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Published: 11 March 2022

“MOSES!”

“Let my people go!” Those words were the beginning of a massive liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage.  Moses had attempted to “look out for his people” on his own, but nobody else was ready for liberation at the time.  Forty years later, God spoke to Moses from a burning bush and sent him on a mission to bring the Jewish people to the land God had promised them over 400 years earlier.  The Jewish people were ready, they were crying out to God for deliverance.  However, Pharaoh was not ready; he would require some convincing.  After 10 plagues, including the death of his first-born son, Pharaoh finally let the Jews go so they could return to the land of their fathers.  As you know, the going was anything but easy.  There were trials aplenty, and complaining, and death, and rebellion, and intercession and after their unbelief, 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  Through it all Moses was faithful.  He wrote the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.  He was the one to whom God gave the Moral and Civil Law, the Tabernacle and the system of sacrifices.  He led the people to the very “door” of the land they were to possess but was unable to go himself because of his angry outburst at a rock.  I’m surprised he was angry more often.  Next to Abraham, Moses was and is the greatest of Jewish heroes.  It would have been very tempting for those first century Jews to want another Moses.  It’s tempting for us, today, to want another Moses.  But even Moses, as great as he was, is not worthy of the glory that Jesus deserves.  One of the ways you can protect yourself from neglecting your salvation is to carefully consider who Jesus is, in His fullness and glory.  We’ll try to do that Sunday. 

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Published: 04 March 2022

“Tempted”

A couple of years ago I was speaking at a week of camp and this guy had a T-shirt with these words printed across the front “Lead Me Not Into Temptation, I Can Find the Way Myself.”  I don’t think that was the point of Jesus’ instruction; He wasn’t suggesting that we refuse the help so we can find sin on our own.  He knew how easily we can go down the wrong path and encouraged us to seek God’s strength to say, “No.”  You might say, “What did Jesus know about temptation?”  That subject has been a point of debate among theology students for years.  Was Jesus really tempted or not?  The answer seems quite simple from Hebrews.  Was Jesus human?  Yes.  Are humans subject to temptation?  Yes.  Was Jesus really tempted?  Yes.  In fact, it was because He was tempted that He knows how to help us in our temptation.  He was without sin but He knew what it meant to be tempted.  Ever have one of those days, or maybe a series of those days?  Days when temptation just pesters you like black flies?  The apostles wrote, “No temptation has taken you that is not common to all people.”  In other words, we are all tempted, but the One who was faithful in overcoming temptation is also faithful to help us.   Temptation is a test; a test we have all too often failed.  But, we can know the victory that is promised when we come to Brother Jesus for help.  He knows.  He cares.  And, He can help!