Wise Men; December 26, 2020

Posted on December 30, 2020 by jgarrott

Matthew 2:1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

I touch on this just about every Christmas message I’m allowed to give, but the Magi were remarkable on several points. In the first place, they were indeed scholars, aware of various ancient texts not only long before the Internet, but even long before the printing press. On top of that, they were also observant, tracking the heavens long before telescopes. They were also discerning, making the connections between what they read and what they observed. However, their greatest asset, and actually the one that is easiest for us to imitate, is that they were sensitive to the voice of God. That one doesn’t take great intellect or even good eyesight, but rather a heart that is humble before God, ready and eager to hear what He has to say, to be obedient to Him. These men – traditionally three, because of the number of their gifts, but anywhere from two up – went to considerable expense and trouble to follow through on what they felt God had shown them. And, having “hit the jackpot,” so to speak, on hearing God, they didn’t say, “That’s enough,” but kept listening, and so knew not to go back to Herod after leaving Bethlehem. (verse 12) We may desire wisdom and powers of observation, but our greatest goal should be to hear and obey God. Thankfully we have the Bible, freely available in most countries in almost countless translations, so it is no problem at all to know what God has said. The issue then becomes one of being familiar enough with what He has said to recognize what He is saying. There are plenty of lying spirits running around, but God isn’t going to contradict what He’s already said, so being firmly grounded in Scripture is the best course. If we will do that, seeking God at every turn, we too can be Wise Men!

I was blessed with good genes and a good environment in the IQ department, and as a photographer I’m more observant than many, but I realize all that is of no real benefit if I fail to seek and listen to God. There too I had the huge advantage of the example of parents who were fully dedicated to following God. Even as I know they were no more “perfect” than I am, they were examples to many, and I could certainly do worse than following their example. I in turn desire to be an example to those who are watching me, inspiring them to seek God and listen to Him as well. That’s why I place so much emphasis on daily devotions. Sometimes it seems like those who need to hear God most urgently are the ones who won’t make time to read the Bible and pray each day! Human compulsion doesn’t work in such cases, so I need to pray that the Holy Spirit would give them a thirst for the Word to the point that they will have an inner compulsion, and so follow through and really “get on speaking terms” with God. When they get to that point, I have succeeded as a pastor.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me be one of Your many “wise men,” following You myself and leading others to do so as well, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Responding to God; December 25, 2020

Posted on December 30, 2020 by jgarrott

Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

This has been one of my favorite verses in the Christmas story for quite a while. I think that started from when I first heard the chorus that was composed to just the first part of this verse: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.” It’s a very catchy tune, and even now it keeps playing over and over in my mind. That’s much nicer than some “ear worms” because in this case there is very good content, even to just those few words. There are two parts to it. The first is that the shepherds responded appropriately to the confirmation of their angelic visitation. Who wouldn’t be happy to confirm that your Savior has just been born?! However, the second part just came to me now as I was thinking about it: they went back to their normal activities and responsibilities. In other words, they weren’t so hyped up over what had happened that they forgot about their sheep, despite the Christmas carol that says, “Shepherds shake off your drowsy sleep; rise and leave your silly sheep.” I have long thought that they left one person, at least, behind when they went off searching for the baby in a manger that the angel had told them about. Here we see that all of them went back to their shepherd duties, even as excited as they doubtless were. When God gives us special experiences we are to rejoice, and we are certainly to make whatever changes in our lifestyle God indicates, but at the same time we aren’t to be irresponsible. I have known of people who abandoned their family to run off and “be a missionary,” leading to tragedy, when God wanted them to represent Him both to their family and to people who needed to hear the Gospel. It is rarely an either/or situation; God is big enough for both/and, and we need to believe it. Like the shepherds, we need to glorify and praise God and return to our responsibilities.

God has been very merciful to me by signaling major changes not just to me but also to others involved, particularly my wife. That started with our engagement. I had first proposed to her over the telephone, and got dead silence in return. However, two days later, out of the blue, she said, “Ask me again,” and I immediately knew what she meant. When it came to our coming to Japan as a family for the first time, to this day neither of us remembers which one turned to the other and said, “Do you want to sell the mobile home and move to Japan?” We were in total unity, even though I had a good, steady job that I loved. That’s not to say that I haven’t made plenty of decisions and changes without proper consultation, even recently, but it is to say that God is bigger than my stupidity. Last night we had a very good Christmas Eve service, and today we have a very relaxed schedule. I was able to fill the baptistry after the service last night and get it started heating for the baptism Sunday. We had two non-Christians present last night, and they seem to have been touched by what they experienced. And all of that is to say that God is God, and that’s very good indeed, regardless of my denseness and weaknesses.

Father, thank You for Your truly amazing grace, as expressed in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago as well as right here right now. May I respond rightly to Your grace even as the shepherds did, for Your glory Thank You. Praise God!

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Joseph; December 24, 2020

Posted on December 29, 2020 by jgarrott

Matthew 1:24-25 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

He appears in manger scenes, but Joseph is relatively absent in most people’s image of Christmas. That’s unfortunate, because he is a tremendous example of faith and obedience toward God. The very idea of your fiancee turning up pregnant, when you know you aren’t the father, is a scenario we might be able to imagine but certainly wouldn’t respond to the way Joseph did. He was doubtless shocked and hurt, and any explanation Mary might have tried to give would have made no sense at all. Even so, verse 19 records that he wanted to end the relationship as quietly as possible, which was incredibly kind and gracious of him. Then, just from a dream, he changes his mind and takes Mary home with him. We don’t know what friends he might have consulted with, but surely his initial response to the news of the pregnancy would have let people know he wasn’t the father. That meant it was a shameful thing for him to accept her as his wife anyway. I’ve heard of cases where a wife was raped by a stranger and her husband accepted the child, but they are certainly few and far between. I also know of cases where the husband was playing around and the wife had an affair in retaliation, and the husband accepted the child since he probably had other children as well, but that’s the very definition of a dysfunctional family. This was different. Joseph was an absolute straight arrow, and as it turned out, Mary was too. The level of faith and obedience to God in each of them is something we all should aspire to.

I’ve had tests of faith, but never of this kind. Whether I would have had the physical or moral courage to do as Joseph did is something I will never know. However, I do know that Joseph was very sensitive to God, hearing from Him in his dreams, which we see not only here but also in 2:13 and 2:19-20. God has never used that particular method to speak to me, but I do hear Him regularly and often, and I want to do so more and more. I don’t want to “figure out things to do for God,” I want to do exactly what He wants me to do, whether it is something I would have chosen to do myself or not. To this point He has very graciously given me advance inclination to do the things He had prepared for me, (Ephesians 2:10) but I am to set no conditions on my obedience. We know nothing of Joseph after Jesus’ bar mitzvah, (recorded in Luke 2:41-50) and I’m to set no conditions on how I will allow God to use me. My task is simply to listen and obey.

Father, thank You for the magnificent example of Joseph, Help me too be faithful and obedient, fulfilling Your purposes for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Fear of the Lord; December 23, 2020

Posted on December 29, 2020 by jgarrott

Hebrews 10:30-31 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

It is somehow very appropriate to have this passage in the Christmas season, when we are all focused on sweetness and light and angels and stars and the Baby in the manger. We have no proper appreciation for the grace of God unless we understand what we actually deserve. This isn’t an isolated Scripture, but many people and even whole churches steadfastly ignore or outright deny this reality. It isn’t just an “Old Testament God” thing, either. Peter pointed out that “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Peter 4:17-19) God’s grace is indeed absolutely amazing, but He forgives, He doesn’t excuse, and sins have consequences. Repentance is seldom preached on, and hardly ever at Christmas, but it is still absolutely essential. We indeed want God to be like Santa, with a Ho, ho, ho and a bag full of goodies and an admonition to “Be good little boys and girls,” with no hint of the requirement of repentance and faithfulness. That, sadly, is a lie from the father of lies, and it puts us in deadly peril. Congregational preacher Jonathan Edwards prepared the American colonies for the War of Independence, triggering the spiritual revival that is called The Great Awakening by preaching on this passage. The record is that he read his sermon in an unemotional voice, but the Holy Spirit took the words he spoke and struck people’s hearts, to the point that some people were literally clinging to the posts that supported the balcony that ran around three sides of the auditorium, in terror of falling into hell. As has been the case with other revivals, there was a precipitous decline in what could be called “public sin,” and people were molded into the sort of population that could birth and abide by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, two documents that continue to amaze by their wisdom and completeness. America is manifestly in need of such a revival today, but it will never get there without a just fear of the Lord.

I grew up with the assurance that God loved me, which is a very good thing, but my fear of the Lord was insufficient, which is not a good thing. God has been incredibly gracious to me, and part of that grace has been in showing me, in nondestructive ways, how much I needed it. If I had been God, I would have squashed me a long time ago! I have no high horse from which to tell others to repent, but I can certainly speak of repentance from experience. Just yesterday someone came by and I was given exactly that opportunity. I was able to have a very frank conversation with him and how God had delivered me from “besetting sin.” (Hebrews 12:1) Whether he will indeed repent and receive God’s forgiveness is between him and the Holy Spirit, but I held nothing back. I need to be consistent in proclaiming both the love and the holiness of God. It is because of those two things that God’s grace is absolutely essential.

Father, I realize I could go on and on about this. Help me not just talk about it but put it into practice consistently and faithfully. May many hear Your words through me, repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Word of God; December 22, 2020

Posted on December 26, 2020 by jgarrott

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Every bit of today’s passage is underlined in my Bible, in both languages. However, since what I wrote yesterday touches on the theme of verses 14-16, I’ll let this verse speak for itself. We have a lot of trouble with the Word of God. On the one hand we associate it with the Bible, period. That isn’t wrong, exactly, but it’s not complete. At the same time, we treat the Bible like a good luck charm, something to possess rather than something we allow to fill and possess us. Paul was spot-on when he said, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16) He needed to specify “the word of Christ” because some of his Jewish readers might limit “the word of God” to the Old Testament. However, even Peter acknowledged that Paul was recording the Word of God. (2 Peter 3:16) The whole Bible is the Word of God, but as long as it remains words on a page, we don’t get the full benefit. That’s why saying “The Bible is the Word of God,” is by itself inadequate. We have to come to the place of confessing, “The Bible is God’s Word to me.” That is, we need to allow it to do the things mentioned in this verse, and respond accordingly. We tend to approach the Bible with a lot of preconceptions, and even refuse to see anything in it that we haven’t thought before. What a waste! One of the most pathetic things to me is people who approach the Bible strictly as a work of literature. They can even be very fond of it, but so long as they take it only on the level of Shakespeare or some other literary great, they cannot find salvation through it, even though the pages drip with the Gospel. Even Jesus touched on this in relation to the scribes and Pharisees of His day. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40) We have to take the Bible as God speaking to us, and then act on what we hear Him saying.

This is perhaps the greatest message of my ministry. I love to teach the Word, but until it is absorbed and acted on, we don’t get the benefit. I am all too prone to do what is called in computer terms a “data dump,” unloading truth on people without helping them get a handle on it to take it in and digest it. Growing up in a Bible-soaked home was a huge blessing, as was reading through the Bible by age 10, but as a result I often take Biblical truths completely for granted, assuming that my hearers accept and grasp them, when often that is far from the case. I seek to speak the Word of the Lord in my various interactions, but if my life isn’t lining up with my words, then again it is ineffective, and I am no more than a hypocrite. As Paul said, I need to let the Word of God dwell in me richly, so that in and through me it may indeed do everything for which God sends it. (Isaiah 55:11)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the love affair You have given me with Your Word. Help me indeed let it pour through me by Your Spirit, not just as a “data dump” but connecting with my hearers as they need it, so that the works of the devil may be defeated and Your kingdom come as Your will is done, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Humanity of Jesus; December 21, 2020

Posted on December 26, 2020 by jgarrott

Hebrews 2:17-18 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

This chapter is a powerful explanation of the humanity of Jesus. We have such trouble wrapping our minds around the reality that He was and is both fully human and fully divine. Other religions often attribute human weaknesses to various gods. Greek and Roman mythology, representing the dominant religions at the time this was written, overflows with examples of that. Judaism avoids that, but lacks the human element, because God never incarnated Himself before Jesus. This letter, written specifically to ethnic Jews, lays out very clearly that Jesus was not an angel but part of the Godhead, and then goes on to explain how the Son of God could indeed be human without losing His divinity. We are in the middle of the Christmas season, when we celebrate the reality that Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born to a human virgin girl and took on our humanity. These two verses emphasize that it wasn’t just a matter of appearances; Jesus had our weaknesses, without succumbing to them. He was genuinely tempted, and He didn’t enjoy it. We’re all too prone to enjoy temptation! I’m sure the famous incident in the wilderness, recorded in Luke 4:1-13 and elsewhere, wasn’t the first or the only time He was tempted. For that matter, He was tempted in the Garden of Gethsemane to evade the cross, and He certainly suffered then. That makes Him fully qualified, not just in power but in empathy, to help us get through our temptations victoriously. We humans have the odd characteristic that the moment something is forbidden, we want it, even if we logically know it wouldn’t be good for us. The devil makes full use of that, so we need all the help we can get to stand against the devil. (James 4:7) James explained the mechanism of temptation clearly. “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15) Jesus had the desires of the flesh, but He didn’t yield to them, so He can help us stand firm as well.

I will confess to having relished temptation more times than I could count. The vast majority of those times I didn’t follow through, but my batting average is far from 100%. I am as much in need of Jesus’ help as anyone else! The thing for me to remember, and to teach others, is that temptation doesn’t equal sin. The devil tries to tell us otherwise, saying that since we are tempted we might as well yield, but that is a lie from the pit of hell. I understand perfectionism all too well, being plagued by it in various ways, but “righteous” doesn’t mean “not tempted.” I must not think that because some things, like drugs and alcohol, don’t particularly tempt me, that I am any better than those who have those weaknesses, because I have my own set of weaknesses, and pride is one of the big ones. Thinking about it, Jesus almost certainly was tempted by pride, because He was perfect! However, as it says so beautifully in Philippians 2:8, He humbled himself, so He can deal with my pride as well. I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in the reality that He is far greater than any weakness I could possibly have, and so receive His righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the joy of seeing the joy in the young woman who is to be baptized Sunday, and for her eagerness for more of You. Thank You for the help of the Taiwanese family in communicating with her as I talked about the baptism in the Holy Spirit last night. I pray that she would indeed open herself up fully to You. Thank You that Your Holy Spirit isn’t bound by language barriers! I pray that everyone in this church would be fully yielded to You, desiring to be useful to you and knowing that You are able to do anything at all through them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Spiritual Growth; December 20, 2020

Posted on December 25, 2020 by jgarrott

Philemon 1:6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

Every time I read Philemon I seem to gravitate to this verse! The NIV and the Japanese parse the Greek a bit differently, but both are very enlightening. The Japanese says, “By knowing all the good things that are done among us for Christ, may your fellowship of faith be living and working.” I have liked the NIV because of the implication – true enough – that sharing faith deepens both faith itself and understanding of what it brings, but I like the Japanese too, because knowing what our brothers and sisters in Christ are doing for Him and for His kingdom encourages us to be active in our own faith, exercising and sharing it. It is a blessed and glorious cycle, building up the Body of Christ. I am reminded of a small poster on the wall at the front of the nursing school classroom where I teach. It simply has two mathematical formulas: 1.01365 = 37.8 and 0.99365 = 0.03. It is a reminder that a small difference, repeated consistently, makes a huge difference. That’s the power of recursion, something feeding into itself. When we know more we do more, and when we do more, we know more. The point is, we are to keep growing! If we fail to do so, the negative of those two formulas kicks in, and spiritually speaking, that’s bad indeed.

This of course applies to me as much as it does to anyone. My spiritual growth hasn’t been consistent or smooth, but at least I’ve had a long time to do it! However, the thing for me to remember is never to let up, to coast, so to speak. I am to keep pressing in for more of my Lord, of His Spirit. I am to be active in sharing my faith, and I am to be aware of all that God is doing through those around me. As a pastor, one of my major challenges is helping believers understand the practical reality of this principle. It is very sad how few really grasp the importance and benefit of consistent daily devotions. It might be just 1.0001, but if applied consistently it makes a huge difference. It may seem like just “going through the motions” at first, or even from time to time, when you hit spiritual rough spots, but consistency is very valuable indeed. Sometimes you can look back and realize that in those lowest moments, God was laying a very deep foundation in your soul. I don’t think I’ve missed daily devotions more than once or twice for the past 48 years. That doesn’t make me special, it makes me blessed, and I desire such blessing for all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed keep growing in Christ, and encourage those around me to do likewise, so that together we may be the children that You desire, for the sake of Your kingdom and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Necessity of the Incarnation; December 19, 2020

Posted on December 21, 2020 by jgarrott

Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

This is a pretty bleak picture of mankind, but it doesn’t take much of a look around to confirm its accuracy. The problem is, most people don’t want to admit it applies to them. This is always “the other guy.” However, Paul starts this verse with, “We too.” Until we recognize this character in ourselves, we won’t really repent and be cleansed of it. This word picture makes the story of the Incarnation all the more shocking and miraculous. That the Son of God would sacrifice Himself for the sake of such people as are described here is shocking to the point of being scandalous. Recently Lee Grady put out a column on the importance of the virgin birth of Jesus, and this actually ties into that. Jesus was conceived in absolute purity, with no trace of lust or using someone. That’s precisely why one of the slanders about Mary was that she was raped by a Roman soldier: rape fits perfectly into the description in this verse. However, that was not the case. Jesus was conceived, lived, died, and rose again precisely to lift us out of our sinfulness. Until we acknowledge that, Christmas is no more than a pretty story, even if we believe it really happened. The thing is, saving faith isn’t just an acceptance of facts as true, it is knowing they apply to me, that my sins were what necessitated the cross. As we look at the badly broken world around us we need to recognize that by nature we are part of it, and only in Christ can we say we are in it but not of it. (John 17:15-16) The only way to be in Christ is by faith that God loved even such a despicable one as I am enough to send His Son to die for me, to purchase me back to Himself out of my slavery to sin. It is when we have that conviction that the Incarnation takes on it’s full beauty and majesty.

I am preaching to myself here. Despite my message on Joy at the prayer meeting this past Wednesday, or my message on God’s Plan last Sunday, I am rather burned out on Christmas. That is taking my eyes off of my Lord and fixing them on myself and my circumstances, just as I said to the prayer meeting. I need to listen to what comes out of my mouth! This year has been like none in memory, and Advent seems to be flying by. I need to be careful of my focus, rejoicing in the grace of my Lord toward me. I need to reject the climate of fear and despair that the devil is doing all he can to project, and instead rest, relax, and rejoice in the grace of my Lord. Tomorrow I’m speaking on God’s Motive, emphasizing that all the events of the Incarnation were because God is love, to a degree and with an intensity that we can hardly grasp. I need to let that truth operate first in me, even before I try to share it with others. I am indeed the sort of person Paul described to Titus, but God has redeemed me by His Son, and that reality is so magnificent that it eclipses every possible negative. The more I dwell on that, the more I will indeed rejoice, for the blessing of those around me and for God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this very necessary Word. Help me indeed let Your joy, Your Spirit, carry me through this coming week. Thank You for what You enabled me to take care of yesterday, and for what You are going to do today. May I indeed be anxious for nothing, but look forward with real anticipation to whatever You are going to do next, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Operation of God’s Grace; December 18. 2020

Posted on December 20, 2020 by jgarrott

 Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

What a beautiful, succinct expression of the operation of the grace of God! We have such trouble understanding grace. Our minds say, “If we aren’t going to be punished, what does it matter what we do?” That’s the very thinking that Paul wrote against at length in Romans 6. A few years ago the then Governor of Tokyo (yes, it has a population greater than some US states) wrote a book, The Japan that Can Say “No”. His point was that Japan didn’t have to agree to everything the US wanted, but the idea is significant in other ways. Japanese society emphasizes surface harmony, which often makes saying “No” feel quite awkward. However, just a little reflection will show you that agreeing to everything is quickly disastrous in several ways. Japanese society isn’t alone in this, however. American society, while quickly willing to say “No” to people, is very weak in saying “No” to the things Paul talks about here. Obesity is a major epidemic, and it comes from not saying “No” to overeating. Actually, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with people insisting we have the “right” never to say “No” to any impulse or lust. That is a recipe for personal and societal destruction! Many people would insist this passage presents a very negative picture of Christian faith, because they don’t like the sound of “saying No.” However, Paul also points out that it is by God’s grace that we have the hope of Christ’s return. That hope is a very necessary anchor in all the turmoil that is going on in the world. Without it, it is very easy to become hopeless indeed, as we see the tide of filth and rebellion against God. Rather than longing for what our memories tell us were simpler days (but memories can be deceptive) we need to be looking forward to the glory of Christ’s return. We are never to give up, but operate in the grace of God as Paul says here, eager to see the face of the Lord, either by His return or by our own personal appointment.

I’m talking to myself here. I have been on quite an emotional roller coaster in recent weeks, and I too need to focus on our blessed hope. As a pastor, I need to be an agent of God’s grace in precisely the ways mentioned here, so that believers may learn to say “No” as is appropriate and live lives pleasing to God, demonstrating His character to the world around us. I can’t force anyone to do that, but I can teach and admonish them (Colossians 3:16) and be an example to/for them. I know from experience that my flesh doesn’t like it when I say “No!” I need to be understanding and loving, but firm, so that they may be strengthened in their resolve to serve Christ alone. We can’t do it in our own strength and wisdom, but that’s why it’s grace: God does it in and through us when we submit our will to Him.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for the young woman who will be baptized on the 27th. I pray that You would enable me to communicate this truth past all language and cultural barriers, so that she may be strengthened in her faith and open to Your Holy Spirit. Help me remember today to order the Chinese Bible that she needs. I also pray for my nursing school students who are taking my exam today. Help them let go of their mindset of “I’m no good at English” and do their honest best, remembering all they have learned, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Apostles; December 17, 2020

Posted on December 20, 2020 by jgarrott

Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.

Paul was very aware of his apostleship, but we tend to have a distorted idea of what an apostle is. We tend to think of it in terms of authority, when the actual focus is on having a job to do. There is authority, yes, but it is given as a tool to accomplish the assigned tasks. (Actually, genuine authority is inseparable from responsibility, and vice versa, but that discussion is more than I need to do here.) An apostle is literally one sent, an agent or representative, whose tasks and authority are dependent on the one who sent them. Since all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ, (Matthew 28:18) those He sends exercise that authority, which is why we tend to focus on that. However, for the apostle himself (or herself) the focus is much more on the job to be done. Paul is here making it clear that his responsibility lay in the areas of faith and knowledge of the truth, and he fulfilled that marvelously. The fact that half of the New Testament is made up of his letters is ample testimony to that. Literally countless people have entered into saving faith because of what he wrote, and the truth that he recorded has led equal numbers of people to reject the lies of the devil and walk in victory in Christ. This was no empty boast on Paul’s part, it was an objective statement of the facts. Like he wrote to the Romans, we all need to have sober judgment of who we are and what we are. (Romans 12:3) That includes recognizing our calling and the gifts we have been given to fulfill it. The devil loves to lie to us, naturally, and he tells us our gifts are ordinary and insignificant and of no use to the kingdom of God, when God has a plan for every one of His children, and He provides everything necessary for them to fulfill that part in His plan. In that sense, we are all apostles, because God has His work for us to do! (Ephesians 2:10)

Naturally, this applies to me. Growing up in a Southern Baptist family, the term “apostle” was one we never used outside of referring to individuals in the Bible. However, at my father’s memorial service at the Foreign Mission Board, right after his death and before my mother brought his ashes back to Japan for burial, Dr. Cauthen, then head of the FMB, specifically referred to him as an apostle. Simply in terms of language, “apostle” is a direct equivalent to “missionary.” I grew up with the idea of being sent by God to do things as being completely ordinary and to be expected, and for that I am grateful. In my own case I have no human sending agency, but as my wife said explicitly at the time the FMB was dithering about why they didn’t want to appoint us us as missionaries, “We’d rather be Lord sent than Board sent.” After the FMB was finally honest enough to tell us they would never appoint us because we exercised gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Lord opened the way for us to come to Japan independently, and we’ve been here ever since. I recognize that I fit the Biblical profile of an apostle, but how well I have fulfilled the tasks my Lord has set for me is His to judge. The fact that I’m still here means He still has work for me to do, particularly since I’ve already outlived my father by 8 years! Like Paul, I am to seek constantly to transmit faithfully the truth He pours into me, so that the lies of the enemy may be defeated and many set free, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder and affirmation. Thank You also for the many reminders I have of my humanity and imperfection. I pray that I would be less and less in the way of Your truth pouring through me, so that Your Word may indeed accomplish everything for which You send it, (Isaiah 55:11) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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