Obedience Through Suffering

Obedience through suffering. Most of us at some point in out lives have experienced this. While the majority of of us don't remember a lot of it, for some it's a very vivid memory. What I'm talking about, at least in our case is that swat on the rear end when we didn't do what we were supposed to be dong the first time. It was inevitable, every time we disobeyed or did something very stupid, out came dads belt. Of course it wasn't always dads belt, it might have been a paddle of sorts or even a switch off a tree (thank you Grandma for that one). Now days it's a time out peering into a corner, having a favorite toy or privilege taken away or being held captive in ones room for days on end. Personally I preferred the spanking, yeah it hurt, but it was quick, to the point and I was typically back to playing in 5 minutes depending on who administered it. My point is is that we all suffered on some level in order to learn obedience.

This past week a friend and I were studying through Hebrews chapter 5. Most of our time of discussion after our reading was on verses 7-10:

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (ESV)

Jesus did go humbly to the cross in total obedience to his heavenly father but he learned that obedience, through his suffering, before he went to the cross. Verse 7 says: "Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears". His suffering started long before he was nailed to the cross. His full obedience through suffering was designed in the cross and because of this obedience he was made perfect and became the source of our salvation.

Thankfully Jesus' full obedience to his heavenly father and his atoning work on the cross makes it possible for us to one day stand before God as obedient children.

Focusing On The Negative

"The single biggest mistake that most beginners make is putting 100% of their effort into the positive (concentric) part of the rep, while paying no attention to the negative (eccentric) segment."-Dorian Yates 6-Time Mr. Olympia

What a great quote and after lifting for a number of years I can say it's 100% true! I also think that this principal applies to our spiritual lives as well as it pertains to our joy. Notice I said joy and not happiness.God is more concerned with our joy in Christ than he is with our happiness. Nehemiah 8:9-11 talks about how the joy of the Lord is our strength. Christ is the source of our joy. It is this joy that gives us the strength to get through troubled times in our lives. So lets get back to the quote.

When it comes to our spiritual lives I'm not saying that we need to have such a focus on a negative time of life that all we are doing is wallowing in our self pity, continually grumbling about our current circumstance that we find ourselves in. What I am saying is, is that we have been brought into our current circumstance for a reason. Our focus should be to learn what God would have for us in that circumstance therefore growing us into the men & women of faith that he would have us to be. It's in that learning and growth where we find our joy.

I tell people, "don't be to quick to try and remove yourself from a situation that might be making you uncomfortable. God is molding, stretching, and shaping you for something. You don't want to go into what he has next for you unprepared."

So then, what is God bringing you through? Or better yet, what is God teaching and preparing you for?

Jesus Had to be Made Perfect.

Now that I've got your attention, I'll explain. Every other Thursday evening I meet with one or two friends of mine and we study through books of the Bible. It's really great to read Gods word with others and then get their feedback as to how they read the text and what God has reveled to them through it.

We're all at different places in our lives, no doubt, but we are also in very different spiritual places in our walk with Christ as well. Many times God will use a portion of text that effects one of us in one way and while the rest of us appreciate the text it has no big impact on us at the time. A couple weeks ago, this was not the case.

I've read through Hebrews on several different occasions and for whatever reason a portion of text really stood out like it never had before. Not just to me but also to my study partner as well.

Hebrews 2:9-11 reads as follows (our focus is on verse 10):
9But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers
Wow, did you catch that! Here it is again, this time in slow motion: 10... make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Wait, I thought Jesus was already perfect, but he also needed to be made perfect? The answer to both of those questions is YES! Yes, Jesus is God! Yes, Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life. Yes, Jesus was always obedient to his father even to his death on a cross. This verse is not implying that Jesus was sinful by any means. In fact it has more to do with our justification and or sanctification than anything else.

In order to have a perfect sacrifice for our sin, Christ himself had to be prefect. He had to perfectly obey his father all the way up to and including his death on the cross. In his divinity he is perfect in every way and in his humanity he was made perfect by going through the same temptations, trills, life experiences and even death that we go trough. In his sinless perfection he is fully God, in his death he was fully human. In his resurrection he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who can humbly identify with those he calls his.

Never to Busy

Wow, it has been way to long since I've written anything of my own on this blog. I guess it's because I've finally had time! Work has been crazy for the last month and a half and at 62 hours a week that doesn't leave me much time to write. Even though I've been busy I still find time to get into Gods word.

I make sure I read the Bible not because I have to or because I want to look impressive to other Christians, but because I want to. I love God and I want to know him as much as I can. He has blessed me and my family more than we deserve and I can't thank him or even love him enough compared to what he has done for me.

I just want to take this opportunity to encourage you to never think you're to busy to read Gods word. We should never be to busy that we feel we can't take time out to pray to and learn more about the creator of the universe! Please, get into your Bible! Love it rest on it's promises and thank God every day for all he has done!

What difference has Jesus made in history?

Below is part twelve in the "Vintage Jesus" Series that Pastor Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. This is the last talk of the series. Form more sermons from Pastor Mark, please go here.

Why did Jesus' mom need to be a virgin?

Below is part eleven in the "Vintage Jesus" Series that Pastor Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington.

Why did Jesus come to earth?

Below is part ten in the "Vintage Jesus" Series that Pastor Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington.

Worth Fighting For

In his book, Jude appeals to us to contend for the faith and it was because of all the false teachers that had crept into the church and were not preaching truth. He said that these teachers "pervert the grace of God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
Things don't seem so much different than the way things were in Jude's day. We still have many false teachers, however there would be much contention as to what would actually make someone a false teacher. Although there is one big difference that I see.
That big difference is the fight, it's just not there anymore. People today are way to politically correct to fight for the the gospel of Jesus. Maybe we think that we're not showing the love of Christ by respectfully and biblicaly disagreeing with those that teach a false gospel. Instead we settle for acceptance of their belief and we'll pray for them if we remember to.
I'm not advocating for going out and looking for a fight but I do think that if we have biblical texts and Gods power on our side, then we should not cower when false teaching comes our way. Instead we need to boldly proclaim the truth.
Let me end this post with a question. How do you contend for your faith, or do you?

Hope & Glory

If you have never followed bodybuilding then you have no idea who the guy above is. His name is Dorian Yates and during the 1990's he won the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding championship 6 times. In the world of bodybuilding the Mr. Olympia is the big one. It's the title that all professional bodybuilders strive for and to win it more than once is amazing!

I found the caption on each of the pictures rather interesting. The picture from 1985 is entitled "Hope". Hope seems like an odd title to put on a picture of a guy who is already bigger than most people on the planet. Hope infers that there is more to come, maybe something better than what is current. Like I said, it seems weird to label the first picture hope. Most would feel like they have arrived if they achieved the physic displayed in the first picture.

When you look at the second picture it is entitled "Glory". Most would say that he certainly has achieved full glory in what he was pursuing. In this case and in the context of bodybuilding, yes he has obtained the full glory the sport of bodybuilding has. Of course this didn't all happen overnight, at some weekend bodybuilding retreat or even because his parents were physically fit.

Well, I'm sure there's some sort of spiritual application in here somewhere.

How did people know Jesus was coming?

Below is part nine in the "Vintage Jesus" Series that Pastor Mark Driscoll preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington.