Good Morning Metro. What an amazing couple of weeks that have just rolled by. I don’t know about you, but I have been amazed and humbled and overwhelmed by the new home the Lord has given to us. I have been so blown out watching the way the space has enabled you to enjoy each other’s company.  You guys have hung out in the Atrium until almost 10:30 on Monday nights. Speaking of Monday nights – the sanctuary has enabled us to accommodate 100 more people over and above what we could hold at the old building, and we still have room to grow. Like every move – there are the accompanying wrinkles that need to be ironed out. After a good time of prayer yesterday, our leadership spent most of our time together at the ironing board, so-to-speak. We appreciate your patience and covet your prayers as we work through them.

I was up earlier than normal today. I thought I would make use of the time for some devotional reading — That kind of reading has been pretty elusive of late. Last night made I more headway in a wonderful book by D.A. Carson – “Scandalous.” It is a great read — huge theology that is so sweetly framed. Was in awe of the truths of propitiation and expiation. (I ordered copies for the resource center.) After this morning’s Bible Bus reading I read Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening” for the day. It tied in great with the text from yesterday’s Bible Bus. Then I cracked open the preface to another D.A. Carson book – A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers. Got crushed by the first two paragraphs.

I doubt if there is any Christian who has not sometimes found it difficult to pray. In itself this is neither surprising nor depressing: it is not surprising, because we are still pilgrims with many lessons to learn; it is not depressing, because struggling with such matters is part of the way we learn.
What is both surprising and depressing is the sheer prayerlessness that characterizes so much of the Western church. It is surprising, because it is out of step with the Bible that portrays what Christian living should be; it is depressing, because it frequently coexists with abounding Christian activity that somehow seems hollow, frivolous, and superficial. Scarcely less disturbing is the enthusiastic praying in some circles that overflows with emotional release but is utterly uncontrolled by any thoughtful reflection on the prayers of Scripture.¹

May the Lord transform the prayer life of the Metro family; individually and corporately.

Blessings,

Pastor Richard
PS — Our dear friend Jim King, from Bradford England, is flying in tomorrow and will be speaking on Monday.

—————
1
Carson, D. A. (1992). A call to spiritual reformation : Priorities from Paul and his prayers (8–9). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House.

Good morning Metro! Had an amazing time with you and the MANY guests that you brought to our Easter services. Thanks to all of you whose “labor of love” made the morning a feast for the eyes, the ears, and the palette! Thanks to all of you who prayed for and invited so many guests — and thanks to the Holy Spirit for drawing them, as there were (conservatively) 400 visitors between the two services! Above all, thanks to Jesus for gracing all with His presence and His Word. We are looking forward to seeing what the Holy Spirit is going to do with the seed of the Word sown into all hearts present.

I’m sitting in my office preparing for tonight’s study in 1 Kings 19. I have to tell you that I’m getting crushed by the comments of John Ross Macduff on Verse 9. I can’t wait to share them with you tonight — but I know that the Holy Spirit wants hear ME to hear His heart in it all before I share them with you.

Please pray for me as I study and pray that the Lord would continue to stir in the hearts of men and women a hunger for His Word, and that hearts would be ready to hear and respond. Pray that God would manifest Himself to us in a personal and powerful way tonight. Also be praying for Danny and Taylor as they have both been fighting sore throats all weekend long (That Taylor could sing yesterday was a miracle, as she had NO VOICE on Saturday night). Above all, pray that Jesus would be exalted.

Blessings,

Richard

It’s about 10:00 am on Saturday morning Eastern Time. Valerie and I are at our daughter’s kitchen table in Brooklyn, New York. Deborah turns thirty tomorrow and it was a great reason to make a long over due trip to see her and Wells, and their new apartment. Sean is here too! It’s a great morning for reading! Their back yard is filled with snow. Deb made a great cup of coffee from with the house blend of a neighborhood coffee shop called “Cafe Pedlar.” I broke out my Kindle and began the Bible Bus reading for the day. Just a couple of verses in I came across Leviticus 20:6 — You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

In bit we’re all going to head into Manhattan. As we go the subject of holiness becomes more than a matter of theological discussion. The five of us are challenged with the practicality of holiness. In a very real way the needs to be street level relevance and reality of our holiness. To prepare my own heart for the day ahead I spent a little time refreshing my mind and heart in the subject, and thought I would share those thoughts with you. I hope they will inspire and encourage you concerning the expression of God’s holiness in your world, on your streets.

The Bible tells us over and over again that God is HOLY. He is morally perfect. Yet it is more than that. The holiness of God speaks of His OTHERNESS. He is SEPARATE FROM — OTHER THAN — His creation. God’s love is not like our love, only greater or better. It is OTHER than. Because God is Holy, He wants His children to be Holy — separate from, other than, the world outside of Christ. In Leviticus 22:26 we are given an insight into be the MOTIVE for living a life separated UNTO the Lord and separated FROM the world system that is in rebellion against God.

It is striking that the Israelites were not given the land BECAUSE they were holy. They were given the land FREELY. Their holiness was to be the by-product of GRACE! You see, real holiness is always the response of our hearts to His great love for us. He first loved us is to be the spring of our obedience. There is strength in THAT motive! For the Israelite THAT motive would be sufficient to counteract all of the godless influences of Canaan. THAT motive is sufficient to counteract the godless influences of our world!

When you think about it in that light we can see why religion is so frustrating and destructive to the soul of man. Mere head knowledge of His love will never do. It is the HEART that moves man! Only the heart that has been genuinely MOVED by the love of God will long to please God! THAT is why Jesus said that you MUST BE BORN AGAIN. Because the MOMENT that you are genuinely born again the love of God is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor. 2:9-10 KJV But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:

By the way — How do even begin to understand the love of God? The Bible says that we can never understand the love of God apart for the preaching of the Cross.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2 Cor 5:14-15 Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us…. 15He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.

To press this truth upon us the Holy inspired Paul to spent the first three chapters of his letter to the Ephesians telling them of all that God did for them IN Christ, BY Christ, THROUGH Christ. Only then did he begin to tell them how they ought to LIVE for God. Again, in Romans, Paul spoke to their behavior as a response to God’s MERCY

Romans 12:1-2 1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As we make our way through the day, our lives will be on display. Will they be a theater where heavenly character and heavenly joy is displayed. Will Jesus look with delight on holy actions and desires? Are you religious or do you have a relationship with God in which His love is transforming your life?

2 Samuel 15:21- 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. 20You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.”²¹But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”

THIS IS GREAT — David told Ittai — “Remain with the king.” Ittai answered back — “That’s exactly what I intend to do – I’m staying with the king — that would be you.”

GET QUOTE from Blaikie p.  232

BIG STUFF HERE — Ittai was loyal to David when it looked to cost him something.

True loyalty isn’t demonstrated until it it’s looks like it will cost us to be loyal.

Ittai was loyal to David when it looked to cost him something.

The most obvious application of this truth would be in friendships. Loyalty is a lost commodity in our culture.

But here is the BIG BIG PICTURE — I think David stands as here as a foreshadowing of Christ — making this about much more than friendships — It’s about LOYALTY to JESUS

QUOTE: Alexandar Maclaren — “Remember, the more rebels there are, the more need for us to be conspicuously loyal to our King.”

Today a huge amount of professing Christians are NOT loyal to the Jesus of Scripture.

They have rejected their loyalties to Jesus because the world has mocked them

Accused them of being narrow minded in their Biblical views of morality and sin

Accused them of being ignorant for thinking the that Jesus actually

> healed the sick and raised the dead

> died for the sins of the world and three days later rose bodily from the grave

> has ascended into heaven

> that he saves sinners today

> is coming again to judge the world and establish an everlasting Kingdom

They are no longer loyal to THAT Jesus

They have exchanged THAT Jesus for a make-believe — personalized version of Jesus

They have exchanged the Jesus of the Bible for a Jesus  that they can feel good about because the world is comfortable with their new Jesus.

As Ittai was to David we ought to be with Jesus

Ittai was loyal when David was down

Ittai acted decisively to stand with David

Ittai acted voluntarily

Ittai was loyal having only come to David days earlier

Ittai acted publicly in his loyalty to David

Ittai was loyal to David knowing that David’s fate would become his own fate

QUOTE: Spurgeon — “If Ittai — so taken by with David’s person and character — felt that he could enlist beneath David’s banner for life — and declared that he would do so there and then — how much more may you and I, if we know what Christ has done for us, and who He is and what He deserves at our hands — at this good hour vow to Him, ‘As the Lord liveth, surely in whatsoever place my Lord and Savior shall be, whether in death or life, even there also shall His servant be.’ ”

As we move into another school year — LET’S BE CONSPICUOUSLY LOYAL TO JESUS

Recipe for Division and Recruits for Rebellion

2 Samuel 15:12

This past Monday night we were continuing our study in 2 Samuel 15 in which we the Holy Spirit sheds invaluable insights into the nature of divisiveness and rebellion. There the Holy Spirit gives to us the record of one of the sons of king David, Absalom; how he stole the hearts of the people from his father and then pronounced himself king in his fathers place. Here are some excerpts from my notes that focus on the necessary elements for division amongst the people of God and the devices of the enemy preparing a man or woman to play a part in rebellion against godly leadership.

2 Sam 15:12 12And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, Davidís counselor, from his city Giloh.

WOW! No doubt the offering of sacrifices was for the sake of image, but it would appear that he offered the sacrifices because he was deceived enough to think that God wanted to bless him.

“While he was involved in offering sacrifices.”

In our New Testament context it would say, “While he was going to church and raising his hands and giving tithes.”

While looking and acting spiritual, he sent for the man who would be his top advisor in the stealing of his fatherís throne.

Ahithophel ó Ahithophel was renowned for his wisdom and wise counsel

2 Samuel 16:23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

TWO THINGS HERE:

1.) Even wise men can be led into siding with divisive leaders. Listen, the adversary of our Savior and King is always looking for a good recruit to divide the Kingdom of Jesus. And he knows way in advance how to prime you to be one. A perceived wrong (because it was seen through the lens of insecurities) or a legitimate wrong done to you left unforgiven leads to bitterness.

Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ìroot of bitternessî springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

You might be carrying on as normal in every other area of your life for years until your adversary the devil needs to push that button and in that moment you will be ready to join the first person who wants to hurt the person who hurt you. And you will be glad to use your gifts and talents in it. And even think you are doing the work of God because obviously God has to be against the man or woman who wronged you!

BY THE WAY ó In Ahithophel, David is reaping what he had sown in his sin with Bathsheba. But you see that possibility was not even a consideration at the time of Davidís sin. David never once thought that the gratifying of his sexual desires would result in an unwanted pregnancy, the murder of a trusted friend (Uriah), a dead baby, and a civil war led by one of his sons (Absalom) who would be counseled by Davidís own counselor Ahithophel ó a granfdather with an axe to grind.

2 Sam 15:12 And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

Once some started coming to Absalom’s side, others were encouraged to come. There was an ungodly, demonic synergy at work.

We have the advantage of hindsight (20-20) and we know that all of these people were rallying to the wrong man and the wrong cause. We need to remember that these people are just acting like people. Hereís the recipe for division and rebellion.

• Take one Absalom, a master of manipulation and was driven to employ his every skill to achieve his self-serving / self-advancing agenda.
• Add one Ahithophel, a bright, but bitter man
• Add People, who are by nature forgetful and fickle (Hosanna >>> Crucify Him)
• And voila! ó you have a divided kingdom!

1 Samuel 7:20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!

I can not think of any man who was — or is — more articulate than David. When I read the Psalms I have to stand in awe of his ability to express himself to God. In fact — when I need help in expressing my love to God I will turn to the psalms — because David was so gifted in expressing his love and thanksgiving and praises to God. Yet — as gifted as he was at articulating his emotions to God — the blessings of God brought himto the point of saying — “What can I say, God?”

There are emotions that are so deep and profound; either in times of deep grief — or ecstasy; that there is NO language known to man to adequately express them. Any attempt to put those feelings into words only DIMINISHES — It is a clumsy effort.

I thank God for those times when He has been working in my heart in such a way that words are simply inadequate — and I have to echo the words of David — And what more can I say unto you? for you, Lord God, know your servant. Those times when the Holy Spirit opens the Scriptures. Those times when the Spirit is ministering to me and suddenly my circumstances make sense and become clear.

I have a feeling that when we get to heaven there are going to be some moments of silence. It will be the most perfect, most profound, silence — born out of a holy awe of the riches of His grace.

Eph. 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

If you see me in heaven just kind of numb, it will just be a heavenly version of — “What can I say God?”

It is very possible that when the worship of God reaches it’s highest — that the ONLY response is silence.

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

That is because the peace and love of God are BEYOND understanding and human knowledge!

Phil. 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Eph. 3:19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

It is the person who EXPERIENCES such things in relationship with God that RESPONDS to God as David did. If you have never had such experiences — then you are missing out on life itself! God wants to work in YOUR life and reveal the riches of His grace towards YOU! He wants YOU to know what it is to be taken from death to life — darkness to light! He wants YOU to experience the reality of His presence in every circumstance in life. He wants to give YOU victory over the World the flesh and the devil. He wants to give you the honor and joy of being called a child of God. He wants YOU to receive His promises of a glorious future to be lived with Him — in His presence forever. All that God has done in David’s life — He desires to do in YOURS.

Have YOU experienced those things?

If so, you have known those times of OVERWHELMING UNWORTHINESS. If so, You have said yourself — Who am I that You would call me? If so you have experienced a total inability to adequately express your love and gratitude for all that He has done for you.

If not — Jesus wants to bring YOU into a LIVING and LIFE-CHANGING relationship with Himself. That relationship BEGINS by realizing that

> You DESRERVE NOTHING from God — except judgment.

> YOU have broken God’s law — the Bible calls it sin.

ALL have sinned — The wages of sin is death

But here is the GRACE of God. When you DESERVED judgment; when you could never earn right standing before Him; He sent His Only Begotten Son — Jesus — to die on a cross in your place

There Jesus endured the wrath of God that YOU deserve. There Jesus purchased for you — with His own blood — freedom from the penalty and power of sin. There Jesus washed YOU from YOUR sins with HIS blood. Three days later He rose from the grave to GUARANTEE the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life to ANYONE who would

Recognize that they are sinners needing a savior

Repent of their sins and place their PERSONAL TRUST in the PERSON of Jesus to save them.

And WHEN you do that You will be FORGIVEN of your sins and receive the GIFT of eternal life! And YOU will say — WHO AM I that God would LOVE me and SAVE me?

Here are some more thoughts taken from the Book of Exodus that I prayerfully hope will encourage you remember that you are saved BECAUSE of the Cross of Jesus, and that your life (and mine) should be FOR the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Exodus 12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

KEY POINT: Nothing else will cover!!

It had nothing to do with feelings.
I’m so GLAD that this is recorded for us because sometimes we don’t FEEL saved.

2Tim. 2.19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

CRUCIAL INSIGHT: The Lord sees the Blood.

NOT your failures – NOT your good works (or lack of them)
ALL that He sees is THE BLOOD!!

LISTEN:I’m sure that of the 3.5 million Jews that there were some of the oldest sons who had their knees knocking and were sweating bullets.

“You sure that you got the blood out there real good dad?”
“Top, bottom, both sides?”

I’m sure that many didn’t sleep a wink and then at around midnight the screams could be heard in the land.
I’m sure there were a lot of oldest sons wondering if they were going to be next.

NOTE WELL: It DIDN’T MATTER how they felt.

IF the blood was there they were SAFE.

KEY APPLICATION: If the blood of Jesus is on your life, it does NOT matter how YOU feel.

NOTHING but the blood of Jesus saves! AMEN?

Exodus 12:14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

KEY QUESTION: Why a memorial year after year?
We are FORGETFUL of God’s mercies.

And forget not all his benefits. Not so much as one of the divine dealings should be forgotten, they are all really beneficial to us, all worthy of himself, and all subjects for praise. Memory is very treacherous about the best things; by a strange perversity, engendered by the fall, it treasures up the refuse of the past and permits priceless treasures to lie neglected, it is tenacious of grievances and holds benefits all too loosely. It needs spurring to its duty, though that duty ought to be its delight. –SPURGEON (on Psalm 103)

Jesus knew this to be true of us. So true that on the night before He died He made it a point to institute a way of remembering His death for us. We call it Communion.

Communion is actually a MEMORIAL service.
DO this in remembrance of me.
As often as you do eat this bread and drink this cup you do show the Lord’s death until He comes.

Let’s remember that it’s all BECAUSE of Jesus, and it is all FOR Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

blessings,
richard

Ex. 12:1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,  2 This month shall be for you the beginning of months.  It shall be the first month of the year for you.

KEY INSIGHT: Something so POWERFUL, so WONDERFUL, was going to happen that they would measure time by it – set their calendars by it!

NOTE WELL: Something so POWERFUL, and so WONDERFUL happens when the blood of Jesus is applied to your life – (deliverance from the power and penalty of sin) – that it brings about a NEW BEGINNING.

2Cor. 5.17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

I’m 57 years old – but life BEGAN for me on Dec. 31, 1973.
The term BORN AGAIN takes on wonderful and fresh light for us in Exodus 12.We should be SO THANKFUL for that BECAUSE we NEED a NEW BEGINNING.

3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb

From the 10th of Nisan until the 14th of Nisan they would inspect the lamb to make sure that it was without spot or blemish.

according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor next unto his house shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for THE lamb. 5 YOUR lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,

KEY OBSERVATION: Notice the PROGRESSION

v.3 – a lamb
v.4 – the lamb
v.5 – your lamb

KEY INSIGHT: This is a great picture of OUR perception of Jesus as the Holy Spirit progressively draws us to Christ.
FIRST we see Jesus as a lamb -

pure, a special teacher – one of many great religious figures

THEN He becomes the lamb -

We realize that He is MORE than just a prophet or teacher
We come to see Him as THE Only Begotten Son of God, as THE lamb of God

FINALLY, you make Jesus your lamb

He becomes YOUR PERSONAL Savior; YOUR Lord.

I pray that each and every one of you will leave here tonight knowing Jesus as your lamb.

EXAMPLE: Mary Magdalene in the Garden on the first Easter morning – Where have you taken MY Lord?
Is Jesus YOUR Lamb / YOUR Lord?
He wants to be!
He will be!

4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor next unto his house shall take according to the number of persons

A house might be too little for the lamb – but the lamb is NEVER too little for a household.
There is more of Jesus than my home or yours can ever appreciate.
There is plenty of Jesus to go around for this lost world.

5 YOUR lamb shall be without blemish, a male

Jesus is the Only Begotten SON of God

a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,

That is the peak year of a lamb – That is the point of it’s greatest value -

Jesus was in His PRIME when He was slain!

6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month,

KEY OBSERVATION: Even as THE LAMB of the first Passover was to be observed from the 10th -14th of Nissan, Jesus was observed and scrutinized from the 10th of Nisan until He was crucified on the 14th of Nisan

when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel (1st use of this term) shall kill their lambs at twilight.

KEY OBSERVATION: Thousands of lambs were slain – yet the Lord speaks of the Passover Lamb as ONE

That is BECAUSE in the mind and heart of the Father there is only ONE lamb

Rev. 13.8 speaks of Jesus as THE Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

John the Baptist would say “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1.29

7 Then they shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

KEY INSIGHT: Here is an awesome PICTURE of Golgotha

Verse 22 tells us that they they were to slay the lamb in the basin – the little ditch at the threshold of the door.
They were to put the blood on the two door posts – the uprights. And then on the lentil – over the door.
And in so doing you have a beautiful picture of 2 crosses with THE LAMB SLAIN in the center.

John 19.18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

MINDBLOWING MINUTE DETAILS in Scripture that point to Jesus!

Pascal – one of the greatest thinkers in the history of the world.
Saved at 31. Devoted the next 8 years of his life (died at age of 39) to the study of the Scriptures.

“I am amazed at how the Lord ingeniously detailed the work of the coming Christ, and yet obscures it to those who would not want to see it.”

How true that is.
He ingeniously opens understanding to us as we desire to know Him AND obscures from those who refuse to see.

8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

NOTE WELL: Not only slain – but eaten!

This teaches us that it is NOT enough to merely acknowledge Jesus intellectually.
We must APPROPRIATE Him – We must PARTAKE of His life.

John 6.53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

The multitudes left Jesus – This is too hard for us!
Listen – This is where the rubber meets the road.
Jesus must make an impact upon the INSIDE – our hearts.

8 roasted on the fire

NOTE WELL: Not enough to be sacrificed – but ROASTED ON THE FIRE
Fire speaks of judgment.

EXAMPLE: Elijah on Carmel.
Fire came down from heaven and consumed Elijah’s sacrifice.

There on Calvary God FIRED down on Jesus ALL of His wrath – the wrath that WE DESERVED.

KEY INSIGHT: The sufferings of Christ were far greater than the 6 hours of crucifixion.

He endured the wrath of God. IN those 6 hours the eternal judgment of hell (that we deserved) was fired down upon Jesus.

My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?

The wages of sin is death – separation from God
Jesus tasted death for YOU and for ME.
He endured the WRATH of God in my place.

Luke 22.42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

John 18.11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?”

KEY POINT: As we think of the Passover lamb – roasted on the fire – may we see in a fresh and radical way the price paid for our salvation.

In Exodus 11:7 God said that He would put a difference between Egypt and the Israelites.
And the WAY He put the difference between them is BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

ANY house that had the blood was spared. It wasn’t that they UNDERSTOOD or APPRECIATED the blood -
They had NO theology of it.They hadn’t read the chapter – they hadn’t seen the movie.

If they applied the blood in simple obedience they were spared!
Those who did not were not spared.

CRUCIAL POINT: It is the same way that God puts a difference between mankind today.

The ONLY way that God differentiates between one man and another man – one woman and another woman – is by which of them have applied the blood of the Lamb.

So they are asked to participate in this – and they do it by faith (Heb 11).

The FIRST time that the Israelites celebrated the Passover was BEFORE they were Passed Over – BEFORE they were spared and delivered!! They had never done it before. God asked them for a SIMPLE act of obedience.

It is a humbling thing for man to look at a Man brutally executed on a cross and bow before Him as Savior, Lord and King. But that act of simple faith and obedience is MAKES THE DIFFERENCE between life and death, heaven and hell.

Blessings
pastor richard

Matthew 27:33-35 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.  35And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

The sheer brutality of this moment is lost on us. These soldiers would first push Jesus to the ground, onto his back that has been torn to shreds by the Roman scourge. They would then stretch out his arm and place his hand onto the piece of wood that would become the horizontal beam of the cross.

They would, as they had countless times before, search for the space between the radius and ulna bones just beneath the palm of the hand, and with a mallet drive a large wrought iron stake through the flesh of Jesus. Perhaps without even wiping the blood from their own hands, they would stretch out the other arm of Jesus and do the same. Having fastened the hands of Jesus to the cross-beam, they would lift him up from the earth, suspending his entire body weight on those two nails, and drop the cross beam into a notch at the top of the vertical beam. And finally, with one more stake, they would fasten both feet to the vertical post. Luke’s account records – “THEN Jesus said, Father forgive them…”. If ever there was a moment when God had cause to stop loving mankind it would have been at THAT moment. But it was “THEN”, at that very moment that He proves for us the undying nature of His love for man.

Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) was a baptist preacher born in Glasgow, Scotland. In his commentary on this passage (Expositions of Holy Scripture) he wrote:

What a gap there is between verses 34 and 35! The unconcerned soldiers went on to the next step in their ordinary routine on such an occasion,—the fixing of the cross and fastening of the victim to it. To them it was only what they had often done before; to Matthew, it was too sacred to be narrated, He cannot bring his pen to write it. As it were, he bids us turn away our eyes for a moment; and when next we look, the deed is done, and there stands the cross, and the Lord hanging, silent and unresisting, on it. We see not Him, but the soldiers, busy at their next task. So little were they touched by compassion or awe, that they paid no heed to Him….

Here are these men. They are sitting at the foot of the cross; on ground stained and wet with the blood of Jesus; perhaps the blood of Jesus dripping on them; And they PLAYED A GAME!

Here are these men. For hours they gazed on what has touched the world ever since; and they saw nothing but a dying Jew. They saw nothing but a man that Rome had deemed worthy of such a heinous death. Roman law declared that no Roman citizen should suffer death by crucifixion. The cross was reserved only for those that Rome considered to be the off scouring of the earth.

Here are these men. Their only concerns were how long they would have to stay there and who would win the game that would decide who would get the clothes of the man they had just killed.

From afar we stand in horror of their indifference. But today, two thousand years after the event, the world still plays games in the shadow of the cross. Men and women gaze upon the cross (in the hearing of the Gospel) and are only concerned with how much longer they have to sit and listen to that message. Men and women can stand in the shadow of the cross and with complete indifference to the demonstration of God’s love in it, be only concerned with playing the game of life.

For those who have had their hearts forever captured by the cross of Jesus, it is the indifference of the unbelieving world that is so readily seen in those soldiers. But there are many professing Christians who are playing games at the foot of the cross. First, they PLAY church in the shadow of the cross. They view church as being about themselves (how convenient it should be – what they can get out of it – what they get to do in it) with complete indifference to the One on the cross. It is His Church, purchased with His blood, existing for His exaltation. Second, they PLAY at Christianity. In the shadow of the cross they carry around un-forgiveness or bitterness. In the shadow of the cross they cheat on their taxes, cheat on their spouse, cheat on their time cards at work, cheat on their tests at school. All with complete indifference to the One on the Cross.

The Church has been wondering why it has been so ineffective in winning men and women to faith in Christ. There have been countless diagnoses presented. But could the answer lie in the actions of those Roman soldiers? Could it be that the world sees the Church proclaiming a message about a man on a cross, and then sees the Church playing in the shadow of that Cross just as they are?

1 Samuel 22:3-4 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” 4And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold

Here at the start of Chapter 22 David is in need of direction for his life! We can all relate to that on so many different levels. Thank God for giving us the account of this very moment in David’s life, because it sheds such precious light on our lives concerning the very common and real question; “Where do I go from here?”

David knows that he is the anointed to be king of Israel.  But (v.3) he tells his family that he does NOT know how God is going to get him on the throne. The much-needed direction comes to David by way of a word from the Lord!

1 Samuel 22:5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

There are several truths for us to recognize and own.

First – God did not leave David in the dark. God met David in his need. In fact, God was so concerned that David have the necessary direction for his life that God brought His Word to David by way of this man, Gad.

Second – God is faithful to give David the information that was NEEDED at that moment in David’s life. But we don’t want to miss this. Despite this Word from the prophet, David still does not know the whole plan of God to get him on the throne. THAT is what so much of the Christian life is like. In a very real sense we do know the whole story — we have read the end of the Book. God wins and we are with Him in it! But, the DETAILS for each of our lives within that story come as needed!

Third – It is so very important to put ourselves within earshot of the Word of God. Here at Metro we have a saying that describes our mission of getting the Word of God out to the World – As much, As Often, In as many ways. But as we consider the role of the Word of God in discerning and discovering the will of God for our lives, that saying should also describe our desire to be IN the Word of God – As much, As often, In as many ways.

I am amazed at how many people come from such great distances with such great frequency to get into the Word! Week after week people share with us how the Lord spoke to them and directed their lives in a very personal way. The book of Hebrews tells us that He is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him. God is waiting to pour out His Word and His Spirit upon the expectant heart.

Fourth  – The Lord graciously SPOKE to David and showed him the NEXT step. However, that NEXT STEP was not a SAFE STEP! By way of the prophet Gad —- God directs David to leave his own stronghold, and to go back to the very stronghold of Saul. I say this cautiously; God is not concerned about playing it safe! One reason why God wanted David in Judah was so that he could do some good. You see God is ACTIVELY at work in the world and He wants His people to co-labor with Him in this activity. He wants them to be ACTIVE in this world for His cause. To be a participant in the activity of God in this world is NOT always a SAFE thing, an EASY thing, or a CONVENIENT thing! All of that is counterintuitive to the mindset of the world. The world says, “Get the most for yourself as safely and painlessly as possible”. But standing with God and for God in His work is never the safe thing; that is, not SAFE in man’s estimation. But to be in the center of God’s will and about God’s business is the SAFEST place in the world!

Lastly – David was indeed going to be king over God’s people. David had to learn to trust and obey God in the midst of the danger because it was ONLY from THAT position that David could LEAD the people of God. This is a very important lesson for husbands, parents, or anyone in ministry. You can never lead from behind. People are looking for someone to follow. I am writing this today because of men I saw who never considered safety as the determining factor for lives. They were men who were willing to risk all to be a part of God’s saving activity in this world.

Blessings
Pastor Richard