The Heart-Grieved God

“And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” – Genesis 6:6

 

“as the days of Noah were” – Matthew 24:37

 

“Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You?” – Psalm 94:20

 

Jesus said the latter days leading up to His return would be “as the days of Noah were” (Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:26). God inspired Moses to write of the days of Noah: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:5-7). 

 

“And He was grieved in His heart.” I recently read an April 3^rd 2015 New York Times article written by Frank Bruni entitled Bigotry, the Bible and the Lessons of Indiana. In the article Bruni, who is homosexual, refers to the Bible and its teachings on homosexuality as fossilized. To him the Bible is out of date. To him society and its trends represent the human authority to guide life. Therefore he presents what he sees as a reasonable viable option and solution to relieving all the tension between the LGBT (Lesbian/Gay/Bi-sexual/Transsexual) movement and the church. His simple solution is to rewrite the Bible. According to him we should just edit out the parts of Bible that are counter to today’s trends about sexuality. Just remove those nasty prohibitions against immorality and homosexuality.  Just let men redact Holy-heaven-sent-Writ. To that obtuse notion we must respond, “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20b). What a grieving notion.

 

“And He was grieved in His heart.” Then I heard of another new translation of the Bible. Added to the Queen James Bible and the gender neutral translations of late is a translation offered by rapper Kayne West. He calls his Bible version The Book of Yeezus. In his translation he removes all mention of God’s name and replaces it with his own name Kayne or Yeezus. I wonder what he gets when he prays (if he prays) in Kayne’s or Yeezus’ name? I wonder what would happen if he tried walking on water in Kayne’s name or moving a mountain by faith in Yeezus’ name? I’d pay for admission to see the water walking attempt. What another grieving notion.

 

When I read of such news it makes me shudder. It causes me to fear for the person who would dare try to adjust God’s word to their liking rather than bow their lives to God. Paul said we should work out our salvation “with fear and trembling” not, “dear just cut it out the troubling” (cf. Philippians 2:12). When I see the mishandling of God’s Holy Word and then read such inspired words as: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophesy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). These words apply primarily to Revelation but in principle o God’s book as a whole. God’s word is filled with blessings. But there are also cursing consequences for sinful behavior. Redacting or editing God’s word to anything other than what He has revealed it to be is the grossest of sins.

 

Ever wonder why there is so much stupidity in the world today? It’s because people, even God’s people, have left the source of wisdom, God’s word. Long ago when God was preparing His people to enter the Promised Land and interact and influence pagan peoples, He inspired Moses to give them certain instructions. You can see these instructions in the book of Deuteronomy. Towards the beginning of that instruction and as a priority of those instructions God told Moses to tell His people - “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. . . . Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:2, 6). “For this is your wisdom and your understanding.”  If the church is indistinguishable from the world and impotent to change the world it is because she has left God’s word for the ways of the world.

 

Failure to apply God’s word in life leads to all kinds of stupidity and sin. And that grieves the Lord. A prominent television “pastor” promotes the idea that if 200,000 people donate $300 each to him he can purchase a 60 million dollar jet. I wonder is that grieves Jesus who said, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). One day Jesus may say to such a “minister,” “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20, 21). What is wrong with the ministers of God today? Are they ministers of God? Have they consulted God’s word? It doesn’t appear they have. If they have glanced at the Bible they have apparently willfully disregarded segments of it in order to allow them to fulfill their carnal desires. It’s unholy hedonism! And it’s the stupid result of departing from God’s word.

 

Is there any doubt that our days are like the days of Noah? Certainly each day shows a news report that confirms, “the wickedness of man” is “great in the earth.” It certainly seems as though “every intent of the thoughts of his heart” is “only evil continually.” “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). Successful sport involves bloodletting and blood gushing. With the rise of ISIS has come the broadcasting of decapitations. This world is a bloody mess! It sure looks like the earth is filled with violence to me. And so, can we ultimately expect anything less than, “So the LORD said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth”? We can be sure that with what is going on today that when God looks down on us He says again, “I am sorry that I have made them.” God’s heart is grieved.

 

The apostle Paul laid down an example for us. He stated that he did not rely on “persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power,  that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).  I can understand why unsaved debauched sinners reject God’s word and rely on human wisdom. The god of this world Satan has blinded them (2 Cor. 4:4). They are in darkness and under the powerful influence of the devil. They need to be set free by the gospel (Acts 26:18). But what excuse or explanation can be offered when the church neglects God’s word? What excuse do those in the traditional mainline denominations have for choosing the trendy worldly “wisdom” that promotes immorality and sin instead of upholding scriptural holiness? Such action is nothing more than betrayal and nothing less than treachery to God and His word. And the consequence is a dead as a doormat powerless shell of a church.

 

When God looks down on this world and parts of His “church” can there be any doubt that He again thinks, “I am sorry that I have made them”? Can there be any doubt that God in Christ is getting ready to upchuck over the lukewarm church (Revelation 3:16). It is certain He is grieved over the mess humanity has made of His world.

 

What are we to do? What are the faithful remnant of those who have decided to stay true to God’s Holy Word to do? I propose we go to the LORD with His word and plead for His intervention. We need to do is get back to God’s word. We have to get serious with the word of God. We have to get to work in the word and with the word (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17). God’s word is His instrument of power (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word will cleanse the refuse of this world from us (Ephesians 5:26).

 

Think about it. If you sent a love letter to the object of your affection, a letter filled with your hopes, dreams and passions of love, and the one you sent it to uncaringly and negligently cast it aside, or simply left it unopened to collect dust, would it grieve you? Or if the one you loved opened the love letter but questioned your existence or your hopes or dreams or the genuineness of your love, would it grieve you? Do you think it grieves God when we do the same to Him, to His love letter the Bible? Get into God’s word and stop grieving the Lord.

 

We live in a nation today where most of its leaders are perfectly described with the words, “Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? ²¹They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood” (Psalm 94:20-21).  Legislating immorality and protecting sinful behavior with the law is nothing new. Even in the psalmist’s day rulers were enacting laws to promote and protect sinful behaviors. And all the while the legislators were doing this they were claiming to be right with God. They legislate evil in God’s name! Oh Lord!

 

We see the exact same thing in our day! Legislation and illegalizing the LORD and His word from the public square! Secularism is insipid; it allows for any and all kinds of sin. It has led to the legislation and legalizing of abortion and the murder of millions! And soon we will see the legislating and legalizing same-sex marriage and the destruction of marriage and family! To follow will be the legislation and legalization of polygamy. Soon to follow will be the legislation and legalized elimination of age of consent laws and prohibitions against incest. We are fast moving toward an anything goes society. Soon we will see the legislation and outlawing of scriptural proclamations of truth even in the church under the guise of “tolerance,” and “hate crime.” The world is tolerant of everything except God and His truth! The world devises evil and uses law to establish it. “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness. . . . vile passions. . . . to a debasd mind” (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). What we see is God’s judgment. What corruption! Oh what a grieving state of affairs! Oh how this must grieve the LORD when He looks down from His throne.  

 

We have to turn to the Lord. None of this takes Him by surprise. Jesus said it would be like this; like the days of Noah. He has allowed this to happen. He has allowed humanity to exert their free will. Humanity is free to choose selfishness and sin or to choose to repent, be saved through faith in Christ and live in His true love. For those who choose the LORD we have the comfort of - “But the Lord has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:22).

 

The answer for us is to turn to our God. He will bring clarity to address our concerns. He will provide solutions. The warning for the wayward and rebellious sinful world is to turn to God too. If the sinner refuses the prospect is not good: “He has brought on them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The Lord our God shall cut them off” (Psalm 94:23). Just like the days of Noah. It grieves the Lord when He sees His creation consumed with sin. When He looks at you will He have reason to grieve too? When God looks at you, will He have more reason to be a heart-grieved God?

 

Burn Within! Burn Within! Burn Within for Jesus!

“And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” – Luke 24:32

 

When I was a young boy, and was in a cantankerous mood, (which was not uncommon) I’d do little things to aggravate my mother. I knew how to press her buttons. I knew what to do or not do to aggravate her. You know: going slow when she was in a hurry or going fast when she was sapped of energy and could only go slow. Disregarding, “Now I’ve told you for the last time!” over and over and over again. Purposeful procrastination to her calls to get ready so we could go somewhere. I usually knew just how far I could push Mom before things got dangerous. There was a telltale comment that marked the end of the line for her patience. Those red flag words were, “You burn me up!” When I heard those words I knew it was time to run for cover. The B29 was overhead, the sky was growing dark with her shadow, and the situation was about to go nuclear. This little boy was about to get bombed with “Little Boy.” (Note: I attribute my speed to running from Mommy around the dining room table. I always thought her attempts to catch me quite funny. Funny how the more I laughed and giggled the redder her face got and the more she’d throw the chairs out of the way. Yes, my speed was learned young. That I lived on I attribute to having never been caught!)

Back in 1972 Elvis Presley produced his last top 100 hit song entitled Burning Love. The song, originally written by Dennis Linde, starts with the words, “Lord Almighty, I feel my temperature rising, higher, higher, it’s burning through my soul. . . .”  and has the famous chorus “Just a hunk of, hunk of burning love. Just a hunk of, hunk of burning love.” There have been a lot of secular songs in history that use fire and burning as a metaphor for sexual passions and hedonism.

When a sports team is on a winning streak it’s described as “They’re on fire!” When the fans of a team are especially worked up into a frenzy they are often described as being, “Fired up!” Starting a race car or even an ordinary engined machine of some kind is frequently described as “Fire it up!”

When people are zealous for a political or social cause they are also often described as being, “Fired up!” When employment is terminated the employer says, “You’re fired!” the employee says, “I was fired.”

The 1986 movie Top Gun about the training of fighter pilots described popularized the phrase, “crash and burn,” to described incidents where test pilots crashed and burned their jets.

All of these uses of fire and burning are examples of a metaphor. A metaphor is defined as, “a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.”

 

The metaphor of fire can be used to describe holy things as well as unholy things. There are probably a lot of other ways the metaphor of fire and burning imagery are used. But I’d like to consider how such a metaphor is used in the Bible.  

Vance Havner, a past Senate chaplain, once said,

            “We are not going to move this world by criticism of it, nor conformity to it, but             only by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God.” 

He’s right about that. What we need is more burning hearts, hearts aflame for Jesus in the power of the Spirit.

The early church had hearts burning for the Lord and they turned the world upside down for Jesus (i.e. right side up - Acts 17:6). Unfortunately the church today is too often turned upside down by the world. Why is that? It seems the sinful world is more on fire for their unrighteous causes than the church is for her righteous causes. Where are the burning hearted disciples of Jesus today? If the flames of passion for Jesus have gone out in a Christian, is there a way to relight that flame? How can we get aflame for the Lord? How can we be re-fired? What do we do to have our hearts burn for the Lord?

The key to a burning heart is found in Luke’s gospel account where it states: “And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32). This verse is the key to a burning heart. A heart is ignited with a holy flame by getting close to Jesus and listening to Him. Jesus bestows a burning heart to us. The closer we come to Jesus and listen to Him and His word, the brighter and hotter our hearts will burn for Him. Your heart will glow and burn with a holy flame in proportion to how close you are living to Jesus. The closer you get to the fire, the hotter the heat you will feel. You can’t come close to Jesus and not be set to burning for Him. We need a burning heart. This world needs the ministry produced by burning hearts.   We need Jesus.

 “A smoking flax He will not quench” – If you were a candle would you be a bright flame or about to flame out? Is the fire in your belly more heart-burn than burning for Jesus? If you are on fire for the Lord you need to understand that a flame needs to be maintained. If you feel as though you’re spiritual flame is about to go out you need to understand you can be fired up again.

Jesus is gentle. He is waiting for the smoldering ones to return to Him. In Matthew’s inspired gospel account Isaiah 42:3 is quoted in regards to Jesus which says: “A bruised reed He will not break,   And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory;” (Matthew 12:20). Jesus doesn’t snuff you out when your flame is weak. When your flame is weak He will help you ignite again.    

The Heart of the Bible - Before we discover how to get our heart burning for Jesus, we have to have an understanding of the heart. The word “heart” used in Luke 24:32 is translated from the Greek term kardia. “Heart” can refer to the physical heart but is also used to refer to that part of the human being that is central, the core, the place where “the thoughts or feelings” reside. ^[1] The heart is your inner most being; the place where you make decisions that determine your life outcomes.

The Bible tells us that the heart is by nature sinful. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it?  I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Sin soaks our heart, quenches God’s fire, and makes us unburnable. We are born with a heart that is spiritually limp. The sinful heart is weak like wet cardboard and provides no fuel for any holy fire. Before a heart can be lit on fire for the Lord it has to be treated and prepared and made a furnace capable of holding God’s fire.

We need a new heart from God. The only way the sinful heart can be made into a furnace for God’s flame is to be exchanged for a new one. That old sinful heart needs to be torn out and replaced with a new heart from God. Such a new heart is available only by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10).

The new heart we receive from God comes with the perfect fittings for His fire. The first step to a new heart is that God takes the initiative to give us a new heart. God enlightens our heart and exposes its sinfulness and need of cleansing and redemption (2 Corinthians 4:6; John 16:8-11). God is the One who opens the heart to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior (Acts 16:14; 26:18).

The next step in being fitted with God’s new heart is admitting your present heart is weak and sinful. And as we admit that we trust the gospel truth that Jesus died on the cross to pay the just requirement and penalty for our sin.  The only way our sin can be cleaned away is by applying the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7, 9).  God’s new heart is then put in place. When we receive forgiveness for our sins from Him based on trusting Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross the new heart is installed. The new heart is lowered into our chest cavity as we  believe in our heart that Jesus has risen from the dead and confess with our mouth that He is Lord (Romans 10:9-10).

The Bible says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26). That new heart is empowered, strengthened and fired by the Lord (Psalm 27:14). This new heart is established by the Lord (1 Thessalonians 3:13). This new heart runs on the love of the Spirit (Romans 5:5). Its high spiritual octane is measured by its total love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37). This new heart is governed by Jesus as Lord in life (1 Peter 3:15). This new heart serves God totally (Deuteronomy 26:16). This new heart relies on God’s owner’s manual the Bible (Proverbs 3:5). This new heart filters out the dirt of sin (Psalm 66:18). This new heart responds to the Driver God (Ephesians 6:6). A burning heart is a heart maintained and functioning according to God’s manual the Bible and running on the fuel of the Spirit; love.  

The optimum burning heart – When your heart is operating the way God intended it to operate it will be like a stable of horses ready to charge out of the barn and be used by God. Your heart horsepower depends on the degree to which you allow God to work on your engine.

Jeremiah was on fire for God. And God sent him on a mission. God sent him to be a prophet to a people that would not listen to him (Jeremiah 6:17). He needed a well maintained heart for such a task. He did get frustrated at times on that mission. So frustrated did Jeremiah become with his situation that he told the Lord he was going to shut up and not speak anymore. But read what his burning heart taught him: “Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.”  But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” (Jeremiah 20:9).  You see? The burning heart fueled by God and His word burns its way out of complacency, discouragement, and despair. The burning heart is a heart on fire for the Lord.

Lukewarm Hearts - But there’s something else we see in the words of Jeremiah. In these words we see the nature of humanity. Like Jeremiah, in our own strength, we think to and often try to repress or limit the flame of God in us. There are many lukewarm, lackadaisical, and limping Christians who Jesus finds repulsive. There are too many Millard and Mazy Milktoast Christians. That is what Jesus says in a personal letter to the church at Laodicea to whom He writes:  “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:14-17).

What Jesus wrote to this church is very important because the state of those Laodiceans is found in part and even in whole in many churches today. Jesus is writing to Christians. Jesus identifies Himself as “the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God [i.e. supernatural authority over].” There’s no lukewarmness with Jesus. But that’s not the case with His followers in this church. The Laodiceans are lukewarm; they are neither cold nor hot; they can take Jesus or leave Jesus. This is totally unacceptable to Jesus. He says they should be either cold or hot, but not lukewarm (Revelation 3:14-15). Jesus finds lukewarmness repulsive. And in light of the fire of the cross He has good reason for His revulsion. It’s enough to make the Savior “vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

What causes lukewarmness in the heart? According to Jesus the problem is being rich in the things of this world instead of the things of God. It’s being preoccupied with worldly wealth and unaware or uninterested in spiritual needs (Rev. 3:17). If you want the fire of Jesus you have to be willing to adopt His priorities and purposes in your life. There really does need to be an exchange from “old man” to “new man” (cf. Romans 6; Ephesians 4; Colossians 3). The Christian today is trying to live a new life in Christ with the old ways and patterns of the sinful carnal man. Nothing will quench God’s fire faster than dousing the flame with the syrup of secularism. Nothing will hinder God’s fire more than dressing in the flame retardant jingly jacket of worldly bells and whistles.

The Remedy - from Lukewarm to Zealous – What’s the solution? What’s the remedy? Jesus counsels these lukewarm believers to remedy their condition buy advising them, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” (Revelation 3:18).  They need to count the cost and be willing to go through the fires of life that deepen their faith from superficial to substantial. He says get “fire,” from Him; submit to His life lessons. His word is purified in the furnace (Psalm 12:6). There is such a thing as the fires of persecution (Luke 12:49-53).  We must be willing to enter the furnace with the word (e.g. 1 Peter 1:6-9). Jesus says to suit up in “white garments” (which speaks of holiness). He says treat the cataracts of your spiritual eyes with His “eye salve.” Wash your eyes with the water of the word. Let the light of God’s word shine through your darkness (Revelation 3:18).

Jesus tells them, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). Jesus loves the lukewarm believer even though He despises their lukewarmness. Jesus loves us too much to leave us lukewarm. A lukewarm believer may be cool toward Jesus, but Jesus is hot for them. He loves them and that is why He takes the time to try and ignite them out of their complacency and lukewarm condition. Jesus calls us out of a lukewarm condition because He loves us! The medicine for lukewarmness is the love of Jesus.

The word “zealous” in Revelation 3:19, (Greek zelos) refers to a fervent on fire condition of holy jealousy and desire for the things of God. Are you zealous for the things of God, or are the things of God easily crowded out or replaced by other things? What are you really on fire for? If you’re not on fire for Jesus and everything connected with Him, then you need to “repent.” Turn from your diversions which distract you from Jesus and listen for His knock.

With repentance in place Jesus then says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²² “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:20-22). That is a verse we often use to evangelize the lost. But it is in fact a verse aimed at the lukewarm believer! The remedy for a lukewarm heart is opening up and inviting Jesus in. Sweet fellowship with Jesus ignites and stokes the spiritual fire in our heart.

Why not open up your heart right now? If you feel no urgency about the things of the Lord or if they are low on your list of priorities you are lukewarm and in need of a fresh ignition by the Lord. He’s here and He wants to make your heart burn again. Jesus loves you so much and it pains Him and grieves Him to see you in your lukewarm state. The choice is yours.

We need a burning heart - God manifested His presence to Moses in a fiery burning bush (Exodus 3:2). Fire represents the power of God (e.g. the 7^th plague of God on Egypt - Exodus 9:24). Fire marks God’s approval (e.g. of the priestly ministry - Leviticus 9:24). Fire is and instrument of God’s wrath (e.g. Sodom and Gomorrah - Genesis 19:24; Matthew 25:41; Hebrews 12:29; 2 Peter 3:10-12). Fire guides through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22). Fire transports us to heaven (e.g. Elijah – 2 Kings 2:11). God’s fire is stronger that the fear of death (Song of Solomon 8:6). God’s fire purifies (Isaiah 6:5-7). God’s word is fiery and fire producing (Jeremiah 5:14). God protects us with a “wall of fire” (Zechariah 2:5). Jesus the Messiah is described as a “refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:2). The Holy Spirit manifested His presence upon the disciples with tongues of fire over their heads (Acts 2:3). We need God’s fire! We need a burning heart.

The Bible also warns of the dangers of living without God’s fire. It speaks of the fires of affliction which come because of sin (Isaiah 43:2). God warns the fire of lust will burn us (Proverbs 6:27-28). The fire of the tongue’s sinful word-sparks can ignite a forest fire of problems (James 3:6). Fire can either purify us or pummel you; your choice.

The steps to a burning heart – A burning heart is one that is filled with the presence, power, approval, purpose, protection, and purity of the Lord.  A burning heart is noticeable. A burning heart is tangible. You can’t be on fire and not know it. Sooner or later you’ll feel the burn. You can’t have a burning heart and not know it. If you’re in doubt, you probably don’t have a burning heart. So how can we get a burning heart? Let’s join Jesus and a couple of disciples on the road to Emmaus and observe the steps to a burning heart.  

Luke 24:13–35 (NKJV)

¹³ Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ¹⁵ So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

The first step to a burning heart is to be in conversation about Jesus. As we start discussing Jesus He has a way of entering the conversation. And once Jesus is in the conversation we are on the right track toward a burning heart. So open the door of your heart in conversation about Jesus. He just may be in the neighborhood. He just may drop in.

¹⁷ And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” ¹⁸ Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ And He said to them, “What things?”

 

The second step toward a burning heart is to listen to Jesus and ask questions. Jesus will always enter the home that invites Him in. Jesus introduced Himself into their conversation by asking them a question. Cleopas responded to Jesus with a question of His own. There is a two way conversation going on here. We have to listen to the questions Jesus is asking us and then openly ask Him questions of our own. 

 

Notice also that only one of the two disciples is actually named. Why is that? I think it’s so that we can insert ourselves into this conversation through this unnamed disciple. Are you there with them now? I hope so.

 

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. ²¹ But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. ²² Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. ²³ When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. ²⁴ And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

 

The third step to a burning heart is to lay out before Jesus what you do know. They laid out before Jesus what they did know about the situation. It’s a good idea to lay out on the table the pieces of your life circumstances. Lay everything out before the Lord. Turn it all over to Him. Jesus is a perfect Gentleman. He won’t go where he isn’t invited. He can be trusted. He doesn’t sneakily open the medicine cabinet while using your bathroom. No, He will only work on the pieces you lay out before Him.

 

I think it’s very interesting and telling that God in Christ had just completed the most stupendously significant magnificent victory over sin and death of all eternity and these disciples weren’t even aware of it! In fact, they were actually down and depressed. Jesus had just sustained an incredible brutalization at the hands of sinful humanity. He had gone to the cross and paid the death penalty for the sins of all humanity for all time and history. He had just demonstrated the incredible love of God eternally. They had even heard of the first witnesses’ report of the empty tomb! But they were filled with doubts and dark thoughts. That’s not uncommon; us human beings are often slow on the pickup.

 

We may be discouraged and depressed even though God’s victory is right before us. These disciples were missing the most important ingredients. They hadn’t remembered the words of Jesus. They hadn’t taken Jesus at His word. They were overcome by the giants of human depravity seeing themselves as only crickets of Christ (cf. Numbers 14). They were snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory. They just didn’t get it. We often don’t get what God is doing. That’s why we need to bring it all to Jesus.  

 

When we lay out what we know before Jesus He is able to connect the dots for us. The Holy Spirit will open our eyes (cf. John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14). When we give Jesus free reign in our lives He takes the ingredients and uses them to stoke a fire in us. Sometimes we have flammable material but haven’t unwrapped it for use. We may not even be aware that parts of what we have are fuel for His fire in us. Jesus is an Expert fire starter. Let your life be the fuel for His fire.

 

²⁵ Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

 

The fourth step toward a burning heart is to be open to the correction of the Lord. You have to be open to Jesus’ correction. There are times when the fires go out because we have misinterpreted what God is doing. That’s what happened to these two disciples. They saw defeat where God had worked His greatest victory! We have to be humble and open to the Lord’s correction. We have to be teachable. We need to be surrendered to Jesus to assess and build our faith. It’s no fun to be called “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the [prophets have spoken!” We may have to eat humble pie.  God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).  Taking a humbling rebuke is often a step in receiving a burning heart.

 

²⁶ Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” ²⁷ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

 

The fifth step is to go to the word of God with Jesus. Jesus didn’t take them to a few isolated verses. Jesus started with Moses and then went to the prophets and expounded verse by verse chapter by chapter book by book. And the focus of His revelation and teaching to them was “concerning Himself.” The fires of the heart are stoked and fueled by what scripture says about Jesus. No fire is as bright as it could be or as pure as it should be unless it is fueled by scripture and scriptures testimony about Jesus. There are no short cuts or alternatives to the word of God. The fires of the hearth of our heart are stoked by Jesus with the word of God!

 

²⁸ Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. ²⁹ But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

 

The sixth step toward a burning heart is to actively seek fellowship with Jesus. Jesus made like He would go on without them. There was no way they were going to let this Teacher get away from them. They were fired up by Jesus’ teaching of His word. Oh, I can’t imagine how incredible a time with Jesus this must have been; to have Him explain the scriptures personally to them. It’s no wonder they “constrained” (Greek parebiasanto) Jesus to stay with them. They urged and compelled Jesus to the point of prevailing on Him to stay. They actively sought the presence of Jesus. If you want a burning heart you need to actively pursue Jesus. You can’t be lukewarm if you want a burning heart. You can’t have a take it or leave it attitude about God’s fire in your heart. You have to want it. Prevail on Jesus in prayer and compel Him to give you a burning heart. Hold on to Jesus with every fiber of your being and don’t let go until your heart is burning hot.

 

³⁰ Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

 

The seventh step toward a burning heart is dwelling with Jesus. They recognized Jesus as they spent time with Him. If you want a burning heart you have to take the time to spend time with Jesus. If you’re in a rush and don’t have time for Jesus you can pretty much forget about stoking the fires of your heart. If you think you can fit Jesus into your schedule and have Him light your fire, forget it. It’s going to take more than a minute devotional to get the fire of God. You have to patiently, calmly spend time in fellowship with Jesus. You have to sit with Jesus and pour over His word as if it were the most important thing in your life. And it should be! What is more important than spending time with Jesus?

 

It was when these two disciples and Jesus sat down together and broke bread together that the light when on, the spiritual sparks began to fly and their fire was lit. The first disciples were known for their devotion to “breaking bread” together (Acts 2:42). What’s the big deal about breaking bread? When Jesus broke bread it reminded them of the times Jesus had fellowshipped with them. It may have reminded them of past Passover meals shared with Jesus. The Passover was a time of remembrance of God’s delivering His people from the oppression of the world. It was an illustration of “the Lamb of God who take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). It was a time of worship.

 

If you want to kindle a fire within, worship with Jesus. Even if you don’t feel like worshipping, take a step of faith and worship with Jesus. There is something about worshipping the Lord that turns up the flame of our heart. I’m not only speaking about singing, though that is a good start. Putting on worship music invites the holy flames of God. But worship Jesus in whatever you are doing. Do whatever you are doing for Jesus; as a love offering to Him. Then feel the fires grow (e.g. Colossians 3:17, 23-24). Enter into and enjoy the presence of Jesus and your heart will soon be enflamed with Him.

 

³² And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” ³³ So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

 

The final step toward a burning heart is to tell others about Jesus. Their hearts were burning bright after their encounter with Jesus. But they didn’t sit back and bask in the glow. No, they were burning to tell others of their encounter with Jesus. And when we tell others about Jesus it keeps the fire in our heart hot and glowing. Every word to others about Jesus is another log on the fire of our heart. Don’t settle for secular conversations. Inject some passion for Jesus into your communications. You’ll be amazed how it will fire you up. You’ll be surprised how the fire of Jesus catches on with others.

Are you more a smoldering wick than a flaming heart for Jesus? Go to Jesus. Open up to Him. Invite Him to open His word to you. Stoke the flames with fellowship in the word with Jesus. Take time, make time for Jesus. And then compel Him to light the fire of your heart. Let our rallying cry be “I must BURN WITHIN! BURN WITHIN! BURN WITHIN FOR JESUS!” That’s a determined purpose and request of Jesus He is always happy to fulfill.

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^[1]Strong, J. 1997, c1996. The new Strong's dictionary of Hebrew and Greek words (electronic ed.). Thomas Nelson: Nashville

Blood Moons and Red Flags

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood – Joel 2:31

 

Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. – John 13:19

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). That first verse of Holy Scripture is the bedrock beginning of all other scriptures. This first verse presupposes that as Creator, God owns, oversees, and maintains control of His creation. We see this verified in His inspired word where it states, “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). The apostle Paul in his inspired Athenian address said, “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Then later in his letter to the Colossians Paul is further inspired to write of Jesus, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17). That last word “consist” (Greek synestao) means Jesus stands near His creation and holds it together. Jesus is involved with His creation.

 

Jesus is the Suffering Servant Messiah who gave His life for His lost sheep (Isaiah 53). He’s the Lamb of God that came to take away the sins of the world through His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross (John 1:29). Jesus finished His redemptive cross work. He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). But Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He continues to work to build His flock and care for those in the fold. He knows His sheep by name and they know Him (John 10:3, 14). The Good Shepherd Jesus gave His life for the sheep (John 10:11, 15-18). The Good Shepherd Jesus protects and oversees His flock today.

 

Like any good shepherd, Jesus watches for danger that threatens the flock. He watches for wolves and wields His Shepherd’s staff and club in defense. He routs the enemy of the sheep. He also watches for stormy weather and seeks to steer His sheep to safe haven. He directs their attention to the storm clouds so they’ll follow Him to safety. He calms them when the lightning flashes and the thunder peels. Jesus was aware of the signs in the sky. Even the Pharisees knew the old adage, “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning” (compare to Matthew 16:1-3).

 

From the very beginning God in His word states, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14). The sun, moon, stars and other bodies in the heavens are useable by God for “signs.” The word “signs” (Hebrew ‘ot) means a signal, a beacon, evidence, monument, omen, or flag. Is there evidence that God, at least in part, uses the “lights in the heavens” as a sign or a warning flag?

 

It wasn’t too long into the Bible before humanity fell under the influence of the serpent and his minions. Things got so bad in God’s creation that He determined to judge the world with a Flood that would eliminate all humanity except for Noah and his family. Prior to the Flood there were no clouds in the sky. The land was moistened and watered by underground canals (Genesis 7:11). The first storm clouds that God assembled in the sky were a warning sign of impending judgment. This world was guilty of great wickedness. Of the people in the world God observed, “every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). The first storm clouds in the sky indicated judgment had come for the centuries of demonically influenced immorality, wickedness, corruption, and violence (Genesis 6:5-8, 11). And God did just this world. But aren’t you glad God also chose to give us a sign of promise in the rainbow in the sky? He would never flood the world again (Genesis 9:13f.).

 

I imagine the plagues of hail (Exodus 9:13f.) and darkness (Exodus 10:21f.) were pretty clear and impressive warning signs of God to the Pharaoh and his Egyptian citizenry. And I imagine the thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai was a pretty vivid and loud indicator from God to His people that He was there and they should think twice about casually setting foot on His holy ground (Exodus 19). There are many, many more incidents where God used natural signs in the sky to indicate His providential presence.

 

Nearly eight centuries (800+ years) before the birth of Jesus a prophet by the name of Joel was called by God to call His people to repentance. Joel was inspired by God to speak of a devastation that was coming on the Land because of the sinfulness of God’s people. But Joel also was inspired to speak of a future revival where the Spirit of God would be poured out on all people. This outpouring would be accompanied by spiritual gifting to minister for the Lord. It would be an awesome and great day (Joel 2:28-29, 31b).

 

We know that Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled in part at Pentecost. It was at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 disciples prayerfully waiting in the upper room. It was then that the church was birthed (Acts 1-2). Baptized and overflowing with the Holy Spirit God’s people impacted the world like never before for the glory of God. Jesus and the powerful gospel were proclaimed in heaven sent power. You can read about the beginnings of this mighty work of the Spirit in the book of Acts.

 

But God’s word through Joel also speaks of a dark downward spiral of humanity away from God in the latter days. And accompanying that end time of His influence in history God said, “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood” (Joel 2:30-31). On the fateful holy day of Jesus crucifixion the sun was darkened from noon to three in the afternoon (Matthew 27:45). Scientists and skeptics have tried through the years to dismiss this darkness as a natural event; a solar eclipse. But even if that were the case, it’s a pretty good trick to coordinate a solar eclipse at just the right time of Jesus’ crucifixion!

 

Now what about the “moon into blood”? What about the blood moons of our day? There is a controversy over whether or not the two sets of two blood red moons of 2014 and 2015 are merely common coincidence or a sign from God. “Common coincidence” is an oxymoron; there is no such thing. Are these signs from God? Well, I’m no scientist, but the two sets of blood moons do appear extraordinary. Some complain that they can’t even been seen in Israel or that they can only be seen in certain sections of the world. Critics accuse that if these were signs from God they would have to be seen by the entire world. Well, they may not be naturally viewable in all parts of the world, but given the technology of our day such natural phenomena can indeed be accessed from just about every corner of the planet. Others complain that historically when we see such “signs” they sometimes appear after the events. Whether or not a sign appears before or after isn’t the important part though. What is important is that somehow God put His fingerprints on history. History is indeed His-story.

 

I find it very provocative that each set of blood moons in each year just happens to fall on Jewish high holy days (Passover and Tabernacles). I also find it very interesting that this second part of the tetrad (two sets of two) of blood moons just happens to fall not just on a seventh year Sabbath year, but on a Shemitah or year of Jubilee (cf. Leviticus 25). Think about this a bit. Why this particular set of years amongst all the other possible years? Of all the 365 days of the year why do two blood moons fall exactly on two Jewish High Holy days? And of all the possible years in a century why are they falling in a Jubilee year? That sounds a little providential to me.

 

The night Jesus was betrayed He warned His disciples of what was about to happen. He reiterated He was going to the cross, die and later rise from the dead. And as He was telling His disciples these important truths He commented, “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.” (John 13:19). Jesus wanted His disciples to be prepared for the hard redemptive work He was about to do. It would be hard for them. It would take courage they wouldn’t have. It would be hard and devastating to watch; even from afar. But their Shepherd Jesus would prepare them.

 

Jesus knew to be forewarned was to be forearmed for the disciples. The prophetic revelation Jesus provided was good preparation for His disciples. They didn’t understand or grasp everything that was about to happen, but having the groundwork for the cross work introduced to them prepared them to weather the storm of evil that was about to be dealt with by Jesus. Jesus always prepares His sheep.

 

The Sabbath day was a day of rest for God’s people. It was a time for God’s people to stop their work, reset their trust in God and focus on Him. By resting on the Sabbath God’s people were being taught by God that what they had and how they survived was not primarily reliant on what they did. There sustenance was primarily based on God’s providential care and provision. God would prove this by providing enough on the sixth day for the sixth and seventh days.

God knew and knows the nature of humanity. They have an insatiable appetite for more. They tend to think all they have is because of all they do. God on the other hand says, “it is He [God] who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). In the New Testament through Paul God questions, “And what do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). We owe everything to God. We are who we are by grace (1 Corinthians 15:10).

The truth that everything we have comes from God is further illustrated in the Old Covenant Sabbath year. Every seventh year there was to be a holy Sabbath; a year of rest. In the sixth year God would prove His provision by providing enough for that year and the Sabbath year. Then again every fiftieth year was a year of Jubilee; a special time of recognizing God as the Source of all we have. To do this the land was to be left alone; unplanted; to rest. In this time of rest they would have to rely on God and see His faithful provision. In the Jubilee year all debts were to be cancelled and all slaves set free. You see, we and our possessions don’t really belong to us; they belong to God (cf. Leviticus 25). They would have to trust God to provide.

But God’s people didn’t trust Him. They took the provisions of God and hoarded them. They used them to make more rather than enjoy fellowship and rest with their God. God’s people rebelled and refused to observe these Sabbaths for 490 years. God graciously and patiently waited for His people to repent. They did not repent. Therefore He removed His hedge of protection and allowed them to be defeated and taken into captivity, just like He said He would (e.g. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28).

God’s people owed God 70 Sabbath years therefore they were taken into captivity for 70 years (Jeremiah 25). God’s people didn’t let their slaves go in the Sabbath years therefore God allowed them to go into slavery. The people didn’t allow the land to rest but instead worked it mercilessly to gain greater profits therefore they ended up losing everything. There is a principle of sowing and reaping that we see in both Testaments. There is a consequence for our decisions (cf. Galatians 6:7-9).

Joel spoke of the moon turning to blood “Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31b). Jesus warned of false christs and false prophets showing signs to deceive (Matthew 24:23-26).  Jesus said His coming at the end of the Tribulation would be associated with “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29). He told His first disciples this and the Spirit recorded this for us as a warning; a prophetic revelation of preparation. Maybe the recent blood moons are the birth pangs of such predicted developments (Matthew 24:8).

Are the tetrad of blood moons a sign of warning from God? A popular evangelist once said if Jesus didn’t return soon He would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.  Things aren’t getting better, they are getting worse. Civilization isn’t seeking God or getting closer to Him, they are hell-bent and unrepentant. You don’t’ need blood moons and signs in the sky to know our world is in a whole lot of trouble. Jesus said the latter days would be “as the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37); they are. Jesus said, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26). There’s a whole lot of shaken going on in this world. It’s as though Someone is trying to get our attention.

When I send an email that is very important, that I want a person to read, I flag it with a red flag email marker. That red flag is a sign to the recipient to pay attention and take notice; to read carefully. Maybe God is sending us a blood red warning flag. Maybe He’s giving us a big blood red moon of a warning sign in the sky for all to see. If so, then we need to get serious with Him and His word. If not, there’s still plenty of “signs” in our world today that human history is winding down to a conclusion. Joel wrapped up his prophecy with the statement that in those last days, “it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32a). Maybe it’s time to heed the red flag and call on the Lord. He’s warned you because He loves you.

Are You Washed?

Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you” – John 13:10

 

 

In southern Israel, in an arid place called Qumran, where the Dead Seas Scrolls were found, there used to be an Essene community. The Essenes sought to isolate themselves from the world and devote themselves to God. They lived in an enclosed community. There focus was on the study and copying of the scriptures. They saw themselves as God’s sons of light living in a dark world. Some scholars believe John the Baptist belonged to one of these Essene communities. And if that is the case, then the LORD called John the Baptist from this setting to return to the world  and “prepare the way of the LORD”; to prepare the way of Jesus (Mark 1:1-3).

 

In this isolated community there were ritual bathes dug into the stony bedrock of the area. These micveh bathes were used for regular ritual cleansing. A person would descend into the bath and immerse themselves in the water so that their entire body was cleansed. This body cleansing was a symbol of spiritual heart purification  (e.g. Leviticus 8). Before a priest could minister in the presence of the Lord they had to be cleansed physically as a symbol of their total consecration or commitment to the Lord (e.g. Exodus 28-29).

 

Another word closely associated with the idea of cleansing is sanctification. In the Old Testament to be sanctified meant to be separated unto God for His use. Sanctification involves heart cleansing from anything that would challenge the Lordship of God. This idea was applied to the physical instruments of ritual used in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. Anything used in service to God had to be ceremonially cleansed. Similarly any person serving God had to be clean before Him. The idea of a person being  cleansed or purified meant a person’s heart was cleansed from anything that would distract a person from serving the Lord as well as from anything that would be offensive to God, e.g. sin (Exodus 28:41).  Anything that deterred one’s service to God or contrary to His word was viewed as sinful and needed to be washed away.

 

The idea in all of this is that God is Holy. God is unique, special, and not common. You can’t  serve the Lord or go into His presence like you would with any common circumstance. You had to be holy to serve and worship Holy God. In the Old Testament holiness and making yourself acceptable to the Lord involved the keeping of the Law and the sacrificial system (e.g. Exodus 22:31). The book of Leviticus is a manual for holiness. Its key verse is “For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44a).

 

“Sanctification” (Greek hagiasmos) in the New Testament means purification, purity, holiness, and sanctification. The idea is to be purified from whatever would hinder us hearing the voice of God or hinder our walk and ministry in His name. To be sanctified means God and His will is our number one top priority. It means to be fully surrendered to the Lord and His will for us. It means to be separated to God and available for His use. Sanctification is bound up in our relationship to Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30). We learn what sanctification is by looking at Jesus. Jesus is the One who provides sanctifying power in the cross.  It is God’s will that we be sanctified and live a morally pure life (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sanctification is a work of God and God’s desire is that we be entirely or completely sanctified (1 Thessalonians 5:23). In regards to this work of God in us the Bible states, “he who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). We can count on God to sanctify us.

 

Another pertinent word in this regard is “purification” (Greek katharizdo) which means cleanse, purge, purify. In Acts the purification of the heart is associated with the work of the Holy Spirit. This work of the Spirit is received by faith. Peter described the Holy Spirit’s work amongst the Gentiles by saying, “So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9).

 

Sanctification and purification are not something we attain in our own strength. Sanctification is a state of being and way of life rooted in the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer. The Holy Spirit makes us holy. As we live in tune with and in total surrender to the Holy Spirit, He produces spiritual fruit in and through us (Galatians 5:22-24). When we walk in the Spirit it enables us to overcome our flesh (Galatians 5:16). The flesh (i.e. our sinful nature; our selfish sinfulness) is contrary to what the Spirit desires for us. Therefore by faith we need to follow the Spirit if we want to be sanctified (cf. Galatians 5:17-21).

 

Before sanctification could be offered to humanity they needed to learn the futility of attempting to be cleaned and made righteous in their own strength. The limitation and insufficiency of religious efforts needed to be exposed. Those seeking cleansing from sin today need to understand that too. The message of the New Testament is that the Old Testament Law and sacrificial system was unable to provide any lasting or effective means to cleanse away sin (cf. Hebrews 7-10). The Law depended on human ability to keep the Law (Galatians 3:10-13; James 2:10). In our own strength we are unable to keep the Law. Humanity on its own falls short and the Law exposes these shortcomings (Romans 3:10, 23). That is why even in the Old Testament any righteousness a person could receive was by faith in God apart from keeping the Law and performing sacrifices (Genesis 15:6).

 

Why then the Law and sacrifices? Keeping the Law and performing sacrifices were merely opportunities to express of one’s faith in obedience. It was faith in God that made one righteous. The Law was also given to expose our guiltiness of sin and remove any human excuse before the judgment seat of God (Romans 3 and 7). Animal sacrifices illustrated the seriousness of sin and its consequences. Sacrifices demonstrated the need for a Substitute to give life, spill blood, to show the cost of sin and redemption. Sin is serious and we are guilty of it.

 

When God looked at an Old Testament person and saw faith in God He passed over their sin. The first Passover was an illustration of this (Exodus 12). God did this because in foreknowledge He saw the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Romans 3:25). The cross of Christ is in the center of history. The cross of Jesus is the source of all forgiveness of sin. Jesus is our Passover sacrifice Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus accomplished what humanity could not; an absolute sinless life. And because He was without sin He alone qualified to be the Lamb with a capital “L” worthy to remove our sins (cf. Revelation 4-5).  Jesus the God-Man reversed the curse of sin introduced by Adam (Romans 5:12-21).

 

The Bible says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Salvation “to the uttermost” starts in justification, continues in sanctification, and ends in glorification. What does this mean?

 

The reason Jesus can “save to the uttermost” is because as the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29), He shed His precious blood of atonement on the cross. He paid a death penalty for sin in our place (Romans 6:23). The Gospel proclamation to the Jew was and is, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). It is the precious blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son that cleanses us from our sin (1 John 1:7).

 

When a person turns from their sins to God trusting in Jesus and His atoning work on the cross as the just basis to receive forgiveness of sins from God the results are twofold. First they are justified. Justification is something received as a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus (Romans 5:1-11). Justification is a legal standing before God just-as-if-I’d-never sinned. Concurrent with this conversion from darkness to light by faith in Christ is spiritual regeneration. By faith in Jesus a person goes from spiritually dead to regenerate eternal life. The Holy Spirit indwells the new believer as they trust in Jesus as Savior. This is what being “born again’ involves (John 3). An old man of sin is left and replaced by a new man in Christ (Romans 6:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:5-17).

 

When a person is born again or justified they are forgiven all their sins. There is no more basis for condemnation for the one who is in Christ Jesus by faith (Romans 8). Their penalty for sin has been paid on the cross by Jesus. The righteousness of Jesus has been transferred to their account. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Once saved from sin, we live for Jesus (Galatians 2:20).

 

On the southern steps of the Temple Mount leading up to the platform where the Temple used to be are micveh bathes carved out of the rock. Pilgrims coming to worship on Holy Feast Days like Passover would first wash in the bathes to be made ritually clean for approaching God’s Holy place. The night Jesus was betrayed, just after their supper, John is inspired to record in His gospel, “Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you’” (John 13:10). It’s very possible that the disciples had all gone through the ritual cleansing of the micveh in preparation for Passover. If this was the case their bodies were clean but their feet may have accumulated dirt on the way from their ritual cleansing to the upper room.

 

To plunge into the micveh bath was to be totally cleaned. It was a predecessor to baptism and its symbol of dying to sin as you are buried under the water. Rising up out of the watery bath was like the symbol of being born again of baptism. But this physical bath also illustrated a need through a practical reality. What  a person stepped out of the ritual bath into the street it meant accumulating the dirt of the common roads. Your body was clean but your exposed feet quickly got dirty. Dirty feet ruin a clean body. When Jesus said the one who had bathed needed “only to wash his feet,” He was pointing to this practical need. In doing so He was illustrating the need for sanctification.

 

We are cleansed from our sins by the blood of Jesus when we trust in Him as our Savior. That is  justification; our being born again; forgiven our sins; regenerated as a gift of Gods’ grace through faith in Christ. But as we live each day our spiritual feet accumulate dirt that needs to be washed off. We need ongoing cleaning which is sanctification. How are we, how can we be sanctified or daily cleansed from the sins of this world that we pick up in daily life?

 

We need a daily meeting with God to clean the daily accumulated dirt from the world in which we live. We need to meet daily with Jesus for cleansing. Shortly after Jesus spoke of the disciples need for a foot washing He says, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). Elsewhere in the New Testament it states of Jesus and His church bride, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26). Jesus’ scrub brush is the word of God. And the One who scrubs us in Jesus’ name is the Holy Spirit.

 

As we live in this world moving in and out of the corridors filled with temptations to sin and worldly views contrary to God, we are exposed and sometimes influenced by sinful thoughts. This is the dirt of a sinful world we pick up each day. We see immoral images and hear ungodly opinions. These have a way of polluting our mind and boring a hole in our heart. We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus from our sin, but daily we need to submit to the spiritual cleansing of God’s word. We need daily quiet times with Jesus, one on one, in the word. We need this so any deviations from God’s word that tempt us can be exposed and cleansed away as the Holy Spirit uses the word of God to cleanse the filth of sin away. We need a regular bath in the word of God. They say our hair absorbs chemicals in the environment. We need our spiritual hair washed and rinsed in the word of God. We need our spiritual ears cleaned from worldly wax. We need the dust of sin washed from our eyes. Our teeth and maybe even our tongue need brushing. We need to let God’s word wash over us. Let those verses get in between each toe. Let the shower of God’s word clean away from top to bottom.  

 

And the completion of Jesus’ work in us will be when we are glorified with Him. The Bible says, “and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). One day, when we pass from this life to the next, we will be in the glorious heavenly presence of Jesus. AND THERE IS NO DIRT IN HEAVEN! The streets are gold. It’s completely holy and clean. When we get to heaven we will receive “glorified bodies”; perfect bodies suited for our eternal blissful existence with our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). These new glorification bodies don’t get dirty! Oh, what a thought! Honestly, I can’t wait for that! And the way things in this world are piling up, His return and our glorification will come soon and very soon.  What a wonderful hope we have in Jesus.

 

Until that glorification we are called to live for Him in this dark world. That means we will walk in the dirt and inevitably track some muck and mire into our spiritual homes. We need regular washing as a result. But it also means we splash His word on others in hope they too will be cleaned. Let the perfumed aroma of a cleaned spiritual body attract others to Jesus.

 

How important is it to be daily cleansed? The disciples had lived three years with Jesus. His words were ringing in their ears and had deeply penetrated their hearts. Jesus said to His twelve, “and you are clean.” But then He added, “but not all of you.” And John clarifies what is going on by saying, “ For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean” (John 13:11). Not all were clean. Judas was dirty.

 

Judas’ heart was filthy with greed and betrayal. Judas weighed the cost of loyalty to Jesus versus material gain and felt thirty pieces of silver were worth more than Jesus and His mission. Judas was willing to sell out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas had a price; he could be bought. How did Judas get to that place where he would betray Messiah Jesus, the Miracle Worker, the Great Teacher, the Son of David, and the Holy One of God? How did he degenerate to the depth of a willingness to sell out Jesus for a mere 30 coins? He got to that point because at some point he turned a deaf ear to Jesus and His words. At some point he didn’t clean his filters or ream out his arteries. He let his feet get dirty, filthy. He let his feet get caked with worldly, carnal, fleshly, devilish defecation. At some point he just gave in to the tempter’s evil thoughts of self-gain and self-reliance. At some point he lost his respect and reverence for Jesus and His word. And the end of his folly was a self-made hangman’s noose and busted open bowels.  

 

We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. We may neglect God’s word, but the consequence will be a carnal self-centered Christian. But if we want to approach the presence of God, to live abundantly in His presence and walk in the Spirit, we need to keep clean in God’s word. Otherwise we will become deafened to the still small voice of God and His direction. Otherwise we’ll be deafened to the comfort and counsel of our dear Savior Jesus. We don’t want to be ashamed by soiled spiritual feet when we come face to face with our wonderful Savior Lord Jesus. So I ask you, “Are you washed?”

Willing to Wash Feet

“. . . having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. . . . and began to wash His disciple’s feet.” – John 13:1, 5

 

“Enough is enough!” Have you ever said or thought that? It’s a common response for those who actually are or feel as though they are being taken advantage of. It’s a response from the person who has bent over backwards to meet what they feel is someone’s unfair, unjust, or unreasonable expectations.

“Enough is enough!” Spouses say or think that. Parents say or think that. Grandparents say or think that. Children say or think that. Victims say or think that. Police, social workers, medical practitioners, politicians, citizens often come to a point where they say or think that. Christians in ministry, pastors, and/or disciples of Jesus sometimes say or think that. Those inclined to extend kindness or help to the needy sometimes come to a point of saying or thinking that. “Enough is enough!” is an expression of limitation.

There are legitimate times to say, “Enough is enough!” When protecting or coming to the aid of those who can’t defend themselves “enough is enough” is an appropriate response. That phrase is a line in the sand; an end of the line notice; or a declaration of a willingness to fight for what is right. The injustice and oppression must end. But I want to talk to you about a different perspective. I want to talk to you about Someone and something for which “Enough is enough!” is not appropriate. When it came to love and service Jesus never said, “Enough is enough!”

When we study scripture it is vitally important that we do so in context. We can dissect a portion of a passage, a single verse, a portion of a single verse or even a word as we study scripture. But we should always keep the context, the surrounding content of that study in mind. John 12-17 begins a section of the Gospel of John where we see the revelation of Jesus’ personality. In John 13 we see Jesus walk His talk. Jesus said He came to serve (e.g. Mark 10:45) and He actually served. Jesus didn’t merely teach or talk about doing something. Jesus actually did what He taught about. He lived out His teaching before His disciples and the people of His day.

The context of scripture gives us perspective and insight into God’s truth. For instance, the Gospel of John contains Jesus most detailed teaching on the Holy Spirit.  John is inspired to record three whole chapters of Jesus’ teaching on the Holy Spirit (John 14-16). Contextually Jesus’ teaching on the Spirit is preceded by Jesus teaching and ministry of service. In John 13 Jesus washes the disciples feet, defines discipleship and proclaims His “new commandment” (John 13:34-35). In this chapter Jesus speaks heart-fully of the sign of His disciples; “that you love one another; as I have loved you.” As we look at our passage in context as a whole, we learn to love and serve as Jesus loved and served is only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit.  

In John 13 Jesus says, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). The way we are enabled and empowered to do what Jesus did in John 13 is explained in the subsequent chapters 14, 15, and 16. There Jesus points His disciples (and us) to life in the Spirit. John’s inspired Gospel depicts the abundant life Jesus incarnated to humanity (cf. John 10:10). And for Jesus abundant life is life in the Spirit. That raises a question: “How can we experience Jesus’ abundant life in the Spirit?” The answer to that pivotal question is that contextually, service is His means to introduce by our need His provision of the Spirit. We look at Jesus’ service and say “I can’t do that.” We see our need and therefore seek the empowering of the Holy Spirit and find, “He will do that through me.” If we want to learn about life in the Spirit we must be willing to take a step of faith and serve. Service and the Holy Spirit are inextricably linked.

This contextual view of the gospel (and really of any study in the Bible) is vitally important for the application of what we learn. For if we ever try to apply the example of Christ’s service in our own strength we will pass out from the pressure of the work. We are weak and powerless without the Spirit. But if we view Christ’s call to serve from a Spirit illuminating position we will learn the joy of serving side by side with our Savior and Lord Jesus.

The historical setting of John 13 is the final week leading up to the cross. It was the Holy week of Passover. Jesus was well aware of what lay ahead for Him; the cross. He knew the hardest part of His redemptive mission was fast approaching. But He also knew He would soon be back with the Father (John 13:1). That’s a sub-lesson for us. Whenever difficulty approaches, we can make it through with the assurance that He is there for us now and later (Matthew 18:20; 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).

If it were you or I and we knew we were about to go to the cross to pay a substitutionary atoning death for the sins of the world, we might be a little or even a lot righteously indignant. We may have turned to our disciples and remarked, “Hey, you know in a few short hours I’m going to pay the penalty for your sins and the sins of the world. You’re all going to forsake me and one will particularly betray me. You don’t deserve it. You couldn’t do it. Only I can do this. No act of history will be so sacrificially loving and costly. No act will be so humble. So why don’t you do me the pleasure of washing my feet in preparation of my task?” In the same situation we probably would have thought we deserved some service from others. We may have gotten fired up, a little lifted up and proud. We may have thought enough is enough; it’s their turn to do something for me! By worldly and fleshly standards such thinking would be reasonable and justified, but not by Jesus’ standards.

Jesus wasn’t proud in these final hours. Jesus didn’t emotionally manipulate His disciples. He didn’t try to make them pity Him. On that last night before being betrayed, sinfully and falsely accused, crucified and murdered Jesus did something completely and totally otherworldly. Jesus did something that night that would or should have, shook the world. It does shake the ones who think about it; who take it to heart. What Jesus did was in perfect harmony with the cross work He would soon complete. Jesus, in the hour of His greatest need began to do the heavy lifting of the divine. What did Jesus do? John’s inspired account of Jesus states, “having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1).  Jesus didn’t seek to be served. Jesus sought to serve. His service was an incredible demonstration of the extent of His love. Jesus didn’t say or think “Enough is enough!” Jesus simply, quietly, got into His work clothes, bent down as if to say, “I’ve only just begun.” Then He washed the disciples’ feet.

At the southern steps of the Temple Mount were ritual Micveh baths. Pilgrims in Jerusalem to worship God would physically wash themselves in these bathtubs hewn in the stone leading up to the Holy Mount. Their washing was a symbol of consecration and spiritual cleansing. The disciples of Jesus likely had bathed in these ritual bathes in preparation for the Passover. So when they made their way to the Upper Room to have their holy supper with Jesus their body was ritually clean but their feet no doubt were dirty. Feet dirty with refuse smell. Jesus didn’t embarrass the disciples. He simply waited to complete the meal and then used the situation to teach a valuable lesson.

 

The supper ended. The devil got a grip on Judas. Jesus would soon be betrayed (John 13:2). Jesus knew the Father had given Him full control. He knew He was from God. He would soon return to God (John 13:3). These circumstances were foreknown by God and a part of His plan. God is able to utilize the evil sinful decisions of people like Judas to fulfill His righteous redemptive plans. God can cause all things to work together for His good (Romans 8:28). When we look at the world today we see a great deal of betrayal and sin. Such evil and darkness tempts us to think that perhaps God isn’t working or even that God really isn’t in control. But God is working. He can bring good from evil intentions. This is another lesson to be learned from this night.  

Jesus, “rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself” (John 13:4).  Maybe those who should have washed their feet had been delinquent to do so. Jesus didn’t make a fuss. Jesus peacefully prepared Himself to serve. In Jesus’ day people walked on dirt roads along with beasts of burden. There was dirt of all sorts on those roads. People walked everywhere. There were possibly millions crammed into the city of Jerusalem for the Passover. They came with their animals. They wore open sandals. Their feet got pretty filthy. The feet Jesus was to wash were unpedicured and rough. These were feet of burly men. These were ugly feet of working men not pretty feet of the privileged. It was the dirty black feet of His disciples that Jesus washed. Washing feet was usually reserved for the lowest of the servants. But Jesus assumed this lowest of positions and washed the disciple’s feet. For Jesus no low service is too low to do.

We clean diapers of cute little babies and remark how sweet their bowel movement smells. But as that child grows that sweetness disappears. Changing those diapers becomes more of a chore. And those diapers keep coming. Life goes on. Potty training comes. People grow. They grow old. And age has a way of bringing us full circle. Children become the caretakers of their parents. And parents sometimes grow incontinent. A child may be called upon to change a parent’s diaper. That’s a tough one.  Sometimes we are led to get help in institutions. Sometimes that’s necessary. But when such decisions are made do we make them in light of Jesus’ washing feet?

Dirty feet take many forms. The dirt we wash many be in a bathroom or a yard that needs cleaning. We may need to clean up a classroom. We may be called upon by Jesus to be instrumental in cleaning up a dirty life. Sometimes those dirty feet are an unkempt or unclean person in church. Other times they’re a street person. Sometimes they’re a hard to get along with person, or a proud, unforgiving, unkind, unloving person. A lot of times those dirty feet are an unsaved person. There’s all kinds of dirt that needs washing. When we encounter the smell of the dirt from the street of the world there’s a question we need to ask. Are you willing to kneel down in the name of Jesus and wash some feet? Are you willing to be like Jesus?

Jesus is Creator and Sustainer of the universe (Colossians 1:15-18). Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). There could not be a greater extreme from the highest of high position to the lowest of low positions. And this Highest, Holiest, God-Man Jesus was going to the cross. That might have been enough for a man. But it wasn’t enough for Jesus. Jesus was going all the way in His love. He uses these precious last hours before the cross to teach His disciples a valuable lesson about service. First, there is no one above service. Jesus taught by example that the greatest is a servant of all (Mark 9:35). Second, there is no excuse not to serve; even when evil men attack and betray you; even when you are going to give your life on a cross; it’s always time to serve. Jesus modeled these truths for us when He washed the disciples’ feet. Are you willing to wash feet too?

 

^“After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13:5).  Water is a symbol of God’s word. Later in John Jesus will tell the disciples that they are clean because of the word He has shared with them (John 15:3). It is the water of the word that washes us from sin (Ephesians 5:26). God’s word exposes our dirt and shows us how to be washed clean. This is a picture of sanctification.

 

When we are born again we are forgiven our sins and have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to us (2 Cor. 5:21). The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from our sin (1 Peter 1:18-19). As we walk with Him His blood is applied (1 John 1:7). That cleansing comes as we confess our sins to God (1 John 1:9). Our water baptism is an illustration of this initial cleansing. Jesus was sinless but was baptized in obedience to His Father’s word (Matthew 3:13-17). If Jesus was baptized its likely His disciples were too. We aren’t saved by baptism. Baptism is an outward sign of an inner reality. We are baptized in obedience to God.

 

As we walk on from our point of initial cleansing it becomes apparent our spiritual feet pick up dirt. We walk in a dirty world. Every day we need to wash our feet. Jesus makes provision for this ongoing sanctifying work through the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-33). We need something regularly daily imparted to us by the Lord. The Holy Spirit provides what we need.

 

Before He ascended to heaven Jesus instructed His disciples to wait and be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). This was a subsequent work of Jesus upon His disciples. This happened at Pentecost (Acts 2 ff.). It was something that would be repeated (Acts 4:31). It would later be described as the Spirit’s purifying work in the heart by faith (Acts 15:8-9). The Holy Spirit pours His Christ-like love into our heart (Romans 5:5).The love of Jesus is the compelling power of service (2 Corinthians 5:14-16).

 

The water that exposes and washes away the dirt of sin is the word of God. The Holy Spirit inspired human beings to write God’s word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). And it is that Spirit inspired word that speaks to us of our need spiritual washing. The word of God is the Spirit’s scrub brush. The word of God is the Spirit’s soap. We know where to go for the cleansing by the word of God. The word of God points us to Jesus and His cleansing blood.  

 

Jesus served in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14-15). He gave us an example of love and service to live. He calls us to serve and experience the power of the Spirit. To follow Jesus is to lovingly serve. He has shown us no service is beneath us. He has promised to enable us through the Spirit to serve Him by serving others. Jesus demonstrated through His humble service that such service was what love is all about. Jesus loved His disciples to the end. That end meant washing feet. That end meant the cross. He calls us to love and serve. His Spirit enables us to do so. So I ask you, is enough really enough? When it comes to loving like Jesus and serving like Jesus enough is never enough. Jesus was willing to wash feet, dirty feet, are you?