Moriah Primitive Baptist Church
Madison County, Georgia
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Articles in this archive |
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| Esoteric & Physical - July 3, 2009 | Mephibosheth: A Picture of Grace - July 10, 2009 |
| Sabbath Principles - July 17, 2009 | Small Numbers, Big Results - July 24, 2009 |
| Rest: A State of Mind - August 7, 2009 | Rest: A Paradox in Works - August 14, 2009 |
| Rest: Seven Defenses - August 21, 2009 | Rest: Good, Better & Best - August 28, 2009 |
| The Parents of a Fool - September 4, 2009 | Not with a 10' Pole - September 11, 2009 |
| Consulting Experts - September 18, 2009 | Premarital Counseling - September 25, 2009 |
(July 3, 2009)
John 9:1-7 describes Jesus’ healing of a blind beggar. John 9:13-34 describes the interaction between the healed beggar, his neighbors, his parents, and the Pharisees. The Pharisees’ desired to discredit the healing and their method is the subject of this article.
First an illustration: Suppose a police officer and a driver came before a judge. The officer said he issued the driver a ticket for reckless driving and endangering the lives of others. The driver, who is protesting the ticket, claims he drove safely and put no one at risk. Defining safe and unsafe driving is esoteric. This definition is is not black and white, its dependant upon many factors (ie., where, when, weather …). But along comes the prosecutor who plays a tape from a camera mounted on the dashboard of the police car. The tape shows the driver speeding 100 mph through a residential neighborhood. The physical evidence is such that defining the esoteric becomes a moot point. Although the driver’s evasion tactic is to ignore the physical (the video) and do everything in his power to reintroduce the esoteric (defining safe driving).
The beggar faced similar tactics with the Pharisees. He said, I was blind since birth, I have been healed, and Jesus did it. The miracle is his physical evidence, his video tape. When reading John 9, notice the Pharisees ignore the physical and keep returning to esoteric questions, Is Jesus a sinner? and Whence came Jesus? The Pharisees’ sinner diversions were calculated; however, the beggar picked up on their techniques. The beggar said he didn’t care about determining whether or not other folks were sinners; he said, I was blind and now I see! I’ve got “over the top” evidence. He insisted they deal with the facts.
An awareness of these techniques will be very helpful the next time you speak with an evolutionist (ie., a vertical tree penetrating several strata) or a believer in gospel regeneration (Rom 2:13-15). May the Lord help us to be as bold and as confident as this poor beggar.
Mephibosheth: A Picture of Grace
(July 10, 2009)
King David said, “Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him?” (2Sa 9:3). David desired to imitate God’s manner of showing kindness. So, if we understand what David did to Mephibosheth, then we might gain insight into what God did for us. What did David do to Mephibosheth? He:
David blessed, fetched, restored, and adopted Mephibosheth.
Is this a picture of grace? I’ll say so, for that is exactly what our heavenly
Father has done for us. To understand the kindness David showed a poor, lame,
dishonored, and frightened man; is to get a glimpse at the kindness God shows
His saints. Wow!
(July 17, 2009)
Consider a family run farm; the Waltons from 1970’s television, for instance - Grandpa and grandma in their early seventies, father and mother in their late 40’s, and a brood of children from seven years old to their late teens. Can you picture the scene?
Now consider how they operate their farm. Some chores are performed daily (ie., animal care) and other chores are seasonal (ie., the planting or gathering crops). Responsibilities and chores are divided among the family members, but all pitch in during crunches.
Now pretend John Walton tells his children, no work on Sunday (Ex 20:8). We go to church in the morning, then we eat and play the rest of the day. How many of the children whine and complain? None, right? Now suppose Zebulon Walton tells his son, John, no work on Sunday. We go to church in the morning, then we eat and play the rest of the day. Does the father happily comply? No way! Why?
The children view their father’s seventh day rule as a blessing, but the father views his father’s seventh day rule as a curse, a restriction. Why do children and their parents have such different perspectives? The father has been tainted by worry; whereas, the children are purer, they are more innocent (Mark 10:15).
The Lord intended His Sabbaths to be a blessing, not a curse. The Lord promised He would supply double and triple portions the days and years before a Sabbath (Ex 16:22-26, Lev 25:18-22). God’s Sabbaths are not about going without, they are about getting more with less effort; and that my friends is rest.
Could a lack of faith be the reason we do not rest each Lord’s day? That was John Walton’s weakness, what‘s yours?
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Note:While under O.T. worship, the Sabbath accomplished much. However; the principles of reconciliation, restoration, and redemption with Sabbath keeping (Lev 16:30, 25:8-12, Deut 5:14-15) did not come forward into the N.T. church; whereas, the principles of rest, refreshing, and rejoicing (Matt 11:28-30, Col 3:10, Heb 12:12) did come forward .
(July 24, 2009)
In the beginning; how many folks did it take to:
Under siege; how many folks did it take to:
In knowledge; how many folks did it take to:
Regarding eternity; how many folks did it take to:
My conclusion to the whole matter:
(August 7, 2009)
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto you souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt 11:28-30).
The other day I asked my eighteen year old son to describe a situation when he felt especially at peace. With a smile on his face he said, “Driving around Madison County on a pretty day in my pick-up.” When I asked if having a mid-term scheduled the following day would affect his rest, the smile left his face.
Later, I asked my nineteen year old son the same question. He said, “During a leisurely run; you know, a 7½ to 8 minute mile cruising speed.” When I asked if having a mid-term scheduled the following day would affect his rest, he said, “That’s different.”
True rest is not about an activity, the amount of physical effort, or a day; it’s a state of mind. I know folks who do everything on Saturday to free up Sunday, yet Sunday afternoon, they are sitting on the front porch wound tighter than a guitar string. Yes, they filled the tank with gas the night before, but their mind is adding chores to their to do list or mulling over Tuesday’s deadline at work. Is that rest? To the letter of the law, yes; to the spirit of the law, no.
Jesus did not tell saints they would be yokeless. Jesus told saints to take off their worldly harnesses and replace them with His yoke. Yokes are for work, but what yoke was Jesus referring? the learn of Him yoke. Replacing earthly concerns with a better understanding of God brings rest.
Legalism never secured rest for anyone, but the gospel has and does. True rest is more mental than physical. A person shutting down physically does not mean they have taken off their earthly yoke. True rest comes from learning of God’s greatness, His holiness, His love … Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee (Is 26:3). Want rest? Hit the Book!
(August 14, 2009)
There remained therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (Heb 4:9-11).
The 10th and 11th verses of this passage appear to contradict one another. The 10th verse says we gain rest by ceasing from works, while the 11th verse says we gain rest by continuing in works. Which is it? It’s both. Consider the following:
A Practical Illustration: In the 1960’s there was a sitcom entitled The Odd Couple which starred Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. Klugman played the role of an unorganized slob. His character was always scrambling to meet a work deadline or find a clean shirt. Randall played the role of a compulsive, neat freak. His character was constantly throwing fits over anything and everything out of order. The lives of both men were full of stress, but the source of their stress differed. Klugman’s character could have found rest through more organization, and Randall’s through less organization. Make sense?
A Spiritual Application: A saint trying to work his way into heaven will never experience true rest. Never will a saint know enough, obey enough, or repent enough to work his way into heaven. Only when a saint ceases from his works and understands Jesus’ finished work, will he experience true rest. On the other hand, total rest eludes a fatalist, the saint who does nothing because he believes everything has been predetermined. He will not experience the rest which comes through: a deeper understanding of God (reading & studying his Bible); a richer communion with God (prayer & fellowship); or obedience (baptism, church membership, & the Lord’s supper). The lives of both characters lack rest, but the source of unrest differs. One will find rest ceasing from works, whereas the other with continued labor. The test for each saint is to determine where they lie on this spectrum.
(August 21, 2009)
Jewish leaders questioned Jesus’ Sabbath day activity on several occasions. They accused Jesus and His disciples of breaking God’s 4th Commandment: Thou shalt not do any work on the seventh day (Ex 20:10). Jesus justified His actions using seven lines of reasoning. Whether Jesus was teaching truth or exposing hypocrisy, I find it incredible how He got to the heart of the matter using only a few words.
The weightiest law always takes precedence when two laws conflict (Matt 23:23); and mercy was and is a very weighty law. Mercy and ministry summarize Jesus’ seven responses.
The work Jesus performed never profited himself - always another. The work Jesus performed never was self motivated - always mercy motivated. Attitude determines whether or not an activity breaks the fourth commandment. I trust these thoughts will help guide us through our Lord’s Day activities.
(August 28, 2009)
Let us consider three rests spoken of in scripture: 1) a good rest: God’s children entering into Canaan, the land of milk and honey; 2) a better rest: God’s children pressing into the New Testament church; and 3) the best rest: heaven and eternal glory. Consider each:
Good rest: Bible historians estimate more than a million Israelites passed through the Red Sea while escaping Egypt. God promised these Israelites rest in a land flowing with milk and honey, but sin kept all but two of these folks from entering that rest (Heb 3:15-19 ). The folks who escaped Egypt did not enter into Canaan, but their children experienced a good rest.
Better rest: Hebrews is a book of better; a better priest, a better covenant, a better sacrifice, and a better rest (Heb 7:22, 8:6, 9:23). The old covenant was too weighty for us, so Jesus bore it. Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law, His finished work, and His resurrection; give us access to better rest than O.T. saints (Heb 7:19). The law has been lifted from us; therefore, we have access to a better rest.
Best Rest: Saints, while on earth, are referred to as strangers and pilgrims. Ever wonder why? Heaven is our home. Our names are written in heaven, our reward is in heaven, and our inheritance is reserved in heaven (Luke 10:20, Matt 5:12, 1Pe 1:4). Further-more, heaven is a place where there will be no more tears, pain, darkness, sorrow, or death (Rev 21;1-5, 22:5). Heaven will be the best.
Simply knowing a best rest exists, provides a source of rest to God’s children. Do we anticipate the best rest enough to say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20)? John wrote it. Peter thought it. Paul lived it. My friends: Canaan was good, the N.T. kingdom is better, but heaven will be the best.
(September 4, 2009)
The Book of Proverbs said a fool’s parent will experience heaviness, sorrow, grief, and calamity:
 | A foolish son is the heaviness of his mother (10:1); |
| He that begetteth a fool doeth it to sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy (17:21); |
| A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him (17:25); |
| A foolish son is the calamity of his father (19:13) |
Why these sufferings? Let us reason together:
Do you think the bitterness comes from embarrassment? Do you think the calamity comes from walking down the road, having folks point and say, “There goes the fool’s father?” This may describe a very small aspect of a parent’s suffering, but I don’t think this is what God had in mind when He inspired Solomon to pen the words above.
Do you think the lack of joy comes from guilt? Do you think the sorrow comes from a sense of failure, from thinking I was a poor parent? This may describe one aspect of a parent’s suffering, but I don’t think this was on God’s mind either.
I believe the heaviness of a mother comes from knowing the road her fool must travel, and I believe the grief of a father comes from knowing the hardships his fool will experience. This is the sorrow parents must endure because parents know their fool will suffer the following often:
(September 11, 2009)
Last week, we addressed the sufferings of both a fool and his/her parents. This week, let us identify foolish behavior. The Bible specifically lists several foolish behaviors; however, we will limit our survey to the Book of Proverbs.
The one characteristic of a fool which jumps off the pages at me is a fool cannot stand the truth. A fool hates knowledge, despises wisdom, sees no value in understanding, and pitches a fit when corrected (1:7, 1:22, 15:5, 17:6, 23:9). A fool’s confidence, pride, and self righteousness slams the door on instruction, whether that instruction comes from God or a wise person. In addition to hating truth, several other foolish behaviors are listed below. A fool is:
Remember, these behaviors are more than character flaws and dispositions. Scripture describes these behaviors as foolish.
Ever hear someone say “not with a ten foot pole?” God says our relationship with a fool ought to be further than ten feet, a lot further (9:6, 13:20, 14:7, 29:9). Consider the behavior of the fool described in 7:10-12. She is subtle, loud, stubborn, restless, and conniving - all described above. God describes a man who would unite with this fool as an ox to the slaughter, a dart in one’s liver, and a bird in a snare (v. 22-23). He is a fool who engages a fool.
Brethren, fools and foolish behavior are not something to be laughed at, they are to be avoided.
(September 18, 2009)
Sometimes we need help and are not shy about asking for it. The following are no brainers (Pr 15:22):
| Who would you consult if a loud banging noise began to echo underneath the hood of your car? A car expert, possibly a mechanic. |
| Who would you consult if a nagging pain began to limit your physical activity? A medical expert, possibly a doctor. |
| Who would you consult if a letter from the IRS appeared questioning last year’s tax return? A tax expert, possibly an accountant. |
Sometimes, we need more diverse help, maybe from a multitude of counselors (Pr 24:6):
| Who did you consult when facing a career or college choice at the end of high school? A seasoned person; possibly a parent, a person employed in your field of interest, a high school or college counselor. |
| Who did you consult when purchasing your first home? Experienced folks; possibly a builder20to assess construction, a realtor to assess community, a teacher to assess schools, a police officer to assess safety, or an accountant to assess affordability. |
Other times we are too prideful, emotional, or naive to ask for help; and if we ask help, we ask it from everyone and everyone but an expert (1Ki 12:8). Consider the decision to marry:
| Who did we ask when considering whether or not a man or woman was “right for me?” We asked an expert, right? Wrong! Most of us asked our friends, folks who had never been married or had been married only a few years. |
| Who should we ask when considering whether or not a man or woman is “right for me?” A marriage expert, possibly a couple who have been happily married for 40 or 50 years. Ask the bald or gray headed person who know us intimately. Absolutely include parents and grandparents. |
God says counsel is good. God’s counsel is best (Pr 1:5, 19:21). Why we readily seek counsel in certain areas and not others is a mystery to me.
(September 25, 2009)
Consider the coursework and training required to secure a
driver’s license or a hunting license (gun safety courses, ordinance booklets,
driving logs, …). Now consider the coursework and training required to secure a
teaching certificate or a CPA’s license (bachelor degree, student teaching,
apprenticeships …). Finally, consider the coursework and training required to
secure a marriage license. Oops, there is none. Maybe a blood test, but
the sign above the county clerk says, No experience required. No wonder half of
all marriages fail, Christian and Non-Christian.
This preacher will not officiate a single wedding ceremony if he thinks the odds are only fifty-fifty. Sound tough? Maybe, but consider the lives at stake. Besides the two getting married, one must consider the children which will come out of this union. What can we do? Premarital counseling, for one.
Assignment #1: Each of you write down a description of the perfect husband. If his destination is Point A, and she thinks his destination ought to be Point B, one can expect conflict five years down the road when they are miles apart. But in reality, points A & B are irrelevant. What really matters is Point C, God’s description of a perfect husband (Eph 5:22-24, 1Ti 5:8, Col 3:19, 1Pe 3:7-8, Gen 2:18-25, Pr 31:10-31). Yes, Proverbs 31 is for him; there is a goo d husband supporting that virtuous woman. Find him.
Assignment #2: Each of you write down a description of the perfect wife. If her destination is Point D, and he thinks her destination ought to be Point E, one can expect conflict down the road. But in reality, points D & E are irrelevant. What really matters is God’s description of a perfect wife (Eph 5:22-24, Tit 2:4-5, 1Pe 3:1-6, Gen 2:18-25, Pr 31:10-31, Pr 7:10-11).
God created marriage, and He knows best how it will work. Only when God’s mission statements are understood, targeted, and committed to by two people will this preacher consider officiating a ceremony.
All Articles Written by Elder Dolph Painter, Moriah Primitive Baptist Church
This site created by Steve McCannon. This page last updated 08/03/2010