Stop clinging to me, but go and tell my disciples that I am in the process of ascending to my Father and your Father.*. Not that the number itself is significant, but rather that the exact number tells us something of how impressive the catch actually was. But He goes on: [20] I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, [21] 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. This is something that David realized as well: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. He is a God who has created all of these lost men and women fashioned them with His own hands. Here are the words of our Lord on the matter: Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you. [39] But he answered them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. He is ruling here He is involved in our lives His rule is not detached. And if you are not a Christian then you have no lens to properly view these events. So that will make the victory all that much more sweeter when we enter into His presence and He banishes death and sickness once and for all! He wields His power and knowledge with wisdom and His plans are never foiled. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? They had no idea how David could have called his descendent his Lord. They had not understood to this point the heavenly nature of the coming messiah. (John 14:6, ESV), He said to them, You are from below; I am from above. I said to Dawn: Be suddento Eve: Be soon; With thy young skiey blossoms heap me over. Is there a phrase that more encapsulates the mission of Christ than this? [16] I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. There are a few parallels between this prayer and the High Priestly prayer in chapter 17, but the one that stood out to me the most was how the Father and Son had already been (obviously) in previous communion. Because Jesus is who and he is he inevitably divides people., Specifically, it is interesting that some people ran to the PhariseesCarson says, One might charitably hope that the motive of at least some of them was to win the Pharisees to the truth, but the contrast set up between those who believe and those who go to the Pharisees suggest that their intent was more malicious., Ryle says that these people who ran to the Pharisees had been hardened in heart, Instead of being softened and convinced, they were hardened and enraged. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. In fact, if the council knew the miracles were authentic (which it seems that they did) they ought to have followed Jesus. A session of the Sanhedrin (Mt. A sinking feeling takes hold when you realize that youre missing an entire days worth of money in your bank account what in the world happened? Because it is such a popular verse, people often use this verse as a proof text for universalism this is probably mainly because A. Jesus doesnt claim in this verse exclusivity and B. Instead of being rude, He is sometimes short and to the point. Through each parable we see the heart of Christ for the lost, the sinful, the wayward He sees them as valuable beyond measure. The second thing I want to note here is that Martha is the one who comes running to Jesus when word reaches their home that the Lord is on His way, and is nearing the village. Mark emphasizes that the same malady afflicts the disciples. 15:8-10 Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? If there was no resurrection then we have no reason to believe anything Jesus said. The Master-Key, Opening the Gate of Heaven "And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.". Autobiography, Vol. Therefore, as D.A. His bondage is self inflicted in more ways than one. What touches my heart so much about this passage in John is the tenderness of Jesus. Therefore I must patiently wait for His plan to unfold even amidst trial. Many scholars have argued about the differences between phileo and agape. 307. Was it because they had never heard of the resurrection? (Romans 5:12-15). My personal notes reflect several pages of introspection from those teaching sessions in August of 2013. No problem, just replace those blocks! These are the meat and potatoes of the Christian life! [47]So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, What are we to do? [xvii] J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke 21:10-19. He calls this critical realism, and its a via media between rationalism and fideism. Yet we as Christians are responsible to seek His face, to confess our sins, to pray and ask the Lord to change the desires of our hearts and conform our will to His in order that we might be able to discern what is right and that from a changed heart and a renewed mind, we will please and honor Him. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Consequently, thats why He was so poignant in His remarks about eternity earlier. The Hound of Heaven. [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. These are great ideas to reflect upon in the coming days, and a marvelous reminder of the richness of Scripture. "The Hound of Heaven" however, is still relevant. John 3:16 may perhaps be the most famous Bible verse in the world. However, He will never betray those on whom He sets His love, but will love them faithfully for all time.. So waiting four days to raise Lazarus from the dead would have crushed their superstitions. 1:3. It was the Fathers righteous allegiance to his own name that made recompense for the sin necessary. Verse 16 comes on the heels of an Old Testament account of salvation being reapplied by Jesus as he turned the timetables forward to show how the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness foreshadowed His being lifted up on the cross. In other words, it was the love of Christ that compelled him to stay away for another two days, and it was the love of Christ for His Father that motivated His obedience to wait another two days. For if many died through one mans trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. This was followed by the acme of His redemptive work in the ascension, when He left earth to go to His coronation, where God declared Him King. Prominent Christian leaders and authors refer to the Hound of . 3425. Days of Heaven on the Earth | Answers in Genesis You immediately start combing your purse, your wallet, your statements, you stop and think you must be missing something somewhere. Last night I preached a message from verses John 3:16-21 in our evening service and Ive posted both the notes and the audio below. Of my own mind, and in the midst of tears. First is in the revealing of His character, second is in the reflection of His character (among His people), and third is in the praises/worship/acknowledgement/agreement of His people (which is essentially His people agreeing with Him that He is praiseworthy, that He is great etc.). 11:5-7 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. The Hound of Heaven Pursued John Stott | Preaching Today What happened here is hard to explain, but I believe its a preview of what Paul says will happen when Jesus returns: Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 1094. We need to be diverse in our reading, but first and foremost we need to read good Christian authors (Im not talking TD Jakes or Joel Olsteen), slowly working our way up to deeper more mature reading. You need milk, not solid food, [13] for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. For we continually point people to the foundation points of the gospel and we too need to be continually reminded about them and revel in their glories! 239. The Hound of Heaven - Collection at Bartleby.com And when He tracks one down, all of heaven erupts in jubilant celebration. My goal was to show that salvation is from first to last from God and by God, and that He alone deserves glory for salvation. Autobiography, Vol. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Or do we hesitate? In the one Adam fell before Satan; in the other, the soldiers fell before Christ. Pauls entire lens of thinking was seen through the Lordship prism of Jesus. Memorization (Spiritual Formation in Christ for the Whole Life and Whole Person inVocatio, Vol. Look at what we read in Acts 4: [12] And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved., [13] Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. 12. Therefore the principle problem here is not primarily an intellectual one, nor is it a communication problem on the part of the Apostle, rather it is primarily a problem within the hearts of these Hebrews, and within our own hearts as well. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. The New Testament church has become the Israel of God. [24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate. [xv] Frame, Systematic Theology, Pg. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. The mature have a right knowledge of God resulting in the ability to discern between good and evil in all things. Praise God that we have been found by God in our sinful state and enjoy the privilege of being united to Christ through His loving, relentless pursuit! Peter not only denied Jesus, he did so in public. But this is not the case. Look at how the author of Hebrews describes the faith of Abraham: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, [18]of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. [19]He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. It is the good life it prioritizes the self ahead of others, and the temporal before the eternal. But in this account I believe that Jesus is almost certainly referring to the revealing of His person/deity and not specifically seeking praise. Satans days are numbered, for the Prince of Life is here, and He will allow no more deception about the truth of Gods plan for eternity. That image comes from Francis Thompson, a 19th century British poet who wrote "The Hound of Heaven." Although Thompson was a follower of Christ, he struggled with poverty, poor health, and an addiction to opium . You can listen below to Richard Burton's reading of it, followed by a short excerpt from Ravi Zachiaras on Thompson's being addicted to opium and being the object of God's pursuit. His mission was to seek and save the lost and that ought to be ours as well.[4]. "The Hound of Heaven" is a 182-line poem written by English poet Francis Thompson (1859-1907). So when the Son willingly took the suffering of that recompense on himself, every footfall on the way to Calvary echoed through the universe with this message: the glory of God is of infinite value! [32] This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. I would just add a disclaimer that they are my raw preaching notes. Therefore, in His great love, He has sent a way of salvation the only way of salvation, and that comes in the person and work of Jesus Christ and belief upon His name. The usual summary is that Agape is more a love of choice a sacrificial love. And thats the key word, is it not? We love that which we ought to hate, and we hate that which we ought to love. Certainly there was a hope for the future in what Martha terms the resurrection on the last daybut what happened next never occurred to anyone present. She was so confident in the power and Lordship of Jesus Christ that she announced confidently that if He had been there Lazarus wouldnt have died. Remember, He is not speaking to those who do not believe, but rather to those who love Him. As far as condemnation goes, John says that Jesus didnt come to condemn the world yet in verse 18 we read that those who dont believe are condemned! Oh how different His are from ours! In fact, He later called Himself the bread from heaven, which is simply another way of saying that He is the Word of God incarnate. [6]it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. A mind and heart that look through the gray havens of today to the eternal riches of His presence in heaven. All those who boldly proclaimed headship over their lives will suddenly realize the oxygen they suck has been a precious gift from the one who upholds all the planets by the power of His word (Heb. Perspective governs our attitudes and rules our lives. John later would say this in his epistles: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. It is a testament to the grace and power of God that we are protected from the wiles of the Devil and that is why your prayers of intercession for each other are so crucial, for God works through your prayers to thwart the enemy. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26]and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. We must understand it, then, or else we have not read it aright. http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1503.htm, [xv] Peter OBrien says it well, the author is not suggesting that they should leave behind the gospel for some form of deeper or fuller instructions for initiates. In any case, the way that John has laid out the text here is to show that Jesus is in control of all of these events. And in so doing He was not simply dying for a Jewish people, but for a people He had chosen from the foundation of the world. John says earlier in chapter 3: [36] Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Spurgeon once preached a message on this passage in John and said this: The love of Jesus does not separate us from the common necessities and infirmities of human life. Earlier in chapter five, Christ said this: But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. In fact, they just left and went back to their homes leaving Mary at the tomb with her sorrow. Let us with humility interpret the Word of God. Note also that when He healed people, he didnt just give them an aspirin. This could even be discipline or difficulties. Chapter fifteen features three parables which showcase many aspects of the character of Jesus, but only one essential truth: God has gone to great lengths to save those who were lost and not thought worthy of the kingdom of God, and finds great joy in doing so! (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV). This is what transforms us by constant practice., Matthew Henry rightly states, The word of God is food and nourishment to the life of grace: As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.. Throughout Scripture, the revelation of the name of God and the glory of God has had a similar affect on men. Jesus told Peter to tend the lambs, which is to say that our leaders must be watchful for the safety of the church, keeping an eye out for wolves and for sheep who have gone astray. Ryken comments, Can you see what Jesus was doing? He knew the Fathers will; He sought the Fathers mind on all things through prayer. John simply says, Jesus wept. But we also read that when Jesus hears what Mary has to say, his spirit is greatly troubled. His troubled soul is noted at two different points in this passage. Then I plead with you repent of that sin. In Eden, Adam hid himself; in Gethsemane Christ boldly showed Himself. [ix] Tom Schreiner, New Testament Biblical Theology, Pg. But at the same time, we cannot miss feeling that when they phrased the report as the did Lord, the one you love is sick they indicated by the form of it that they were seeking his will rather than theirs in the matter. Could they really have been this cruel? Do we not all need watering and tending by his constant and gracious care? Vain were ceremoniesvain as empty wells to the thirsty Arab. This is the real central point of all of these parables, namely the great lengths to which Jesus has gone to rescue us from ourselves. (f) I think, besides this, that the respective positions of the disciples and Christ, when they first saw Him, may possibly be intended to represent the respective positions of Christ and His people during this dispensation. None of this can be done alone, can it? We cant go very far without noting a few things in this new chapter. The Search for God - The Spurgeon Center (1 Corinthians 15:14-19). We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. The son is now at the nadir of his life. THE HOUND OF HEAVEN - By Francis Thompson, (1859-1907) It is a matter of the will. He doesnt simply understand it for we could well believe that He understands it being, as He is, a all-wise all-knowing God but He also empathizes with us. It was here that I found the poem The Hound of Heaven by English poet Francis Thompson. Just as He took pleasure in bruising His Son, and takes pleasure in allowing you to face difficult trials for both His glory and for your refinement and sanctifications sake. He is not simply in tears for His dear friend and the family of Lazarus, but also for a world whose response to death is not fully defined by the realities of God. Sproul at this point at length: Many professing evangelicals today believe the kingdom of God is strictly in the future, although there is no biblical foundation for that. He saves us for Himself, by Himself, from Himself. [17] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Thats love. In verse 11 we read that He was going to drink of the cup that the Father had for Him. Its not a very long poem, and I have to admit that I got a little emotional at the end! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 28). (Romans 8:15-17), For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. We might hide in the illicit romances of actors and actresses, but . He is saying that there are no good people. We have all gone astray (Is. He initiates a love for us that softens our hearts, and draws us to Himself. [13] First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. We all must stand in debt and awe that the Hound of Heaven has chased us down, has set His great and mighty love upon us, and though we deserved it not, has rescued us from certain death. For the first time, it seems, Mary peaks into the tomb to take a little closer look. Finally, in the parable of the prodigal son, we see the longsuffering father, effusive with joy and love upon the return and restoration of his long lost son. Peter thought he had it together, he thought he had the stuff to succeed. Paul explains: For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! (John 3:36), So the assumption is that the entire world is doomed for hell unless God does something. The Father has a sovereign plan, and the Son knows that all things are in the hand of the Father this is illustrated all the more in verse 9. And thats been the case since His saving work began. But more than that. This is why His raising Lazarus from the tomb was a major sign (A major wake up call to Satan also) of the ushering in of His kingdom this was the warning shot across the bow of Satan. But the free gift is not like the trespass. This indicates to us the outlook of the Councils situation, that even these two groups that hated each other felt the need to work together on this. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. The last war shall be the most fearful and terrible war that ever desolated the earth.[xvii]. The fundamental task of the church is to bear witness to the kingdom of God. In fact that is what Jesus meant when He said He would draw all men to Himself. The cross is for Jew and Gentile alike. [7]Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. May his words bring you the comfort they brought me: If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? How we think about the kingdom of God shapes how we view the book of Revelation, and perhaps the millennium question in particular. The second principle is tied to the first, and it is this: The kingdom of God is dynamic. That is to say it is more than just this idea of God separately reigning in heaven, He is working out His will in and amongst us in time and space. [v] They have become dull of hearing. (nthros no-thross slow, sluggish[vi], indolent, dull, languid). Jesus not only promises (and delivers) forgiveness, He promises and gives a healed heart and transformed life to those who call on Him and believe in His name. In fact it was common knowledge that there would be a resurrection of the dead on the day of the Lord. This was the same Psalm that Jesus used to shut up the Pharisees who had tried to trap Him in His teaching: Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, [42] saying, What do you think about the Christ? This is what R.C. Read by Richard Burton.Subscribe to our Yo. [xviii] Frame, Systematic Theology, Pg. First, the hopeless, helpless condition of Peter and all humanity who might try and save themselves and indeed there is a need of saving. [14] This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. To put it another way, He is not going to do the miracle so that He can receive praises from men, but rather to show men that He is praiseworthy. The poem became famous and was the source of much of Thompson's posthumous reputation. The size of the group is an indication of the caution the Romans had during feast days when they would consolidate their troops in Jerusalem and garrison them at Antonia (Carson) in order to control any uprisings among the Jews. Our doing is our beholding. He was going to use His disciples to proclaim this gospel of peace to all the nations in order that He might gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad., This process of spreading the gospel and blessing the nations through the spread of the gospel is the same as gathering into one the children of God, because when a person believes in Christ they are united with Christ and are adopted into His family. But Jesus readily identifies Himself as who they are looking for. In fact, they love the light! There's a famous reading by Richard Burton here: http://youtu.be/gToj6SLWz8Qhttp://en.wikipedia.org/. The Jews, however, still regarded him as high priest. Just so Christ is in heaven looking at us, and we are voyaging over the troublous waters of this world. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In 1955, a love letter from Suzanne Kempe to her philosophy lecturer, Thompson's poem is the source of the phrase, "with all deliberate speed," used by the, Thompson's poem was the inspiration for a series of 23 paintings by the American painter, "The Hound of Heaven" is the fifth chapter in, In 1975 "The Hound of Heaven" was mentioned in the suicide note of, Lines from the poem are recited between the discussion during the last scene in "The last enemy", which is the 2nd episode, 3rd season of, In 2002, Katherine A. A God who could have sat back and ruled the world from on high, but instead who chose to come down to us. The third observation is what she saw, or rather what she didnt see. (Romans 1:24-25, ESV). Francis Thompson (1859-1907) 239. This is the day Jesus rose from the dead and thats why even to this day, 2,000 years later, we call it The Lords Day and worship Him together on this day. They remind us that when Jesus changes someones head and heart, those changes lead to changes in our actions which affect the society in which we live.
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