Galatians 6.2 - Boulders and Backpacks

I have silenced critical friends who say, “The Bible contradicts itself,” by handing them my Bible and asking, “Please, show me where?” But if those friends flipped to Galatians 6 some explanation would be necessary. Verse 2 “Bear one another's burdens…” seems to oppose verse 5 “For each will have to bear his own load.”  What gives? Well, the different words – burden and load – in English reflect the original Greek. Burden, like a large boulder, is more than one person can handle. Load – like a soldier’s pack - must be shouldered by everyone. Actually the Bible here gives a practical complementary truth. Help those in real need because we are one family in  Christ. Some challenges – medical, family, financial, natural disasters – call for us to run and help! Yet one has the responsibility and the ability in Christ, to steer through life’s daily challenges in His power.

Galatians 6.10 - All Kinds of Good to All Kinds of People

“A Christian is someone who does all kinds of good to all kinds of people. Doing good means…feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, showing hospitality to strangers, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, and visiting prisoners (Matthew 25). Doing good means tutoring the ignorant and picking up the trash. It means watching out for our neighbors and helping our community. It also means doing some spiritual good: praying for people and giving them good news about Jesus Christ. Doing good means doing every good thing possible to do…we have a special responsibility to care for other Christians…This is not a matter of being selfish; it is a matter of witness. How can we fulfill our mission to show God’s love to the world without showing love to one another?”

 Philip Ryken, “Galatians: Reformed Expository Commentary,” 2005, p. 266.

Galatians 6.14 - The Wondrous Cross!

 Isaac Watts, 1707

Ephesians - Stay in the Alps

Scholars call Ephesians the “Swiss Alps” of the New Testament for the grandeur of its portrayal of Christ and His Church. I am thankful the Lord has allowed us to journey through this majestic book during this season in ZGC. And as we conclude this series, I pray you will stay in these “Alps.” When I became a follower of Jesus back in ‘72…1972!...my pastor was leading a study of Ephesians. Since then I have studied and shared this wonderful letter in different places. May you soul be filled with the glory and wonder of our Lord Jesus Christ even when you have no fresh air here on earth. May you be thrilled with His grand redemption – from before the foundation of the earth to when all us under Christ’s rule – even when this life finds you struggling and opposed. For by grace we are saved!

Ephesians 1.1-14 - Paul, the Motor-Mouth

Dipping into today’s text is like drinking from a gushing fire hose. It could knock you down! Paul is hyper-pumped into a 203 word verbal torrent of wonder over God’s marvelous salvation. One long sentence without coming up for air! Paul’s Spirit-empowered vista stretches way beyond his Roman cell – from before the earth’s foundation to its final culmination in Christ. He breathlessly invents new words, and crashes words into each other, straining to describe the gift of saving grace! Why would the Almighty, Holy, Omnipotent, Triune, Creator God transform us rebels into beloved daughters and sons? Paul can’t answer the why question, maybe we never will. But his WOW of praise and glory undergirds the whole section. In this ‘magnificant’ Paul taps into the ceaseless eternal praise that now fills the courts of heaven. Not a bad way to tough-out a prison cell…or get through this life.

Ephesians 2.8,9 - Semper Reformanda

Last week we passed a historic milestone of Christian history. On October 31, 1517 a German Roman Catholic monk and theology professor handed 95 points for debate to his Archbishop. It might have been the same day Martin Luther posted them on the church door in Wittenberg. He was not trying to split the Church but call us back to Scripture. He wanted to untether the pure and simple Gospel from ritualistic traditions and remind believers that we’re called to a daily walk of faith and repentance in the knowledge of Christ. He was not trying to found a Lutheran church or suggest we are now “Reformed”! He believed the Christian and the Church needs to be “always reforming” (semper reformanda) – daily repenting from sin and rediscovering Scripture. Thanks be to God for Luther’s bold and clear stand for the wonderful news that “Jesus + Nothing = Everything”!

Ephesians 2.8-10 - The Perfect Gospel

The perfect balance of the Gospel confirms it really is from God. Man tends toward extremes of legalism or fatalism. Legalism claims to be able to “do enough” to get right with God. Religious people everywhere, some very sincere, strive to gain merit with God. Fatalism, the other extreme, leads to hopelessness. If they believe in a God, He is too powerful and distant. God’s Gospel says there is NOTHING we can do to save ourselves, He must do it. But that the gift of salvation demands EVERYTHING we have to be given to him in grateful response for His gift.