in it’s proper place
  • We can’t complete the picture unless all of us do our part / play our role
  • In doing this we become interdependent, we all need each other
  • Because we all belong to Christ, we all belong to each other
  • Belonging to each other involves sacrifice (good thing we’re learning to do that)

Lordship Disciples live for the good of the Body of Christ, not their desires!

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

  • We have various talents, expressed at different levels, based on God’s work in us
  • If you are meant to speak from God’s viewpoint, do it based on HIS work in you
  • If you are gifted to serve, don’t try to be a prophet or a teacher (avoid seeking attention)
  • If you can teach, do it! Don’t try to do something else
  • If you are good at encouraging people become more intentional about it
  • If you have means to give then you must realize that is a gift to be shared
  • If called to lead take it really seriously, a lot is at stake (judged & rewarded)
  • If you can show others mercy be happy you get to be the ‘hand of God’

Lordship Disciples are good stewards of the gifts Christ gives them!

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

  • All of these things are expressions of conformity to God’s ways, not the world’s
  • Sincere love is unconditional love. Sincere love doesn’t need reciprocation
  • Tolerance of evil is NOT hating evil. It’s not wrong to hate what God hates
  • You can’t cling to what is good and what is evil at the same time (One Master)
  • Focusing on others takes God’s grace, the opposite of the pattern of this world
  • Honoring others above yourself takes HS transformation / a renewed mind
  • No place for apathy regarding God in the life of a Lordship Disciple
  • A Lordship Disciple’s life is marked by joy, hope, patience, faithfulness & prayer
  • A Lordship Disciple’s life is marked by sharing what you have with the Church
  • At Lordship Disciple’s life is marked by a spirit of hosting & welcoming others

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

  • True Disciples of Christ don’t play tit for tat…we don’t have to return fire
  • Lordship Disciples are emotionally invested in the lives of others
  • Lordship Disciples seek harmony in their interactions (not possible with evil)
  • Lordship Disciples are humble and gracious to the marginalized
  • Lordship Disciples are not full of themselves: They are full of God’s Spirit

Lordship Disciples live out the life that Christ has given them as their Lord!

SUMMARY:

The impact of receiving God’s mercy drives a desire to lay down our lives for Christ.

Christ’s Disciples live a transformed sacrificial life, rejecting this world, so we can truly know God.

Honest self assessment is crucial to learning and living our our role in the body.

In living our lives for Christ, our lifestyle will display God’s ways of doing things.

APPLICATION:

Do you agree that Lordship Salvation / Lordship Discipleship is the Biblical model?

How would you describe your need for God’s mercy and your response to it?

How do you think differently about things since surrendering your life to Christ?

How honest are you with yourself and with God? How can you be more honest?

How are you specifically using what Christ has given you to live under His Lordship?

/by

Luke Pt. 46: How true Disciples Roll

Following Christ in prayerful, non aggressive strength, surrendered to His will.

Still in the Upper Room Jesus is going to give His followers a lot of direction as to how to specifically follow Him. He give them and us HIS Kingdom Leadership Paradigm and explains the reality of Hard Road of His Discipleship. He shares how Christ’s Disciples prepare for Spiritual Opposition. He gives us some insight into tactics Satan used and will use on us! (that is why it is in the Scripture, to help us!) We are charged with following Christ in prayerful, non aggressive strength, surrendered to God’s will. His true disciples will operate with honesty and integrity when dealing with conflict. We are to be mindful of how satan operates and avoid going with the flow of the ‘spirit of the hour’ so as to avoid gettin caught up in the ‘time when the power of darkness reigns’.

Luke 22:24-53

24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

  • The disciples quickly move from self examination to argument about status
  • Christ identifies the corrupt way of leadership in our world…(it is accepted)
  • He says: ‘You, my True Disciples will be different’…he redefines what status is
  • Jesus is explicit regarding this matter (Matthew 20 / Mark 10 / John 13)
  • Servant Leadership is the only Biblical way to leading Christ’s Church

27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

  • Normal way is that the greater importance belongs to the one being served
  • When you follow Christ you do as He did; you sacrifice your needs for others
  • Doing for others is how WE measure importance / STATUS in Christ’s kingdom
  • We can’t fudge on His example…”well our church is so big we need a CEO…”

28 “You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

  • They have made the cut… based on Gospel of John, Judas has left the room
  • What belongs to Jesus belongs to His ‘True Disciples’
  • The right to eat & drink is about family and community (partnership)
  • The 12 will condemn the rejection of Christ by the Jews (- Judas + Matthias)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

  • Christ calls him Simon, telling him he has a ways to go to become Peter
  • 1st part of this is about all the Disciples (plural of you in V29, V30 & V31)
  • Then it becomes focused on Peter (singular of you all three times in V32)
  • You are all going to go thru some mess, then use what you learn to help others
  • Servant Leadership is born of experiencing humility, as in being humiliated!
  • When you have been there and done that, you want to help others not go there

33 Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” 34 But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

  • Peter is earnest in his declarations, but naive as far as to how hard the road is
  • Jesus let’s him know that his sin will take him where he can’t believe he will go
  • What Peter lacked at that point was the indwelling Holy Spirit

35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or an extra pair of sandals, did you need anything?” “No,” they replied.

  • Based on how hard things are going to get Jesus wanted to prepare them & us
  • Prior to the Crucifixion the forces of Hell didn’t organize against the threat
  • Disciples were not considered a threat a couple years ago

36 “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one! 37 For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’

  • Post Crucifixion the game changes drastically, protection instead of fashion
  • It was foretold the true messiah would be labeled an insurrectionist
  • To the Jewish authority Christ & His Followers will now pose a threat

Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.” 38 “Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.” “That’s enough,” he said.

  • Christ alludes to what is going to happen over the next three and a half days
  • They say, we have two in our midst who can protect, who are armed
  • Jesus says, that’s good, we don’t need material offense, just defense

39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

  • They went to the usual place so Judas would know where to find them
  • He tells them and us directly: Pray for God to enable you to fight temptations
  • He goes out of earshot and prays this model prayer for us! V.42
  • He gives us an example of how we should look at everything in our lives
  • Since we have given our lives to Him why would we not submit to His will?
  • It is hard to say sometimes honestly, the more you believe it the more you do it

43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

  • The God / man Jesus The Christ relied on & got strength from heaven (model)
  • Resignation to God’s will brings strength and empowerment
  • Resignation to God’s will brings the ability to persevere, physically & spiritually

45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

  • At last means: when the struggle was finished…some time had passed
  • They were sleeping because they are like you and me: weak humans
  • Jesus tells us we can overcome temptations, it takes persistence & connection

47 But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. 48 But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

  • The crowd was made up of ‘Temple Guards’, the Sanhedrin’s private army
  • Since it was dark they needed a sign to get the right guy…
  • Satan will use the cover of ‘love’ to get what he wants (any means necessary)
  • ‘Test the Spirits’ Those opposed to Christ will erect elaborate facades of lies

49 When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” 50 And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

  • Now that Jesus was identified, the guards moved to take him into custody
  • The High Priest’s slave was probably giving orders
  • A strategic strike to defend their leader, John 18 identifies Peter as swordsman
  • Jesus ended it and restored what had been hurt
  • We all do dumb stuff in anger, we must stop when we hear Christ say stop!

52 Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 53 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”

  • He demonstrates that their actions prove the evil intent they have
  • If they had a legitimate issue they would approach Him publicly, legally
  • Acting at night and violently is a mark of how Satan operates
  • People who act like this CAN NOT be honest about what their goals are

SUMMARY:

By His example, Christ clearly defines leadership among His Disciples as opposite the world’s way, calling the leaders of His people to be servants not overlords.

Christ’s Disciples will partner with Him in His Kingdom; but the journey includes hard tests and even the best of us will fail to honor Jesus every time.

Jesus warns His Disciples to be prepared for the opposition from HELL we face as objects of Christ’s redemption & forgiveness. Prepare to be attacked, not to attack.

Christ models for us HIS way to be proactive with temptation: He is real with His Dad and He resigns His will to that of The Father.

Evil that opposes Christ & His Disciples will not always do it overtly, they will claim the mantle of love. ‘The denial of Christ Jesus as God’ cannot contain any real love.

Achieving goals by whatever means necessary is not Christ’s way. His Disciples don’t do subterfuge or aggression; we do honesty and self defense.

APPLICATION:

What part will you play in encouraging and valuing the ‘Biblical Culture’ of servant leadership @ Midtown?

How well do you specifically identify the temptations you are facing in your life?

Why is it important for YOU to constantly pray: ‘God, I want Your will done, not mine’?

Should Christ’s Disciples agree with the social & political views of those who’s beliefs and actions contradict Jesus Christ’s ways and words?

/by

Luke pt. 45: The Importance of Examining our Faith

INTRO

· Making our way through Luke, almost done I promise. 2 more chapters

· Starting here with the account of the Passover celebration with the disciples, we start on a string of events that is recorded in each gospel.

· Even though the plan of our salvation can seem so obvious and straight forward to us now, the disciples had different expectations. Political revolution, war, free state of Israel.

· Jesus continues to reveal his true mission here on earth. This had been the plan the whole time, but now it’s here.

· What we are going to learn this week: 1) why communion is important, 2) why we participate in communion, and 3) why it is important that we continually examine our faith.

· Last week, we learned the plot to kill Jesus is in motion

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

· Passover, the highest Jewish holiday, it was the story of God sparing the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb.

· The tenth and final plague that God inflicted upon Pharaoh, the angel of death killed every first born son.

· The Israelites were told to sacrifice a young lamb, without blemish

· God looked upon the blood of the lamb on the door and spared them.

· reminder that Christ was under the law, did not neglect its commands, like celebrating high Jewish holidays.

· Only perfect man that ever lived, able to meet the rigorous standard of the mosaic law.

9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. 10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.” 13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

· Jesus knows exactly what the plan is, every little detail. Here, and regarding our salvation.

· The disciples found it was all true, just like he said it would be

· “Blind faith” is sort of a misnomer. Jesus makes his case over and over why we should trust him. This is more Evidence for the rest of the gospel, things go the way he said they would go.

· Important to focus on this point. Jesus could have told them exactly what house to go to. Instead he tells them to find a random man who will lead them.

· Jesus teaches them they need to rely on divine providence, in dependence of him. we should engage in the same process of dependent learning, being true disciples of Jesus.

· Do you depend on God’s divine providence? How much of your life do you hold on to, and want to run yourself? This has dire consequences.

· “Is there some part of his life where he is consciously resisting… the commandment of Jesus. Is there some part of your life which you are refusing to surrender, some sinful passion, some hope, ambition or reason? If so you may not be surprised to find… that prayer is difficult, or that your request for faith remains unanswered” -Bonhoeffer

· I hold on to my future. Planning for where I want to be, when I want to retire, where to live. We gotta let go!

· A part of your life not surrendered to Jesus can lead to a lack of faith, and even a lack of God’s grace, indicating the absence of the holy spirit!

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

· vs 15, Jesus eagerly wanted to do this! It started his suffering, but also the salvation and redemption of mankind.

· vs 16, with Christ as the sacrificial lamb, he says we will not need to eat the unleavened feast again, he fulfilled it and completed the atonement. Jesus is our Passover.

· 1 Corinthians 5:7 “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

· the Passover was a foreshadowing, Jesus is the fulfillment of what a sacrifice is all about.

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

· Common communion passage, it establishes the sacrament that we partake in!

· sacrament is something ordained by Christ, that is a symbol of spiritual reality

· Augustine of Hippo said it is an “outward sign of an inward grace”. similar to baptism.

· Not salvific, but a demonstration of the accomplished grace.

· Only two sacraments universally accepted in the Christian church. A confession of how we give over control.

· There was a normal script that the head of the table would recite.

· v19, “this is my body, given for you”. Weird! Not part of Passover. He is the offering. References Leviticus 21:8 ” Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God. Consider them holy, because I the LORD am holy”.

· Jesus did not use the normal meaning of the Passover elements, he reinterpreted them.

· why participation is important. We get to sit and enjoy a meal with him.

· so we do this as a witness, a confirmation of the promise he made. declarative bond that we partake in his broken body.

· v19 “do this in remembrance of me”. A clear cut command. We see the disciples do this throughout Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

· Jesus tells us to do this until he comes back, not for a season. Also a looking forward to his return. Because we do believe he is coming back.

· v20, “new covenant” implies there is an old covenant. There were several actually, with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David.

· Some of these are conditional, some unconditional. Some to Israel, others to all mankind.

· this new covenant is for everyone, he has been broken for us. not a trashing of the old. progressive revelations with each new one.

· this new one fulfills all old covenants. Jesus came not to break, but to fulfill. It is the apex of god’s promise!

· This is why we want to keep it fresh, less of a ritual, and more of a purposeful celebration. A gift we’ve been given. Not something to do without recognizing the importance of it.

21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

· We read last week that Satan had already overtaken Judas. Again, there is nothing Jesus doesn’t know.

· Judas just performed the ceremony and customs of the law, being fully turned against the Lord in hatred!

· words and Actions might plausibly profess religion, but his heart was corrupt and evil.

· There are those who have taken the bread and the cup, who have professed Christ, and still betrayed Him.

· Have you given control to God?

· v23, they questioned themselves. They inspected their own faith. this is part of why we do communion every week.

· to check our relationship with Jesus, to examine our faith.

· Paul says inspect your faith. 2 Cor 13:5 ” Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?”

· It is something we need to constantly ask ourselves. This ritual drives us to a point of self-examination.

· As followers of Jesus we need to make this a lifestyle.

Summary

· Jesus impressed on his disciples a dependence on him. As disciples, we are to live the same way. There is no such thing as an independent disciple.

· It can seriously impact our faith and belief when we hold on to control in our lives.

· Communion celebrates what Jesus purposefully accomplished. It is an opportunity to regularly experience his sacrifice.

· Judas was going through the motions, the results are the same if we just go through the motions. It leads to death.

Application

· How are you trusting God? One thing to say it. Another to do it. with your money? with your relationships? with your plans?

· What are you not trusting Him for?

· How do you examine your faith? Do you have purposeful practices in your life that cause self-examination of what is hopefully your most treasured possession.

· How can we see communion for more of what it is? Do you see it as important? Should it be?

/by

Luke Pt. 44 ‘Contentment Not confusion / Faith Not Fear

Luke 21:20-38 & 22:1-6

Jesus continues His teaching that is parallel prophecies… His earthly time was coming to a close…each word and action was purposeful. He knew there was everything on the line: Those who obey His Word would find redemption, those who do not: destruction. Christ wants His followers to be content with what we know about His return. We don’t need to be confused with a lot of sequences and pseudo-signs… There’s not going to be anything for us to do other than look up and see our salvation! Christ calls us to live THIS life based on our faith & trust in our ETERNAL life. We don’t live preoccupied with holding on to this life. We certainly don’t live like this life as if this life is all there is. We live unto for and united with Jesus Christ; not protect or prolong THIS Life! As if we could add a minute to our lives by worry… (Jesus @ Luke 12 & Matthew 6) Contentment with His coming & trust for His plans should mark us as Christ’s people.

20 “And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city.

  • Verses before this speak of the persecutions that will occur in book of Acts
  • The next time Jerusalem will be attacked is when Rome destroys it in 70 AD
  • 70 AD: Christians in Jerusalem & nearby obeyed Christ’s words and survived

22 For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 23 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people.

  • Many prophecies of doom for Jerusalem for turning away from God
  • This is the 2nd time God will destroy Jerusalem in Judgement (second chance)
  • Heart wrenching brutality will be visited on the inhabitants of Jerusalem
  • God’s anger is justified by God’s standards (‘This People’ / ‘Covenant Nation’)

24 They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

  • Judgement for the corruption of the Temple
  • What has happened to the Jews since the destruction of Jerusalem?
  • Jerusalem captured and recaptured 15 times since 70 AD / every 135 yrs

25 “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

  • Shifting from 70 AD to the end of ‘The Age of the Gentiles’ / Church Age
  • Unmistakable cosmic events will usher in the end (but for how long?)
  • Fundamental changes in the oceans, things that have never happened
  • Great fear and foreboding will grip people because of the upheaval in nature
  • …And then!

27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”

  • Christ’s return will be seen by all in a universal, world wide supernatural event!
  • Those who know Christ will recognize the author of your salvation
  • When ‘All These Things

29 Then he gave them this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. 30 When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near.

  • God’s world has ways that it follows every time (seasons)
  • Reliable as seasons changing: so the end of this age will be after these signs

32 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

  • Do not mistake this: ‘This Generation’ is a synonym for ‘Age of The Gentiles’
  • This world as we know it will come to an end, but what God says is eternal

34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

  • Be on Guard! Be intentional in how you live! Don’t waste the time you have!
  • Today is the day to start living more fully for God!
  • Thinking you will always have time is a lie! No guarantee of another minute!
  • If you are alive it is possible for you to see Christ’s return
  • “Look busy, the boss is coming!”
  • This End could happen in your lifetime, pray for God Given strength stand firm
  • Keeping alert is focusing on your relationship with Christ
  • Standing before Him means: surrendered to and belonging to HIM

37 Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. 38 The crowds gathered at the Temple early each morning to hear him. 1 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

  • Jesus establishes a routine that will enable Judas to guide the Jews to Him
  • The Passover begins Thursday @ sundown
  • They should be focused on worshiping God not eliminating their competition

3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

  • This is demonic ‘possession’. Judas was not protected by the Holy Spirit
  • He somehow knew these men cared more about their power than God
  • They figured money would be more important to Judas than loyalty
  • They both knew they had to avoid the crowds…

SUMMARY:

Jesus foretold Jerusalem’s destruction; tying it to God’s judgement foretold in scripture & to warn His followers.

Christ foretells the unmistakable signs of His return at the end of this age.

Jesus is repeatedly clear about the world-wide supernatural event of His return.

Christ’s words are eternal truth, the signs He described MUST happen before He returns.

Jesus commands His people to focus on HIS priorities; not personal, worldly desires.

Christ calls us to stay connected to Him so we can be prepared for His return.

Scripture teaches that God was in charge of all the events that resulted in Christ’s Crucifixion.

APPLICATION:

What are some lessons for Christ’s followers in the destruction of Jerusalem?

Why is it important to be well versed on what Jesus says about His return?

What does it look like for you to keep your heart from becoming ‘Dull’?

Why does God want us to know what happened to setup Christ’s betrayal?

/by

Luke Pt. 43: What Does YOUR Future Hold?

Sacrificial worship in light of eternity.

What does the future hold? When I say future, do you think next year, 10yrs, 20yrs? Do you think about the end of this world as ‘The Future’?Knowing what we do about the future, what is important? Right now, today. Christ gives us information about what lies ahead and He also gives us guidance for the here and now of our relationship with God.

Luke 21:1-19

21 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. 3 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

  • Jesus seems to have spent the better part of each day at the temple that week
  • Not just teaching but observing
  • He is pointing out what sacrificial worship looks like
  • Draws a clear distinction between sacrificial giving & ‘meaningless’ giving
  • If it doesn’t cost you something, it is not worth anything! = False Worship
  • No matter what the future holds, sacrificial giving should be a way of life for us

5 Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, 6 “The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

  • The disciples demonstrate how quickly we get distracted
  • They voice popular sentiments of how awesome The Temple is
  • Christ is making the point that the Temple is not essential to God
  • God is going to allow it to be completely destroyed and not rebuilt to this day
  • In that time The Temple had replaced God as the object of worship (corruption)
  • ‘All these things’ amounts to the false worship that was going on @ The Temple

7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?” 8 He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them.

  • It is odd that they don’t ask WHY this will happen but instead WHEN
  • Christ warns of many…many have come, many more to come…
  • He warns us because the deception will come from false messiahs & prophets
  • If someone says the time has come, NEVER believe them

9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10 Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.

  • The End He is speaking of is both the end of the Temple and this age
  • This world, like the Temple has a temporary use…
  • He list things that will happen…No one knows the sequence, except the Father
  • Great Earthquakes are accompanied by Miraculous signs from heaven

12 “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers.

  • Jesus was predicting the persecution that is chronicled in the book of Acts
  • He is also predicting what’s coming at the end of this age (parallel prophecy)

13 But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 14 So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!

  • Christ calls His followers to capitalize on the opportunity that persecution brings
  • We don’t need to to try to answer any charges, we are to speak by the Spirit
  • When Christ speaks through us, our persecutors will be speechless!
  • How do we prepare for this day? SACRIFICIAL WORSHIP

16 Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you. 17 And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish! 19 By standing firm, you will win your souls.

  • Anyone who is not indwelt by the Spirit of Christ can and will turn on you!
  • Without God’s Spirit you can be deceived and manipulated to do anything!
  • There will be unity of opposition to Jesus Christ in this world (see it even now)
  • The things of this world can only harm this body
  • Christ’s followers can be sure that their eternal souls belong to Him
  • The only thing that really matters in the future is who your soul belongs to!

SUMMARY:

Biblical worship involves sacrifice. Sacrificial worship is giving to God what is dear to you.

This prophecy is both about Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 AD and His return.

Jesus predicts the destruction of The Temple to pronounce Judgement on the Jewish Establishment / False Worship.

Christ foretells events that transpire before His return, and warns against false Messiahs.

Persecution & betrayal should be expected, our response is to stand firm & speak by Christ’s power.

Christ encourages His followers to trust that He will protect their eternal souls.

APPLICATION:

List some things you sacrifice by giving to God of your time, money and emotions.

What ideas do you have about when Christ is going to return and how He will come?

What is going to enable you to stand firm and speak by Christ’s Power when persecuted?

Why would you trust that Christ will protect YOUR eternal soul?

/by