Misc. Sermons - Drew Boswell

“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” Ephesians 6:1-4

“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”

Ephesians 6:1-4

Introduction

When God originally called the Israelites to be His chosen people, His desire for them was to be a people through whom “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). When Moses was on Mt. Sinai God commissioned them to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6).

They were to be a witness to the world of all that God had done for them. But instead, the people did not follow God’s ways and they did what they thought best (Numbers 13 &14). The Christian family is to be a witness to the non-Christian world of the joy, harmony, and love that comes from following God’s Word. When a community has children who honor and obey their parents there is order and stability. The problem is that many families are not seeking to follow God’s way. The first step in a society of order and stability is for parents to pass the truth of Scripture on to their children.

Deuteronomy 6:1-8

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Parents were to continually speak and teach about the things of God.) 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (When the parent was not present the home was covered with Scripture, to remind the children.)

Today we are celebrating Mother’s Day. For the godly mother the best honor that could be bestowed upon her is where her child follows the ways of the Lord. Some questions to think about are “How can we honor our mother’s, and how does a woman be a godly mother?” What is the Bible’s teaching on how a child will learn to follow the ways of God?

Directions For Children (Ephesians 6:1-2)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),

Children (tekna) refers to all children (even adults) not just to small children. Those children who have not yet married and are still at home are to honor and obey. There is a change in the child/parent relationship when a child marries. (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:31) Earlier in Eph. Wives are to submit to their husbands, but here children are to obey – it is a stronger word meaning, immediate, absolute obedience.

“Obey” has to do with action, and “honor” has do with attitude.

Example: Little Johnny is told to take out the trash.

“Obey” literally means “to hear under,” listen to what is said and then do it. Children are to listen to what the parents say and then do it. What if they don’t listen? Then the parents must perform an action that will ensure that he will.

“In the Lord” Children are to obey their parents as if they are doing it for the Lord, “it describes the quality of the obedience.”[1] It is important for children to understand that God is over their parents (meaning that they will follow God’s Word) and then the parents are over them (meaning they will follow what they say). When disciplining children, parents can explain that it is both them and God that wants them to obey and honor them. To obey their parents is to obey the Lord, so to disobey their parents is to disobey the Lord. It is also part of the discipleship of the child – parents are teaching them how to follow God, by teaching them to honor and obey their parents.

Parents are therefore shepherds of children on God’s behalf. Parents must know that it is in the child’s best interest to obey and honor them. It is the parent’s responsibility to shepherd them from one point to another. To see that they ultimately reach the destination God has planned for them.

Children learn how to be obedient to God through their relationship with their parents. Have you ever met a child where their parents do not require them to be obedient and honor them? They don’t obey or honor anyone else either. They rebel against authority.

James Dobson says “Developing respect for parents is the critical factor in child management. It is imperative that a child learns to respect his parents – not to satisfy their egos, but because his relationship with them provides the basis for his later attitude toward all other people. His early view of parental authority becomes the cornerstone of his future outlook on school authority, law enforcement officers, employers, and others with whom he will eventually live and work.”[2]

The most important lesson for the child to learn in this period is that He is an individual under authority. She has been made by God and has a responsibility to obey God in all things.[3]

So while obeying is a matter of action, honoring is a matter of the heart. It involves a relationship. Think of this disciplining as a circle of protection. Within that circle is blessing and long life. As soon as the child steps out of that circle of safety, he needs to be rescued from danger of stubborn independence from your authority.[4]

The reason that they are to obey and honor is because it is right. Everything that God commands is right or correct, just, righteous. It is a command from God that children are to obey their parents. This command is not just for the children, it just as much a command for the parents.

When God introduced the law in the form of the ten commandments, the first commandment having to do with relations to others (verses relations with God) was “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Ex. 20:12 – the 5^th commandment).[5] A child can have no better inheritance than the godly teaching, examples, and correction of their parents.

2 Tim. 1:5-7 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Timothy had a Christian family and his mother and grandmother played a major role in his becoming a Christian.

3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
The result for the child who is obedient and honors his parents is twofold.

“that it may go well with you” relates to the quality of life.
“that you may enjoy long life on the earth” relates to the quantity of life promised.[6]

If the child is outside of this safety of God’s teaching then the child must be corrected back into this circle. They leave the circle through disobedience and dishonor.

Directions For Parents (v. 4)
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

By Roman law of patria potestas a father had virtual life and death power not only over his slaves but over his entire household. He could cast any of them out of the house, sell them into slavery, or even kill them – and be accountable to no one.[7] As an example of this, a newborn was placed at his father’s feet to determine his fate. If the father picked it up, the child was allowed to stay in the household. If the father walked away, the child was disposed of (exposed).

So today in many ways the father has great power to determine what happens to the child when they are older. Though pateres (fathers) usually refers to male parents, it was sometimes used of parents in general. But because the father is to be the head of the family (see Eph. 5:22), it is more than likely that he would be the one to provoke the child.

“To provoke . . . to anger” suggests a repeated, ongoing pattern of treatment that gradually builds up a deep-seated anger and resentment that boils over in outward hostility.[8] It is behavior that parents (specifically fathers) do that disrupts the relationship between father and child, thereby making it harder for the child to honor and obey.

Such treatment is usually not intended to provoke . . . anger. What then can a parent do to “provoke their children to anger?”

Showing favoritism to one child over another. (Joseph and his brothers) “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.1 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.” (Genesis 37:3)
Smothering the child with overprotection or showing no affection for the child. (Jacob and Esau) “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.” (Genesis 25:28)
Having no rules (or not making them follow them) or having too many (to where the spirit of the child is crushed). The rape of David’s daughter by her half-brother. David is furious but does nothing. The sister’s full brother Absalom goes on to kill the half-brother Amnon, and again David does nothing. (2 Samuel 13:21)
Pushing children to achieve to where there is nothing the child can do to be good enough, or never expecting the child to achieve anything.
Not allowing a child to communicate or not caring when he does.

Paul is “ruling out excessively severe discipline, unreasonably harsh demands, abuse of authority, arbitrariness, unfairness, constant nagging and condemnation, subjecting a child to humiliation, and all forms of gross insensitivity to a child’s needs and sensibilities.”[9] Colossians 3:21 helps us understand why the father should not provoke to anger, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

“but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (v. 4 b)

“discipline” refers to the overall systematic training of children. It carries with it the idea of correction of wrongdoing, as seen in the proverb, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” (Prov. 13:24).

(Nouthesia) “Instruction” is literally a “putting in mind” and also includes the connotation of correction. It refers to the type of instruction found in the book of Proverbs, where the primary focus is on training and teaching of children. It deals with principles of behavior, more than factual information. It deals with applying Scriptural principles to the child’s life verses “what is the capital of Arizona?”

The key to right discipline and instruction of children is its being of the Lord. Everything parents do for their children is to be of Him – according to the teaching of His Word. “Ultimately, the concern of parents is not simply that their sons and daughters will be obedient to their authority, but that through this godly training and admonition their children will come to know and obey the Lord himself.”[10]

This morning are you “in the Lord?” Just as children are to follow their parents as if they are following the Lord. Parents are to teach them the things of the Lord by being in the Lord. But you cannot do this if you don’t know the Lord, if you do not know His Scriptures, or are not living the Christian life as taught by the Bible.

Most parents want their children to succeed at life, but they think that it is by playing the right sports, by attending the right school or college, by never ending extra-curricular activities. This is not what the Bible teaches.

Scripture teaches that children succeed when their parents are living a godly life (example), when through this example they teach their children the ways of God (wisdom) and correct them when they get off this path.

__________________

[1] SDF Salmond, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, The Epistle to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967) 375.

[2] James Dobson, The New Dare To Discipline, p. 18

[3] Ted Tripp, Shepherding a Child’s Heart, p. 133

[4] Ted Tripp, Shepherding a Child’s Heart, p. 148

[5] The fifth commandment acts as a hinge between how we relate to God (the first four commandments) and how we relate to other people (the last six commandments). But it is how we treat our parents that directly correlates determines the quality and quantity of one’s life.

[6] John MacArthur, Ephesians Commentary, p. 315

[7]Ibid, p. 315

[8] Ibid. p. 317

[9] Peter T. O’Brien, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Letter to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999) 446.

[10] O’Brien, 446.

Gathering At The Lord’s Table 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Gathering At The Lord’s Table

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Introduction

The backdrop of today’s passage is the disorder of the Corinthian church. Paul is so concerned about several issues that have reached him from far away, that he sits down to address them in the epistle of 1 Corinthians.

Prayer

A Church That Has Lost Its’ Way (vv. 17-22)

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions (literally schisms) among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

The early church celebrated the Lord’s Supper around a meal, Jude even calls it a “love feast “(Jude 12). At the meal it seems a possibility that one could over eat, or drink too much wine. Also, the people seem to arrive in stages. Those who have the flexibility to leave their jobs early, or have jobs that don’t require them to clean up or change clothes arrive before those who cannot or need to clean up.[1]

The meal seems to be purchased from the common funds of the church, and those that arrive early are getting the choice parts of the meal, and those arriving later get the picked over portions, or no food at all. Around this meal, there seems to be divisions among the church. You know you have a problem as a church when things are worse when you get together instead of better; Paul says, “it is not for the better but for the worse.”

Paul also says, “in the first place. . .”[2] He indicates that there are other issues, but disunity, cliques, and division in the church crowds out whatever else was on his mind. This issue was so consuming on Paul’s mind that he never moves on to “in the second place, third place, etc.” This topic that Paul writes the churches about was a deadly sin, and he knew it would destroy the church if not dealt with. Whenever they get together – the people are worse in spirit instead of better.

Paul even says that while they thought they were celebrating the Lord’s Supper in reality they were not, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.” Is it possible to be so carried away by sin that a church can think they are doing some religious act, but in reality, it is not recognized by God?

Buttrick said, “The greatest sins have always been the abuse of the greatest blessings.”[3] One of the greatest gifts and blessing that the Lord has given to Christians is the local church. It is the fellowship that we share that gives the church strength. We destroy fellowship by not exercising love toward the neighbor. “The evil to which he (Paul) referred was not merely that they had degraded the Lord’s Supper into an ordinary meal, but that they were divided into parties, some eating and drinking to excess, and others left without anything, vs. 20.21.”[4] Another name for the Lord’s Supper is Communion (sharing together).

But like spoiled children we (the church) just expect it to always be there, we see it as something not to be revered, but something to get something out of. If you don’t like this one, then just go down the street to another one.

The American church has wealthy churches, poor churches, cowboy churches, black churches, traditional churches, contemporary churches, not to mention denominations, Baptist, Methodist, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, etc. You name it, there is a church for all of our preferences. But in the city of Corinth – there was one Christian church and that was your only church. So you had wealthy people, poor people, slaves, different races, all gathered on an equal footing to worship, and to experience life together. [5]

There was a foundational teaching of the church that was being lost. Instead of the Lord’s Supper reminding them of Jesus’ sacrifice and ultimate mission for the church – it had become a fellowship meal with little fellowship and for some no meal. There was little love at the love feast. There were drunk people stagger about, people gorging themselves on the food, little groups forming that caused division, and poor people being embarrassed because they were hungry and had nothing to eat.

When the Church focuses on the wrong things, it enters into areas of danger. They had forgotten what the Lord’s Supper means and had turned the gathered church into something resembling the world around them.

(v. 18) “I hear that there are divisions (literally schisms) among you” – “They were cliques, parties, separated from each other by alienation of feeling. It is evident that the rich formed one of these parties, and distinguished from the poor. . .” We gather as Grow Groups (Sunday School classes) separately, but we are still one church, and when we gather to worship (and especially to celebrate the Lord’s Supper) we are one body. There are no old people, young people, charter members, or new members, Nashville natives verse those new to the area; we are all one church.

(v. 19) “19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” – Why would God allow churches to go through times of division and schisms? This church has had its share of division over the years – why would God allow that to happen? Because there must be a time where we realize that our desires, our preferences, when we place ourselves at the center of the universe – we have to realize that that is not the purpose and mission of the church, that is not the point of being a member of any church. The genuine among the believers put others and Jesus first.[6]

So Paul says, “Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?” The purpose of the gathering of the church is not for them to eat and drink, they could do that at home, the purpose was to experience the Lord’s Supper together. A church that has disunity, a lack of concern for others (especially their own church members), and is given over to sin (gluttony, drunkenness) is open season for Satan. It is only a matter of time before its’ over. So Paul is greatly concerned, “I do not commend you.”

Paul then reminds them of what the Lord’s Supper means.

The Reminder of Why They Assemble (23-26)

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Paul begins his explanation with “that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread . . .” There was no further need to set the time he was talking about – it was the night when he was betrayed. He links their actions of division, greed, and uncaring for one another to Judas. “You guys remember when that guy Judas, betrayed Jesus?” Yeah, that night, Jesus took some bread . . .

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Paul includes “after supper” – which gives us a clue that the Lord’s Supper would traditionally be celebrated after a fellowship meal, or at least came after the meal when Jesus and the disciples first had the Lord’s Supper.[7] Jesus may also have taken the bread and passed it out and then some-time later passed the cup.[8] So, if it were traditionally celebrated after the meal – there are some who would be drunk during the sacrament.

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood” – Jesus is saying that there was an old covenant between God and His people, but now there is a new covenant. We see this foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-33 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

“Rather than giving the people laws and ceremonies they must obey, God will work a transformation of the heart of each believer.”[9] In John 3, Jesus has the conversation with Nicodemus and his needing to be born again.

(In the Jeremiah passage) Even though God’s people, in the marriage, broke the old covenant, “my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband” God is metaphorically taking them back to the exodus from Egypt and reestablishing a covenant, but this one will be different. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper at the Passover, which commemorated the Exodus (Exod. 12:14-27).

This new covenant, that involves a transformation of the heart, is established by a blood offering, Jesus says, “the new covenant in my blood.”[10] This blood will cover all sin, in fact, God will remember the sin no more.[11] Ordinarily blood was shed to symbolize the bond between those who enter covenant.[12] The Old Testament Passover meal had the people wiping blood over the doorposts and eating a special meal — This new covenant involves only God’s blood, that is shed.

In verses 25-26 we see that the Lord’s Supper is a remembrance and proclamation, “in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are remembering a resurrected Lord, A God who shed His blood for us, but did not stay dead, and that same resurrected Lord will return.

In the Old Testament God encourages Israel to remember the sabbath day (Exodus 20:8), or to remember to keep the commandments (Numbers 15:39), and Moses in Deuteronomy encourages Israel to remember God, his deeds, the desert journey, how they were once slaves in Egypt – these memories will instruct them on how to treat the foreigners in their own communities.

These memories should correct behavior that goes outside of what they should have learned from the experiences.[13] When we remember Jesus, and how he laid down his life for us (specifically his body and blood), then that should have a corrective impact on our behavior toward other believers, the church, in our own sinful behavior, and the lost around us.

The proclamation of the Lord’s Supper is a way of preaching the gospel, to act it out. It is done again and again to proclaim our deliverance from sin, just like the Passover for the Jewish people was repeated to recall their deliverance from slavery in Egypt.[14] It is the ministry of the church to proclaim the gospel to the unbelieving world. “When the world sees the church eating and drinking in order to remember the significance of Christ’s body and blood, the word of the gospel is made visible.”[15]

Therefore, we can pull three reasons why the church should regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper;

1) It reminds us to look back to the redemptive historic work of Jesus and the cross; the once and for all sacrifice is the ransom for all who put their faith in Him; His body was broken for us, and His blood covers all our sin.

2) It draws us to worship the ever-present Lord; “the meal declares the sacrifice by which the covenant is entered.”[16] We are entering into a covenant with God, and we are entering this covenant together with other believers (in our church).

3) It encourages the church to look forward to the consummation of time, and the return of Jesus.[17] When Jesus returns the Lord’s Supper reminds us to be found faithful.

The Lord’s Supper is something that we participate in, it is an action that we do as believers. However, the Lord’s Supper reminds us to monitor our relationship with the Lord and how we approach Him in worship.

A Warning of Continued Undiscerning Behavior (vv. 27-34)

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.8 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.”

“an unworthy manner” – We know that some or many of the church at Corinth were partaking of the Lord’s Supper by being greedy, drunkenness, causing divisions among the brethren, etc. but these are not the only ways. Traditionally this has been interpreted to mean taking of the Lord’s Supper while having unconfessed sin. The period of examination is time to seek forgiveness of sin before you take of the Lord’s Supper.

But in this passage, it seems to be even more specific than that. Paul seems to be indicating that when a person participates in the Lord’s Supper in such a way that failed to exhibit the unity of the church in Christ. The solution to this “unworthy” manner was to wait. Paul says, “wait for one another.” Take others into account.

Consider your brothers and sisters in Christ while we gather together.

The Lord’s Supper is a time of self-reflection, Paul says to “Let a person examine himself.” During this time of examination, the person should search the Holy Spirit of personal sin, but the judgement mentioned here is the person who is not encouraging the unity of the church, and in that unity, the remembering and proclamation of Christ.

We should not focus so much on ourselves during the supper but on Christ and what He has done for all believers. The focus of this meal is not a time where we all “get right with the Lord” at the same time.[18] But if we truly discerned what we are like, then we would not come under judgement.

When the Church does not exercise the Lord’s Supper properly, they are “guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” The Lord has given the church an ordinance that specifically teaches and shares the gospel to the world and reminds the church of the things we mentioned earlier – when that is corrupted it becomes just another meal – and if that’s the case then Paul says, “eat at home.”

Just like the Jewish people not performing the Passover correctly, they would forget about their days in slavery – now the church may forget the body and blood of Jesus and why it is so important.

They would be sinning against the hope of salvation.[19] The gathering church is a blessing given to Christians – together in unity they celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a message to the world of the gospel. When we don’t do this there is judgement. When we get this right, we accomplish Jesus’ desire for His church until He comes again.

With these things in mind – we will now celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

_________________

[1] George Buttrick, The Interpreters Bible, Vol. 10 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abington Press, 1953) 131.

[2] Ordinal numbers indicating the order in a sequence.

[3] Buttrick, 131.

[4] Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. Eerdmans Publishing, 1969) 215.

[5] https://drewboswell.com/touching-the-untouchables/

[6] “The overruling justice of God permits schism temporarily in order to strengthen and vindicate faith (Vincent of Lérins). Gerald Bray, Editor, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament VII 1-2 Corinthians (Downers Grove, Illinois, 1999) 110. “These heresies are a magnet attracting unsound and unsettled minds (Findlay).” Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume IV (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1931) 163.

[7] Buttrick, 133.

[8] Ibid, 138.

[9] Fred M. Wood, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Jeremiah & Lamentations (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Reference, 2006) 262.

[10] “Not all the blood of beasts, On Jewish alters slain, Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away our stain.” Isaac Watts, “Not All the Blood of Beasts.”

[11] J. Andrew Dearman, The NIV Application Commentary, Jeremiah & Lamentations (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 2002) 287.

[12] Clifton Allen, Gen Ed., The Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 10 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Publishing, 1970) 358.

[13] George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, K-Q (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1980) 345. Memorial, Memory

[14] Allen, 359.

[15] Richard Pratt, Holman New Testament Commentary, 1 & 2 Corinthians (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Reference, 2000) 201.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Buttrick, 139.

[18] Pratt, 205.

[19] Ibid, 202.

“The True Deliverer; Three Witnesses to His Resurrection” Matthew 28:1-20

“The True Deliverer:

Three Witnesses to His Resurrection”

Matthew 28:1-20

Introduction

Review Moses as the Deliverer – today we will look at the True Deliverer:

Prayer

The Women (vv. 1-10)

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake[1], for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

(v. 1) “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb” – “the verb means to behold, as a spectacle;[2] They designed also, if it should appear practicable and appropriate, to ‘anoint him’ (Mark 16:1), and brought with them spices (Luke 24:1) which they had provided the evening before, when the Sabbath was past (Mark). As they went (Mark 16:3) they were concerned about the question, “Who will roll the stone away?” for they knew from the internment that “it was exceedingly great.”[3]

Sometime before the women’s arrival an angel “descended from heaven,” rolled the stone away, and was sitting on it when they arrived. Accompanying the angel’s descent was an earthquake. And their appearance “like lightning, and his clothing white as snow” and arrival “earthquake and descending from heaven” caused the Roman soldiers who stood guard to passed out from fear. It says, “the guards trembled” – It has the same Greek root as earthquake. The ground shook, and the soldiers shook.

Cornelius Lapide says, “The earth, which trembled with sorrow at the Death of Christ as it were leaped for joy at His Resurrection.”[4]

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

(v. 6) “He is not here,” We are not given any details about the resurrection itself, only that by the time the women arrived, Jesus was not there. “The stone was not rolled aside to let Jesus out but to let the women in.”[5] How Jesus escaped we don’t know.

(v. 7) “he is going before you to Galilee” – This does not mean that they will not see him before Galilee, but “that on a certain mountain in Galilee was to be the great meeting, where many disciples should receive the Great Commission,”[6] Even at the tomb, this is not the end of Jesus’ ministry. He is still pointing people toward redemption, salvation, and purpose.

Matthew 26:32 “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

People respond in different ways to angels and their messages. John the Baptist’s father when approached by an angel doubted, In Luke 1:18-20 “And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” But the women believe what the angel says, because it matches up with what Jesus had already told them, and they depart quickly.

8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The women departed with their instructions to tell what they had seen and experienced and it was “with fear and great joy.” We will see that when we draw close to things of God, there will be a combination of fear and joy. They had the greatest news that was possible to have. To them “anything seemed possible now.”[7]

It was while they were hurrying to honor the Savior and bring joy to his disciples, that they met Jesus. If we want to have an encounter with Jesus, then we should run to do good to others and bring joy to the body of Christ.

(v. 9) “took hold of his feet and worshiped him” – “held him, literally seized him or grasped, showing great humility and veneration.”[8]

The angel says, “tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead,” but Jesus says, “go and tell my brothers” – this is a distinct difference between mankind and angels. While we were made “a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7),” we are “co-heirs with Christ”, and they are not (Romans 8:17). Jesus calls those who have denied Him, abandoned Him, and forsaken Him for dead, “brothers.” Jesus as the Creator of everything, gives His life for His creation so that we may be together as family.

God described Himself to us as Father, Jesus reveals Himself to us as brother, Paul uses the Greek word for love “Philadelphia” as the love that Christians have for each other (brothers and sisters in Christ). God created the world and established the family, Paul establishes the church family, and at the end of time we will be gathered to heaven and live together in eternity with our heavenly Father as a family.

The angel tells them to go to Galilee, Jesus himself says to go to Galilee – something very important is going to happen at Galilee.

The Guard (vv. 11-15)

11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.[9]’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

The soldiers saw with their own eyes the angel descend and roll away the stone, and even before they collapsed in fear may have even seen the risen Lord. Then they give an accurate account to the chief priests, who seem to believe the account as well. Then they assembled the elders, who believe it as well. It’s important to understand that each of these groups believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead.

But the consequence of this truth was too much to take – so they sought to cover it up.

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus and Pharisees were arguing over following the law regarding the Sabbath. A man had a deformed arm was suffering, so Matthew 12:13 “Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.” The Pharisees knew Jesus performed miracles, and now they know He rose from the dead – but what is the consequence to them? What do you do with Jesus?

C. S. Lewis once said, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [that is, Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse…. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”[10]

The soldiers were given an assignment to guard the tomb. “According to Roman discipline, they were liable to very severe punishment for losing what they guarded.” (v. 14) “And if this comes to the governor’s ears” – So they say, “spread this false rumor, take this money, and we will make sure that no harm comes to you.”

The soldier’s account fails on two points, 1) if they were asleep, how do they know it was the disciples that stole the body? Sleeping people don’t make very good eyewitnesses. Also, if one of them awoke, why was not an alarm sounded and the disciples arrested?[11] 2) Why would a Roman soldier go around admitting to doing a bad job?

The soldiers were persuaded to spread a lie they knew not to be true, and to pretend that Jesus did not rise from the dead for money. Money kept them from repenting and giving their lives to what they knew to be true.

How much evidence is enough? If your heart is set against the things of God, and the Holy Spirit is not drawing a person, there is no amount of evidence that will change a person’s heart. They will even believe a lie that is harder to believe than the truth itself.

The Disciples (vv. 16-20)

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

(v. 16) “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee” – Why were there only 11? Judas had betrayed Jesus and had hung himself. The disciples had time to replace him with another to complete the 12 – why had they not replaced Judas? Because there was no point, the Jesus movement was dead.

The church father Jerome said, “Their doubting increases our faith.” Some found it hard to believe that the person a far off (it was in a group of 500) before them was the resurrected Christ. “And Jesus came (near) . . .” When Jesus is close we begin to understand the power and truth of the resurrection. When you draw near to Jesus, He will make things clear. He has no desire to be the far-off God, he wants to be the close-up God of your life. In the Garden of Eden in Genesis God would come close to Adam and Eve, “in the cool of the day,” but sin caused that relationship between mankind and God to be distanced. Christ’s death and resurrection brings us back close to God.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” – Satan and all his dominion poured out all the hate, the vile, and blasphemy he could aim at Jesus the Son. Then all of the Father’s wrath was poured upon Jesus on the Roman cross for the salvation of the world. He was scourged and beaten beyond recognition. He was raised on the cross, pierced for our iniquities.

He was laid in the tomb, dead – and now upon the resurrection, the crown of thorns is removed, the rod used to beat him and then placed in his hand as a scepter is gone, and the mocking robe laid over him by the Roman soldiers is removed – Jesus the Son, now sits victorious at the right hand of the Father, having “All authority” – there is nothing that exists that is not under his reign.

Jesus then gives the disciples what is known as the Great Commission. (v. 19) “Go therefore” – Don’t miss the therefore; We are to make disciples of this resurrected Jesus. We who are Jesus’ disciples know that our Jesus sits with authority over all of creation as King, Supreme Ruler, all bow before Him. There is no one who will not have to give an account to Him.

We go under His authority, to speak and act as His representatives, his ambassadors, his children – but He is the resurrected Lord, therefore, He alone is worthy to be praised, worshipped, honored. Therefore, we tell the world about Him. Therefore, we share His gospel.

This is “the most sublime enterprise that ever human beings have been called upon to accomplish.”[12] Every nation should be discipled to be under His lordship, to keep His commandments.

“baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” – baptism, as a disciple, follows one’s salvation because it “symbolizes burial and resurrection, the actual burial and resurrection of Christ, and the spiritual death and resurrection of the believer in union with Christ (Rom. 6:3).”[13]

“teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” – While baptism is an act of obedience, done one time – observing Christ’s commands is an ongoing act, that we seek to follow Christ’s teachings every day. As a disciple maker learning Christ’s commands is not enough – a disciple maker must teach the disciple how to follow that teachings as a well. “to observe all . . .” There are no sections of Jesus’ teachings that have become antiquated, irrelevant, or untrue.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” – The word “behold” is used in many places throughout the Bible to signal to the reader something spectacular. Jesus promises to be with us, always. How spectacular is that – this resurrected God, who died for the sins of the world, who has ultimate authority or all of space and time is with us – enabling us to carry out this “Great Commission.”

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[1] Seismo egeneto megas, Robertson, 240.

[2] Matthew 27:55-56 “There were also many women there [at Jesus’ death on the cross], looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.”

[3] John A Broadus, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Judson Press, 1950) 584.

[4] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 242.

[5] Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Matthew All Authority in Heaven and on Earth (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publsihing, 2013) 901.

[6] Broadus, 586.

[7] Robertson, 242.

[8] Broadus, 586.

[9] “The absurd and blasphemous medieval Jewish legend called “Toldoth Jeshu” expands this allegation.” Broadus, 588.

[10] C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

[11] Frank E. Gabaelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1984) 591.

[12] Broadus, 592.

[13] Broadus, 596.

“Getting Your Heart Ready For Worship ” Psalm 24

Getting Your Heart Ready For Worship

Psalm 24

Introduction

The 24^th Psalm is a hymn or a song that would have been sung either going to the temple, as they entered the temple, or as they were leaving a worship service, and it directs the hearts of his people to worship God in a manner that recognizes his glory. It celebrates God coming into the holy city and God’s people were going to see Him.

If we truly believed that God were to enter this room and His presence were to fill this room – would we have come to the worship service any differently? So to prepare God’s people’s hearts – they would have sung this hymn to prepare themselves. This is the heart of worship – a humble recognition of the sovereignty of our triune God and responding appropriately by presenting our praise, devotion, and lives to Him. True worship is an all-consuming desire to give God all that we are to all that He is.

Psalm 24 is a picture of worshippers arriving at a church at the same time. They are walking together into worship. But before they enter into the temple itself, “would -be celebrators ask who may join (v.3). A liturgist replies: those who have aligned themselves toward this ordering God are those whose actions and motives are pure and who do not ally themselves to falsehood (v.4). A promise is given: these pilgrims will receive Yahweh’s righteousness (vv. 5-6). Only then does the procession through the temple gates begin, . . .”[1]

As we enter into Bellevue Baptist Church and find our seat, and settle in for a time of worship what enters our minds? Are we focused on what we’re doing after church; are we focused on the conversation we had with our spouse on the way to church; are we focused on how angry we are about our kids getting their clothes dirty before church? What are we focused on right now? Are you ready to meet with God?

Prayer – Lord you are sovereign and all that exists is under your dominion. Everything and everyone on the earth is under your sovereign control. This morning we come before you to worship you, and you have said, “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart” Lord you have given us pure hearts and clean hands through our Savoir Jesus Christ. But there are so many times when we go back to the world, and we allow ourselves to be led away from you. Draw us close to You, through your word and Holy Spirit. We seek your face this morning and we desire to know how to apply your Word to our hearts. Amen.

A Recognition of God’s Power (vv. 1-2)

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”

The psalm (and the preparation of our hearts) begins with a recognition that the earth and everything in it is this Lord’s. This includes people, all people are under the Lord’s dominion. It doesn’t matter if someone believes in Him, or is not being obedient to Him, God is still God and reigns over the earth.

God has this authority because he made it. So we begin to learn about worship by looking at what is the difference between the Creator and the created. God is not “one of us” He is above and beyond the creation. He is powerful enough to create and establish creation from nothing, man can only manipulate the world around him.

Also, it is God who not only created the world, but He also sustains it. The earth and everything in it are dependent upon God for its continued existence. Hebrews 1:3 “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” We need God, he is not optional in our lives.

Psalm 104:27-30 “These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”

He is not a deistic god who stays far away, but the Lord comes to His creation, therefore, His creation must prepare for his coming. He came to Adam and Eve in the garden, He came to Abraham and Sara, He came to Moses on the mountain, He came to earth born of a virgin and lived among us for over 30 years – The God we worship loves His creation and loves to spend time with it.

John the Baptist’s ministry was to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry to begin. He did this by preaching messages of repentance or turning from sin, and encouraging people to seek the Lord. Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

Entering into worship of God means that we must prepare our hearts for the person that we will meet there. God who created us, sustains us by the power of his word, and all of creation all around us – This God is here, and we can go and meet with Him – or can we?

A Revelation of God’s Purity (vv. 3-6)

“3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah”

Among all the earth inhabitants, who is acceptable and able to come before this sovereign king? Or how must a person prepare themselves when approaching such an awesome being?

“The hill of the Lord” is a reference to Mt. Zion or Jerusalem, where God dwelled above the ark of the covenant. If we ask the question a different way it would be, “who may stand in this holy place?” the holy place references Jerusalem that sat atop of Mt. Zion, “his holy place.” Who is spiritually qualified to fellowship with this awesome king?

The answer is the person who has clean hands and a pure heart. Clean hands speaks of a person’s purity in their outward actions. A pure heart speaks of a persons inner soul that is holy and undefiled, set apart to God without moral defilement.

A person’s life must be pure and clean if God is to be approached in worship and fellowship. Specifically, this requires that a person not lift his soul to an idol. He must have no other gods before his love for and loyalty to the one true God (Ex. 20:3). An idol is anyone or anything that a person loves, fears, or serves more than God. When the psalmist speaks of “not swearing deceitfully” he is speaking of not placing higher allegiance to anything or anyone before God.

Another way to define this idea of idolatry is “not lifting ourselves to emptiness.” This is talking about the inner soul or thing that makes you alive, the deepest part of who you are – don’t offer that to “emptiness.” God created you, and sustains you – this life that is within you should not be given to anyone or anything other than God. Worshipping anything else is giving our lives to things and people that will leave us “empty.”

The requirement to enter into God’s presence is an outward and inward perfection. The worshipper who enters into the presence of the Lord must have and understand their need for grace and mercy. “The psalm is clear that the person so described in v. 4 is in need of a Savior and in need of righteousness.”[2]

The blessing that the repentant worshipper receives is righteousness and forgiveness. Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

When we turn from our sins and seek the Lord with all our heart – He will meet with us and we can enter into His presence because of Christ.

A Realization of God’s Presence (vv. 7-10)

“7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!”

The gates are commanded to open their doors wide, and be ready to receive the King of glory. In David’s time this referred to the carrying of the ark into Jerusalem. This was a call for the ark to be brought into the sanctuary in triumphant procession.

During the first coming of Christ, who was the greater Son of David, had a triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Matt. 21:1-11). Ultimately, it refers to the ascension of Christ to the heavenly Zion to be enthroned at God’s right hand.

From within the city is asked the question “Who is this King of glory?” It is those who are carrying the ark, those within the city itself and those who have given the king of glory their hearts who yell out, “The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!”

This is the one who can enter into the presence of God – the one who can enter the city, whose gates fly open at his presence, but remain closed for everyone else, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who can enter in. It is this Lord who has shown himself strong and mighty in defeating all His people’s enemies.

How has Jesus shown himself strong and mighty in battle? 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When we see the psalmist say in verse 5, “He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Salvation means deliverance, rescue, victory, help, or liberty. Mankind was entangled and held captive by sin and death, but Jesus acting as our Savior brought us salvation and set us free from sin and death. He is the only one who is mighty enough to save us, and therefore none other deserves our worship and devotion.

Because we are freed of sin and death, when we stand before God “our hands are clean, and our hearts are pure” – God sees the blood of Christ shed for the world, and we may enter into the temple and stand before the Lord.

The gates are told to “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up” – they are told to lift up their heads, not bow down before the Lord – when we enter into worship with God, yes we bow before Him in reverence of who he is – but God is telling us to be joyful and anticipate hope – lift your head up and sing His praises because we have something to be joyful about.

Psalm 3:3 “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”

Conclusion

When our hearts are right before the Lord, and when we understand who it is that we stand before and bow down to worship – we respond to God with reverence, humility, praise, and devotion.

A person’s life will never rise above their view of God. If we see Him high and lifted up and think highly of Him, then our lives will be marked by holiness and seeking to do great things for a mighty God. But if our view of God is low, then we will live a low life, and seek our own self interests.

Is Jesus your Savior this morning and are you seeking Him with your whole heart? ABC

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[1] Craig C. Broyles, New International Biblical Commentary, Psalms (Hendrickson Publishing, 2005) 127.

[2] Broyles 130. The doctrine of imputed righteousness is found throughout the Bible.

“To Find An Excellent Wife” Proverbs 31

To Find An Excellent Wife

Proverbs 31

Introduction

Prayer – Father in Heaven, help us, man or woman, to pursue your ideal for our lives. We know that you want us to be like Christ. May we accept all the guidance available in Scripture to do so, and may the Holy Spirit do his work of transformation in our lives. Amen.

I. Setting a High Standard (v. 10)

10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

In the opening chapters of Proverbs, a father is speaking to his son and most of the time when a woman is mentioned is usually referencing an adulteress, or a woman who will lead the young man to foolishness. Fathers and mothers are mentioned in chapters 10-29, and here the book of Proverbs closes with a picture of an excellent woman.

The adulteress flatters with her lips; she forsakes the covenant with her own husband, to seduce someone else. She has lips that drip honey, she has a smooth tongue and she hunts for the precious life of some victim. There is not only the “adulteress” but there is the “noisy woman,” the loud, boisterous woman, with whom no one wants to live, and the normal man would prefer, the proverbs says, “to live in the corner of the roof, in a tiny little place, than in a big house with a boisterous woman.

There is the “foolish woman,” there is the “rebellious woman,” there is the “quarrelsome woman,” and they are all really set in contrast to this “excellent wife” here in chapter 31. There is in chapter 12:4 of Proverbs, this statement, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.”

Because he was royal, and because he was going to take a position of rulership, His mother told him some things he really needed to know. The book of Proverbs closes with the boy’s mother teaching him wisdom.

This is great advice from this Jewish mother to her son in verses 3-8. “Stay away from alcohol, stay away from sexual immorality, take care of hurting people, defend those who can’t defend themselves, stand for the oppressed, support the needy, and deal justly with everybody.

This is how to be a good king, this is how to be a great man, and most of all,” and this is what occupied the length of her speech from verse 10 to 31, “find a good wife,” understanding the implications of a bad one–boisterous, quarrelsome, self-centered, wicked (such as Jezebel). And realizing the influence she was bound to have upon his life, his mother encouraged Lemuel to “find an excellent wife!”

There are 22 verses from verse 10 to 31, and there are 22 characters in the Hebrew alphabet. Each of these verses begins with the next character in sequence in the Hebrew alphabet, so that it starts with Aleph, Beth, Gimel, and so forth, right down through the Hebrew alphabet. The first letter of each of these proverbs, each verse, is the next letter in sequence. Why? Because it was easy that way to memorize this. It became an acrostic which created a formula for easy memorization and recall of these features, so that every young Jewish son could be taught by his mother to memorize Proverbs 31:10-31, and thereby have in his mind the criteria, at all times, by which he was to measure the excellence of a woman.

Too often when a selection is made of a woman or a wife, it is made for the wrong reasons: looks, education, personality, likes and dislikes, accomplishments, style–rather than virtue and character – those things that matter. But this woman has a value that is far above jewels.

The word actually describes precious stones of any kind. Some versions translate it “rubies,” some translate it “pearls.” “Jewels” is the best, it’s just a generic word for precious stones. The point being, this is a very, very valuable woman–not easy to find. Then in verse 11, she begins to describe this woman.

So how does the boy’s mother describe this “excellent wife”? What should he be looking for?

II. Characteristics of an Excellent Wife (vv. 11-28)

Trustworthy (v. 11)

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

Literally “his heart trusts her” – She is faithful in every area of her life. Her husband lacks nothing of value because of her faithfulness. She is faithful everyday of her life, and she brings him good.

(Joseph and Potiphar’s wife) Genesis 39:19 “As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.”

It doesn’t say who his anger was kindled against, and why did he put Joseph in prison instead of having him killed? I believe it was because he could not trust his wife. She did not respect his property, his work goals, him as her husband. Can your husband trust you, when he is not there?

Not just trustworthy in fidelity but also in that she does not take things from him – Not their money, their possessions, their resources, or his reputation. She never speaks evil of him so that those in the home would learn to distrust him because of her testimony of his absence of character. She does him good not evil. She does everything to build him up.

“all the days of her life” – her love for him is based upon spiritual principles that it doesn’t fluctuate with the circumstances of life. She is focused on building her husband up, no matter the conditions of life (for richer or poorer, sickness and in health).

Hard Working (vv. 13-19, 24, 27)

13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

She is diligent and this is the trait that is given more text than anything else. In the ancient world women had to stay busy in their spare moments (spinning wool, making clothes). Weaving and sewing were a major part of her work. She selected the materials, and works with “delight of her hands.” She took pleasure in creating something of beauty and usefulness. It was not a duty, and she didn’t complain.

In her work she makes extra (she goes beyond what is required) and then sells the extra clothes. With the extra clothes that she sells, she saves up enough to purchase a field. She is like a merchant ship bringing the home items that the family cannot produce for itself. To make this happen she gets up early to make sure that her family is well fed and taken care of.

Her lamp does not go out at night is a reference that she works into the night making her clothes. So she gets up early to oversee her family, she oversees her household and ventures during the day, and in the evening she works into the night. 24 “She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.”

“27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. This Proverb 31 woman sees it as her responsibility to oversee what goes on in the home. She’s not waiting around or wasting time, she spends considerable time “looking well into” how the home is running and making it a better place.

Caring (v. 20)

20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.[1]

As driven as this woman is, she is willing to step away from her work and help others in need. She holds the clothes that she has spent hours and hours making, and instead of putting them on her own family, or making money for her family, she opens her hands and gives and serves the poor.

Her hands are diligent to make cloth and clothes, and her hands hold these clothes out for other people to be able to be clothed. She gives dignity (nakedness) and warmth to others, and see this as something that is important to do. Later the text says that she does not fear the future – but those around her who are poor and needy do fear what is to come – so she also gives security to other people. She takes away this burden of worry.

Looks Ahead (vv. 21, 25)

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

Scarlet clothing was expensive, of the highest quality, and would be adequate for cold weather. Because she has worked hard and saved money – either she has saved up to buy, or she has made their clothes. Either way, when the cold weather months come she does not have to fear.

Wisdom means skill, and part of wisdom is the ability to look at one’s life as a whole, or to be able to see how our actions will lead to a certain way of life (consequences, long life).

Also, typically wool clothes were not dyed, so the fact that it was colored scarlet means that she has added some personality and flair to the clothes. “25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She includes her own bright personality to her work and makes it fun.

Takes Pride Her Appearance and Her Home (v. 22)

22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

She again makes her children’s clothes, bed coverings, and now the mother in reminding her son what to look for in a wife tells him to look for an excellent wife who takes some pride in her appearance.

She honors God (who gave her the beauty) and honors her husband by taking time to put herself together. She knows that how she presents herself is extended to her husband and her family.

Brings Honor to Her Husband (v.23)

23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

She enhances her husband’s reputation. He’s risen to the very top of the esteem of the people in the profession he has chosen in life because he is free to do so because of the dutiful wife. She creates a world for him and their family in which he can be everything that God would want him to be.

She’s so faithful to the duties of her love that he is free to be all that he can be as a man. He is known in the gates. He is a well-known man. The implication there is that he is esteemed, he is honored, he is respected.

Teaches Others (v. 26)

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Not only does she open her hands to the poor, but she opens her mouth to teach her children wisdom and shares her wisdom with her husband. When she teaches her children she is not being hypocritical. If you live in the home with someone you know if they are just talking or are they being genuine and honest.

III. A Wise Woman Will Be Blessed (vv. 28-31)

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Children and her husband realize how she has lived her life and see how she has been a part of their lives and “call her blessed.”

If a woman is charming – then she uses her personality to manipulate, charm is a way of approaching another for the purpose of getting something you want. So, how do you know if she’s being truthful or if she’s playing you? If she is beautiful, it will fade – there is a sure bet for the woman you are looking to marry – what does her character show?

With all these things that we have mentioned, how is a woman ever going to be able to do them all? Proverbs begins with a call to wisdom and to fear the Lord, and here is a portrait of a woman who is wise and fears the Lord. Matthew Henry said, “Proverbs 31 is the mirror against which every Christian woman must stand and face herself.”

She can do all these things if her life is centered on Christ, and gives herself unselfishly to her home and family.

The mother in Proverbs 31 tells her son to look for a list of godly virtues. What are you looking for today?

Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation’s deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. What are you living for? Is the past, however glorious or painful, what you’ve set your sights upon? Or are you seeking after new, abundant life? Only if you know what you’re looking for will you find it.

[1] Acts 9:36

“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”

Ephesians 6:1-4

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