HS 101

Why Jesus Called Men

APRIL 30, 2015 (ENGLISH)
Bible Text: Matthew 4:19 | Dr. Harold J. Sala
Series: The Guidelines Commentary

NOTES

“Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
As the morning light pierced the eastern sky over the little village of Bethsaida at the northern end of Galilee, two brothers arose from their pallets, ate a light breakfast—probably fish and bread—and headed for the boats. We know them as Peter and Andrew, and if this sleepy pair thought, “Another day fishing!”, little did they know how the events of that particular day were going to forever change the direction of their life.

They had no sooner thrown their net into the water when a stranger, dressed in a seamless Galilean robe, walked by. He saw the two brothers and said, “Follow me!” It was both an invitation and a command. They knew that this one who summoned them was an itinerant rabbi who had been visiting synagogues in Galilee and who also stirred up considerable controversy.

But when Jesus called these two, there was an immediate connection, and they walked away from their nets to follow Him. Later that morning Jesus recruited another set of brothers, James and John, from the same village, in all probability acquaintances if not friends of Peter and Andrew.

But what was it that was so compelling? The tone of His voice? His eyes which could reflect the kindness that caused a child to respond or flash fire that caused others to cringe? Was it His compelling personality? Or was there something, perhaps deep in their hearts, that made them ponder the possibility that this was the Messiah who would throw off the tyranny of Rome?

Notice, if you would, that five men are involved in this drama which took place on the shores of Galilee long ago—Jesus, and two sets of brothers: Peter and Andrew, and James and John. In the months that followed, Jesus recruited another eight men to be part of that executive committee, that inner circle of ordinary men, following an extraordinary person. We call them Apostles.

Observe that there was not a woman among them. Does that seem strange? For a few moments focus with me on what makes you either masculine or feminine. About six weeks following conception the hypothalamus gland in your brain kicks into gear and sends signals to your body which says, “Turn the testosterone loose.” “Or open the faucet on estrogen,” and whichever hormone it is makes you completely masculine or feminine.

Scientists in the laboratory have discovered that there are basic differences between the brains of males and females, and it is your brain that determines how you think, and how you think determines how you act. It’s been interesting to note that at the very time feminists have been trying to wipe out sexual differences, scientists have been discovering how different we really are.

Men are aggressive by nature; women are nurturing or compliant. Neither is better than the other, just different. It was God’s purpose for a husband and wife to come together and become one flesh, yet, as Zig Zigler points out, “You can’t have a parade of two cars until you decide which one will lead the parade.”

When men follow in the footsteps of Him who beckoned the four fishermen brothers, women will walk hand in hand with them, side by side, and they won’t have to worry about the next generation. They will follow in their footsteps.

The reality is that the words of Jesus continue to echo through the corridors of time, and He still summons men to follow Him. Why follow Him? Simple! When you follow, you get to know Him, and when you know Him, you will love Him, and when you love Him, you obey him, and that includes leading your family and loving your wife as He loved the church. That’s enough love to satisfy any woman. Think about it.

Resource reading: Matthew 4:18-22

DUX THOUGHTS:

God was not being unfair when He instructed wives to submit to their husbands. God being perfect knew what's best for His creation. We do not need to extra analyze things because life is way better if we simply TRUST and OBEY God.

No one could blame me if would desire for a man after God's own heart. Like king David, perfection is not a requirement to earn God's favor. What David has was a repentant heart and all his victories came forth because he sought to the face of the Lord. On the other hand, all of his defeats were fruits of going ahead of God and disobedience to His commands. 

David and Bathsheba had a bad start, they were involved in an adulterous relationship which even led David to commit murder against Uriah (Bathsheba's husband). David commanded his general Joab to put Uriah on the first line of the defense so that Uriah would be struck and die during the battle. The child born out of that sinful union died. 

Nathan confronted David of his sin and David wholeheartedly repented of his sin.

Notice how the story went on, Bathsheba was the mother of Solomon, the wisest man and king on earth before Christ. This wise KING whose other name is King Lemuel wrote a good account of his mother found in Proverbs 31.

Yes folks, the virtuous wife in proverbs 31 was no other than BATHSHEBA.

When a man who is bound to lead his family has a repentant heart and is devoted in seeking the Lord's face in his decision-makings and desires would most probably produce a good family where wisdom, favor and joy dwell. More so if this godly man is paired to a godly woman.It is not a perfect union but is a blessed union and the most important thing, God is glorified in there relationship.

RESOURCE: 2 Samuel chap 11-12

Acts 13:22

And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse,a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

God knows everything. He knew David will fall into sin but He still chose him to lead his people and from whose lineage Jesus will come forth. Despite David's imperfection, God called him to be  A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART.

I could relate to David and Bathsheba's journey. 

If i recall it right, it was around July of 2004 that I first attended a midweek bible study at Calvary Chapel Iloilo then it took me almost 2 months before I finally decided to join the Sunday fellowship. Then I regularly show up on prayer meetings and I did not miss the Youth fellowship when the church had one sometime during the 2nd semester. 

Counting it correctly, I was in constant fellowship and fully immersed in bible studies for 7 months before I threw the white towel.Though I heard the truth, I was worshiping Jesus and was being transformed each day of my life then BUT still I took a long time until I finally decided to surrender everything to God!

I sang in my heart that I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS, NO TURNING BACK, NO TURNING BACK only on the 8th month since I heard the truth. I may be growing in my knowledge of His truth and grace but there must be a point where I should decide with what to do with all that I know. The moment of total commitment to live for him was made on that particular day and that day changed my forever. 

It was more than accepting Christ as my personal Savior but a commitment to spend the rest of my life seeking His will in my life. It was more than enjoying His goodness but sharing it too to others. It was more than receiving His blessings but constantly desiring how to return the favor and put a smile on His face. 

I took 7 long months (February 2005) before I surrendered all and I am glad that I am on the same road even after a decade when I made that lifelong commitment to love the Lord with ALL my heart, mind, soul and strength.

By God's grace, this growing relationship I have with Him will continue to be stronger as time passes by and may all the people I meet along would desire the same.

Bahala na matagal basta magtatagal :-)

JC 101 May 1

April 30

... To feed the church of God ...
Acts 20:28

After shepherding sheep on the backside of the desert, the Lord called Moses to shepherd three million people through the wilderness. On their way to the Promised Land, his authority was questioned time after time. In Numbers 16, we read that Dathan, Abiram, and Korah brought 250 leaders of the nation of Israel to Moses, saying, ‘Who gave you authority to lead us?’

In response to their question, the Lord instructed Aaron to have one leader from each tribe place a rod in the tabernacle along with his. They did so, and the next morning, the rods looked just as they had left them — all except for Aaron’s, which had blossomed.

From whence comes authority in ministry or in your family? From the blossom of fruitfulness.

What is fruit? Galatians 5:22 defines it as love — love which is joy, love which is peace, love which is longsuffering, love which is gentle, good, faithful, meek, and temperate. If we truly love people, we will have authority to give direction to them because they will see the fruitfulness of the Lord’s love blossoming in us.

The story of Moses continues. The years passed and the people began complaining once again saying, ‘We’re out of water, Moses. You’ve brought us out here to die.’ In response to their complaint, the Lord instructed Moses to speak to the rock from which water would flow (Numbers 20:8). Instead of speaking to the rock, however, Moses struck it with the rod, while saying to the people, ‘You rebels. Must we fetch water for you?’

What happened to the rod as he smote the rock?

The blossoms fell off;
the fragrance was diminished;
the fruitfulness
Whenever I beat one of God’s people verbally or in my heart, I’m smiting Christ, the Rock of my salvation, and destroying the fruit of His Spirit in the process. Therefore it is not my job to beat the flock — to analyze, scrutinize, or criticize. It is my job to feed the flock — to encourage, nourish, and love. Certainly feeding includes warning and exhorting — but it does not include beating, bruising, or wounding.

‘Feed the flock,’ said Paul, not, ‘Beat the flock,’ because there has already been One Who was bloodied, bruised, and beaten on our behalf.

They beat His face.
They beat a crown of thorns into His scalp.
They beat Him with rods.
They beat Him with fists.
They beat Him with words.

Therefore, because He was beaten in our place, I must not beat myself or beat others.

Dux' THOUGHTS

Romans 5:20-21

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is but lovely to know that though we are constantly tempted by sin, it is by His grace that we overcome. Even at times we fall into sin, it is grace that we get restored again.

However, grace is not a license to sin because God is also a just God. The best thing to do is to acknowledge where we fall short, ask for His forgiveness and ask for His spirit to empower us that we will not do it again.

This grace is NOT exclusive between God and us but we must also extend it to others. Were we not called to love our enemies?

happy labor day and consider 1 Peter 4:8 which says,

"And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

love is the answer :-)

JC 101

April 29

... And to all the flock ...
Acts 20:28

Take heed to yourself first and then to the flock because if you’re in right relationship with the Lord, blessings will flow through you to the flock of your family, the Sunday school kids you teach, the people to whom you witness.

Towards the end of his life, David was surrounded by a group of men who are recorded as being men who killed giants (2 Samuel 21:15-22). Saul, on the other hand, who had been afraid of Goliath, was surrounded by men who never engaged in battle against a giant. Therein lies an extremely important principle as it relates to ministry: If I want those around me to be giant-killers, I must kill giants myself.

If you’re not worshipping or witnessing, chances are, your family, congregation, and friends won’t worship or witness because, as seen in the lives of David and Saul, what you are is what those around you will become.

I cannot stress too heavily the importance of a secret, personal devotional life. ‘Take heed to yourself and to the flock,’ wrote Paul — not because the priority is to be on self, but because a preparation of self will allow you to see those around you kill giants.

DUX' THOUGHTS

I am convinced that my life is meant to affect people and I desire that my lifestyle points to Christ's goodness and truth. Though I do not believe in special programs to win over people to Jesus, I still join activities where friendship develops and relationship grows. 

Another badminton schedule will not push through today but I hope Lace would be available for a bible study.

I met Lace during Dan's birthday. She is Jo Anne's classmate and presently assigned in the Finance Dept. of RPO12. Dan met Lace in the Instructor's Development Class.

Dan is leaving soon to pursue that Scout Ranger course, it is another see you later episode to a good friend and brother in the Lord. 

Ahem! 

Modifying JC's writing, page 431 of his Commentary. 

When Talkn Text vs Rain or Shine play basketball, people in the stands go crazy. they lift their hands victoriously, clap exuberantly, and cheer wildly. They stand, yell and stomp their feet and they won'd care who sees them. People cry when they see Michael Jackson, they could stand the heat or cold just to see the queen pass by and a student will save all her allowances to watch One Direction's concert. Humanity creatively and radically worships with abandon. But when it comes to worshiping Jesus, arms fold, voices hush, and sitting becomes the position of choice. Our culture finds it very easy to worship sports, movie or rockstars but has great difficulty worshiping Jesus. 

Are you a fan or a follower of Jesus? the difference is the RELATIONSHIP found in being Christ's disciple/follower..

 I am back working on this Homicide case. Sir Joel came by bringing pizza--- oh no! extra calories. Sir! buong puso kong ilalaban itong kaso nato at kaawaan nawa tayo ni Lord na umiral ang katotohan at hustisya. Sana available na soon the documents I need for the paper. Hamakin ang dalwang dangkal pala na docs ay marami pang kulang. 

kaya namin to ni Lord! yeeha!

Jon Courson's Daily devotional

April 28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock ...
Acts 20:28

Notice the order: Take heed to yourself first. Make sure you’re cultivating a personal devotional life; that you’re a man or a woman of prayer. Make sure you’re one who is engaged in consistent communion with the Lord personally.

Abraham was a lover of God. On his way to the Promised Land, wherever he went, he built an altar. As he traveled, because the Lord prospered him more and more, his flocks began to increase. So he dug wells to ensure that his flocks were sufficiently watered.

When Abraham’s son, Isaac came on the scene, seeing his father's expansive flocks, he decided the key to his father’s success was digging wells. So Isaac dug many wells — but he built only one altar. Consequently, his wells were named Sitna and Esik, or ‘Strife’ and ‘Contention’.

When Isaac’s son, Jacob — the third generation from Abraham — appeared, he built no altars and dug no wells. Instead, he said, ‘The key to seeing the flock grow is ingenuity, creativity, and genetic engineering,’ (Genesis 30).

That’s what often happens: A man or woman loves God and from that love, there’s an overflow whereby the flock grows. Then the second generation says, ‘I too want to be in ministry and see a flock grow’ — so they copy the outward activity of the generation before them — but it only produces tension, strife, and agony. Why? Because they’re not altar builders.

Finally, the third generation comes along and says, ‘Programs — that’s the key. We’ll have excellent entertainment. We’ll have relevant, current messages which, although they aren’t necessarily Biblical, speak to the needs of the people.’ And it’s exciting for awhile, but it’s not sustaining. They have to try harder and harder in their Jacob mentality to keep everything going with creativity and ingenuity.

True ministry begins with an altar-building man or woman loving God and enjoying the Lord. All too often, however, the lover of God is followed by a well-digger — one who wants to see the flock watered, but who has lost the understanding of the altar and a personal, private passion for the Lord. The third generation, the program people, the Jacobs, then come on the scene and say, ‘We’re going to really wow the world with our creativity.’

I see this happening not only in churches, but in my own life as well. Quite frankly, I can go through all three generations in one day. I can start the morning as an altar-builder, a lover of God. Then, sometime around noon, I can become a well-digger saying, ‘Lord, I don’t have time to talk to You. I’ve got to water these sheep.’ As a result, in the evening, I find myself thinking, ‘Oh, no. My ministry’s slipping. I better do something creative and ingenious.’

What happened to Jacob? Finally, this clever heel-snatcher came to the end of his rope when he heard his estranged brother, Esau, was coming with four hundred men to meet him. After Jacob crossed a little creek called Jabok, he wrestled the Angel of the Lord and said, ‘I’m not going to let You go until You bless me,’ (Genesis 32:26). Talk about close contact and a restoration of intimacy! Jacob was no longer striping stakes; he was wrestling with God all night long.

In the morning, the Lord said, ‘Jacob you have prevailed. No longer will you be called Jacob, or, ‘Clever One’. You’ll now be called Israel, which means ‘Governed by God’, because at last you understand it’s staying close to Me; it’s wrestling with Me; it’s depending on Me that matters.’

I’ve seen peoples finally get to the place of being exhausted from ‘Jacob-ing’ it. They get back to the altar, back to saying, ‘Lord, we just want to know You.’ People like that get used by the Lord time after time as they touch people from the overflow of an ‘altared’ life.

DUX' THOUGHTS

I REMEMBER CHUCK SMITH when asked what is his secret that people flock at Calvary,
"SIMPLY TEACH THE WORD SIMPLY", he answered.

Special programs to reach for others are not necessary in Jesus ministry but it is right that we must establish rapport before we could penetrate in because relationship connects the hearts. Whatever is done in love, be it in words or acts, this dying world would not resist.

in the name of justice and truth

My heart is overwhelmed over this case recently referred to our office. It was handled by another lawyer which i think was good but whose efforts and sound legal arguments were left unheeded by the  trial court. This criminal proceeding ran for 15 years where I was only a high school student when it started and I hate to think about the torture it brought to the accused. They were convicted and the higher court affirmed it and denied the subsequent MR. And now, with hopes that we can do something about the case, they came to our office. My boss handed the thick files to me. One week was not enough to read them all and it is but an ambition to organize my thoughts as to how to present them well in a paper within the same period.

I admit that I am troubled now in looking for jurisprudence that will bridge the pleading to the Highest Courts attention without getting dismissed based on plain technicalities. If only, "in the name of justice and truth" would be enough for its accommodation then my mind could rest now.

My eyes are tired browsing one case after another to construct the outline/skeleton of the paper. In tears, i beg God to help me on this,. I just cannot stop or slow down knowing the gravity of the penalty and injustice it will do if not acted favorable by the Highest Court. It will be heartbreaking to send innocent people to jail and affect the future of their families.

May our righteous and just God  give me wisdom in making this paper accomplish His works of justice and truth. Above all, may He deliver these innocent accused from this false accusation and give them comfort while I prepare the paper. Tsk tsk kawawa talaga :-( Lord have mercy on them and on me.