Psalm 20, 21; Deut. 5:22-33; 2 Cor. 13:1-14; Matt. 7:22-29
Moses recounts what happened on the mountain after the commandments were given. The people that day elected Moses to represent them before the Lord because of their fear of what they had seen and heard. They knew the presence of the Lord was a powerful thing and their response was fear, which we are told is the beginning of wisdom. Moses was willing to assume the role and the Lord accepted him in that role. He had already appointed Moses for the work of leader but it was important that the people recognized and affirmed him as well. Has the situation changed since the giving of the Spirit? I believe that the local church continues to have a need for leaders, those set apart whose duty it is to pray specifically for the direction of the local body and to intercede for the church before the Lord.
Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a strong admonition to build the house of your life on these teachings. There is no humility to this conclusion nor should there be. When we teach the Word of God and not our own opinion of things we can encourage people to build their lives on the teaching. When we move into speculative theology or away from the Word we are encouraging people to build on sand. The solid foundation of God’s Word is the only safe foundation. The people recognize the authority in Jesus’ teaching that differentiates Him from the scribes and Pharisees. The difference is that the Word is written not on tablets of stone but deep and permanently on the heart. Our authority is derived from the Spirit’s work in us.
Outside the work of Jesus, the most important thing the Lord has done for us is to give us the Spirit of truth. We have certainty due to Christ living in us by the power of the Holy Spirit and can stand in the truth that is communicated to our spirit by the Holy Spirit. We can test ourselves by allowing the Spirit to shine the light of truth on our lives. Paul says he could do nothing against the truth but only for the truth, is that true in your life? Perhaps the most neglected gift we have received is the Spirit because we are so accustomed to living from the flesh that we neglect the Spirit. Richard Foster began his book, Celebration of Discipline with a simple yet profound observation, "Superficiality is the curse of our age.... The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” Are we prepared to be those people the world needs?
Lead on, O King eternal,
The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong;
And now, O King eternal,
We lift our battle song.
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