Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 13, 2009

How do you memorialize what great things God has done for you?

Today’s devotion is Matthew 11:28-30. 

“28  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

 29  “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

 30  “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30. 

 

From about 1992 to 1997, I wrote “Letters to Harry”.  These were letters that I wrote to my best friend, Harry Sieplinga, about my struggles in life and my attempts to discover and apply Scripture to my life during that time.  Harry was (and is) kind and gracious like you all in allowing me to write to you all without telling me to stop. 

When I started, I did not have any idea that I would write so many.  I just wrote them one by one.  Later, I accumulated them, chose the best ones, and put them in the format of “Gold Mining”.  Here is the link to that section of my web site – Click here: Gold Mining « Reformed Doctrine Blog

I write this for two purposes.  First, I write this introduction as an encouragement to you all to consider writing and keeping your own meditations on your own devotions.  Second, I write this as an introduction to one letter that I want to use as my comments on these verses.

Regarding the encouragement to you all to consider, when I experience financial struggles and other struggles, it helps me to go back and read and remember that God delivered me and what He taught me.  It also serves as a memorial to God’s work.

In my devotion with my law partner yesterday, our devotion was Joshua Chapter 3 which concerns the miraculous crossing of Jordan.  “and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.  “Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’  then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off ‘ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”  Joshua 4:5-7.  (Emphasis added.)

How do you remember what great things God has done for you?  How do you save some type of record of what great things God has done for you, so you can share your testimony with others?  How do you memorialize what great things God has done for you?

Now, on to –

GOLD MINE 29:  MATTHEW 11:28-39

CHRIST’S YOKE WAS THE CROSS;  OUR YOKE IS THE SPIRIT

March 20, 1995

Harry:

Jesus said: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy, and My load is light”. Matthew 11:28-29.

What is a yoke?  According to Oxford American Dictionary, published in 1980 by Oxford University Press, a yoke is a “wooden crosspiece”.  It is a foundation for pulling or work.

After reading this definition of yoke, I thought of the cross.  The cross is a wooden crosspiece that was fastened to Christ as a foundation for His work of carrying away the sins of the world.  The yoke that Christ endured was the cross, but the yoke that Christ give us is His Spirit.

The Pharisees lay law upon law on the people: “And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.” 

Matthew 23:4.

In contrast, Christ tied up the heavy loads of the law and laid them on His own shoulders and gave us His Spirit as a yoke: “in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”.  Romans 8:4.

Bill

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 11, 2009

Unconditional Election: ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

Today’s devotion is Matthew 11:25-27. 
 
“25  At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 
                                          
26  “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
                                        

27  “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”  Matthew 11:25-27. 

 

God elects those whom He will save based on His own pleasure and purpose, not based on any condition supplied by man whether it be works or even faith.  In Romans Chapter 9, Paul compares the twins Jacob and Esau.  Jacob was considered a child of God, a child of promise, and Esau was not:  “for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,”  Romans 9:11. 

Paul recognizes that this may seem unjust.  Consider that it would not seem unjust if God saved on the basis on man’s work, man’s faith, or on the basis of any condition supplied by man.  But, Paul states:  “What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!  For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”  Romans 9:14-16. 

This may not seem fair to us.  This may not seem just to us.  But, Scripture is clear that God saves on the basis of His purpose and choice alone. 

God does not want us to boast.  If we were saved because we performed enough works, then we could boast.  If we were saved because we had enough faith, then we could boast.  But, if God hid salvation from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants, then no one could boast.  

“18  For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 19  For it is written,
         “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
         AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

 20  Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

 21  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

 22  For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;

 23  but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

 24  but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

 25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

 26  For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

 27  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

 28  and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,

 29  so that no man may boast before God.

 30  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

 31  so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1: 18-31. 

 

I know I am preaching to the choir about this general subject of unconditional election, but there remains a difficult point for us to consider.  I can wrongfully take pride in my knowledge of unconditional election and have done so many times.  I can look out over many churches and denominations and shake my head like the Pharisee and say:  “‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people:  Pentecostal, Baptist, or even like this Methodist.”

I must remember that it is not even my knowledge of unconditional election or other finer points of Reformed Doctrine that saved me.  I must remain humble like the Publican who was “even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ ”  Luke 18:13.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 10, 2009

There are times to close the door, repent, and lie prostrate on the ground.

Today’s devotion is Matthew 11:20-24. 
 
“20  Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 
                                               
21  “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
                                        

 22  “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

 23  “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.

 24  “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”  Matthew 11:20-24. 

 

Here are some quotes (not contiguous) from Calvin’s Commentary:

”  …  we have no right to contend with God, for having passed by others of whom better hopes might have been entertained, and displaying his power before some who were extremely wicked and altogether desperate.  Those on whom he does not bestow his mercy are justly appointed to perdition.  If he withhold his word from some, and allow them to perish, while, in order to render others more inexcusable, he entreats and exhorts them, in a variety of ways, to repentance, who shall charge him, on this account, with injustice? Let us, therefore, aware of our own weakness, learn to contemplate this height and depth with reverence; for it is intolerable fretfulness and pride that is manifested by those who cannot endure to ascribe praise to the righteousness of God, except so far as it comes within the reach of their senses, and who disdainfully reject those mysteries, which it was their duty to adore, simply because the reason of them is not fully evident.
 
We know that believers are not only required to exercise repentance for a few days, but to cherish it incessantly till death.  But there is no necessity, in the present day, for being clothed with sackcloth, and sprinkled with ashes; and, therefore, there is not always occasion for that outward profession of repentance, but only when, after some aggravated revolt, men turn to God.  Sackcloth and ashes are, no doubt, indications of guilt, for the purpose of turning away the wrath of the Judge;  and therefore relate strictly to the beginning of conversion.  But as men testify by this ceremony their sorrow and grief, it must be preceded by hatred of sin, fear of God, and mortification of the flesh, according to the words of Joel, (2:13,) Rend your hearts and not your garments.  We now see the reason why sackcloth and ashes are mentioned by Christ along with repentance, when he speaks of Tyre and Sidon, to the inhabitants of which the Gospel could not have been preached, without condemning their past life, leaving nothing for them, but to betake themselves to the wretched apparel of criminals for the sake of humbly beseeching pardon.  Such, too, is the reference of the word sitting, which is employed by Luke, Sitting in sackcloth and ashes; for it denotes “lying prostrate on the ground,”—a posture adapted to express the grief of wretched persons, as is evident from many passages of the Prophets.
 
It was indeed an inestimable honor, that the Son of God, when about to commence his reign and priesthood, had chosen Capernaum for the seat of his palace and sanctuary.  And yet it was as deeply plunged in its filth, as if there had never been poured upon it a drop of Divine grace.  On this account, Christ declares, that the punishment awaiting it will be the more dreadful, in proportion to the higher favors which it had received from God.  It deserves our earnest attention in this passage, that the profanation of the gifts of God, as it involves sacrilege, will never pass unpunished; and that the more eminent any one is, he will be punished with the greater severity, if he shall basely pollute the gifts which God has bestowed upon him; and above all, an awful vengeance awaits us, if, after having received the spiritual gifts of Christ, we treat him and his Gospel with contempt.”
 
Here is Calvin’s Commentary in full on these verses –

 

 
Bill’s Comments:
  
There are three comments that I would like to make which are presented by the three paragraphs of Calvin’s comments above.  First, as I glean from Calvin’s second paragraph above, there are times to close the door, repent, and lie prostrate on the ground.  Second, as I glean by Calvin’s first paragraph above, we have no right to contend with God, as some do, that He has bypassed and withheld His word from some.  Third, as I glean from Calvin’s third paragraph above, the punishment will be the proportionately more dreadful on those who received higher favors from God, but rejected or misused them, than those who did not receive such favors. 
 
Regarding the second point, usually those who contend with God are unbelievers who use the fact that some never have been presented with the Gospel as a pretext to question or accuse God, and thus reject God.  I don’t feel led to add anything more than this Scripture and what Calvin states. 
 
Regarding the third point, God’s proportionate justice makes sense, and I likewise don’t feel led to add anything more than this Scripture and what Calvin states. 
 
However, I would like to focus most of the space for my comments on this first point that there are times to close the door, repent, and lie prostrate on the ground.  Calvin states above:  “We know that believers are not only required to exercise repentance for a few days, but to cherish it incessantly till death.”  
 
Yes, we can think of abuses of the practice of repentance.  We can think of the hypocrite who makes a “showy” repentance.  “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.  Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.   “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”  Matthew 6:5-6. 
 
We can also think of the abuse of those who use repentance as an excuse to never turn away from the sin.  They are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  2 Timothy 3:7. 
 
But, I think we can close the door.  I think that at times we can feel such grief at our sin that it is entirely appropriate and helpful for us to lie prostrate on the ground.  Let us not forget the main message of this text.  We should repent.  Let us also show by our actions how sorry we are and how humble we are and how dependent we are for God’s forgiveness and how much we want God’s forgiveness and restoration.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 9, 2009

Wisdom in creation, wisdom in application, and wisdom in vindication

Today’s devotion is Matthew 11:16-19. 
 
16  “But to what shall I compare this generation?  It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children,
                                

17  and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18  “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

19  “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”  Matthew 11:16-19.  

 

People like to criticize no matter what you do.  If you are sober and silent, they will call you straight-laced.  If you are drinking and talkative, they will call you a drunk.

Yet, as Jesus points out, a person’s wisdom (and the lack of it) is revealed by the results of the deeds.  If the sober, silent type uses his or her time to quietly help others behind the scenes, then they will soon be praised for their wisdom.  If the drinking, talkative type uses his or her time to socialize and make friends, then they also will soon be praised for their wisdom. 

We all have different personalities.  Some are inclined and gravitate toward being the sober, silent type.  Others are inclined and gravitate toward being the drinking, talkative type.  “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  1 Corinthians 10:31

In addition to wisdom being shown by the deeds, wisdom will apply itself into performing the deeds. 

Colossians 1:10
so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

2 Thessalonians 1:11
To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,
                                
2 Thessalonians 2:17
comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
                                
2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
                           
2 Timothy 3:17
so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
                              
Hebrews 13:21
equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
 
In conclusion, we have wisdom in creation.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.  We have wisdom in application “bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”.  Colossians 1:10.  We have wisdom in vindication;  “wisdom is vindicated by her deeds”.  Matthew 11:19. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 8, 2009

Irresistable Grace

The Evening, September 8 devotion by Charles Spurgeon concerns “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” in “TULIP” – Click here: Morning and Evening: Daily Readings | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
                                                          
You may need to click “Prev” link to go back to the devotion if you read it later than tonight.  As I feature “Spurgeon’s Daily Devotions” as one of my links, you may want to save it as a “favorite” site.  Below, I have copied and pasted the full devotion.  
 
It is beautiful and inspiring.  It is a blessing to read.
 
Evening, September 8

“The exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.”  Ephesians 1:19, 20

In the resurrection of Christ, as in our salvation, there was put forth nothing short of a divine power.  What shall we say of those who think that conversion is wrought by the free will of man, and is due to his own betterness of disposition?  When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ.  It is not the word preached, nor the word read in itself; all quickening power proceeds from the Holy Ghost.  This power was irresistible.  All the soldiers and the high priests could not keep the body of Christ in the tomb;  Death himself could not hold Jesus in his bonds: even thus irresistible is the power put forth in the believer when he is raised to newness of life.  No sin, no corruption, no devils in hell nor sinners upon earth, can stay the hand of God’s grace when it intends to convert a man.  If God omnipotently says, “Thou shalt,” man shall not say, “I will not.”  Observe that the power which raised Christ from the dead was glorious.  It reflected honour upon God and wrought dismay in the hosts of evil.  So there is great glory to God in the conversion of every sinner.  It was everlasting power.  “Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”  So we, being raised from the dead, go not back to our dead works nor to our old corruptions, but we live unto God.  “Because he lives we live also.”  “For we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God.”  “Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  Lastly, in the text mark the union of the new life to Jesus.  The same power which raised the Head works life in the members.  What a blessing to be quickened together with Christ!

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 8, 2009

“We must live with an eternal perspective”

Here is an excellent reminder and excellent post titled “We must live with an eternal perspective” by Rev. Martin Downes at his “Against Heresies” web site.  Here is the link to his web site –

 
We must live with an eternal perspective
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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDJGaj6-jOQ/SqTa2z0JiVI/AAAAAAAACPg/HYNHHBOxJIk/s1600-h/Rodin+-+Thinker.jpg
Last night I preached from Romans 2:1-16 on the coming day of judgement. Whilst preparing to preach I was struck by the words of C. S. Lewis spoken to a group of students at Oxford University in the opening months of World War II. He asked them how they could take an interest in their studies whilst the lives of their friends and the liberties of Europe were in the balance:

Is it not like fiddling while Rome burns?…But to a Christian the true tragedy of Nero must not be that he fiddled while the city was on fire but that he fiddled on the brink of hell.

(Quoted by Robert Peterson in Hell Under Fire, p. 223-4)

The great issues of life that cast the ease of academic study in a poor light were not the threats of war but the realities of eternity, not the intrusion of the miseries of this life but the looming prospect of eternal sorrows.

To read of, and to contemplate, such matters ought to fill us with what J. I. Packer onced called a “traumatic awe.” It is one aspect of the dual eternal perspective that we must hold to if we are to live aright in the present. The other aspect is that expressed in the words of J. Gresham Machen (thanks to my friend Jeremy Walker for drawing my attention to this):

The responsibility of the church in the new age is the same as its responsibility in every age. It is to testify that this world is lost in sin; that the span of human life – no, all the length of human history – is an infinitesimal island in the awful depths of eternity; that there is a mysterious, holy, living God, Creator of all, Upholder of all, infinitely beyond all; that he has revealed himself to us in his Word and offered us communion with himself through Jesus Christ the Lord; that there is no other salvation, for individuals or for nations, save this, but that this salvation is full and free, and that whoever possesses it has for himself and for all others to whom he may be the instrument of bringing it a treasure compared with which all the kingdoms of the earth – no, all the wonders of the starry heavens – are as the dust of the street.

(HT: The Wanderer) Labels: ,  

posted by Martin Downes

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 7, 2009

Be Particularly Kind to God’s People

Today’s devotion is Matthew 10:40-42.  
 
40  “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
                                       
41  “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
                                                       

42  “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” 

Matthew 10:40-42.  

Here are two quotes from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“He is not speaking here about receiving the doctrine, but about receiving the men. The latter meaning, I admit, arises out of the former, but we must attend to the design of Christ. Perceiving that this was exceedingly adapted to support their weakness, he intended to assure them that, if any one would receive them in a friendly manner, and do them kind offices, he would be as highly pleased as if their benevolence had been exercised towards his own person; and not only so, but that in such a sacrifice God the Father would smell a sweet savor, (Genesis 8:21.)

He who receiveth a prophet   He begins with the prophets, but at length comes down to the lowest rank, and embraces all his disciples. In this manner he commends all, without exception, who truly worship God and love the gospel. To receive a person in the name of a prophet, or in the name of a righteous man, means to do them good for the sake of honoring their doctrine, or of paying respect to piety. Though God enjoins us to perform offices of kindness to all mankind, yet he justly elevates his people to a higher rank, that they may be the objects of peculiar regard and esteem.”  (Emphasis added.)

Here is the link to the full Commentary by Calvin on these verses –

 
 
Bill’s Comments:
 
These verses present not only a reward but a warning.  Verse 40 presents the warning:  “ “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”  Do we want to receive Christ, the Son of God, and God the Father?  Then, we better be receptive to receiving and being kind to His disciples.
The following verses clearly state the reward.
 
One could argue that there is no duty or reward to receive a person who does not possess the correct doctrine, and there is some truth to that position.  However, we need to be careful and not use it as an excuse which could exclude just about everyone except our small group.
 
Who possesses perfect doctrine?  Are these verses calling for strict narrow judgment tending to exclude or for liberal broad reception tending to include?
 
The answer is the latter.  The presence of varying people with different statures shows that Christ intends us to be liberal and broad in receiving all of His people, including the full range of His people varying from prophet, righteous man, to even little one.  Moreover, the inclusion of a little one, who would not possess perfect doctrine, should also encourage us to be liberal and broad in receiving all of God’s people.
 
The fact that we could err and receive and be kind to a heretic or unbeliever should not deter us.  In the same chapter, Jesus deals with such a situation.  “As you enter the house, give it your greeting.  “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.”  Matthew 10:12-13.  We can adjust.   
 
In conclusion, be particularly kind to God’s people.  Be liberal and broad in receiving and being kind to all of God’s people.  Thank you. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 4, 2009

“God does infuse or pour into our hearts the new qualities of faith, obedience”

Yesterday, I wrote:  “We can come back to God and confess:  “I am not very compassionate.  I am not very generous.  I am not very loving.  Help me!”  God can put that compassion, generosity, and love into our heart.”    
 
Today, at the web site “Daily Confession”, I read the following Reformed Confession from the Canons of Dordt which supports that conclusion.  God, not only can do it;  He does it!    “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;  And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:11.   
 
September 4, 2009

The Third and Fourth Heads of Doctrine: Human Corruption, Conversion to God, and the Way It Occurs

Having set forth the orthodox teaching, the Synod rejects the errors of those

VI

Who teach that in the true conversion of man new qualities, dispositions, or gifts cannot be infused or poured into his will by God, and indeed that the faith [or believing] by which we first come to conversion and from which we receive the name “believers” is not a quality or gift infused by God, but only an act of man, and that it cannot be called a gift except in respect to the power of attaining faith.

For these views contradict the Holy Scriptures, which testify that God does infuse or pour into our hearts the new qualities of faith, obedience, and the experiencing of his love: I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts (Jer. 31:33); I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring (Isa. 44:3); The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom. 5:5). They also conflict with the continuous practice of the Church, which prays with the prophet: Convert me, Lord, and I shall be converted (Jer. 31:18).

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 3, 2009

Compassion: “Freely you received, freely give.”

Today’s devotion was Matthew 9:35-38.

“35  Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

36  Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.

37  Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38. (Emphasis added.).

 

The last three devotions are titled: ” ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE’ “, “Gentleness”, and “Compassion: ‘Freely you received, freely give.’ “.  One of the themes of Matthew 9 is compassion.  In the following chapter, we read the command of Jesus: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘he kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8. (Emphasis added.).

We may have the truth, but do we have grace?   “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17.  Are we like Jesus Christ?

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”    1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

“But, I am the elect!”

“Oh.  So, where is your name written in the Bible?  Have you read the Book of Life and seen your name?”

Let us follow Peter’s advice.  “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”  2 Peter 1:5-11. (Emphasis added.).

We can come back to God and confess: “I am not very compassionate. I am not very generous. I am not very loving. Help me!”  God can put that compassion, generosity, and love into our heart.

We can see those who are good at being compassionate, generous, and loving, and we can encourage them.  It is amazing what a little encouragement can motivate others to do!

We can pray that God sends out workers into His harvest as stated in our Scripture for today.

In conclusion, here is the summary. “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:10

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 1, 2009

Gentleness

Today’s devotion was Matthew 9:14-17. 
 
“14  Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15  And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they?  But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16  “But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.

17  “Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”  Matthew 9:14-17. 

 Here are some quotes (not contiguous) from Calvin’s Commentary on these verses:

“The apology rests on this consideration, that fasting and prayers are adapted to sorrow and adversity: extraordinary prayers I mean, such as are here mentioned. Christ certainly intended to accustom them, by degrees, to greater patience, and not to lay on them a heavy burden, till they gained more strength. Hence we ought to learn a twofold instruction. When the Lord sometimes endures the weakness of our brethren, and acts towards them with gentleness, while he treats us with greater severity, we have no right to murmur.  Again, when we sometimes obtain relief from sorrow and from vexations, let us beware of giving ourselves up to enjoyments; but let us, on the contrary, remember that the nuptials will not always last. 

The amount of the statement (BH – “And no man putteth a piece of fresh cloth …) is, that all must not be compelled indiscriminately to live in the same manner, for there is a diversity of natural character, and all things are not suitable to all; and particularly, we ought to spare the weak, that they may not be broken by violence, or crushed by the weight of the burden.  (Emphasis added).”

Here is the link to the full Commentary by Calvin on these verses –

Click here: Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke – Volume 1 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

 

Bill’s Comments:
  
Today’s devotion follows well yesterday’s devotion titled ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE’.  I am again reminded of the verse that I quoted in yesterday’s devotion –  “A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;  He will faithfully bring forth justice.”  Isaiah 42:3 . 
 
A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
 
Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

 

Matthew 11:29
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
 
Galatians 5:23
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
 
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
 
Ephesians 4:2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

 

Philippians 4:5
Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
 
Colossians 3:12
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
 
1 Thessalonians 2:7
But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
 
1 Timothy 3:3
not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
 
1 Timothy 6:11
But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
 
2 Timothy 2:25
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
 
Titus 3:2
to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
 
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
 
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
 
1 Peter 3:4
but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

 

1 Peter 3:15
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

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