Author: a4cadmin1
“For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributing gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will” (CSB).
Drift happens over time. It happens slowly and subtly. Before the Captain and Navigator of a sailing ship knows it they can be way off course due to neglect, distractions or having faulty instruments. This error can be costly and endanger their crew, passengers and cargo. They could also damage or lose their ship by running it aground and lose their careers.
The writer to the Jewish followers of Christ in Hebrews chapters one and two explains that Jesus is not an angel or some other created being. Jesus is God and God’s Message. He uses various Old Testament quotations to show that the Promised One cannot be an angel, but is in fact Divine and identical to God Himself. The audience of this letter are disciples of Jesus Christ with a Jewish background. This is the reason for emphasizing Old Testament concepts and passages. This also helps us understand the context of the various warnings given in Hebrews which become stronger as the letter progresses.
Hebrews 2:1-4 offers the first of several warnings given in this letter. This caution is mild, but includes an implicit criticism: these Jewish believers in Christ are not being careful in their study of the Scriptures. The original Greek of verse one uses the term “perissoteros” to describe how the readers are to approach the Scriptures and their faith. This word means “much more, more abundantly, or especially”. The readers must be committed to studying, learning and living the Word of God.
The purpose of this warning is obvious. Since there are false teachers and false gospels surrounding them and us, it is vitally important for followers of Christ to know the *actual content* of our Faith, so we will not be seduced by counterfeit versions of the biblical Gospel and by other false doctrines. Since Jesus Christ is God’s Message to mankind, ignoring Him will bring disastrous shipwreck. The writer of Hebrews points out that those who violated the Old Covenant suffered punishment. Therefore, those who violate the New Covenant can also expect dire consequences due to their neglect. The Gospel according to the Scriptures has been confirmed by witnesses and miracles and needs to be given closer attention by the readers of this letter. Whether by accident, drift or intention, breaking God’s laws always ends in disaster.
Here are some thoughts for our application as pastors, leaders and teachers of local churches, Bible school and seminary teachers and professors and students, missionaries and other Christian workers.
1. One does not need to angrily despise, willingly resist or strongly oppose God and His great salvation in order to be dead in sin and eternally condemned. One can be dead and condemned simply by *neglecting* the truth of God’s Word. Perhaps most of those in the great crowd of people walking on the broad road to destruction (Matthew 7:13) are neglectful of God’s great salvation.
2. These early Jewish disciples of Jesus were in danger of drifting away from following Him. They had heard the words of the Gospel but the words did not sink in. People raised today in Christian families and Bible-believing churches risk the same danger. They hear the Bible taught over and over and more or less agree with its teaching, but mental assent to Christ’s lordship is insufficient to be one of His disciples. If we are a pastor or a leader of a church, a Sunday school, Bible school or seminary teacher or professor, a small group leader or a pioneering missionary we cannot assume that people who comply and conform to our ministry are committed to Christ. We need to get to know each person we shepherd and minister to and challenge each one with the truth of the God’s Word and the requirements of being a disciple of Christ. We must not surrender anyone to a casual belief.
3. Paying careful attention is hard work for all of us. It requires focusing our minds, bodies and senses. Following Christ means not only reading our Bible, praying, reading good books, attending church and listening to sermons and teachings or helping a ministry. It means obeying Him (James 1:22-25). We must carefully pay attention and obey Christ’s instructions, any time, any where, at any cost and to do any thing.
PHILIPPIANS 1:3-8, 4:15-17
One of Paul’s primary reasons for writing to the church in Philippi was to let them know that when he frequently remembers them in prayer (1:3) he joyfully thanks (1:4) God for their “partnership in the gospel” from the “first day” of his ministry among them (1:5). Paul wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome after receiving a financial gift from the Philippians delivered by Epaphroditus who was perhaps their pastor or lead elder.
- “Partnership” in Greek is koinonia or “fellowship”, “joint participation” a “gift jointly contributed”, a “share in something contributed”. This spirit of partnership and unity is to permeate the entire local and worldwide body of Christ.
- “From the first day until now”: Paul and his companions Timothy, Silas and Luke started the church in Philippi ten years prior to this letter while on Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:11-40).This was the first church established on the European continent in the district of Macedonia. When Paul entered a city his pattern was to minister at a Jewish synagogue but when he entered Philippi (either the day they arrived or the first Sabbath they were there) he went to a river outside the city to minister. He did this because Philippi was mostly a Gentile city and did not have at least 10 Jewish men required to form a synagogue. Acts 16:13 says the missionaries encountered and spoke to a group of women praying at a riverside. One of the women was Lydia, a Gentile from Thyatira, a worshiper of God and a seller of expensive purple goods. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying and she became a believer in Christ. After she and her household were baptized she “urged” the missionaries to “come to my house and stay.” ‘And she prevailed upon us.”’ (verse15). Lydia’s husband is not mentioned (perhaps he was dead or they were divorced) but her business was very profitable so she was wealthy with servants and had a large home. The missionaries may have stayed there for a short or long time. When Paul refers to “the first day” he is referring to Lydia’s gracious hospitality. “Until now” means the financial gift which Epaphroditus brought Paul which helped pay rent for the house he was staying in while chained to Roman guards.
Another occasion of hospitality in Philippi was from the jailor and his household after they trusted Christ and were baptized (Acts 16:25-34).
- “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6). What “good work” did God begin and will complete in the lives of the Philippians, and every one who knows Christ as Savior and Lord?
God’s work *for* us began when Christ died on the Cross in our place. His work *within* us began when we first repented of our sin and trusted Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us enabling us to become more like Jesus every day. Paul is describing the process of a Christ-follower’s growth and maturity that began when he or she accepted Jesus and, by His grace, continues until Christ’s return. God’s saving purpose will be fulfilled on the “day of Christ” (1:10, 2:16) when He returns in glory to raise His people from the dead (3:11, 20, 21) and to receive universal homage (2:9-11).
What other “good work” did God start and continue in their lives? How about hospitality, generous giving and meeting practical needs? “It was kind of you to share in my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.” Paul expressed his deep appreciation for their ongoing partnership with him as he spread the Gospel. He is remembering how they contributed practical help when he was in Philippi and when he left Macedonia to go to Achaia (Acts 16:40-18:18) and now when he is in prison.
As we help our pastors, evangelists, teachers and missionaries through prayer, hospitality, logistics, and financial and in-kind gifts, we become partners with them in spreading the Gospel and building up the church locally and globally. This is Christ’s organic and organized body living as it is designed to live.
- Generosity is a big part of who we are in Christ and what we do for Him.
- Another wealthy giver of the primitive church.
Acts 4:36-37: Barnabas (Joseph) was a respected leader of the church. He was a Levite by birth, a member of the Jewish tribe that carried out Temple duties. But his family moved to Cyprus, so he did not serve in the Temple. Acts 4:36-37 lays the foundation to the significant influence and contribution this outstanding follower of Christ had in the life of Paul and the Jewish and Gentile churches. As “son of encouragement” Barnabas was a good example of a Christ-follower who gave to the needs of others. Barnabas also interceded for Paul (Acts 9:27), encouraged the church in Antioch in Syria (Acts 11:22), led in missionary work abroad (Acts 13:2,3) and continued in missionary work despite a disagreement with Paul (Acts 15:37-39). Notice that Barnabas “sold a field that belonged to him” to help believers in Jerusalem. (Contrast his generosity with the selfishness of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). Barnabas owned properties so he most likely was wealthy. Notice that God wanted us to know the name of this man, that he sold a piece of property and donated the money to God’s work.
We truly thank God for wealthy givers.
- The generosity of the poor Macedonian churches in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea
2 Corinthians 8:1-5: Paul commended these churches because he wanted the Corinthian believers, and you and me, to know about their giving to assist the impoverished church in Jerusalem even though they themselves were poor. They gave even more than Paul expected. They gave sacrificially because they wanted to help their Jewish brethren. *The point of giving is not the amount we give but why and how we give*. God does not want us to give grudgingly. He wants us to give, as these churches gave, because of our dedication to Christ, love for fellow believers, the joy of helping those in need and it is the good and right thing to do.
Does our giving measure up to the example of the Macedonians?
The Gospel of God’s grace spreads widely and the body of Christ is greatly strengthened through believers’ concern and eagerness to help others. Here we read of churches joining together to help others beyond their circle of friends and city. This is an example of followers of Christ joining together to do God’s work cross-culturally which helps maintain unity and God’s Kingdom to grow locally and globally. By citing the Macedonians to the Corinthians Paul was hoping this would encourage them to solve their problems, complete their commitment and unite in Christ-centered fellowship. Notice that Paul was also a fund-raiser.
- God has an accounting system.
In Philippians 4:15-17 Paul uses an accounting metaphor to tell his precious partners in Philippi about God’s accounting system. He reminds them that their financial partnership with him is ultimately for their benefit. God calculates every good deed a person does or the money given, little or much, and deposits it into their eternal personal bank account (ESV footnote: “the profit that accrues to your account”). We should not think little of a seemingly insignificant good deed done or a small financial gift given in Jesus’ name. God rewards our faithfulness. Because he knows that the Philippians’ gifts are an act of worship and are pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:15-16), Paul knows that God will richly bless them in return (2 Corinthians 9:6). Paul appreciated their spirit of love and devotion and fellowship more than their gift.
As we reflect…
In Philippians 4:10-13 Paul does not deny the reality of his need but rather testifies he is content to live in plenty or in want. Because he relied on Christ’s power and followed His example (2:5, 3:10) Paul is able to face all circumstances with contentment. He is impressing the same lesson on the Philippians (4:6-7) and on us today.
In Philippians 4:19 “every need (not want) of yours” refers to our material and spiritual needs (4:6-7). This promise is for those who are in Christ Jesus (1:1, 21).
God honors people who dedicate their time, talents and treasure to His work. As Paul did in his letter to the Philippians, church and ministry leaders today need to develop practical ways, without favoritism, to express our sincere and heartfelt appreciation to all of our faithful partners.
LUKE 9:1-6, 9:57-62 & 10:1-2
In reading Luke’s narrative here it seems clear that Luke, the physician and historian, wanted his Gentile friend Theophilus, and all of us, to know that reaching people with Christ’s message of hope and redemption is a responsibility that is not restricted to the Twelve Apostles whom He had already sent on a similar mission (Luke 9:1-6). When Jesus sent out the “seventy-two” (10:1), He was setting the stage for all His disciples to be involved in carrying out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). We need to also remember that when Luke recorded his account of the Gospel, he could personally identify not only with what had happened prior to Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension, but also with what happened after the church was born (The book of Acts). In his own lifetime he participated directly in carrying out Christ’s ultimate mission for coming into our world.
The context of our biblical text is Jesus and the Twelve going to Jerusalem. In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus discouraged those who desired to follow Him. Why? Because He wanted them to know right away that following Him would be costly, and not to learn later that there are costs involved for being a faithful disciple. For example as the Jewish religious leaders became increasingly hostile toward Jesus, He wanted His disciples to be prepared (John 15:18-19).
*Jesus wants His disciple’s total dedication, not half-hearted commitment. We cannot pick and choose among Jesus’ teachings and follow Him selectively. We have to accept the cross with the crown. We need to count the cost and be willing to abandon everything else that has given us security. Without looking back we need to fully focus on Jesus and allow nothing to distract us from following Him.
How can all believers in Christ and local churches participate in the fulfillment of the Great Commission?
- By being. Our doing flows from our being “in Christ”. This is our identity. It is who we are. It is how we live in our particular communities. John 17:20-21 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
- By going short-term. In the market place. In the workplace. In school. In our hobbies and other activities. In the countryside. In the inner city. Short-term mission trips with a specific purpose. Etcetera. The Apostles had a special calling, like some believers today, to go with the Gospel to the nations. There are others, however, who are needed for short-term assignments and special projects to boost the ongoing work of advancing the Gospel among unreached people and/or help start and build up young churches among these people. 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
A few more comments on Luke 10:1-2:
Many more people were following Jesus than just the Twelve. Here Jesus selected 72 from among them to go and prepare the towns and places He will visit. These disciples were not better educated, more capable, uniquely qualified or of higher status than Jesus’ other followers. What equipped them for this assignment was their awareness of Jesus’ power and a vision to reach all people with the Gospel. The application for us is it is important to dedicate our skills to God’s kingdom, but we also need to be equipped with Christ’s power and have a clear vision of what He wants us to do.
There is no unemployment in Christ’s service. The Head of the church and the Lord of the harvest has a job for everyone. Jesus instructed His disciples not to just work but to also pray for workers. Part of every person’s job is to pray for new workers and to help them learn about service in God’s kingdom. Whatever our role in God’s work, we need to pray for more laborers. The Lord Jesus wants us to pray, recruit and equip others to join us and as they explore opportunities to serve Him. Think about this, as soon as some people turn from their sin and trust the Savior, they immediately want to go with the Gospel to others who do not understand it. Jesus had a different approach: we begin by mobilizing people to pray. And as we pray for unsaved people and witness to them, we pray that other disciples will join us in reaching out to those who do not yet know Christ as their personal Savior. The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, people helping us grow in our faith and providentially arranged circumstances, will lead us to a task tailor-made for us according to our innate strengths, personality, spiritual gift/s and learned skills, (Ephesians 2:10) but remember praying for harvesters goes with it.
- By going long-term. As mentioned previously some disciples have a unique calling for long-term mission service. They are sovereignly set apart by the Holy Spirit and identified, equipped and commissioned to go to various parts of the world by leaders of a local church usually in partnership with a missionary sending agency. Acts 13:1-3 “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucious of Cyrene, Manaen a lifetime friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
- By giving. God has an accounting system. He calculates every good deed a person does or amount of money given, little or much, and deposits it into our personal bank account. We should not think little of a seemingly insignificant good deed done or a small financial gift given in Jesus’ name. God rewards our faithfulness. Paul uses a business metaphor in Philippians 4:15-17 “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” (ESV footnote: “the profit that accrues to your account.”) He reminds his brethren in Philippi that their financial partnership with him in his ministry is ultimately for their benefit.
- By praying. Paul asked for prayer. Because Paul needed prayer, so do we! He asked the brethren in Colossae to pray that he will have opportunities to share the Gospel of Christ. Colossians 4:2-4 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison-that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
*I really like Colossians 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.”
Conclusion: In order for us who are “in Christ” to walk fully in God’s will we need to participate in Christ’s ultimate mission for coming to our world. What is your role? Are you a sent-one? If you are let us keep going with the Gospel by living and preaching it as we make fellow disciples. Are you a sender by your prayers and finances, or an advocate by serving on the missions committee or by providing pastoral care, hosting or helping with logistical support when needed? If so *thank you very much!
One of my favorite biblical texts is 3 John 5-8 “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
We are the body of Christ. We are one “in Christ”.
In order to complete the Great Commission it requires: the whole church, to send the whole Gospel, to the whole world, by both our life and our lips. There is an important job for everyone.