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2 Timothy was the last letter written by Paul – writing in prison in Rome, while awaiting execution.  His major concern is his spiritual ‘son’ Timothy and his ministry in Ephesus.  Though Paul is alone – ‘everyone…has deserted me’ (1:15) there is no self-pity.  Timothy was called to minister in a difficult situation, with a personality tending towards timidity and having to deal with false teaching regarding the resurrection.  Paul’s focus, however, is on positive truth.  Consider 2 Timothy 2:19 God’s solid foundation.

1. The foundation God laid

Despite the challenges and the damage done to the church, Paul affirms strongly ‘Nevertheless’ – turning attention to God’s mighty and gracious work.  These are words of faith – ‘God’s solid foundation stands firm’ – to strengthen Timothy and all God’s people.  The best view is that the ‘foundation’ is the true church of God – ‘the pillar and foundation of the truth’ (1 Timothy 3:15).  As the handiwork of God it cannot be destroyed.  Note Christ’s statement in Matthew 16:18 ‘I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it’.  The church is established by the purchase of sinners by the very blood of God (Acts 20:28).  Paul’s wording is significant: ‘stands firm’ is a perfect tense, a past action of God that has ongoing consequences – ‘remains standing’.  Paul stresses the permanency and the stability of the church – whatever the attacks, the church will never be overwhelmed, a great truth to hold on to.

2. The seal God applied

The Lord seals the foundation with an inscription.  A seal has several kinds of significance:

            It affirms ownership – the church belongs to God

            It authenticates identity – this church alone is the true church

            It protects from tampering – the blood-bought church of God cannot be destroyed or taken over, although bodies professing to be the church may prove false.

Two aspects of the seal show why ‘God’s solid foundation stands firm’:

• Sovereign grace: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’ – the language of covenant and salvation.  He has entered into a relationship of love with them.  He loves them ‘with an everlasting love’ (Jeremiah 31:3) and chose them before creation (Ephesians 1:4).  It is not surprising that Jesus, speaking as ‘the good shepherd’ (John 10:11) can say ‘I know my sheep’ (v14).  He loves them and gave himself for them.

• Godly living: ‘God’s solid foundation’ embraces not only God’s work of sovereign grace but also the human response of godly living.  On the seal is a second statement that is equally true: ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’.  Here is a statement of human responsibility.  Turning away from wickedness is an inevitable consequence of divine grace.  Our decisive break with sin at conversion must be worked out in daily godly living with the enabling of the Spirit.

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Times of uncertainty can be disorientating for us.  The inability to know what will come next can cause us to be uncertain and anxious.  Such feelings are normal for finite humans who cannot see into the future.  Yet, Christians ought to hold onto God in uncertain times because in Psalm 33 we see God as the God of History, the One who is in perfect control.

1. The Certainty of God’s Plans

Psalm 33 establishes that God’s plans stand firm forever (v.11).  Whatever God plans will happen at exactly the appointed time.  God has never been more or less in control.  We can be certain of God’s plans coming to pass because they occur with his created world.  The psalm shows God to be Creator in (vv.6-9) and we are included in that creation (v. 15).  The truth of God’s control should displace any notion in our minds that God is the aloof Creator, who created the world, set the stage, gave us the props and then removed himself.  God has not lost control.  He exercises complete control, and his plans are certain to come about.

2. The Loving Content of God’s Plans

God is in control, but are his plans any good?  Should we be worried?  The thought of the world being overseen by a God without any standard of goodness is a frightening thought.  Thankfully, that’s not the case.  God is Holy and we see his character summarised in (vv.4-5).  God’s ‘unfailing love’ is mentioned three times through this psalm (vv.5,18,22).  This is the love that he shows to us, the undeserving.  The love that has brought us into covenant relationship with himself.  He has done all the work and orchestrated human history to bring about salvation for his chosen inheritance.  God’s plans then are the purposes of his heart and so reflect his nature (v.11).  We see the love of God towards his rebellious creation through the plan of salvation that took Christ to the Cross.

3. The Consequence of our Hope

When discussing the consequences, we can’t just say that the consequences of this truth are the same for all.  No, how you respond and what you believe will have consequences.

• For those who misplace their hope

Those who reject the offer of salvation through Christ are rejecting the only effective means of salvation.  They are rejecting the only hope they have of eternal life with God in Heaven.  You’re setting yourself up in opposition to the Creator of the world and the Director of world history.  What a foolish position to put yourself in for God foils the plans of his opponents (v.10).  We see the foolishness of misplacing your hope in (vv.16-17).  Now is the time to change the foundation of your hope, whilst there is still time.

• For those who hope in the Lord

If our hope is in the Lord, then, what he has done in the past for us cannot be undone and what he has promised for our future is certain.  Christ’s decisive and victorious intervention in human history is the greatest demonstration of God’s unfailing love for us.  Knowing that God is in control of all human history and knowing that he is the redeemer of creation should foster confidence in the mind of the believer.  It should enable us to exercise faith even when we can’t see what God is doing.  The final three verses of this psalm ought to be our own prayer.

Matthew Magee

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If anyone could have hoped to please God by living a moral life, it was Saul of Tarsus, the zealous Pharisee: ‘as for legalistic righteousness, faultless’ (Philippians 3:6).  But in a dramatic way he came to realise that such efforts were doomed to failure.  He was brought by God’s grace to trust in Christ.  He understood that a spiritual revolution had taken place in his life which he described in terms of union with Christ.  He speaks of this in Galatians 2:20 Crucified with Christ.

1. The death that has been died

Paul speaks of his spiritual transformation in terms of a death (v19), a radical break with his Pharisaic past, but note there are two deaths discussed when he refers to ‘crucified with Christ’:

            (a) The death of Christ.  Only on this basis may sinners be saved and transformed.  Christ died as the representative of his elect – ‘God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us’ (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Paul’s description here is most significant.  He uses the title ‘Son of God’ – the deity of Christ gave his sacrifice infinite value to redeem his people.  God himself provided what was needed.  Note ‘who loved me’ – personal redemptive love from before the creation.  None of God’s people is merged into the crowd.  Love resulted in specific action – ‘gave himself for me’ – in my place.  Every believer can say the same.  The love of Christ reached its goal at Calvary.

            (b) The death of Paul.  ‘I have been crucified with Christ’.  Even though Paul’s death could not be redemptive, it is nevertheless real.  All who put their faith in Christ die a spiritual death – in a profound sense they die with Christ.  In a legal sense what Christ accomplished is counted as belonging to his people.  We also die in a personal sense – ‘those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires’ (Galatians 5:4).  The old nature has been put to death.  The dominion of sin is destroyed.  ‘I no longer live’ – he no longer lives for self.  This is how we must now view ourselves.  We are dead to the old life of sin and rejoice in a new freedom.

2. The life that is to be lived

Paul continues – ‘The life that I live in the body’ – life in this present world continues, we are not raptured into heaven upon conversion.  It is again essential to see that two lives are in view:

            (a) The life of Christ.  ‘Christ lives in me’.  In a mysterious sense Christ indwells his people.  There is a fellowship between them that words cannot fully express, fulfilling the covenant promise is ‘I will walk among you and be your God’ (Leviticus 26:12).  Christ is the source of our life (Colossians 3:4).  This is an ongoing daily reality.  He is our source of strength to face whatever God in his providence sends.  ‘I can do everything through him who gives me strength’ (Philippians 4:13).

            (b) The life of Paul.  His life is ‘in the body’ – literally ‘in the flesh’, indicating human nature in its weakness and frailty.  The believer cannot escape into some ‘higher life’.  Christian faith is to be lived out in the realities of a fallen world.  Paul had his ‘thorn in the flesh’ (2 Corinthians 12:7).  The Christian is not called to a life of ease.  Jesus warned ‘in this world you will have trouble’ (John 16:33), but we have all the necessary resources if we approach life in the right way – we are to ‘live by faith in the Son of God’.  We must draw on his strength and provision.  He will ‘supply all your need’ (Philippians 4:19).  To focus on self brings despair.  We must focus instead on Christ who told us ‘I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).

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The Bible is not like any other book.  It was written by human authors, but at the same time is the result of the miraculous work of God (2 Timothy 3:16).  The Holy Spirit guided the authors in their work.  The result is that the Bible is the Word of God.  We must always approach the Bible in this frame of mind, and particularly with prayer.  We consider such a prayer in Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes.

1. The need for divine teaching

The prayer ‘Open’ indicates that our eyes are closed.  Scripture often uses the language of blindness to express the spiritual condition of people.  That is true before conversion – we are unable to understand the truth revealed in Scripture.  Regarding the things of God, we ‘cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned’ (1 Corinthians 2:14).  It can also apply after conversion – we remain limited (2 Peter 3:16) and our sin clouds our understanding, hindering our engagement with the Word.  We need divine teaching.

2. The agent of divine teaching

The very fact this is a prayer shows the agent of instruction is the Lord.  From the wider context of Scripture we can say that it is particularly the role of the Holy Spirit, as the channel of revelation.  He gave the revelation (2 Peter 1:21) and because of our limits and sins we need him as our Illuminator.  The promise of John 16:13 ‘he will guide you into all truth’ applies to the apostles but in a secondary sense to all believers.  We need a divine teacher:

            Only God fully understands the ‘wonderful things’ (1 Corinthians 2:11)

            Only God can apply truth to the heart.  He graciously enables understanding and an appropriate response of faith, repentance, awe and rejoicing, beyond human power.

3. The nature of divine teaching

The Spirit’s ministry relates to the written revelation, ‘your law’, covering the entirety of the Scriptures.  The Spirit illumines the word he has already given, enabling us to understand and submit to God’s truth.  When Psalm 119 was written, much of God’s Word was still to be given.  The apostles were the final channels of God’s revelation.  With their passing, the age of new revelation has passed and we are not to seek fresh revelations, but to give ourselves to the study of the Word given.  The result of the Spirit’s work is love for the Word (v97).

4. The content of divine teaching

What are the ‘wonderful things’ we seek to see in ‘your law’?

• Concerning God: God’s law is primarily a revelation of himself.  He tells us the kind of God he is – sovereign, holy, gracious, compassionate, a Trinity.
• Concerning ourselves: we need a proper understanding of humanity as created, fallen, deserving judgment, capable of a new life of obedience by God’s grace.
• Concerning salvation: a gracious God provides salvation, foretold in the Old Testament and fully revealed in the New, salvation through the work of God’s Son incarnate.

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If a special meal has been arranged, the host wants everything to go smoothly.  How the event goes will say something about the host.  If something unforeseen happens, if something or someone else becomes the focus, it could be a disaster.  Such a threat arises at Simon the Pharisee’s dinner.  We turn now to consider Luke 7:36-50 The wonder of grace.

1. Striking action

Such a meal would be quite a public event, with people able to walk in.  A woman comes in – she very deliberately wants to meet Jesus.  We gradually discover the reason.  Note ‘a woman of the city, a sinner’ (v37 ESV) – it is generally assumed she was a prostitute.  Certainly, she was a notorious sinner whose presence was unwelcome to respectable guests and an offence to a Pharisee.  She showed courage and determination – meeting Jesus really matters.  Her action is shocking.  An ‘alabaster jar of perfume’ (v37) is very expensive – a really extravagant gesture.  There is deep emotion – ‘weeping’.  Her loose hair (v38) is not ‘respectable’.  The dinner guests were probably stunned into silence, but Jesus understands.  The key is v47 ‘she loved much’.  Her actions are tokens of her love because ‘her many sins have been forgiven’.  Jesus will focus on her actions as a forgiven sinner.

2. Stinging criticism

Simon was a pillar of the religious establishment.  Perhaps he had no serious interest in Jesus’ message.  His focus is the sinfulness of the woman.  He puts her in a category to which he is sure he does not belong.  He has no sense of his own sin.  Regarding Jesus, Simon thinks, ‘If this man were a prophet’ (v39) – he does not believe Jesus is a prophet.  If he were a prophet, Simon thinks, he would not associate with people like her.  The Lord knows his heart.  Simon has no sense of spiritual need, but is hardened in loveless self-righteousness.

3. Strong rebuke

Jesus knows Simon’s thoughts – he makes his point by telling a story of two debtors (v41).  The point is clear – ‘which of them will love him more?’ (v42).  Simon’s ‘I suppose’ suggests reluctance to answer.  Jesus drives home the lesson regarding ‘this woman’ in a series of contrasts (v44-46).  Simon’s religion was, at best, keeping rules.  The key issue is ‘she loved much’ (v47).  There is no evidence of love in Simon’s heart.  He has not experienced grace and has no sense of need of forgiveness.  Jesus exposes the emptiness of loveless religion.

4. Saving grace

We must be clear on what Jesus says.  This is not a case of love earning salvation.  The woman’s sin is not glossed over – ‘her sins, which are many, are forgiven’ (v47) – sin needs to be forgiven, but ‘forgiven’ is in the perfect tense (also in v48) – her sins were forgiven before she loved.  Her love was proof of God’s forgiveness by grace.  She wept and anointed Jesus’ feet as a forgiven sinner.  Good works follow forgiveness (Ephesians 2:8).  As God, Jesus forgives and the crowd wonders (v49).  ‘Your faith [God-given] has saved you’ (v50).

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There is no pleasing some people, or so it seems.  No matter what is done for them, it is never right.  This applies as much in spiritual things as in any other area of life.  A Christian little involved in society and one thoroughly involved are criticised equally.  We see this with regard to John and Jesus.  We turn now to consider Luke 7:18-35 John and Jesus compared.

1. Healing the sick

            (i). John’s struggle.  John is in prison for his faithful witness to Herod (3:19-20).  Through his disciples he asks Jesus a strange question: ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’ (v19).  Why such a question from the man who knew Jesus was ‘the Lamb of God’ (John 1:29)?  Perhaps it was discouragement due to harsh imprisonment.  Maybe John is puzzled by Jesus’ ministry.  Jesus preached good news but where was the judgment also spoken of in Isaiah 61:2?  Why were the enemies of Israel not defeated?  Perhaps John was disappointed by the results of Jesus’ ministry.

            (ii). Jesus’ signs.  Jesus is very gentle with John.  He continues to perform miracles (v21) as a deliberate answer to John.  His disciples are to ‘report what you have seen and heard’ (v25) – healings, raising the dead and especially ‘good news is preached to the poor’, fulfilling OT prophecies such as Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1-2.   These are signs of the Messiah’s identity as the transformer of broken lives and the giver of salvation that is the key to all other blessings.  Hence ‘Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me’ (v23) – a challenge to commit to the Messiah as he truly is, not as we might imagine him to be.

2. Raising the dead

Jesus takes this opportunity to ‘speak to the crowd about John (v24).  Note:

            (i). False expectations.  ‘What did you go out into the desert to see?’ (v24) – the crucial question.  John was not a ‘reed swayed by the wind’ or a ‘man dressed in fine clothes’, but rather a prophet ‘and more than a prophet’ (v26).  A prophet was expected before the coming of the Messiah – but what did the crowd do with his preaching?  The call to repentance was ultimately refused.  Revelation requires a believing response.

            (ii). Fulfilled prophecy.  John’s role did fulfil prophecy, especially Malachi 3:1, the messenger preparing for the Messiah’s coming (as John realised, John 1:23, quoting Isaiah 40:3).  But John was not the Messiah, but a kind of bridge between OT and NT.  Jesus is the ultimate fulfilment of prophecy.  Through him alone sinners enter the kingdom.  Hence the least in the kingdom is greater than John (v28) – our privileges in the kingdom are great.

            (iii). Fickle crowds.  There was a degree of positive response to John’s ministry (v29), but ‘the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves’ (v30).  They were hardened in self-righteousness.  In v31ff Jesus probes beneath the surface of ‘this generation’ – they rejected John’s ministry and also Jesus’ very different ministry (v33-34).  But godly wisdom could see God at work in both ministries, when grace opens our eyes (v35).

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Among the many trials people have to bear, the greatest hardships are often caused by sickness and death.  Serious illness and death come to all, Christians included.  Both bring burdens that may cause the sufferer and others to struggle.  In such a world Jesus exercised his messianic ministry.  We turn now to consider Luke 7:1-17 Issues of life and death.

1. Healing the sick

As Jesus enters Capernaum, a remarkable incident takes place, concerning ‘a centurion’s servant…sick and about to die’ (v2).  This Roman soldier, a Gentile, is no ordinary centurion:

            (i). The compassion he had for the servant.  This is in fact a slave, a piece of property in Roman law, yet the centurion ‘valued [him] highly’.  He placed enough value on the servant to go to considerable lengths to contact Jesus – he ‘sent some elders of the Jews’ (v3).

           (ii). The respect he enjoyed among the Jews who regard him highly.  They ‘pleaded earnestly with Jesus’ (v4) – note he ‘deserves to have you do this’.  The reason is surprising – he has built their synagogue (v5) – possibly he was a ‘God-fearer’ who attended synagogue.

            (iii). The faith he expressed.  This is more than curiosity.  Note he is humble – ‘I do not deserve…’ (v6) and he has faith – ‘say the word and my servant will be healed’ (v7).  Jesus’ evaluation is crucial – ‘I have not found such great faith’ (v9).  He responds to the need.

We see clearly Jesus’ authority in the healing.  As Messiah he demonstrates his identity as the One who transforms lives.  The healing is a sign that he is able to change sinners and give them ‘life…to the full’ (John 10:10).  To have that life, we must look to him in faith.

2. Raising the dead

Jesus next confronts death as he come face to face with the tragedy described in v12.  Note:

            (i). A fallen world.  The main reason for the presence of suffering and death in the world is man’s sin (see Romans 5:2).  The material world is implicated in human sin and death has intruded into God’s good creation, bringing sorrow and many other evils.  At Nain Jesus confronts the consequences of the fallen state of the world.

            (ii). A compassionate Messiah.  This is vividly expressed in v13 ‘his heart went out to her’ – the word that expresses a deep physical response on Jesus’ part.  This is both human and divine compassion, responding to sin and its consequences.  Jesus willingly becomes ceremonially unclean (v14).  He gives the son back to his mother – a tender and gracious act.

            (iii). A mighty Lord.  The Messiah’s authority is revealed in raising the dead, giving life in place of death.  In speaking to the dead Jesus speaks with divine authority, enabling immediate obedience.  God’s word brings fulfilment.  Jesus is ‘the Lord’ (v13, first time in Luke) – in a more wonderful way than they realised.  God and man, he defeats sin and death.