"The voice of one crying in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." Isaiah 40: 3-5
There is a saying in modern evangelical witnessing that "God has a wonderful plan for your life." It's certainly a scriptural exclamation, for it says in Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.'" And again in Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." But there's the catch, called according to His purpose. God's plan for your life is intended to be His plan, not yours. All too often, however, the Christian life is viewed as nothing more than the sanctified version of what was once a secular life-style. But sanctified means holy, and holy means consecrated or set apart to some purpose. What is that purpose? It is His purpose. To be called by God means to be set apart expressly and without reservation for His will to be done. Said another way, our lives are no longer our own, for if any part remains our own, that part is withheld from God and becomes darkness within us (see Matthew 6:22-23). It is unfortunate that such lives which are sold out completely for the Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom are rare within the modern Church today. Yet in every age God has maintained the remnant of His own special people who are not ashamed of the gospel; those saints whose every breath is a prayer that the fullness of the Lord's Kingdom might be made manifest to their world; those who have yielded up their earthly life for divine purposes. Such a man was John the Baptist.
This we know of John's lineage. According to Luke 1:5-6 his father was Zecharias, a priest of the course of Abia, and his mother was Elizabeth of the daughters of Aaron and the cousin of Mary. And of them it records simply that "they were both righteous before God, walking..... blameless." John's birth had been foretold as the last words of the Old Testament given by God to His people. In Malachi 4:4-6 it says that "I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers...." We know this to be prophetic because of the interpretation brought by Jesus Himself in Matthew 11:7-15 or Matthew 17:10-13. That his birth was something special in the plan of God we know because it was announced to his father by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:8-23, which also points to Malachi. Of the baby, Gabriel simply says "many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord...he will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God."
At his circumcision his name was declared to be John, which means "Yahweh hath mercy." When his father's tongue was loosed in prophetic praise the people were fearful and asked "What kind of child will this be?" Zecharias' prophecy left little doubt. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for He has visited and redeemed His people....and you child will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways." (Luke 1:67-80) The rest of John's youth was spent "in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel." Far from the clamor of the world, he allowed God to mold his life according to His word. As we said earlier, there was 400 years of prophetic silence after the prophet Malachi until "in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Casesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness..." (Luke 3) To those lacking direction his message was to the point "Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2). To those seeking the consolation of Israel his message was hope "There comes One after me who...will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:7-8) To those of faith his message was prophetic "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." (John 1:29-30) To the hypocrites and scoffers his message cut like a sword "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Luke 3:7) But none who came humbly and sincerely were ever turned away from the waters of his baptism.
He was hailed as a rabbi, revered as a holy man, sought out by "Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan." (Matthew 3:5). But he refused to be exalted, disclaiming any of the rightful honors that had been given him by God. (John 1:19-28). His own words sum up the vision he carried within himself; "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.....He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:2-36) He was the friend of the bridegroom and to behold the bridegroom coming to earth to gather up His bride was joy fulfilled for his desert-tried heart. His birth was prophesied and proclaimed by angels....compare that with his death at the hand of Herod, his life-blood poured out as payment of Herod's lust for a dancing girl. (Mark 6:14-29). Yet such was God's plan. His eulogy was given prophetically by the Lord while John was yet in prison in Matthew 11:1-15. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?...a prophet? Yes I say to you and more than a prophet....assuredly I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist...."
So now we ask; when we consider his life, what do we see? A reed shaken by the wind? No, we see a man with clarity of vision to whom the winds of politics or apostate religion mean nothing, one who moves only on the wind of the Holy Spirit. A man clothed in soft garments? No, we see a man whose heart was free from any hold which worldliness or honor could set upon him, one who was fully a bondservant of the Lord. But do we see a prophet? That is the key question. For in John the Baptist we must see that life which we talked about earlier, one which is totally set apart for God's purposes, and totally spent in His service. That is the word of God which comes forth from the wilderness and shakes the halls of politics and religion to their very root. That is what our lives are intended to be. And consider this in closing. John's message was compelling "...bear fruits worthy of repentance...even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:8-9) How much more pressing must our cry be now that we are that much closer to the end of the age and even now the ax is being raised for the cutting stroke. And when it falls, the door to mercy is closed, and the door to eternal judgment opens. Our prayer must be, “Put your word in us, O' Lord, to bring deliverance to this generation of souls.”
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
St. Barnabas, Son of Consolation (Remembrance Day June 11)
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion 'Your God reigns!'....Break forth into joy, sing together you waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people..." Isaiah 52:7-9
There is a confusion in the Church today concerning the ministry of the gospel. For some reason, the preaching and teaching of the gospel has been given over to a professional class of ministers who have been educated in the seminaries and trained in the latest pastoral methods. They are polished in their presentation, up-to-date in their theology, on the cutting edge of counseling and crisis intervention; but where is the fire of the Holy Spirit Who alone can give the heart of God for a lost world? That's not to down play the importance of training and preparation for the ministry, but let us make a clear distinction here. A doctorate of divinity is no substitute for the calling of God, and we must never allow ourselves to confuse ability to perform ministry with divine authority to do so. We must be careful not to judge every book by its cover as the proverb goes, for "the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7 Remember that at the birth of the Church it was the uneducated fishermen, the tax collectors, the everyday men and women of no special account who were grabbed by the dragnet of the gospel, constrained by its calling upon their lives, and transformed by that calling so that they turned the world upside down with its power to save souls. Such a man was Barnabas of Cyprus.
We know that he was born Joseph, a Jew of the tribe of Levi and originally of the country of Cyprus for so it records in Acts 4:36. We have the impression that he was living in Jerusalem ( perhaps because of his priestly heritage) and that he was probably converted sometime after Pentecost in the early days of the Church. His first recorded act was one of submission and obedience to apostolic authority, for he "having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostle's feet" as did many other converts of that day. We next pick him up in the Scriptures after the conversion of Saul on the Damascus road. Saul came to Jerusalem to join the disciples, but the Church was wary of this former persecutor and would have nothing to do with him. But Barnabas looked not at the outward appearance but rather at the heart, and extended to Paul the right hand of fellowship and presented him to the apostles (Acts 9:17-28). What more do we know of him? We know that after the Church was scattered by the great persecution mentioned in Acts 8:1 that communities of believers sprang up throughout the empire. One such community took root in Antioch and it was to Antioch that Barnabas was first sent by the Church in Jerusalem. It records in Acts 11:19-26 that "When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord." And leaving to seek out Paul in Tarsus, he returned with him and there ministered for a year "and a great many people were added to the Lord." It was perhaps this great ministry of reconciliation through his preaching and example which caused the apostles to give to this Joseph of Cyprus his surname by which he is better known, Barnabas, the Son of Consolation.
We know also that he was numbered with the prophets and teachers at Antioch (Acts 13:1) and that when the Lord opened the door for the expansion of the gospel throughout the known world the Holy Spirit said "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." One last fact from the scriptures. Throughout his ministry he walked humbly before God. At Lystra (Acts 14:8-17) the heathens, after seeing a lame man healed by the apostles' word, called them by the names of the gods and were about to sacrifice to them when Paul and Barnabas exclaimed "We are only men just as you are, bringing to you the good news that you might turn to the living God." Their lives were bound to their message.
We know very little about the end of his life with any accuracy. We can guess that he preceded Paul in death because Barnabas' later evangelical companion, John Mark, his cousin, went to be with Paul for a time during his imprisonment (Colossians 4:10). It is unlikely that the cousins would have parted except if Barnabas was no longer alive. Some traditions report that he returned to his native Cyprus and there in the city of Salamis was stoned to death for the preaching of the faith. Such a report is surely consistent with his life and calling. Earlier we talked of the calling to the ministry. What are the characteristics which we see clearly written concerning Barnabas and his response to that calling? They include submission, obedience, acknowledging authority over him, discernment, compassion, humility, perseverance, separation unto God. It is no wonder that the evangelist Luke gives this Son of Consolation perhaps one of the greatest eulogies whereby we might remember him down to our present age in Acts 11:24 "For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith."
We seem to live in a post-Christian era, and paganism and heathenism are on the rise again. Everywhere the preaching of true heart religion is persecuted and mocked. We look for the great preachers of the day to turn the tide, but perhaps it is in a different way that God will choose to work. It is not to the great and notable men of learning and persuasion, that the harvest of souls will be granted, but to the humble who have God's heart for the world, who are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to separate them out for the work. Are we willing to be sons and daughters of consolation to a world which no longer has the power to hope for a better day? It requires no great ability on our part, only a willingness to obey the Lord Jesus Christ's own words in Mark 5:19 "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." That is the start of true ministry.
There is a confusion in the Church today concerning the ministry of the gospel. For some reason, the preaching and teaching of the gospel has been given over to a professional class of ministers who have been educated in the seminaries and trained in the latest pastoral methods. They are polished in their presentation, up-to-date in their theology, on the cutting edge of counseling and crisis intervention; but where is the fire of the Holy Spirit Who alone can give the heart of God for a lost world? That's not to down play the importance of training and preparation for the ministry, but let us make a clear distinction here. A doctorate of divinity is no substitute for the calling of God, and we must never allow ourselves to confuse ability to perform ministry with divine authority to do so. We must be careful not to judge every book by its cover as the proverb goes, for "the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7 Remember that at the birth of the Church it was the uneducated fishermen, the tax collectors, the everyday men and women of no special account who were grabbed by the dragnet of the gospel, constrained by its calling upon their lives, and transformed by that calling so that they turned the world upside down with its power to save souls. Such a man was Barnabas of Cyprus.
We know that he was born Joseph, a Jew of the tribe of Levi and originally of the country of Cyprus for so it records in Acts 4:36. We have the impression that he was living in Jerusalem ( perhaps because of his priestly heritage) and that he was probably converted sometime after Pentecost in the early days of the Church. His first recorded act was one of submission and obedience to apostolic authority, for he "having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostle's feet" as did many other converts of that day. We next pick him up in the Scriptures after the conversion of Saul on the Damascus road. Saul came to Jerusalem to join the disciples, but the Church was wary of this former persecutor and would have nothing to do with him. But Barnabas looked not at the outward appearance but rather at the heart, and extended to Paul the right hand of fellowship and presented him to the apostles (Acts 9:17-28). What more do we know of him? We know that after the Church was scattered by the great persecution mentioned in Acts 8:1 that communities of believers sprang up throughout the empire. One such community took root in Antioch and it was to Antioch that Barnabas was first sent by the Church in Jerusalem. It records in Acts 11:19-26 that "When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord." And leaving to seek out Paul in Tarsus, he returned with him and there ministered for a year "and a great many people were added to the Lord." It was perhaps this great ministry of reconciliation through his preaching and example which caused the apostles to give to this Joseph of Cyprus his surname by which he is better known, Barnabas, the Son of Consolation.
We know also that he was numbered with the prophets and teachers at Antioch (Acts 13:1) and that when the Lord opened the door for the expansion of the gospel throughout the known world the Holy Spirit said "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." One last fact from the scriptures. Throughout his ministry he walked humbly before God. At Lystra (Acts 14:8-17) the heathens, after seeing a lame man healed by the apostles' word, called them by the names of the gods and were about to sacrifice to them when Paul and Barnabas exclaimed "We are only men just as you are, bringing to you the good news that you might turn to the living God." Their lives were bound to their message.
We know very little about the end of his life with any accuracy. We can guess that he preceded Paul in death because Barnabas' later evangelical companion, John Mark, his cousin, went to be with Paul for a time during his imprisonment (Colossians 4:10). It is unlikely that the cousins would have parted except if Barnabas was no longer alive. Some traditions report that he returned to his native Cyprus and there in the city of Salamis was stoned to death for the preaching of the faith. Such a report is surely consistent with his life and calling. Earlier we talked of the calling to the ministry. What are the characteristics which we see clearly written concerning Barnabas and his response to that calling? They include submission, obedience, acknowledging authority over him, discernment, compassion, humility, perseverance, separation unto God. It is no wonder that the evangelist Luke gives this Son of Consolation perhaps one of the greatest eulogies whereby we might remember him down to our present age in Acts 11:24 "For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith."
We seem to live in a post-Christian era, and paganism and heathenism are on the rise again. Everywhere the preaching of true heart religion is persecuted and mocked. We look for the great preachers of the day to turn the tide, but perhaps it is in a different way that God will choose to work. It is not to the great and notable men of learning and persuasion, that the harvest of souls will be granted, but to the humble who have God's heart for the world, who are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to separate them out for the work. Are we willing to be sons and daughters of consolation to a world which no longer has the power to hope for a better day? It requires no great ability on our part, only a willingness to obey the Lord Jesus Christ's own words in Mark 5:19 "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." That is the start of true ministry.
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