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Matthew 16:18

Upon This Rock

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 29, 2024

We visited many churches during our tours of Israel. There were a couple that really stood out. The Church on the Mount of the Beatitudes is an octagon. It has eight sides, each side representing one of the Beatitudes that Jesus preached during the sermon on the mount. Not far from the Church on the Mount of the Beatitudes is the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter. The Roman Catholic tradition interprets Jesus’ comment to Peter in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church…” to appoint Peter as the first Bishop of the Center of the faith in Rome. Being the most important Church, the Bishop of Rome was given deference, if not full allegiance, throughout church history. Thus, the Bishop of Rome has been recognized as the Pope, or leader, of the Catholic (universal) Church. Most Protestants believe the church is built upon Peter’s profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah rather than the authoritative person. Although the protestant and catholic traditions concerning the significance and primary role of the Apostle Peter differ in several ways, all agree that there was some “primacy” to the ministry of Peter.

You begin to see Peter’s leadership role immediately after our Lord’s ascension. He arranges for the election of Matthias as the replacement for Judas. He is the spokesman at Pentecost and, afterward, the chief teacher. He works the first miracle and remains the principal thaumaturge (bringer of miracles). He wields the authority in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. In the early persecutions by the Sanhedrin, he is the ringleader, and he is the one Herod must arrest. When he is in prison, the special prayer of the Church shows the esteem in which he is held.

The Pulpit Commentary lists several more instances that point to Peter’s primacy. Peter was the first of the three who saw the transfigured Son of man upon the holy mount. In the garden of Gethsemane,  Peter, also called Simon. was one of the same band of three whom Jesus kept near to himself. It was his exclamation, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” which called forth the Lord’s approval and original blessing, “Blessed art thou, Simon,” etc. Paul himself records that the risen Redeemer first appeared to Peter. As the chief speaker and representative of the Church, he proclaimed not only the facts of the Resurrection and the outpouring of the Spirit but pardon and salvation through the redemption that Christ brought.  Although Paul is recognized as the Apostle to the Gentiles, it was Peter who first welcomed the Gentiles into the church. As tradition goes, both Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome. It wasn’t on the “rock” of a man that Christ built His Church. But He is not done! It’s the profession of faith in Jesus throughout the centuries that builds the church.

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Hosea 13:14, 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Deliverance From Death

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 28, 2024

Hosea is all about the unfaithfulness of God’s people in contrast to His faithfulness. We turn our backs. We violate his commandments. We worship other gods. But He always calls us back to Himself. He always wants us back. We break our marriage contract with Him, but he will never break His covenant with us. He is not like us! He is perpetually faithful. In a closing passage from Hosea, God expresses the depth of His love and enduring faithfulness for His people. In Hosea 13:14, God asks, “Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?” The assumed answer to the first two questions is “yes,” I will. The assumed answer for the last two questions is “nowhere.” The plagues of death and the sting of death have been defeated for God’s people. God will never go back on His word.

I think I have quoted Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 at many funerals during my years as a pastor. It says, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Most people do not connect Paul’s statement with Hosea, but we should because he admits to quoting an old saying. He says this is a “saying that is written.” We know it was written in Hosea, the book about God’s love and unwavering faithfulness to us. However, we cannot be depended upon to keep our promises, much like Gomer. God will always keep His. His promise, as Paul clearly recognizes, was that he would redeem us from the power of death and the grave. Contrary to our experience in this world, when a loved one dies, he simply moves on to a better place. We don’t see them again in this life, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

The following was found on the body of Colonel David Marcus, who helped establish the state of Israel. He wrote: I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails in the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until, at length, she is only a ribbon of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, “There! She’s gone!” Gone where? Gone from my sight—that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her, and just at the moment when someone at my side says, “There! She’s gone!” there are other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “There! She comes!” And that is dying.

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Hosea 10:12-13, Various

Fallow Ground

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 27, 2024

Hosea writes in Hosea 10:13, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea calls for God’s unfaithful people, Israel, to “break up the fallow ground” in their hearts.  Jeremiah 4:3 includes the very same exhortation.  We all have our share of fallow ground. It must be broken up. When that’s done, then we will be able to “Sow for yourselves righteousness.” As we sow righteousness, we will then “reap steadfast love” (See Hosea 10:12). Guzik explains, “Break up your fallow ground: God builds on the picture of sowing and reaping by telling Israel to break up your fallow ground—ground that hasn’t been plowed for more than a year. It is ground that is hard and stubborn, resistant to the seed. It does little good to sow seed on fallow ground; it must be broken up first.”[1]

Fallow ground is not the same as “barren” ground. The barren ground grows nothing. Fallow ground will always grow something. “The neglected garden is not a barren desert; it is a wilderness. The neglected soul will not be merely deficient of good; it will bear a crop of evil. The heart cannot endure a void. If it is not filled with pure thoughts, it will indulge in unholy imaginations; if it has no object of worthy love, its affections will descend and twine about some debased object; if it is not active in doing good, it will be diligent in doing harm. In proportion to the gifts and powers of the soul will be the evil that will come out of it when neglected; the more fertile the soil, the more abundant the crop of weeds.”[2]

Scripture often uses agricultural language when it illustrates the character of our hearts. Before seed can be sowed or harvest reaped, the ground must be prepared. Weeds must be removed. Jesus told the parable of the four soils and interpreted it for us as representing hard, fallow hearts, rocky hearts, weedy hearts, and finally, good soil hearts. If the crop is bad, the farmer does not try to fix the plants, vines, trees, or sprouts. He focuses on the soil. You have to get to the heart of the problem. Solomon pleads with his son, “Above all else, guard your heart.” It’s so easy to let our hearts become callous and hard-packed.  Hosea calls us to break our own hearts. Make it soft! Make it receptive to God’s work.  Remove the rocks, pull the weeds, plant the good seeds of God’s Word, fertilize it, water it, watch over it carefully, and watch God bring true growth as we experience a harvest of His steadfast love.

[1] Guzik, David. 2000. Hosea. David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible. Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

[2] Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. 1909. Jeremiah. Vol. 1. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

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Hosea 4:1-2, Various

God’s Steadfast Love

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 26, 2024

Hosea is the story of God’s broken heart over man’s sin. Moses brought God’s covenant down from Sinai, and all God’s people acknowledged it. At the end of Deuteronomy, we see the nation saying “I do” as Moses read the moral laws to the people. They clamored that they would keep the commandments of God. But, people are not faithful to their promises as God is. They broke every one of the Ten Commandments. In Hosea 4, God points out specifically how the Israelites have violated the ten commandments and broke their marriage covenant with God.  Hosea Chapter 4, Verses 1 & 2 say, “There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;  there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” Notice the perfect alignment with the ten commandments in this passage. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in Vain.  Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Then, the summary statement that God’s people have stepped outside of all God’s instructions for a healthy, happy, and wholesome life. They are completely unfaithful. While, In contrast, God is always completely faithful.

Psalm 136 has 21 verses, and every verse ends with the statement. “for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 103 says, “As far as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s steadfast love.”  This is the kind of love God has for us sinners. I know, according to science, we are very much like the animals. Webster writes, “Biology is awed that human beings are so closely related to fruits and vegetables and that more than 60 percent of human genes are the same as those in fruit flies. The scientific view of the human person is inevitably and understandably reductionistic, breaking down the person into component parts, reading DNA, mapping genomes, and discovering proteomes. This effort is true as far as it goes. The old biology aims to explain the what, where, when, and how, but it doesn’t come close to explaining the who.”[1] Unlike all other creations, we are the ones God created in His own image. And he will never stop loving us with everlasting love. Hosea establishes a scenario in which the sin of all mankind, even as vile as it is, does not diminish God’s love for us. Like the father of the prodigal son, God’s love never dims. This is hard to grasp.

A California newspaper carried a story about a discovery made by astronomers. The scientists picked up radio signals from a body in space that they estimated to be fifty million light years from the Earth. Prior to that, the most distant object known was ten million light years from Earth. Distances such as those are beyond our comprehension but illustrate well the infinite boundaries of God’s steadfast love. In contrast to man’s love, God’s love has no boundaries! It took Christ on the cross of Calvary to show us the depth of God’s love in a way we might comprehend it. Paul tells the Ephesians that God’s love is far above anyone’s understanding. But his prayer for them is not that they will understand it but experience it.

[1] Webster, Douglas D. 2023. The Psalms: Jesus’s Prayer Book. Vol. 4. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic.

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Hosea 1:2

God’s Broken Heart

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 25, 2024

Hosea is a story of a broken heart. God’s people, whom he loves with an undying love, have abandoned him for other lovers. They did not appreciate the depth of His love for them. They did not return His love for them. They wanted the pleasure & excitement of playing the field instead of the blessings of a wholesome and honest monogamous relationship. With Hosea’s life, God held up a mirror in which His people could see and appreciate what they’ve done to Him. In God’s work with the Prophet Hosea, he tried to illustrate the depth of his pain to his people by publicly putting Hosea through the same thing. Hosea 1:2 says,  (My Translation) God told Hosea, “Your wife will never be faithful to you. She will conceive and bear children from other men, but not for you. Her promiscuity will make you a laughing stock to the world.  But more importantly, because of your deep love for her, her affairs will break your heart. This will illustrate how my people have treated me.”

God’s deep love for His people is the central theme of Hosea! But their hardheartedness blocks the flow of God’s love.  God’s own people, instead of remaining faithful to Him, yearn for the “strange fire” of the gods of the people in the land. They see the idols of possessions, pleasure, and prestige and follow after them. I often see myself in their weaknesses. I yearn for the pleasures and possessions in this world at the expense of my relationship with God. When it comes to my relationship with God, I’m sometimes the “Wayward Wind” that Gogi Grant sang about back in the 50s. Though I make promises, I find them hard to keep. I’m often a restless wind that yearns to wonder. The sound of the “outward-bound” makes me a slave to my wandering ways. I think we should be careful about being hard on the people of Israel, as symbolized by Gomer. We all have wandering eyes. We all look at the fruit and notice that it’s good for food. God’s love and care for His people were not enough to communicate the depth of His love for them. That’s where Jesus comes in.

Jesus came to break through the hardheartedness of man. God so loved us that He sent His only son to die for us. I remember holding my baby grandson some time ago. As I looked at his infant form and into his eyes, it struck me that God, in the very person of His son, took on the form of a baby. But he took that form for a purpose. The soft little hands were to have nails driven through them. The chubby little feet would be nailed to the cross. And his beautiful little head would have a crown of thorns mashed down on it. His little body, in his “Gramma is out of this world” jumpsuit, would be pierced by a soldier’s spear. Water and blood would flow from his side, the symbol of a broken heart. I remember how sin, as recorded in Genesis 6:6, broke God’s heart. It says, “God’s heart was filled with pain.”  God demonstrated His love for me when my eyes were still wandering. While still in the slums of my sin, Jesus died for me. God so loved the world including me, that he gave His only son to pay the penalty for my sins. My sins broke God’s heart. May his death on the cross soften mine!

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Haggai 1:7-8

Finding Peace

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 24, 2024

Six times, the Lord calls mankind to “consider your ways” in the book of Haggai. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”  We all reflect on the essential issues of life, and whether we like it or not, we are all philosophers in that we all have a philosophy of life. Many people don’t take the time to consider their own philosophy of life. Many cannot tell you what their philosophy of life is. In the end, it boils down to a person’s view on three issues. The three main issues everyone must consider are “Where do I come from? What am I here for? And Where am I going.” My philosophy of life that answers these questions is Biblical. I believe that I’ve been created by a loving God who has a purpose for my life, including a final destiny. Most people today see themselves as a product of an impersonal evolution process determined by chance. There is no “purpose” for their personal lives. The ultimate destiny is the grave. But lately, there have been secularists who look for purpose in the stars. There has been an increasing interest in UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Maybe we can learn about our origin from them and gain meaning and purpose from that. Some think they may hold the secret of eternal life and will establish an eternal destiny for us.

Although Haggai’s exhortation to “consider your ways” is one that pushes people to consider their worldview, it’s really written to those who were God’s children. He’s addressing people who profess faith in God. He challenges them to see if their actions truly live up to their items of faith. They are struggling with survival in their homeland. There are enemies all around them, and they are having trouble providing for themselves and, therefore, have neglected God. The call to “consider your ways” is a call to face up to the real questions of life. Are you basing your life’s choices on the fact that you came forth from God? Are you living in response to God’s purpose for your life? Are you living in light of a day when you will give an account for your life? Are you? Are you? Six times, God asks His people through Haggai, “Are you?” Unfortunately, the expected answer was, “No, we’re not.” Though they were charged with the rebuilding of God’s Temple in Jerusalem, they were more interested in building their own homes. Although they professed they believed in God, They were living as if they believed life was an accident and there was no God who had a purpose and plan for them. They were basing the expenditure of their resources on selfish interests and not God’s purpose. They were living as if they were autonomous and had no accountability to God. Thus, Haggai’s call to “consider” is to see and recognize the truth of what one’s life choices say.

But then he concludes with the call to get it right. Put God back in His proper place in your life! Give God the priority He deserves. In Haggai 1:7-8, we read, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.  Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house (of worship), that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.” When you do this, things will change for you. He says, “Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’” (Haggai 2:6-9)

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1 Peter 3:18-20, Various

Victory In Jesus

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 23, 2024

I’ve always struggled with the part of the Apostles Creed that says Jesus descended into hell, where he stayed for three days before his resurrection. Those who argue that this is the case will often refer to 1 Peter 3:18-19 as evidence that Jesus did just that. They argue that it is clear that Jesus proclaimed the Gospel to the fallen souls in Hell.  They have a particular way of teaching what Peter said in this passage to support their position. The defense of this position rests somewhat on the English translation of the word “preached.” According to the King James Version (KJV) It says, “…He went and preached to the spirits in prison.”

The context of this passage, along with comments in other Bible books, disputes this interpretation. The context makes it clear that the “spirits in prison” are the evil angels of Genesis 6:1–4 (or their offspring).  This is also clear in that their disobedience is mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. The context makes it clear that it took place after his resurrection, not before. Also, verse 18 concludes with, “He was made alive in the spirit, in which he went…” The phrase “in the spirit” is often used to refer to the third person of the trinity, whose major mission is to declare and convict of the glorious success of Jesus’ ministry on earth. Further, “in prison” may not be the same as the Hell of eternal damnation for unrighteous humans.

There are many biblical problems with this teaching. I want to argue that Jesus didn’t preach. He “proclaimed.” The ESV and other translations use the word “proclaim” instead of “preach.” It’s much better because it captures the original idea.  It means to make an official announcement. The issue is not the gospel, as some argue. If so, it implies that those who die will have a second chance to be saved.  The scriptures make it clear that “it is appointed for man to die once, and then the judgment.” There’s not a 2nd chance after death to come to faith. Rather, the issue is the victorious proclamation to fallen angels of His unequivocal victory over temptation and sin. Verse 20 clearly indicates to whom the proclamation is being made. It is addressed to the disobedient in the “days of Noah.” Jesus is asserting his triumph over the sin issue. Jesus came to undo the original fall. He brings redemption to fallen man, and he proclaims his victory over the fallen angels who were tested and failed. Jesus was tested and succeeded.

The story of the fallen angels of Genesis 6, which brought about the flood, tells of an angelic infiltration into the human race. These angels could not repent, but they were brought to subjection. Verse 22 says that Jesus “Has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”  Norm Geisler puts it this way, “1 Peter 3:19 is about Christ announcing the victory of His death and resurrection to the fallen spirit world that was defeated by His actions. There is no reference to leading saved spirits out of a compartment in Hades and taking them to heaven.” Paul tells the Colossians that Jesus “Disarmed principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). The significance of this for you and me is well phrased by D. A. Carson. He writes, “Jesus’ victory over evil spiritual beings, proclaimed at his ascension, means that Christians need not fear their power (3:14, 19–22).”[1]

[1] Carson, D. A., and Douglas J. Moo. 2005. An Introduction to the New Testament. Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

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1 Samuel 12:3

Finishing Well

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 22, 2024

The prophet that anointed Saul had served Israel faithfully for his entire life. We remember the barren Hannah, his mother, who dedicated his life to serving God if He would bless her with a son. God gave her Samuel. She weened him and turned him over to the Priests. Eli was not the most faithful of priests, and his sons, Hophni and Phineas, were the worst possible priests. In spite of that, Samuel faithfully served God. In 1 Samuel 12:3, Samuel seems to be turning over the reins of the kingdom to Saul in his farewell address. He describes himself by saying, “I am old and grey, and my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day… whose ox have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe?” The nation responds with the pronouncement of innocence of Samuel.” Samuel lived his life in a glass bowl for the entire nation of Israel to observe. In the end, there is no one to make a charge against him. What a wonderful way to finish.

Ogilvie comments, “The integrity of Samuel stands as a model for us today. I can still remember the shock that many registered when they learned that bribes are a standard part of doing business in many countries. There was almost a patronizing tone in the voices of those who insisted that though we do not believe in these practices, we have no other option if we hope to be involved in world trade. But in recent years, we have had stockbrokers imprisoned for insider trading, defense contractors fined for cheating the public out of hundreds of millions of dollars, enthusiastic alumni exposed for paying money under the table to college athletes, and countless public officials convicted for betraying the public trust. While we live in a high-tech society with amazing potential for improving the lot of people, improvement isn’t happening because there are too many people in too many high places whose lives and work lack integrity. To be able to come to the end of a career of any sort with Samuel’s ‘clean hands’ would be a noble goal for anyone.”

Well, I think it is probably too late for most of us. We’ve already messed up our lives and reputations in one way or another, but maybe we can finish well. Although I’ve had a rocky start in life, I sure would love to finish well. In the culture we live in, this is not an easy task. More than how you start, it is how you finish. One writer observed, “Leaving a rich legacy depends upon finishing well, and the odds are against you. Research on leaders from biblical and church history has documented the fact that few leave a positive legacy. In fact, according to Dr. Robert Clinton, only about one in three leaders finish well. The odds in the marketplace maybe even worse. From Enron’s corporate fraud to the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandals to the headlines of the local paper, we are bombarded with real-life reminders that it is difficult to achieve great things, maintain integrity, and finish well. Many capable people who have had worthy dreams have failed to leave a positive legacy because they could not overcome flaws in their character. This is the legacy challenge—the difference between achievement and character, the gap between doing and being.”[1]

[1] Moore, Steve. 2004. The Dream Cycle: Identify and Achieve God’s Purpose for Your Life. Indianapolis, IN: WPH.

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