Saturday, March 16, 2024

Are You Like the Prodigal Son or the “Good” Son?

 




God’s Triune nature as FatherSon, and Holy Spirit is illustrated in patterns of threes found throughout Scripture. As we saw last week, Jesus told three parables about the loss of a treasured animalobject or 
person, and the rejoicing that follows when the lost treasure is found (Luke 15).

The third and most detailed of these salvation parables, often referred to as the Prodigal Son, shows most clearly that to be found, we must first confess that we are lost; we must want to be found; and we must know the person who will find us. Jesus taught this parable not only for the benefit of the sinners who knew they were lost, but also for the Pharisees and scribes 
who thought they were superiorself-righteous, and in no need of help (v. 2).

The parable has three main characters: a father, his younger son, and his older son (v. 11-12). We can safely assume that the father, like the scribes and Pharisees Jesus was attempting to reach, was a religiously observant Jew. The younger son disowneddisrespected, and disgraced his father in three ways.

First, he disowned his father by demanding that he give him his portion of the inheritance (v. 12), which was essentially the same as telling his father that he wished he were already dead. Second, he left Israel and traveled to a pagan nation, thereby disrespecting his father, his heritage, and Jehovah God. Third, he disgraced his family by wasting his fortune on the pleasures of sin (v. 13).

This chain of three events resulted in his extreme poverty, which in turn led to three consequences of his sins. Because there was a great famine in the foreign country, he had to enter into bondage as a slave; he defiled himself by having to feed swine (considered by Jews to be unclean (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8) because of the Mosaic law); and he was about to die from hunger, for no one would give him so much as a corn husk to eat (Luke 15:14-16).

But then, miraculously, a threefold process of salvation began. First, he “came to himself” (v. 17), realizing how far he had fallen. Second, he admitted three things: that he needed his father to save him, that he had sinned against God, and that he was unworthy to be his father’s son (v. 17-19). Third, he reached out to his father in three ways: he was willing to humble himself by being his father’s servant; he journeyed home to his father; and he confessed his sins to the father (v. 18-21).

The parable then illustrates how God seeks out the sinner who takes the first step toward Him! The father had been on the lookout for the son from a great distance, he had compassion the moment he came into view; and he ran to meet him (v. 20). No doubt the scribes and Pharisees gasped in shock when they heard of this behavior, in stark contrast to the typical Jewish patriarch who would maintain his reserve and dignity and wait for the son to fall prostrate at his feet!

Instead, this Father hugged his son’s neckkissed him, and forgave his sin (v. 20-22). Because of His grace, He answered the son’s prayer far beyond his expectations (Ephesians 3:20), accepting him as His sonwriting off his debt (of having squandered part of the family estate), and clothing him with the finest robe, a ring, and shoes (Luke 15:22). He brought forth the fatted calf that was being kept for a special occasion, sacrificed it, and had it prepared for dinner (v. 23).

The Father rejoiced over his son with a great celebration that included not only feasting, but also music and dancing (v. 23-25), because He received him from danger to being safe and sound, from death to life, from being lost to being found (v. 24-27).

But sadly, the tale does not end here, but turns instead to the elder son. John MacArthur refers to this parable as the “Tale of Two Sons,” because the fate of the elder son is as much at stake as that of the prodigal. The elder son was a “good” son, hard-working in the field (v. 25), serving his father for many years, and saying that he never disobeyed any of his father’s commandments (v. 29).

No doubt the scribes and Pharisees listening to this story identified with the elder son, for they worked hard at being “good” Jews, prided themselves on their years of religious works and service (Matthew 23:1-7), and thought they were self-righteous (Matthew 5:20) and able to keep the law perfectly.

Yet Jesus criticized them for following the letter of the law, tithing even the tenth part of their garden herbs, while being far from God in their hearts and lacking judgment (discernment), mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23-29). They had substituted their own traditions for God’s law (Matthew 15:1-10); they did not recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah Who was God’s Son; and they had no true love for God or for one another (Matthew 23:13-15).

So the scribes and Pharisees were correct in identifying with the elder son in the parable, for all were far from the Father’s heart. When he heard of the great celebration over his long-lost brother, the elder son got angryrefused to take part in the feast, and criticized his family -- his brother for wasting the family fortune on prostitutes, and his Father for celebrating the prodigal’s return rather than his own self-righteousness (Luke 15: 28-29).

Perhaps this part of the story pricked the hearts of some of the scribes and Pharisees, if their consciences were not already too seared (1 Timothy 4:2). Did any of them recognize that they were angry with Jesus and His followers, that they had no joy over the salvation of others or the opportunity they had to be saved by trusting Jesus, and that they were judgmental to Jesus and His followers (Matthew 12:2,14,24), when judgment is solely the province of God? (James 5:9; Matthew 7::1-5; Romans 12:19)

But instead of rebuking the elder son, the Father sought him out, begged him to join the party (v. 28), and explained the situation. He told the elder son that he was continually in the presence of the Father and exposed to His loveteachings and blessings; that he was still the rightful heir to all the Father owned; and that it was appropriate to celebrate his brother’s safe returnrestoration to the family, and regeneration from spiritual death to life (v. 31-32).

During His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke predominantly to the Jews, so I believe the intended parallel here is to the relationship between God and His chosen nation of Israel. God continually sought out Israel despite her unfaithfulness, begged her to be faithful, and patiently explained the nature of their covenant relationship, as we see throughout the book of Judges and elsewhere, as well as allegorically in the book of Hosea.

Jesus blessed the Jews with His presence during His earthly ministrypromised that He would return as their King even though they rejected Him during His first coming (Mark 15), and found joy even in the shame of the cross (Hebrews 12:2). He knew that His suffering at Calvary would open the gates of Heaven to all, Jews and Gentiles (Matthew 12:18-21), who placed their faith in His deathburial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6).

This parable therefore speaks to all three classes of mankind: the Jews of Israel, the Gentiles of all other nations, and the Church, representing all, either Jew or Gentile, who receive His freely given gift of salvation by trusting Him (1 Corinthians 1:2; 10:32)..

Knowing that the Father in the parable represents the Triune God -- FatherSon, and Spirit – we should ask ourselves whether our relationship to Him is more like that of the younger or the elder son. Do we know, like the prodigal, that we strayed far from God and were doomed to hell (John 3:18); that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9); and that we want the blessings of forgivenessabundant life, and eternal life (John 3:16) that only He can provide?

If so, we have the living hope (1 Peter 1:3)  that God, in His mercylove and grace (2 John 1:3) has forgiven us (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:9), credited us with the perfect righteousness of His Son (Romans 3:22; 4:6,11; 5:17,21) and made us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)His children (Romans 8:16-21), His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), and joint heirs with Christ! (Romans 8:17)

But if we are more like the elder son, we must let the Father change our hearts before it is too late (Luke 13:25-28). How many in churches today are like the “good” son, dutifully occupying the pewtithing, and calling themselves Christian, but having no relationship withfaith in, or love for the Father, His Son, and the brethren?

Trusting in our own good works to get to Heaven will forever separate us from the Father (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). Believing in our own self-righteousness is like filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6). Instead of joypeace and love that comes from trusting the Father, we will be consumed by angerbitterness and hatred. The choice is freely available to all, so may we all open our hearts to our Lord Jesus Christ and turn from death to life today!

© 2015 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Three Found Treasures

 

Three Found 


When I was six, I traveled with my parents to Houston, where we visited Neiman Marcus, a fancy department store. I remember being entranced by so many beautiful shiny things! Sparkling crystal, baubles encrusted with glass jewels, golden plates, and gowns shimmering in sequins and beads all caught my eye.

Before I knew it, I had wandered off from my parents, and they were nowhere to be found! I ran around frantically, calling out for them, but there was no answer. Devastated, I broke into uncontrollable sobbing. A kindly woman approached me and asked what was wrong.

“I’ve lost my parents!” I exclaimed.

“What do they look like?” she asked.

“Don’t worry,” I reassured her. “I’ll know them when I see them.”

All is well that ends well, and my parents were just around the corner, apparently caught up in some treasure hunting of their own. But that was long before the days of children being kidnapped in malls or the need to be paranoid every moment they are out of sight.

Remembering this story made me realize that to be found, three things must happen. We must first realize that we are lost; we must want to be found; and we must recognize the person who will find us.

God is a Triune BeingFatherSon, and Holy Spirit, and that nature is reflected in patterns of threes found throughout His WordSalvation is the central theme of Scripture, so it is not surprising that Jesus spoke three parables about salvation in which a lost animalobject or person is found (Luke 15).

The chapter opens with Jesus teaching the publicans and sinners, namely those thought by society to be wicked beyond help. But many of them realized their own sorry state, and therefore came near Jesus to hear His words of wisdomcomfort, and healing (v. 1).

This ministry grouping of three is diametrically opposed by a judgmental grouping of three: the Pharisees and scribes criticize Jesus for associating with the baser element of society. The religious leaders of that day, who should have been most receptive to Jesus as the Son of God, instead were gossiping about Him, accusing Him of receiving sinners and of defiling Himself by eating with them (v. 2).

Jesus then teaches three parables aimed at the repentant sinners, the religious leaders trusting in their own self-righteousness, and all readers of the Gospel thereafter. Each of these parables has three elements: the lost treasure; those not considered lost; and the One Who finds the lost.

Jesus later describes Himself as the Son of man Who came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). In three verses He states that He came to call not the righteous, but sinners, to repentance (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32). Until we know that we are lost in our sins to the point of death (Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13)that we have no righteousness of our own (Isaiah 64:6), and that we  need to repent (Acts 3:19; 5:31), we cannot be saved.

The first parable tells of a shepherd whose priorities seem somewhat unusual by worldly standards. He leaves the bulk of his flock – 99 of 100 sheep – to fend for themselves in the wilderness, while he goes looking for one lost sheep until he finds it (Luke 15:3-4). An earthly shepherd who did this would be considered somewhat daft, as he would leave most of his livelihood vulnerable to being eaten by predators, falling down a cliff, or wandering away from the flock.

But thankfully, our Lord Jesus Christ is the GoodGreat and Chief Shepherd (John 10:11-18; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4) Who is everywhere to save His flock from danger, and Who will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)

Like sheep, people are also vulnerable to three types of danger. In spiritual terms, these are being devoured by the devil (1 Peter 5:8), falling into temptation because of our sinful flesh (1 Corinthians 10:12), and wandering away when we are lured by worldly pleasures (James 1:14-15; 2 Timothy 4:10), namely the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

Sadly, we are unaware of our exposure to these dangers until we are saved, and we can’t be saved until we know we are lost. In the parable, therefore, the Shepherd, Who is Christ Himself (Psalm 23) makes the lost sheep His highest priority, not resting until He can safely place it across His shoulders Luke 15:5).

Praise God that He goes to such great lengths to seek us out once we want to be found (James 4:8; Ezekiel 34:11), to work on our heart, and to save us through His grace! (Ephesians 2 8-9) But He does this only if we come to the end of ourselves (Psalm 40:2), know we can’t make it to Heaven on our own (Habakkuk 3:19), and realize we need the Saviour! (1 Timothy 1:15) Then He saves us by our faith in His deathburial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven.

Once the lost sheep in the parable is found, there is great rejoicing by the Shepherd, His friends and neighbors (Luke 15:5-6).Jesus explains the parallel to the joy in heaven over one sinner that repents of his sin and knows that he needs the righteousness of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 1:11; 3:9). Those who rely on their own good deeds to get to Heaven far outnumber (in the parable, 99 to 1) those who trust only in the Saviour (Matthew 7:13).

But these “good” people bring little joy to heaven even if they appear to lead moral and just lives on earth (Luke 15:7). Anyone who relies on keeping the law to get to heaven is doomed to failure, because all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and whoever has broken the smallest part of the law is considered guilty of transgressing all of it (James 2:10). Any joy over their “good” deeds is short-lived, for their destiny is eternal separation from God in hell (John 3:18) unless they realize they are lost so they can be born again (John 3:3-8).

In the second parable, Jesus tells of a woman who drops everything she is doing to find one silver coin she has lost from her stash of ten. She lights a candlesweeps the house, and seeks diligently until she finds the missing treasure (Luke 15:8). I believe this parable gives further clues to God’s loving and thorough process in saving the lost sinner.

God gave us His Word as a light for our path (Psalm 119:105), for saving faith can only come by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Often, part of the process of our realizing how losthelpless, and needy we are involves God sweeping away the clutter that hinders our dependence on Him. These weights (Hebrews 12:1) may be idols of money, power, health, relationships, and even family, for if these give us too much satisfaction, we may not realize we need God (Matthew 19:24).

Which brings me back to my childhood anecdote – I knew I was lost, I wanted to be found, and I knew whom I was seeking. I had no worries that I would fail to recognize my parents. But when I grew up, I spent much of life feeling miserably lost and wanting to find truthpeace and joy, yet not knowing the only One Who could save me. Like so many, I was a “seeker,” looking for truth in all the wrong idolsphilosophies and false teachings (2 Peter 2) until the only Way found me (Acts 17:26-27).

In the parable, there was great rejoicing by the woman who found her lost coin, and by her friends and neighbors, just as there is by the angels in heaven (Luke 15:9-10) every time a lost soul is found! We shall also see this next week in the third parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).


 © 2015 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Feed Them!

 


Photo by User:Mattes 2015

Imagine that a couple you recently met invite you and your spouse to spend the evening at their home. You accept, looking forward to getting to know them better. Assuming this is a dinner invitation, you and your spouse eat an early and light lunch on the appointed day. You both dress nicely, arrange for a sitter for your children, and purchase a lovely bouquet of flowers for your hosts.

When you arrive, they greet you warmly, ask you inside, hang up your coats, thank you for the flowers and arrange them in a vase. They give you a tour of their house and invite you to sit down in their cozy living room.

But they don’t offer you anything to eat or drink! After an hour or so of pleasant conversation, you start to feel very hungry and a little light-headed, and you’re embarrassed because your spouse’s stomach is growling loudly!

Suddenly your hosts stand up, thank you for coming, and tell you how much they enjoyed your visit. Seeing this as a clear signal that it’s time to leave, you awkwardly scramble to your feet, thank them for a pleasant evening, and make your way to the door. Once in the car, you and your spouse exchange puzzled looks and rush to the nearest fast-food restaurant!

Despite your hosts’ kind invitation and hospitality, they neglected to feed you! This scenario seems ludicrous, but it may hold a warning for our Christian life. Once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), it is our blessing, privilege and responsibility to lead others to Him.

Like the woman at the well (John 4:28-29;39), many of us take the first step, telling others of how Christ changed our life and of how they too can be saved. But once someone makes a profession of faith, do we feed them by teaching them God’s Word as Jesus commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), encouraging them to read their Bible, discipling them, or at least inviting them to church?

Once a newly saved person goes to church, what sort of welcome will they receive? Many churches offer new visitors a warm greeting at the door, a good seat suggested by an usher, and perhaps a tour of the church facilities. But will those in attendance be fed with the milk and meat of God’s Word (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12), or will they hear a “feel good” message laden with platitudes but without substance? Will the church rely on Biblical preaching to encourage faithful attendance, or on worldly entertainment, giveaways, and a fancy coffee bar?

When someone prays the Sinner’s Prayer in our presence, whether one-on-one, at church, through street preaching, or at a revival or evangelical outreach, what happens next?  Is there follow up with individual mentoring and discipleship, or at least referral to a local Bible-believing church?

Evangelist Paul Washer once explained his heart for new converts and his fear that the seed of God’s Word sowed in their heart might not take root (Matthew 13:18-23). Whenever possible, he spends hours, often spread out over days, listening to a newly saved person’s questions and answering them from God’s Word.

Jesus not only saves us (Acts 4:12), but He keeps us, sustaining us (Psalm 3:5; 55:22) with spiritual as well as physical food (Psalm 37:25; Matthew 6:11, 25-26). After preaching to the masses, He fed them with the miracles of the loaves and fishes, so that their satisfied bodies could absorb further spiritual truth (Matthew 14:19).

When Jesus raised a young girl from physical death, He did not immediately rush off to resume His busy schedule, but first made sure she was given something to eat (Mark 5:41-43). After His resurrection and during His third appearance to His disciples in His resurrected body, He provided a haul of fish and cooked a delicious meal for them before He showed His forgiveness and continued plans for Peter (John 21:5-22).

James warned us that if we see someone who is hungry, it is not enough to tell them to be fed, but we must provide food for them (James 2:15-18). While he was referring to acts of charity – the works by which we prove our faith to others – his admonition also has spiritual applications.

When Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, Peter answered “yes” three times (once for each time he had denied his Lord). And what were Jesus Christ’s last instructions for Peter? If you love me, feed My sheep (repeated twice), and feed my lambs (John 21:15-17).

If we love our Savior, may we make sure to feed His flock, both physically and spiritually!

© 2024 Laurie Collett      


Saturday, February 24, 2024

The Distracted Ruler Loses Focus, Faithfulness, and Fear of the Lord

 




King David displayed wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, for he was a Godly man of faith, a wise father to Solomon, and a good ruler to God’s people. Yet the Bible shows us that even such a man is not immune to distraction, temptation and ultimately sin (Romans 3:23). One of the proofs that Scripture is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) is that it does not sugar coat the truth, portraying its heroes as picture perfect, but rather shows us man’s weaknesses and failures as well as his virtues.

King David had just scored a great victory over Syria (2 Samuel 10) and was enjoying a well-deserved respite in his home at Jerusalem. Certainly there is nothing wrong in rest (Matthew 11:2; Psalm 127:2), renewal (Isaiah 40:31), and refreshment (Exodus 23:12) after triumph in a hard battle, whether it be physicalspiritual, or political warfare. God Himself rested after His work in the six days of creation (Genesis 2:2-3).

But overindulgence in rest (Proverbs 6:9-11) can become distraction (Hebrews 12:1) from God’s purpose for our life, leading to idleness (Ecclesiastes 10:18; Ezekiel 16:49), and slothfulness (Proverbs 19:15). In David’s case, his year of rest should have been over, for it was time for the warring kings to return to battle, and for him to lead his troops. Instead, he sent his commander Joab, his servants, and all of Israel to destroy the children of Ammon and besiege Rabbah, while he lingered behind in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:1). 

This sin of idleness soon put him in a position where he could be tempted by the lust of the eyes, which if uncontrolled soon leads to the lust of the flesh and pride of life (1 John 2:16). Pride is evident in David’s belief that fulfilling his desires was more important than not hurting others or disobeying God.

When born-again believers, meaning those who are saved by our faith in the deathburial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), are not doing God’s work, we get restless. The new man within us longs to yield to the Holy Spirit, to serve God, and to be in the center of His perfect will (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

Yet our sin nature rebels against God (Romans 7:7-25) and tries to convince us that we deserve time off, or that we should be directing our efforts toward improving our position in the world, or just “following our heart.” All of these are euphemisms for sin and lies from the devil (John 8:44; 1 John 2:22), causing us to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

So David, who should have been fulfilling God’s plan for him as faithful servantbenevolent ruler, and heroic warrior, instead lost his focuslingered in temptation, and fell into sin. One evening he was so restless that he arose from bedwalked out on his roof to enjoy the cool breeze, and spotted a beautiful woman bathing (2 Samuel 11:2).

Billy Graham once wrote that if a young man notices a beautiful woman who crosses his path, that is only temptation, but if he stares at her, that is sin. God always provides a way out of temptation if we choose it (1 Corinthians 10:13). David could simply have averted his eyeswalked back inside, and prayed to God to create a clean heart within him (Psalm 51:10).

Instead, he allowed his temptation to grow into lust (a sin in thought) which soon gave way to sinful acts toward the family of Bathsheba, described as the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. He discovered who she was, sent messengers to bring her to him, and had sexual relations with her (2 Samuel 11:3-4).

Jesus said that if we even look at another person with lustful thoughts toward them, it is as if we have committed adultery in our heart (Matthew 5:28). David went beyond that to commit fornication in the flesh, and adultery by sleeping with a woman who was already married, setting up a love triangle between himselfBathsheba, and her husband Uriah.

This was particularly shameful as David had many wives and concubines, yet he defiled Uriah’s only wife. David’s sins began to snowball out of control, as idleness gave way to lustcoveting another man’s wife, and adultery. God’s anger over adultery is so intense that the laws He gave Moses demanded that both partners in adultery be put to death (Deuteronomy 22:22)

The apostle Paul writes that sexually immoral personsidolaters and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), making it clear that sexual sins are a form of idolatry, because they separate the sinner from fellowship with God and they elevate one’s own desires over the good of others. Thus, committing adultery becomes a form of apostasy, or rebellion against God Who imposes laws against fulfilling the desires of our sin nature.

We see this clearly with David, whose sin of adultery led not only to deception, but ultimately to murder, all of which are transgressions against God’s laws in the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:7-17-21). When Bathsheba got pregnant, David plotted to make Uriah think he was the father. He had his commander Joab send Uriah to David, and he asked Uriah to report on the progress of the battle (to cover his true motive for bring him home), and then ordered Uriah to go home to his wife while he was in town (2 Samuel 11:5-8).

This elaborate scheme was intended for Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba, so that when her pregnancy became obvious, everyone would assume Uriah was the father, and David would not be held responsible. But Uriah had far more honorloyalty, and valor than David, for he could not choose the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers were camped out in the field.

When David questioned why Uriah did not go to his house, he replied “The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing (2 Samuel 11: 9-11).

So David tried again to lure Uriah into Bathsheba’s arms, plying him with liquor in hopes of making Uriah abandon his principles (Proverbs 20:1), but he could not. When Uriah had been in Jerusalem for three days, David wrote a letter to Joab, sent it with Uriah, and in it ordered Joab to position Uriah on the front lines of the hottest battle, withdraw support, and allow him to be fatally wounded  (2 Samuel 11:13-15).

Consequencesjudgment and heartache always follow sin, but no sin is too great for God to forgive. Lest we follow David’s path, may we gird up the loins of [our] mindbe sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto [us] at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

© 2017 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Love and Death

 


Photo of Michelangelo's Pieta by Torbjorn Toby Jorgensen

For the first time in decades, Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday fell on the same date this year. One holiday celebrates love, while the other reflects on death. The Catholic ritual of wearing ashes in the shape of a cross on the forehead symbolizes the human condition as sinners doomed to eternal death in hell, were it not for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross (Romans 6:23).

Ash Wednesday thus marks the beginning of Lent, a time of reflection on Christ’s finished work on the cross (John 19:30) and on sinners’ unworthiness (Romans 3:12), based on their own merit (Ephesians 2:8-9), to receive His freely given gift of eternal life. Lent ends on Easter Sunday, commemorating Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and the triumph of God, Who is Love (1 John 4:8), over death. Praise God that through the righteousness of Christ credited to the account of all believers (Romans 4:16-24), He no longer remembers our sin and frees us from its penalty of death (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17).

The perfect, sinless, Lamb of God (John 1:29) – God the Son – came to earth in human form (John 1:14) specifically to die. His death was excruciating, marked by the physical suffering of crucifixion, the emotional isolation from His friends and disciples who betrayed (Luke 22:3-4;34) and abandoned Him, and the humiliation of being rejected, mocked, and mistreated by His people whom he came to save (John 1:11; Luke 23:20-23).

Worst of all, He had to be momentarily separated from the God the Father (Matthew 27:46), with Whom He had been present in close fellowship and love since before the beginning of time (John 1:1-2), as holy God could not look on our sin, which Christ became to save us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Yet this horrific death was motivated by self-sacrificing love. There is no greater love than to die for others (John 15:13). Christ’s death was the very definition of love, for it was the perfect sacrifice to appease the anger of holy God and to reconcile sinful man to Him (1 John 4:10).

Christ died for us while we were not only sinners (Romans 5:8), but children of the devil (John 8:44) and His enemies, rebelling against Him in anger and hatred. His inspiration to endure this agony was the joy that came from knowing that all who trusted in His sacrifice and resurrection would live forever with Him in Heaven (Hebrews 12:2).

God the Father loved the world so much that He was willing to submit His precious Son to this torturous death (John 3:16). God’s love is unfathomable by our mere human minds. We might be willing to take a bullet for our spouse or child, and our brave troops and first responders daily risk their lives to protect our country and communities. We might sacrifice ourselves for a good person, but for an evil, hateful one? (John 8:44)

So how can we begin to comprehend how the Divine Godhead, in need of nothing (Psalm 50:10-12), Creator of all (Genesis 1:1), with infinite power (Jeremiah 27:5), riches and wisdom (Psalm 139:1-6), could love us infinitely? We who are vile, lowly sinners, made from dust and destined to return to ashes? (Genesis 2:7;3:19).

Appropriately enough, the ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from palm fronds burned after the previous year’s Palm Sunday service. It is a sad reminder to be careful lest we fall (1 Corinthians 10:12), for the very people who loudly praised Jesus, crying Hosanna and waving palm branches on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, were the same who cried out for His death on the cross a few days later.

Through His supreme sacrifice He changed all who would believe in Him into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). By trusting Christ we are transformed from His enemies to His friends (Proverbs 18:24), from children of the devil to God’s children, becoming joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17) in eternal life, peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), joy in His salvation (Psalm 35:9), wisdom through the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), and all the blessings of Heaven.

Beyond that, His death allowed His love to make us His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), given the unique privilege, honor and blessing of being able to share the Good News of His love, death, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-5) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven. At the moment we trust Him, we become part of His church, or beautiful bride that one day will unite with Him in sinless, holy perfection (Revelation 21:2).

Once we experience the transformation His love and death allow, love and death take on a new meaning for us. We love Him because He first loved us, and He is love itself (1 John 4:8,19). His love is infinite, while ours is still tainted by the curse of sin, stained with selfishness and pride. Yet as He daily molds us into His image (Romans 8:29), often through suffering (Philippians 3:10), our love can also begin to reflect His self-sacrificial agape love, which we can share with others to bring them closer to Him.

For the Christian, death loses its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55), for it no longer represents eternal punishment in hell, but a momentary transition from the burden of this aging and infirm body to the freedom and joy of being in the presence of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). When we lose loved ones in Him, we have the sure hope that we will one day be reunited. Yet while we are still on earth, we must die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31) to our sin nature, to the corruption of the world (Romans 12:1-2), to the temptations of the flesh (Romans 8:6-7), and to the traps set for us by Satan (Ephesians 6:11).

I chose the Pieta, the renowned sculpture by Michelangelo, to illustrate this post, as it so poignantly communicates the love of a mother for her dying Son, of a sinner for her Savior, of the Son to die for the sins of the world, of the Father to give His Son, and of the Spirit to raise the Son from the dead, that all who trust Him would have everlasting life.

As we reflect on Christ’s death, burial and resurrection this Easter season, may we let His love shine through us to bring others closer to Him!   

© 2024 Laurie Collett


Saturday, February 10, 2024

Oil of Gladness: Triplets of Royal Perfume

 


Photo by Raul654 On May 1, 2005.


As couples all over the world prepare to celebrate Valentine's Day, many will wear a special fragrance or perfume on that special occasion honoring love. Some may  exchange cards proclaiming their love, and  gifts such as candy, flowers, jewelry and perfume. But whether or not we follow these customs or even have a spouse or special someone, those who have trusted Christ have the best gift of all -- His love that is eternal, infinite, and self-sacrificing. Wishing my readers a Happy Valentine's Day -- may we be anointed with the oil of gladness, to impart Christ's sweet fragrance to others!
 

Fragrance is a gateway to worship, as the sweet scents evoke memories of God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23) and emotions of thankfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:18), love for God and one another (Luke 10:27), and joy in the Lord (Psalm.32:11; Isaiah 61:10; Matthew 25:21,23; Philippians 4:4).

Jesus, the MessiahKing of Israel is not only described in terms of beautiful flowersvalued spices and majestic plants, but He even has His own royal perfume made of three botanicals. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only righteous or holy One Who hates evil. God the Father therefore gave Him a special royal perfume, similar to the anointing oil used only for the King or High Priest (Exodus 30:23-24), but described as the oil of gladness (Psalm 45:7).

That perfume contains the triple fragrance of myrrhaloes and cassia (Psalm 45:7-8), all rich in symbolism reflecting His divinity (John 17:5), His sacrifice, and His substitution (I John 2:2to save us by wrapping Himself in human fleshliving a completely holy and sinless life, and suffering to pay our sin debt in full (Philippians 2:6-9)

Cassia refers to dried flowers or inner bark from a tree resembling the cinnamon tree, with a similar warm, sweet-spicy aroma, but more pungent. The Hebrew word for cassia is “ketzi'oth” or ”kiddah,” which means "split," just as His body was broken on the cross for us (1 Corinthians 11:24). It also means to contract or bend the body or neck in a position of submission and reverence, as we should bow our heads to Him and as the Lamb of God meekly submitted to His captors (Romans 14:11; Philippians. 2:10; Isaiah. 53:7). When confronted with His final ordeal, Jesus did not talk back (Isaiah. 53:7; Matthew 26:62-63), resist arrest or punishment, or call on angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26:53).

The strips of bark may also represent humility, as in being stripped of pride, just as the Son of God had the royal robe removed from Him, was stripped naked (Matthew 27:28,31), and whipped until His flesh became ragged, bleeding strips (John 19:1; Isaiah 53:5).

There are exactly three references to cassia in Scripture, including Psalm 45. It was one of three spices contained in the holy anointing oil, along with myrrh and calamus (and cinnamon, related to cassia; Exodus 30:23-24). It is also one of three valuable commodities used in trade, along with bright iron and calamus (Ezekiel 27:19).

Another ingredient in the oil of gladness is myrrh, which at first seems contradictory given its association with death. Myrrh is a gum extracted from a shrub, used in Bible times to anoint a dead body in preparation for burial (John 19:39), as well as being a component of the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23-24) and an oil of purification for women (Esther 2:12). Like cassia and other precious spices, myrrh was a valuable commodity, used in trade (Genesis 37:25), as a peace offering (Genesis 43:11), and even as an enticement by a woman of ill repute (Proverbs 7:17).

Myrrh was one of the three gifts the wise men gave Jesus (Matthew 2:11), along with gold and frankincense, with myrrh representing the fact that Jesus was born to die. Despite the physical agonyhumiliation, and spiritual suffering of His death on the cross, Jesus endured it with joy (Hebrews 12:2), Only through the cross would He have victory over sinconquering death, and salvation for all who placed their trust in His deathburial and resurrection as the only way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6). Therefore, the Bridegroom in Song of Solomon is fragrant with myrrh (1:13; 3:6; 4:6,13, 5:1,5,13) as well as with rose and lily (2:1), for the joy we have in Him is possible only through His sacrifice in death.

Despite the sweet fragrance of myrrh, it has a bitter taste, and in Hebrew, the word means “bitter.” The same Hebrew root word is in “Mara,” the name Naomi asked her friends to call her when she felt that God had dealt very bitterly with her by taking her two sons.(Ruth 1:20). Myrrh was a pain killer, offered dissolved in wine to Jesus on the cross, yet He refused it (Mark 15:23). In so doing, He would be fully aware of His suffering and its significance, not diminishing it one iota.

Aloe, the remaining component of the oil of gladness, is a succulent desert plant, like cactus, storing water in its fleshy leaves. It is referenced in Song of Solomon (4:14) as one of three valued plants, along with frankincense and myrrh. Like myrrh, it is used to anoint a body for burial (John 19:39), and the resin and oil are used as a base for perfume. Medicinal uses include laxativerelief of digestive discomfort, and healing of skin conditions.

I think of aloe as the balm in Gilead (Jeremiah.8:22), for I have used this cure-all many times to soothe burns, poison ivy, sunburn, and even joint pain! The healing properties of aloe remind us that Jesus is the Great Physician, healing us not only physically but spiritually (Matthew 4:23). Only Jesus can cure us of our worst disease – our spiritual condition of sin, which deserves eternal punishment in hell (Romans 6:23; John 3:18. He alone is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world ( John 1:29).

Aloe leaves are arranged in an endless spiral reflecting the perfect Fibonacci sequence and its relationship to the Golden Ratio, examples of God’s perfection in the nature He created. When viewed from above, the aloe plant appears as a rosette or starburst, reminding me of Christ as the Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1), as the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16), and as a many-faceted precious Jewel shining in rainbow brilliance from His throne, described as jaspersardinius and emerald (Revelation 4:3).

If you have an aloe plant, you know that even if you have two black thumbs, you just can’t kill it! You can neglect it, hide it from the sun, let it dry up, and yet it flourishes with new life! So to me, it is fitting that the aloe is contained in the Saviour’s perfume, reminding me of His triumph over deathHis resurrection, and the eternal life we have through faith in Him as the only Way to Heaven! (John 3:16; 14:6; 11:25).


© 2014 Laurie Collett
Edited and reposted from the archives