MEAT FOR MATURITY – DISCIPLESHIP

“Your faith [is] more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire.” I Pet 1:7 (ESV) Consider how joyful many of us would be if we discovered a stash of gold in our yard. We could get pay off our mortgage, help the needy, do whatever we want in ministry and not need any income from it, give donations to other ministries we value and put our kids into the best schools. But as valuable as gold is, it will perish. People treasure their gold and use it to make jewelry or to decorate their belongings. And someone has to go to a lot of trouble to purify the gold with fire. Living things – like people, animals, plants – can not survive a fire. Gold can. And yet, as valuable and strong as gold is, our faith is more precious than that. In fact, gold will Continue Reading →

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” Heb 12:22-23 (ESV) This idea of coming to the heavenly Jerusalem and Mt. Zion (the mountain on which Jerusalem is built) is a contrast to the previous verses in Hebrews 12 about the fear of the destructive power of God that the Jews experienced when God descended on Mt. Sinai. There is a great contrast between the two mountains, Mt. Zion is fearful but Mt. Zion is blessed. God transports followers of Jesus to the joyful mountain in heaven, the heavenly Mt. Zion. And this is not just a future experience; it is something that has already Continue Reading →

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Heb. 12:11 (ESV) The word “discipline” refers to instruction or training that includes correction, for example, in the raising of a child. Thus, the focus is not primarily on punishment for a wrong but rather the general overall training of a Christian, though it is painful training. Christian training is painful (or more accurately in the Greek: grievous) for us just as children become distressed when their parents move them to do something that does not feel good to them. Therefore, as Christians we embrace, and even expect, the distaste of the challenges and sufferings that come our way. We do not avoid our training because it is our heavenly Father who is training us so he can fully restore his image in Continue Reading →