13 February 2011

Psalm 66, 67; Isa. 62:6-12; 1 John 2:3-11; John 8:12-19

The Lord appoints watchmen for the walls to await His coming to establish Jerusalem which is to say, the nation. He promises that there will come a time when judgment has passed, that the covenant of peace and blessing will be everlasting and sets the watchmen to keep an eye out for it. The Lord’s prayer says that we are the watchmen, praying for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. There are also those who are appointed in the second section of the passage to be those who prepare the way for the Lord, to make His path straight and smooth and to proclaim to all that their redemption and their Redeemer is coming. That is our work as well, proclamation and preparation. We are not passive watchers.

Jesus proclaims Himself to be the light of the world. It is easy to see why the Pharisees would object to this self-designation. The word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path and therefore the Word of God itself is the light of the world. The Pharisees and scribes are now the keepers of that light, the ones who reveal righteousness to the world, and here this Jesus claims to be that light. This is at another festival, the festival of light itself, the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus’ claim can be investigated, it is a claim that demands investigation, further inquiry. He was unafraid to attract such attention, in fact he sought it. It is indeed a provocative claim and yet he backs up that claim if we will but come to Him and walk in that light.

Keeping the commandments and loving our neighbors is walking in the light according to John. We prove to be His disciples to the extent we keep the commandments He has given and the chief among them are loving God and loving your neighbor. Francis Schaeffer wrote a little book called The Mark of the Christian and it was all about loving one another. Missional church is little more than loving your neighbor as Christ loves you, simple as that. It means setting the needs of others and the glory of God above yourself. We don’t do it because we are nice, polite people, we do it because we love Him and seek His glory while simultaneously presenting the Gospel to others in word and deed.

Blessed are your poor

For the Kingdom shall be theirs

Blest are you that weep and mourn

for one day you shall laugh.

And if wicked men insult and hate you

All because of Me

Blessed, blessed are you!

Be not afraid

I go before you always

Come follow Me

and I shall give you rest...