Take the Yoke of Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

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In many ways, the demands of Jesus as a disciple-maker. His interpretation of the law in the Sermon on the Mount is more radical compared to the traditional interpretation. Murder by merely being angry wuth a brother. Adultery by merely lustful glances. Loving your enemies. Praying for your persecutors. These demands and hard and tough.

But this thing we know: unlike the Pharisees who tie up heavy burdens which are hard to bear and lay them on people’s shoulders which they themselves are not willing to move with their fingers, Jesus is most concerned about the weightier matters of the law. His demands are not some arbitrary and unnecessary burdens but things that really matter.

Submit yourself to the discipleship of the world and all you will find are heavy burdens being laid on your shoulders. Their weight is unbearable and after consuming all your energy, you will in the end find out that you labored in vain.

The invitation to come and take the yoke of Jesus is an invitation to discipleship. The “yoke” here is what is put on animals so they could pull heavy loads. Put yourself under the discipleship of Jesus— all you who are weary and heavily burdened. “Take my yoke and learn from me”— that’s a discipleship language because a disciple is a learner. With Jesus, we have the authoritative interpreter of the law. None of the things he teaches is worthless. Every word of Christ satisfies the soul.

Take note also of the character of the disciple-maker. He is gentle and lowly in heart. This is the attitude of our disciple-maker toward us: gentlenes, not harhness; lowliness, not arrogance.

When you do come to Jesus and submit yourself to his gentle discipleship, what will you get? You will find rest. The concept of rest as promised in the Bible is primarily eschatological— that is a rest we garner at the end of time. But in this passage, it is indicated that it also a present reality. We who are tired from carrying unnecessary burdens will find rest in the arms of the gentle and lowly teacher. There is no other place where we could find such rest. Only in Christ. Only in Jesus.

The Present Groaning and the Future Glory (Romans 8:18-23, ESV)

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

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All of God’s children must go through various kinds of suffering in this present life. It is a road we must all pass through to reach the final destination of glorification—the resurrection of our bodies.

So great is this future glory that the passage says the sufferings we are going through, though severely painful, are not even worthy of comparison. In the light of eternity, the size of our sufferings is but a dot, while the joy of the future glory is bigger than a mountain and larger than the planet itself.

When man fell into sin, the effect was cosmic. It affected the whole world. It affected the whole creation. Look at the world and notice every bad and unpleasant thing. In the account of the Bible, it can all be traced back to the curse brought about by our fall into sin in Genesis 3.

So just as our fall into sin brought futility to the whole world, our redemption in the glorification of our bodies will also affect the whole creation, but in a good way.

In this passage, the Apostle Paul employs a type of figurative language called personification. In this literary device, non-personal entities are given the attributes of a person. In this particular case, the whole creation is personified.

Just like us, the whole created order is also suffering. It was subjected to futility. It is in bondage to corruption. And the creation is aware that, with the full redemption of the children of God, it will also be set free. The whole creation has been longing deeply all this time, waiting for our future glory to be fully revealed. It is said to be groaning in the pains of childbirth all along.

Our salvation in Jesus Christ guarantees that all this painful groaning will not last forever. The glorification of God’s children will surely come, and with it, the liberation of a universe in bondage.

Knowing all these, there is no reason to despair. The pains of this world and our own personal sufferings are not meaningless—they are carrying us toward a glorious end.

Christ's Resurrection and Ours (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)

 “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” “Ikaw ay alabok at sa alabok ka babalik.” (Gen. 3:17). Those are just some of the words God told our great ancestor Adam as a punishment for his sin in the garden. That account from Genesis (the book of beginnings) was the foundation of what the Paul is saying in verse 21 that in Adam all die. Elsewhere, the same apostle wrote that "sin came into the world through one man" and "death spread to all men because all sinned" (Rom. 5:12). The sin of Adam brought death upon himself and for all of us who are “in him”. All of humanity descended from one bloodline, the bloodline of Adam. Being in Adam, we all die in our sin.

In our passage, the Apostle Paul talks about the resurrection of Jesus Christ as "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (verse 20). "Fallen asleep" here is a euphemism of those who died. Sooner or later we will also fall asleep euphemistically. We will all die. But here’s the good news: by using the word “firstfruits”, he was implying a sequence. There must be something to follow; similar to the firstfruits. In fact, the implicit turns explicit in verse 23: the order is

• First: the resurrection of Jesus more than 2,000 ago; followed by

• Second: the resurrection of those who belong to him at his coming.

There is a parallel here. There is symmetry here. On one side, all die in Adam. On the other side, those who are In Christ shall all be made alive.

When it comes to being in Adam, every human being are already in him by virtue of ancestry. But when in comes to being in Christ, not everybody enjoys this gift of life for not everybody trusts in him as the Savior of the world. Come to Christ therefore and have life.

As for you who are already in Christ, rejoice! For the resurrection of Jesus guaranteed that you will be resurrected as well!

As frail, and weak, and sickly our bodies may be right now, they will soon be transformed into glorious bodies. The perishable shall become imperishable. The mortal shall become immortal.

Anchor (Hebrews 6:19)

PASSAGE: Hebrews 6:19 ESV (first clause only): "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul"

There are storms. There are typhoon. There are strong winds. I’m speaking figuratively.

Storms of life. Typhoons that challenge our faith. Strong winds that may break our branches or blow us away from Christ. The recipients of the Book of Hebrews were not strangers to such hardships. Because of the persistent persecution, they are so tempted to abandon Christ and return to their former religion of Judaism. Brothers and sisters, some of you may also be going through some strong storms and typhoons of life. Questions on the authenticity of Christianity pop out of your minds. You are likewise tempted to abandon Jesus Christ altogether.

Let me read that passage again, this time from the NIV 2011: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” An anchor of course is that heavy object that is thrown overboard to keep the boat in a particular place. Without it, the boat quickly drifts away especially when the winds and waves are strong. The author used this image metaphorically to point out that God’s assuring words guaranteed by promise and oath is trustworthy.

The God who cannot lie should calm our fears in the midst of storms and typhoons of life.

    ☼ He holds us firm.

    ☼ He holds us secure.

    ☼ He holds us fast.

Pangako at Sumpa (Hebreo 6:17-18)

HEBREO 6:17-18 AB 2001

17 Gayundin naman, sa pagnanais ng Diyos na maipakita sa mga tagapagmana ng pangako na hindi maaaring mabago ang kanyang pasiya, pinagtibay niya ito sa pamamagitan ng isang sumpa; 18 upang sa pamamagitan ng dalawang bagay na di-mababago, na dito'y hindi maaaring magsinungaling ang Diyos, tayong nagtungo sa kanlungan ay magkaroon ng higit na katiyakang panghawakan ang pag-asang nakalagay sa harapan natin.

Pangangako at Panunumpa: dalawang mga paraan ng pagtiyak ng tao na totoo at maaasahan ang kanyang mga sinasabi.

◘ “Ipinapangako ko.”

◘ “Isinusumpa ko.”

Ngunit marami sa mga pangako ay napapako. Ngunit marami sa mga sumpa ay napupuksa. Bakit ganun? Iyan ay sapagkat likas sa makasalanang tao ang pagsisinungaling.

▒ Awit 58:3- Ang masama ay naliligaw mula sa bahay-bata,

silang nagsasalita ng mga kasinungalingan ay naliligaw mula sa pagkapanganak.

▒ Awit 12:2- Bawat isa ay nagsasalita ng kabulaanan sa kanyang kapwa

Sa tekstong ating binasa, tayong mga nagsitungo sa Diyos upang manganlong sa kanyang kaligtasan ay nararapat magsipanatag ng loob. Bakit? Sapagkat ang ating inaasahang pagliligtas ng Diyos ay mga salitang hindi nagbabago dahil ito ay ipinangako niya at pinagtibay pa ng isang sumpa. At hindi tulad ng makasalanang tao na nangako nga at nanumpa’y wala pa ring katiyakan kung tunay ngang maaasahan, ang Diyos ay hindi maaaring magsinungaling. Siya ay Diyos ng katotohanan kaya naman ang lahat ng kanyang mga sinambit na mabubuting bagay para sa atin ay kanyang tutupdin isa-isa. Hinding-hindi niya hahayaang madungisan ang kanyang banal na ngalan kaya naman mananatili siyang tapat sa kanyang mga sinasambit.

Imbakan ng Kaalaman at Karunungan

“na sa kanya nakatago ang lahat ng mga kayamanan ng karunungan at kaalaman.” 

Colosas 2:3 (AB 2001)

Ayon sa mga ulat ng Matandang Tipan, si Haring Solomon ay may taglay na pambihirang kaalaman at karunungan. Siya ay naging bantog dahil dito kaya naman may mga taong naglalakbay mula sa malalayong lupain upang mapakinggan lamang ang lalim at lawak ng kaalaman at karunungan ni Haring Solomon. Ang mga hari mula sa malalayong mga bansa ay nagpapadala ng kanilang mga kinatawan upan dumalaw sa tanyag na hari ng Israel.

Ang mga nagsisidalaw ay mga pagano. Napakaliit ng kanilang kaalaman tungkol sa Tunay at Nag-iisang Diyos ngunit sa kabila nito ay mayroon silang mataas na pagpapahalaga sa kaalaman at karunungan. Ito ay patunay na sa kaibuturan ng bawat puso, alam ng lahat na ang pagtataglay ng kaalaman at karunungan ay kaibig-ibig.

Ang nasusulat sa Colosas 2:3, kay Cristo “nakatago ang lahat ng mga kayamanan ng karunungan at kaalaman.” Si Cristo ang imbakan. Siya ang kamalig. Ang problema ng makasalanang sangkatauhan ay kung saan-saan sila lumalapit upang magtamo ng kaalaman at karunungan ngunit lumalayo naman sa imbakan. Lumalayo sila sa kamalig. Ang Reyna ng Timog ay naglakbay mula dulo ng daigdig upang mapakinggan lamang si Haring Solomon samantalang ayaw lumapit ng mga tao kay Jesus na higit kay Solomon. (Luke 11:31)

Mga kapatid, maaaring hindi tayo matalino at marunong ayon sa pamantayan ng sanlibutan. Maaaring hindi ganun kataas ang ating pinag-aralan. Ngunit kung ikaw ay nakay Cristo, ang imbakan ay bukas. Ang kamalig ay bukas. Sa pagtuturo at paggabay ng Banal na Espiritu, tayo ay nakikibahagi sa kaalaman at karunungan ng Diyos.

☠️ Pura Luka's Ama Namin, Paris Olympics' Last Supper, and the Concept of Deathworks

This post is a follow-up to what has been built in yesterday's post: radical changes are taking place not just in the Western world but also in Philippine social imaginary. The proof we presented is how the public receives the statement "I am a woman trapped in a man's body." In 1987, it was used in the film Jack & Jill with the intent of making moviegoers laugh. Fast forward to 2024, the same declaration is now considered serious and sensible.

You have seen their blasphemous spoof attempts: Pura Luka on Ama Namin and the Paris Olympics organizers on the Last Supper. Maybe you were one of those who protested in righteous indignation. I think we have not seen anything yet. The worst is yet to come. 

Any society moving towards secularization must use the arts to change the public social imaginary. Only a few read the theories of the philosophers. The greater number of people are changed through the arts. Only a few Filipinos were directly exposed to the writings of Jean Jaques Rousseau but a decade and a half of Vice Ganda on Philippine TV reached saturated the hearts and minds of many. Only a few could could grasp the ideas of David Hume but everyone who listened to Gloc-9's Sirena understood what he was saying. 

The power of arts in changing the moral structure of the society is taken to a higher level in Philip Rieff's (1922-2006) concept of "Deathworks". What is a "deathwork"? It is a work of art that assaults the objects of admiration of established cultures. Assaulting the Lord's Prayer (Ama Namin) is one example. The same is true in assaulting the Last Supper.

In his book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (Crossway, 2020), Carl R. Trueman explains:

 ❝deathworks are powerful because they are an important factor in changing the ethos of society, of altering that social imaginary with which, and according to which, we live our lives. Deathworks make the old values look ridiculous. They represent not so much arguments against the old order as subversions of it. They aim at changing the aesthetic tastes and sympathies of society so as to undermine the commands on which that society was based.❞

Jack & Jill and Social Imaginary

 

After reading Carl Trueman's The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (Crossway, 2020) and listening to a few of his lectures and interviews, this is how I understand Charles Taylor's concept of "social imaginary" at the moment.

Social imaginary is the way ordinary people "imagine" the world. This is often not expressed in theoretical terms. It is acquired less likely by deep thinking over ideas but mostly by sharing in the collective intuitions of the crowd. It is carried largely in visual arts, stories, movies, music, etc.

Theories are often in the possession of a small minority (a few intellectual elites). In contrast, social imaginary is shared by the society's majority if not the whole of it. It dictates what practices in the society are acceptable and which ones are unacceptable. It is the way we as a society look at the world, make sense of the world, and make sense of our behavior within it.

Let's take this statement as an example: "I am a woman trapped in a man's body." I first heard the statement as a small kid in the late 1980s from the character of Jill in the movie Jack & Jill (portrayed by Sharon Cuneta and Herbert Bautista respectively). It was a comedy film. It was intended to make moviegoers laugh. The fact that the statement is now considered serious and sensible indicates that in a short period of time, radical shifts are taking place not just in the Western world but in the Filipino social imaginary as well.

Ang Diyos na Maawain

PASSAGE: 2 SAMUEL 24:14

Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”

Malalim ang unawa ni Haring David tungkol sa pagkamahabagin ng Panginoon. Ang pangungusap na ating binasa ay sinambit ni David noong siya ay pinapapili kung anong parusa ang gusto niya. Parusa dahil malaki ang pagkakasala niya sa pagsasagawa ng isang unauthorized census. Ang mga pagpipiliang parusa ay ang mga sumusunod:

• A. Tatlong taong taggutom sa buong lupain.

• B. Tatlong buwan na siya ay hahabol-habulin ng kanyang mga kaaway.

• C. Tatlong araw ng salot na ikakamatay ng marami sa buong kaharian.

Pili na David. Pili na!

Labis na nabalisa si Haring David sa pagpili ngunit sa huli ay tinanggihan niya ang pangalawang parusa. Mas ninais niya na magdusa sa kamay ng Panginoon keysa sa kamay ng mga kaaway. Bakit? Dahil unawa niya na masakit man magparusa ang Panginoon, taglay pa rin niya ang katangiang pagkamahabagin. Mayamang habag. Saganang awa. Isang bagay na hindi mo masasabi tungkol sa sinumang tao.

70,000 ang namatay mula Dan hanggang Beersheba, at noong susunod na sana ang lungsod ng Jerusalem ay napatunayang hindi nagkamali sa pagpili si David. Sabi ng Panginoon, “Tama na. Sapat na ang parusang iyon.” Ipinamalas nga ng Diyos na siya ay maawain sa isang bayang karapat dapat sa parusa.

Sa mga mananampalatayang dumaranas ng sari-saring pighati, ang paalala ni Pablo sa atin ay ang ating Ama sa langit ay “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). Ang kanyang trono na ating nilalapitan sa tuwing tayo ay nananalangin ay tinatawag na “throne of grace” at ang mga nagsisilapit ay tumatanggap ng awa at nakakasumpong ng grasya sa oras ng pangangailangan (Heb. 4:16).

Higit sa lahat, ang pagkamaawain ng Diyos ang siyang nagdala ng kaligtasan sa bawat mananampalataya. Ayon sa Titus 3:5, tayo ay kanyang iniligtas hindi dahil sa ating mabubuting gawa. Hindi ito dahil sa ating pagiging matuwid. Bagkus tayo ay kanyang iniligtas ayon sa kanyang awa.

God is Love; God is Just

 

PASSAGE: Romans 3:25 ESV

[Jesus Christ] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Let me begin this exhortation by reminding us of two things about God:

• First, God is love and so he doesn’t want anyone to perish.

• Second, God is just and justice demands that penalty for every sin.

Since God is just, it is but right that he should be wrathful against sin. But to save his people whom he loves he gave his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus shed blood and gave his life— he died on the cross to provide what? “Propitiation”. This word basically means a sacrifice that turns wrath into favor.

Why did God do this? The second half of the verse says that is is meant to show that God is righteous. For in the ages past particularly in the Old Testament times, God in his forbearance just passed over sins. But how could a just God ignore sins? How could he be righteous if he allows sins to go unpunished? Is he like a trial court judge paying lip service to justice then acquits the wrongdoers? Of course not!

The penalty for sin has been paid for, but it is God himself who provided the payment for sin. He sent his Son Jesus, the Sinless One, to take upon himself all the punishment that the sins of his people deserve.

• God is love; it is proven at the cross.

• God is just; also proven at the cross.

It is for these proven truths that we could altogether sing:

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the Just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me (2X)

(~Before the Throne Above)

Takbo pa, kapatid, takbo! (Hebreo 12:1-3)

 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Ang mga unang pinadalhan ng Aklat ng Hebreo ay mga mananampalataya na hirap na hirap na. Dahil sa pananampalataya kay Hesus, ang ilan sa kanila ay nabilanggo. Dahil sa pananampalataya kay Hesus, ang ilan sa kanilang mga pag-aari ay sinamsam. Dahil sa pananampalataya kay Hesus, sari-saring anyo ng pag-uusig ang kanilang naranasan. Sila ay sususko na. Malapit na nilang talikuran si Hesus at bumalik na lamang sa dating relihiyon na Judaismo.

Sa Banal na Nasusulat na ating binasa, sila ay hinihikayat ng manunulat na magtiis at magpakatatag. Sila ay binibigyan ng pampalakas-loob upang tapusin ang mahabang marathon upang sila ay mangagsitakbo hanggang sa dulo.

Sa Kabanata 11 ay binanggit ang mga naunang mananakbo na nagsisilbing mga halimbawa ng pagtitiis at pagpapakatatag sa pananampalataya sa kabila ng lahat ng hirap tulad ni Abraham, Moises, at marami pang iba.

Sila ay dapat nating tularan sa pamamagitan ng pagsasantabi ng lahat ng mga pabigat na pumipigil sa atin upang sila ay makatakbo ng matulin. Sila ay hinihikayat na iwaksi ang lahat ng mga kasalanang kumakapit at pumupulupot sa mga mananakbo (12:1).

Sa ikalawang taludtod ay ang panghihikayat na ituon ang paningin kay Hesus. Siya ang pinakadakilang halimbawa ng pagtitiis at pagpapakatatag. Hindi niya inalintana ang hirap at kahihiyan ng kamatayan sa krus dahil alam niyang kasunod nito ay ang kagalakan ng kaluwalhatian ng pag-upo sa kanan ng trono ng Ama.

Gayundin ay totoo sa bawat nagtitiis at nagpapakatatag sa pananampalataya: may kagalakang naghihintay sa dulo ng marathon.

Mga kapatid, ang mga pag-uusig at iba pang mga hirap na dinaranas ninyo ngayon ay hindi na bago. Pinagdaanan na ng mga sinaunang mananampalataya ang mga ‘yan. Ang mga bagay-bagay na nagdudulot ng panghihina at panlulupaypay ng inyong pananampalataya ay naranasan na ng mga nauna sa atin. Kaya naman ang salita ng Diyos sa kanila ay siya rin namang salita ng Diyos para sa atin. Tanggalin ang lahat ng mga pabigat na pumupulupot sa atin upang walang hadlang sa ating pagtakbo. Tularan ang mga unang mananakbo. Ituon ang paningin sa halimbawang ipinakita ni Hesus sa krus.

Takbo pa, kapatid, takbo! Sa dulo ng marathon ay may kagalakang naghihintay para sa iyo. Magpatuloy sa pananampalataya! Magpatuloy sa paglilingkod! Magpatuloy sa pagsamba!

Ultimate Beauty (Psalm 27:4)

Ultimate beauty is spiritual, not physical. In saying this, I am in no way denying the presence of beauty in the physical world. We can all testify to the breath-taking pleasure we felt upon beholding the physical creation: the moon and the stars. The sunrise. The sunset. The meeting of the sand and the waves in the beach. The mountains, the birds, the trees, and the flowers. Its not hard to find here a husband who is willing to testify of how he was mesmerized by the physical beauty of the woman he married.

The statement “Ultimate beauty is spiritual, not physical” is grounded on the truth that God is a spirit and he is incorporeal— he has no body and he is not composed of matter. Though God has no body and is not composed of matter, God is the most beautiful of all. He is not only the most beautiful of all; he possesses all beauty and excellency in infinite measure. And there’s more: as the Creator and Sustainer, he is the source of all beauty that could be found in the created order. If something could be rightly called beautiful, it is because God gave such beauty.

At the incarnation, the Son of God who was without body and uncomposed of matter took upon himself a human body. We can name multiple reasons for the incarnation but surely one of the central reasons is that he may be offered on the cross as a sacrifice. Yes, he who is infinitely beautiful was given a body so he could be pierced, wounded, crushed and murdered. Through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the elect were made holy once for all (Hebrews 10:10).

How then shall we respond? We can respond by being vocal in our appreciation of the beauty of the gospel in songs and in conversations. As we do so, we make our feet beautiful as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15). We can respond by resolving in our lives and songs that we will not trade the adoration of the ultimate beauty to lesser beauties.

Come let us rise and worship him who is ultimately beautiful.

Authentic Christian Ministry in the Light of Christ's Sacrificial Love (2 Cor. 5:14-15)

 

from the free stock images of Pexels

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV)

Generally speaking, there are motivations behind the things we do or why we are acting and behaving in a particular way.

• One young man may have the reputation of being a pugnacious drunkard who gets into trouble daily. Yet after marriage and having three kids, the man becomes a hardworking father who is consumed with the motivation of putting food on the dining table and saving money for the future of his family. 

• An underdog athlete’s daily grind in the gym motivated by proving the odds wrong.

• Your neighbor who seldom greets anyone or smiles at anyone suddenly reverses his ways as the election day for Barangay officials draw near. 

• Law enforcers know this very well that when they are investigating a murder case, one of the important questions they ask is “Who has a probable motive behind the murder?”

Fellow worker, what is the chief motivation behind your service to the Lord? I am asking this question because not all motives behind outward acts of piety are good. There are those who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain (1 Tim. 6:5). Even preachers with the right message could proclaim Christ out of envy and rivalry (Phil. 1:15).

There is some complexity in 2 Corinthians but what we can say at the very least for the purpose of this post is that in Corinth there were false apostles who were offering a form of ministry which was very different from how Paul ministered. They peddled the word of God for profit (2 Cor. 2:17). They did “ministry” through secret and shameful ways like the use of deception and distorting the word of God (2 Cor. 4:2). They presented themselves as “super-apostles” displaying excellence in public speaking (2 Cor. 11:5-6). Nearer to our passage is 2 Cor. 5:12: they take pride in the externals rather than what is internal. They put premium on outward appearance and not what is in the heart. So much of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians is a defense of authentic ministry. In our day and age counterfeit ways of doing ministry are still rampant. For this reason, the lessons on authentic ministry in 2 Corinthians are still relevant.

In the verse that immediately precede our passage (see verse 13), we can see that Paul’s ministry is characterized by a devotion to God and a concern for people. This is the last unit of thought that the apostle connects with our passage with the coordinating conjunction gar (“For”, ESV). In this context, the conjunction provides the “ground” <1>  (or the foundation) of this God-centered and people-oriented ministry. This leads us to the first of the three headings.

1.   The Sacrificial Love of Christ: The Controlling Motivation for Authentic Christian Ministry

“For the love of Christ controls us,” (v.14). This is the ground, the foundation, the controlling motivation for authentic Christian ministry. There are two options on what “the love of Christ” means. The first option is to take it as an objective genitive. In this case, Christ is the receiver of our love. The other option, which I think is the right option is to take it is as a subjective genitive—that is Christ is the giver of this love and we are the receivers. The reason why I think this is the correct option is because in context, what is being emphasized is the sacrificial love of Christ manifested in his dying in behalf of his people.

This love, the Apostle asserts, “controls us”. This word sunecho in Greek, like any other word, has different shades of meaning depending on the context. I think Louw & Nida’s lexicon’s hint on this particular verse is very helpful: “in 2 Cor 5.14 'Christ's love controls us' may be rendered as 'the fact that Christ loves us causes us to act as we do.'”<2>  In other words, Paul and his associates do ministry in a God-centered and people-oriented way because the love of Christ causes them to do ministry that way.

If there is something I would like to add with the useful hint in Louw & Nida’s lexicon, it is the seeming weakness of the word “causes”. It seems to me that the definition should be stronger in the light of how the different translations render it: “controls” (ESV), “impels” (NABRE), “compels” (NIV), “constraineth” (KJV). These are all stronger words than merely communicating causation. Both the sense of “control and compulsion”<3> is carried here. The love of Christ holds control over us. It restrains us from doing certain things and compels us to do other things. The inclination of your carnal self is to go that direction, but the love of Christ stops you in your tracks and moves you toward the opposite direction. And the direction of a Christ-controlled ministry is toward the glory of God and the benefit of his people.

Yet we should not see this controlling power over us as something that is intrusive and oppressive. It is not something that violates our will. For the Apostle continues that this comes about by a conclusion we have made. It is a conviction burned deeply in the heart. We are fully convinced that this one Christ “has died for all, therefore all have died; is the one that died for all”. This brings us to the next heading.

2.   Our Union with Christ in His Death: Mystical Yet Real

What is being referred to here is that biblical doctrine we call Union with Christ. This could be defined as: “The sharing of believers in the life of Jesus Christ by faith, allowing them to share in all the benefits and riches that result from his person and work”<4> .  It has four different aspects::

•  We are in Christ
•  Christ is in us
• We are like Christ, and
• We are with Christ  <5>

All of these aspects have one thing in common: they are all mystical— a spiritual reality not apparent to the senses. Yet it is factual, it is real because the Bible says so. So real is this that when the believers are persecuted, Christ is also persecuted (Acts 9:4-5).

Back to our passage, Paul says that he is thoroughly convinced that in the death of one (Christ), all died (cf. Rom. 6:1-4). Another way of putting this is the phrase “dying to self” (Rom. 6:6). As we die to self, pride dies. The flesh dies. Insincerity dies. This explains why Paul does ministry very differently from the way of the false apostles in Corinth. They are still motivated by self-exaltation and self-promotion. No doubt the old Pharisee in Paul could have had stood toe-to-toe with their ways. But that old Pharisee in Paul is dead because Christ has died. Thus, the ministry of the New Paul is characterized by being God-centered and people-oriented. And these should characterize our ministries too.

We can view this clearer as we move into the final heading of the message.

3. Living for Christ: The Purpose of Our Union with Him in His Death

Here in verse 15, Paul repeats the proposition that Christ died for all. What is new here is that he adds a purpose clause: “so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.”

There are two ways to live. You either live for your own selfish desires or you live for the one who died for you. But the second way to live is available only for those who are in union with Christ in his death. We therefore cannot understate the importance of conversion and regeneration. Only God can convert a soul. Only God can regenerate a heart. There is no union with Christ without conversion and regeneration.

Since there are two ways to live, there are also two ways of doing ministry. These are in sharp contrast against each other. One way of doing ministry is for the self. It promotes self. It exalts self. Its focus is on the self. In contrast, biblical ministry promotes Christ. It exalts Christ. Its focus is on Christ for this is the very purpose of the death of Christ—so that the worker could no longer live for himself but for him who died for him. Elsewhere, Paul puts it this way: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20)

CONCLUSION

Close to 2,000 years after the Apostle Paul, the temptation to do ministry the wrong way has remained strong. It is a pitfall too attractive to the weak flesh. The call is to remain steadfast in practicing authentic Christian ministry. This is built on the sure foundation of Christ’s sacrificial love that has rendered us dead to the phony ways of doing ministry. Let this be the controlling power for everything we think and do both in life and ministry.

FOOTNOTES

<1> Fredrick Long, II Corinthians: A Handbook on the Greek Text (Baylor University Press, 2015)

<2> Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Nida; Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains (United Bible Societies, 1996)

<3> George H. Guthrie; 2 Corinthians (BECNT, 2015)

<4> Dictionary of Bible Themes (Manser, McGrath, Packer, and Wiseman, editors)

<5> Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 2nd edition

The Superabundance of Grace in Jesus

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:16-17 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Law that was given through Moses is good. The Apostle Paul affirms this in 1 Tim. 1:8: “the law is good if one uses it properly” (NIV). And again in Rom. 7:12 he wrote, “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous, and good.” In the law, “God graciously revealed his character and righteous requirements..." (ESV Study Bible, p. 2190). If it is not good, the psalmist would not have said “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” (Psa. 119:97)

However, even good things must be replaced if there are better things, specially when what is available is better by a great distance. The Word who was with God from the beginning was made flesh and dwelt among us. This event in history "marked the final, definitive revelation of God's grace and truth." (ESV Study Bible, ibid). Not only is Jesus superior to Moses through whom the law came, he is also superior to the patriarchs, through whom the nation of Israel was called (John 8:53). On top of that, he is superior over all the angels according to the Book of Hebrews.

With the fullness of this revelation, it is written here in verse 16 that we are given grace upon grace. There may be some differences in how the translators put this (see NIV 2011 and ESV’s footnote) but I think the main point is clear. This is the main point: in Jesus, we have arrived at the climax of God's progressive revelation of his saving grace. The law given through Moses was good, yet Jesus is better and it is superior by a great distance. And because it is superior by a great distance, the amount grace that is given to us comes with a far greater quantity. In Jesus, there is grace for those who believe in immeasurable abundance.

Brothers and sisters, how could you be aware of this superabundance of grace fail to worship God? How could anyone with an awareness of this inexhaustible fountain fail to exalt his name. Let the redeemed rise up and worship the Lord!

Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

 

in whom [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3 ESV)

From the free stock images of Pixabay

The Old Testament reports about Solomon’s extraordinary knowledge and wisdom that people from distant nations came to visit and listen. Kings from faraway lands sent emissaries. Since those were pagans, they have had minimal knowledge the One True God. Yet somehow they valued knowledge and wisdom. Even with its preoccupation with material treasures, the world recognizes that knowledge and wisdom are desirable things.

The ultimate treasury of knowledge and wisdom according to Colossians 2:3 is Christ. Christ is the treasury, the storehouse, the vault of all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The problem with the unbelieving world is this: though they acknowledge that knowledge and wisdom are valuable enough to be sought and stored up, they refuse to come to the ultimate source— Jesus Christ. Jesus rebuked the unbelieving scribes and Pharisees by pointing out that the Queen of the South came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon yet unbelievers reject the wisdom of Jesus when in fact he is greater than Solomon! (Luke 11:31)

Brothers and sisters, we may not be knowledgeable and wise according to the world’s standards. We may not have the intellectual sharpness they possess. We may not have reached the level of educational training that they reached. We may not have the academic accolades that they have received. If you are in Christ, God has opened the vault. The treasury of knowledge and wisdom is is accessible to the believer. Instructed by the word of God and guided by the Spirit, we have the mind of Christ.

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Three Big Things

This morning I just wanna give three things that make God worthy of our praise and worship. Of course, anyone can easily add some other things to this list. As it has been said, at any given moment one can enumerate 10,000 reasons to bless the Lord! Yet the three things in my list are really, really big ones. Without further delay, here are three big things that make God worthy of our praise and worship:

1^st, The Excellence of His Character and Attributes- 1 Chronicles 16:29 exhorts us, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name”. His name refers to all he is as a personal being. His excellencies deserve nothing less than all glory. It is but proper to ascribe all that glory because it is due. Just to name a few of his excellencies: eternality, aseity, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, omnisapience, immutability, truthfulness, faithfulness, goodness, love, mercy, grace, holiness and righteousness. All these things together manifest his matchless splendor.

2^nd, The Mere Fact that He is Our Creator- We are not self-existent. Someone else brought us into existence. He is Creator and we are mere creatures. That fact alone is sufficient enough for us to adore and serve him. Psalm 95:6, "let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!". In Psalm 100, one of the reasons given why we should serve him with gladness is because “It is he who made us” (v. 2). Lastly, the 24 elders in Revelation 4 fall down before God as they cast their crowns and utter these words of praise:

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (v.11)

3^rd, The Provision of Redemption through His Son- We were born in sin. We were by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). We were utterly powerless to save ourselves. And God has no obligation to provide for us redemption— but he did! The cost for doing so is the life of his Beloved Son— a price of matchless value. He has now required that all acknowledgment of his worthiness do so in a Christ-centered manner. The Father has exalted his Son and "bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11). And in the fifth chapter of Revelation, the one seated on the throne holds a scroll sealed with seven seals. Yet it only made the Apostle John weep for no one was found worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. He was weeping intensely until one of the elders comforted him with the assurance that someone is worthy. It is none other than the conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is worthy because he was slain, and by his blood ransomed people from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

These things brothers and sisters are big reasons for us to worship God in service and adoration. Let every worshiper rise up. Let us all together praise and worship God.

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Gloria in Excelsis Deo

 “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke 2:14 ESV

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

In a region near Jerusalem where the temple stood and where sacrifices were made, there was a sure market for the shepherds’ product. It’s the ordinary thing they do to earn a living. It was supposed to be just an ordinary night in the life of a shepherd; just another day in the office.

Yet the story is familiar to all of us. What was supposed to be an ordinary night turned out to be extraordinary— the most special night of all in their whole lives.

An angel of the Lord suddenly appeared with the Lord’s Shekinah— a light so bright and so blinding that no man can take it. And just like any other sinner who saw this glory in the biblical accounts, they were stricken with great fear. Any mortal sinner, just like Isaiah, would think and feel that he is doomed upon seeing such display of glory.

What a relief they must have felt when the angel assured them that they have nothing to fear. The angel came not for the purpose of bringing judgment but to proclaim good news that brings great joy: it is the birth of the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord— in the City of David.

After giving the two-fold identifying marks of the baby namely being wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, there suddenly appeared a multitude of angels. And so from one angel appearing, its now a battalion of angels! They proclaimed praise to God with words which the Latin-speaking church would later call (and sing) as the “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”.

The content of Gloria in Excelsis Deo is two-fold.

• First, the incarnation is for the glory of God who resides in heaven (“in the highest”). The accomplishment of Jesus’ mission brings glory to his Father.

• Second, the incarnation brings peace on earth but not in a universal sense, but only “among those with whom he is pleased!”. In the Greek text, the phrase is ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας which is closely related to another concept taught elsewhere in the Bible: “God’s elect” or the chosen ones.

This was certainly true in the case of these shepherds. There were many prominent people in that region, but God has chosen the lowly shepherds to be the first visitors of the newborn king.

The same truth still stands today. Out of all the billions of people celebrating Christmas, only are few are given the privilege to truly know the birthday celebrant. We get to know the birthday celebrant only by grace. And because it is only by grace, the glory belongs not to us but unto the Father who is in the highest place.

Huwag Kang Magnanakaw (Part 09: Etikang Kristiyano Para sa Karaniwang Tao)

Sa pagtatapos ng unang taon ng operasyon, nagkaroon ng pagtutuos (audit) ang isang hotel. Ilan sa mga bagay na nawawala ay ang mga sumusunod: humigit-kumulang 38,000 na kutsara, humigit kumulang 350 na sisidlan ng kape, at ito ang pinakamatindi— 100 sipi ng mga biblia! Isang kaibigan mula sa Gideons International ang nagbigay-kumpirmasyon na nangyayari nga ito kahit pa may nakaimprenta na “property of Gideons International; do not remove from room” sa balat ng mga biblia. Tiyak kong hindi naman ito ikinagagalit ng organisasyon. Dahil ministry talaga nila ang pag-imprenta at pagpapakalat ng biblia, matutuwa pa sila kung mayroong mga tao na interesado sa salita ng Diyos. Ngunit ang punto ay maraming mga tao ang nangunguha ng pag-aari ng iba.

Bakit ka nagsasara ng pinto at bintana kung aalis ka at iiwanang walang bantay ang bahay? Ano ang posibleng mangyari kung iiwanan mo ang iyong motorsiklo kasama ang susi nito sa kalye? Bakit ang mga sari-sari store, may grills at screen at may maliit lamang na lagusan na pag-aabutan ng binibili at pambayad? Batid nating lahat na ang pagnanakaw ay laganap— isang patunay ng kasamaan ng puso ng tao (Gen. 8:21; Psa. 14:1-3).

Ang pagkalaganap nito ay makikita rin sa yaman ng bokabularyo na naglalarawan sa iba't ibang uri ng pagnanakaw: shoplifting, robbery, burglary, hijacking, holdup, salisi, budol-budol, pilferage, kupit, pandurukot, embezzlement (dispalko), malversation, plunder— kulang na kulang pa ang mga salitang ito sa dami ng paraan ng pagnanakaw.

Noon pa man ay kinasusuklaman na ng Diyos ang pandaraya sa timbangan (Pro. 11:1). At sa iba na tama ang timbangan, dinadaya ang mamimili sa ibang paraan. Malingat ka lang ng kaunti ay isisingit ng tindera ang malaking piraso ng taba, buto, balat na ubod ng kunat o mga panindang bilasa. May false advertising at hindi pagbibigay ng nararapat sa halagang ibinayad (value). Sa kanyang aklat na Business for the Glory of God, ito ang sinabi ng Wayne Grudem: "by giving us the ability to buy and sell, God has given us a wonderful mechanism through which we can do good for each other... We can honestly see buying and selling as one means of loving our neighbor as ourself."

Sa trabaho, kahit hindi ka nag-uuwi ni isang paper clip o ni isang piraso ng bond paper kung hindi ka nagtatrabaho ng maayos, ninanakawan mo ang nagpapasuweldo sa iyo. Ang prinsipyong “The worker deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7; 1 Tim. 5:18b) ay kakambal ng prinsipyong “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading the grain” (1 Tim. 5:18a). Ang baka ay kailangang magtrabaho upang maging karapat-dapat sa damo at ang manggagawa ay kailangang magbanat ng buto upang maging karapat-dapat sa sahod.

Subukan mong halughugin ang mga kasangkapan at gamit sa iyong tahanan. May nakita ka bang pag-aari ng iba? Paano napunta sa iyo? Ikaw ba ay humiram mula sa iba at hindi mo na ibinalik? O baka naman sa tagal na sa iyo ng "hiniram" mo ay inangkin mo na? Sadyang may mga tao na humihiram at ito ay hiram forever!

Nakakabahala ang dami ng mga parinig sa social media ng mga taong inutangan at hindi binayaran. Maaaring ang iba dito ay talagang salat at walang pambayad nais man nilang magbayad. Ngunit sadyang may mga tao rin na walang kabalak-balak magbayad ng utang. Ang habilin ng Apostol Pablo, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another” (Rom. 13:8a NIV).

Kung lahat ng paraan ng pagnanakaw ay ating iisa-isahin, baka hindi tayo matatapos. Kaya tatapusin na lang natin ito sa pagbibigay ng ilang prinsipyo:

Unang prinsipyo, biblikal ang karapatang magmay-ari

Sa utos pa lang na “You shall not steal” (Exo. 20:15) ay meron ng pagpapalagay (presupposed) na ang tao ay may karapatang magmay-ari. Sa Pentateuch o sa naunang limang aklat ng biblia, ang salitang ito ay ginamit upang tukuyin ang pagnanakaw ni Rachel sa mga diyus-diyusan ng kanyang ama (Gen. 31:19). Pag-aari ni Laban ang mga iyon. Ito rin ang salitang ginamit ng mga kapatid ni Joseph ng kanilang itanggi na ninakaw nila ang kopang pag-aari ng punong ministro ng Ehipto (Gen. 44:8). Sa Exo. 22:1, ang salita ay ginamit upang tukuyin ang pagkuha sa baka o tupa na pag-aari ng iba. Samakatuwid, ang bokabularyo ng Pentateuch ay kumikilala sa karapatan ng iba na magmay-ari.

Ikalawang prinsipyo, ang lahat ng pag-aari natin ay bigay at ipinagkatiwala ng Diyos

Hindi lang ang karapatang magmay-ari ang galing sa Diyos; sa kanya rin galing ang lahat ng ating mga tinatamasa. <1> Sa sinambit ni Job na "The LORD gave and the Lord has taken away" (Job 1:21), ito ay pagkilala na ang dati niyang kasaganaan pati na rin ang paglaho nito ay nasa pasya ng Makapangyarihang Diyos. Sa dulo ay pinagpala ulit ng Diyos si Job ng higit sa dati (Job 42:12). <2> Noong siya ay tatawid na muli sa Jordan, naalala ni Jacob na noong una siyang tumawid doon ay isang tungkod lang ang kanyang dala-dala. Ngunit sa ikalawang pagkakataon ng kanyang pagtawid ay dalawang pulutong na ang kanyang dala-dala kasama ang kanyang pamilya, mga lingkod, at napakaraming mga alagang hayop. Kinilala niya na ang kanyang kasaganaan ay dahil sa kagandahang-loob at katapatan ng kanyang Diyos (Gen. 32:10). <3> Karaniwang ugali ng makasalanang tao na kapag siya ay umaasenso ay kanyang aakalain na ang kanyang kasaganaan ay bunga ng kanyang sariling kakayahan at sikap. Bago pa man makarating sa Lupang Pangako ang mga Israelita ay may paunang bilin na si Moises. Kapag nadoon na sila at nagkaroonon ng magagandang bahay, maraming mga hayop, ginto at pilak, ang panganib ay baka malimot nila ang Panginoon at magmalaki sa pagsabing “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” (Deut. 8:11-17; cf. Prov. 30:9a). Kaya ang paalala ni Moises, “remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. . .” (Deu. 8:18).

Samakatuwid, hindi lamang ang ninanakawan ang nalalapastangan kundi pati ang nagbigay nito sa kanya. Kung ang payong na bigay ko kay Kim ay nanakawin ng iba, hindi lang si Kim ang masasaktan kundi pati ako na pumili ng payong na iyon para kay Kim. Gayundin naman, kapag ninakaw mo ang alagang kambing ni Mang Carding, hindi lang si Mang Carding ang nilapastangan mo kundi pati ang Diyos na nagkaloob nito sa kanya.

Ikaapat na prinsipyo, kadalasang kalakip ng pagnanakaw ang iba pang mga kasalanan tilad ng kawalang pananampalataya at kasakiman.

<i> Kawalang pananampalaya. Ipinapakita nito na hindi ka naniniwala sa isang Diyos na pumupuno sa bawat pangangailangan ng kanyang mga tagasunod ayon sa yaman ng kanyang kaluwalhatian kay Hesus (Phil. 4:19). Ang magnanakaw na idinadahilan ang gutom niya at ng kanyang pamilya ay hindi naniniwala na ang Diyos na nagpapakain ng mga ibon sa himpapawid ay siya ring Ama na nagpapakain sa kanyang mga anak (Matt. 5:26). Tuturuan ba niya tayong manalangin ng “Bigyan mo kami ng aming pagkain sa araw-araw” (Matt. 6:11) at hindi tutugunin iyon?

<ii> Kasakiman (Greed). Hindi lahat ng nagnanakaw ay gutom o salat sa buhay. Sa isang bagong-bagong artikulong inilathala sa Philippine Star, giniba ng kolumnistang si Jarius Bondoc ang haka-haka na hindi nagnanakaw ang mga mayayaman. Nabanggit doon ang mga political dynasties ng ating bansa na nagpapakasasa sa pork barrel. Nabanggit rin doon ang ilang mga diktador sa modernong daigdig na nagkamal ng nakakalulang mga halaga ng ill-gotten wealth. Syempre hindi nagpaiwan ang Pilipinas dahil mayroon sa kasaysayan natin ng conjugal dictatorship nina William Saunders at Jane Ryan (a.k.a. Ferdinand at Imelda). Salungat sa nagkalat na propaganda sa internet na galing daw umano sa legal na paraan ang kanilang yaman, pitong milyong piso lang ang idineklara nilang yaman sa kanilang SALN sa mga panahon na iyon— halagang malayo sa kanilang maluhong pamumuhay.

May malapit na kaugnayan ang pagnanakaw at kasakiman, kaya siguro sa listahan ni Pablo ng mga taong hindi magmamana ng kaharian ng Diyos ay magkasunod ang magnanakaw at ang sakim (1 Cor. 6:10). “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed”, ika ng Panginoong Hesus (Luke 12:15a). Sa pagkakasabi niya dito ay malinaw na kailangan ng pag-iingat at pagmamatyag sa ating sariling makasalanang puso. Ang kasakiman ay hindi lamang makikita sa mga pulitiko o sa rich and famous. Ito ay maaaring sumibol sa puso nating lahat. Pagpapatuloy ni Hesus, “life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15b). Ito ang susi laban sa kasakiman— ang kaalaman na ang buhay ng tao ay wala sa dami ng ari-arian. Bagkus, ang kasiyahan sa buhay ay bumubukal mula sa pagkabatid na ikaw ay nasa panig ng Diyos. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)

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