Friday – May 27, 2016
It is Friday and again I am reminding us all to pray for the Church, really this requires that we examine ourselves and judge ourselves. Am I thinking right (according to God), am I speaking right, and am I really following Christ? The picture is of the Mission San Juan Capistrano located in San Juan Capistrano, California. This mission was founded in 1776 (the date sound familiar?). (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The following passage was written to the Jews but is applicable, is instruction for the Church today. Notice it all but especially the last line where I have added bold print. Let us examine ourselves and see if we are one who has chosen to not hear.
Isaiah 28:7-12 (KJV)
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. (Bold added)
Now back to our primary text in Colossians chapter two.
Colossians 2:16-18 (KJV)
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Back at the time of the first century AD (ACE) many of the new Christians were Jews and they brought the rituals, customs, and practices of Judaism into Christianity. Physical circumcision was a big one and many in the new Church thought that all new non-Jewish or uncircumcised believers should undergo circumcision. It took much teaching for the understanding to take root that the covenant between Abraham and God, and the Jewish people who followed, of which the physical circumcision was a sign, was fulfilled in Christ and there was therefore no need for its continued observance.
Part of the covenant with Abram/Abraham was for a son and that he, Abraham would be the father of many nations. If God brought forth a son for Abraham He had to be willing to have a Son. Remember back in Genesis Chapter twelve God told Abram that all the nations of the earth would be blessed in him. The son to come, Isaac, was a son of promise. This obligated God the Father is send a son, Jesus, The Promise, the Messiah. Because Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son at Mount Moriah, God had to be willing to sacrifice His only Son, at Mount Moriah. Thank you Father for being a God of Blood Covenant.
By Pastor David R. Wood
