Grand Kids Year-end

Last post in 2014 – grand kids again!

KSP singing He’s Able:

SEL doing hand stand:

NCP snow slide:

ZML sitting on cousin:

Ray’s 2014

Both Facebook and Google+ make the year in review for their subscribers – the former with photos you post online, the latter with photos and videos automatically backed up on the “cloud”. This clip is the latter, and 2014 was eventful. It started with:
* our kids treating us to a Disney vacation with their families,
* my mom being hospitalized with pneumonia twice, while we were out-of-the-country on a short-term mission trip to explore the feasibility of entering a potential field.
* We then celebrated our 40th anniversary on a Baltic cruise with a couple of our best friends,
* renovated our house over 3 months in 2 stages,
* my mom going home to be with the Lord, and
* trying 10 different ways over 2 months to resolve a raccoon problem.
* We went on a second STM to plant the seed for a new church, and
* ended the year with a mini reunion with several of our university classmates and their spouses, friends we’ve known for 46 years.
A mix of ups and downs, fun and work. Some memorable, some we’ll rather not go through again. In this world we will have trouble, and challenges. Some battles are worth fighting for, some not. Don’t waste your life. Only one life ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last (CT Studd). Do what you can with what you have for the Lord. The rest will fall into place.

Why does Jesus have to come again?

Q. Why does Jesus Christ have to return? He came to save us the first time, but why do we need a Second Coming?

A. Torrey’s Topical Textbook cites six purposes for Christ’s Second Coming:

1. To complete the salvation of saints. We have been justified and are being sanctified, but will be glorified at His Second Coming:
• Heb 9:28 … and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.
• 1 Pet 15 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

2. To be glorified and marveled at by His saints.
• 2 Thes 1:10 on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. …

3. To reveal what’s hidden. Often we are deceived because we don’t know the real motives, but all will be brought to light:
• 1 Co 4:5 … He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. …

4. To judge. Christ will return to execute justice. If there is no Second Coming the ungodly will go unpunished and there will be no righting of wrongs:
• Jn 5:22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
• 2 Tim 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, …
• Jude 1:15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
• Rev 20:11-13 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.

5. To reign. The first time He came as Savior, the second time He will come as King:
• Rev 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign for ever and ever.”

6. To destroy death. He will destroy all His enemies, including death.
• 1 Co 15:25-26 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Often people think of God only as love to come and save us. That is true and that’s what He did at His First Coming. But God is also just and must punish sin, which is what He will do at His Second Coming. God’s love and justice are in dynamic tension and we must not ignore one at the expense of the other. His attribute of righteousness demands His Second Coming to execute justice.

Who wrote Hebrews?

Q. Who wrote the book of Hebrews?

A. The short answer is no one knows for sure, but there are guesses. Some say Paul, but it appears unlikely:
• Paul always identifies himself (refer 1:1 from Romans to Philemon), but Hebrews has no such self-identification.
• Heb 2:3 ” This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.” tells us that the author did not hear the Lord directly, but Paul did. Gal 1:12 “I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”
• The writing styles are different.
• Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13, Ga 2:8), but Hebrews is addressed to Jews.
Based on the above I don’t think it was Paul.

Tertullian (about AD 200) suggested Barnabas, as Hebrews is full of teachings explaining the OT to Christians, and Barnabas was a teacher, listed first among the prophets and teachers in Antioch:
• Acts 11:26 So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people..
• Acts 13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, …
• Acts 15:35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Martin Luther (about AD 1500) suggested Apollos, based on the fact that Apollos knew the Scriptures and was regarded on par with Paul and Peter:
• Acts 18:24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.
• 1 Co 1:12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” (See also 3:4-6, 22)

Both are possible, but neither has any direct evidence. Of the two, Barnabas appears more likely as Tertullian was closer in time, but we just can’t be sure. In the end, it does not really matter as the Holy Spirit is the ultimate author who inspired the book, and we can be sure that what it teaches is reliable and trustworthy.

The Christmas Scale

I am the only one in my family who does not know how to play the piano. But I know one chord, and it contains the most important message in the world.
Lk 2:10-11 I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy New Year!

Parable of the Yeast

Q. In Lk 13:20-21, why is the kingdom of heaven like yeast? Why is Jesus so cryptic?

A. The word “yeast” appears 10 times in the NT:

• Mt 13:33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
• Mt 16:6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
• Mt 16:11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
• Mt 16:12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
• Mk 8:15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
• Lk 12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
• Lk 13:21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
• 1 Co 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
• 1 Co 5:7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are.
• Ga 5:9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

Observation
• Literally just a little yeast is enough to work through the whole dough.
• Figuratively yeast is used to represent the teachings of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herod.
• Yeast also represents boasting, being puffed up.
• As new unleavened dough, we are to get rid of the old yeast.

Interpretation
Some commentators see the parable of the yeast as teaching the same thing as the parable of the mustard seed – the growth of the kingdom of heaven, that a small thing can permeate everything. That is true. However, as you can see in the observation, yeast is consistently used in a negative sense in the NT, and I do not see Mt 13 and Lk 13 as exceptions.

Yeast is a fungi, and works by fermentation. It does not work when it’s dry and cold, and is destroyed by heat. It works best when it is moist and lukewarm, when the yeast breaks down the sugar in the flour and gives off alcohol and carbon dioxide, which causes the dough to rise. Since it works under putrid conditions and feeds on its host, it is used as a symbol of corruption and evil. I see this basic meaning in the parable.

The mustard seed and the yeast are twin parables teaching opposite aspects of the kingdom of heaven. The former is primarily positive but contains negative elements, the latter is primarily negative but has positive aspects. The kingdom of heaven or God is not the same as the Church. The former is the realm of the rule of God, and contains both the people of God and those who do not belong to Him, but taking shelter under it. The Church consists of the redeemed only.

Because of the mix of God’s elect and non-elect within the kingdom, birds can rest on the mustard branches, while yeast can infiltrate and try to corrupt God’s people. Just as one pin can burst a balloon, so a little yeast can affect the entire dough. Our Lord specifically named 3 types of yeast:
• Pharisees – hypocrisy (Lk 12:1);
• Sadducees – unbelief (Acts 23:8 The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits.)
• Herod – power (he beheaded John the baptizer), or cunning (Jesus called him a fox Lk 13:32).
Christians are tempted to be hypocritical, pretending to be who they are not to appear good, to disbelieve through lack of faith, and to ingratiate themselves with political power, doing the expedient rather than what’s right. The Lord warned us against all that, which Paul enjoined.

Application
Again you have to work out your own application, specific to your circumstances. Growth is good, but cultivate it within God’s means.

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Q. In Mt 13:18-19, why is the kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed? What has heaven got to do with mustard?

A. The term “mustard seed” appears 5 times in the Bible:

• Mt 13:31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.”
• Mt 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
• Mk 4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
• Lk 13:19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.
• Lk 17:6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

The mustard is the smallest of all seeds commercially cultivated in Palestine, yet can grow to be a big shrub like a tree. The Lord compares our faith’s growth to a mustard seed. The imagery comes from Dan 4:10-12
• These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
In that vision Nebuchadnezzar was the tree, whose dominion extended to distant parts of the earth, and the nations found shelter in his kingdom.

The Lord used this as a symbol of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom has a humble beginning, starting with a dozen disciples. However, it grew and grew until nations find shelter in its branches. Yet there is a negative element in the symbol. Birds represent evil in the Lord’s parables:
• Mt 4:4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
• Mt 4:19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

So while positively the mustard seed represents faith that grew, negatively the mustard tree can become so big that it shelters evil. You can observe that today. Evil can be perpetrated under the name of Christianity. Though “birds” hiding under a Christian guise are not believers at all, yet the world sees them as Christians and give Christianity a bad name. The parable is in fact prophetic as well as symbolic.

A Lamp on a Stand

Q. In Lk 8:16-18, what does the lamp on a stand mean? Has it anything to do with the customs then?

A. First let’s look at Lk 8:16-18:
• Lk 8:16-18 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Observation:
Three places are mentioned where a lighted lamp could be put:
• in a clay jar;
• under a bed;
• on a stand.
Two principles are then drawn:
• Everything hidden/concealed will be disclosed;
• Whoever has will be given more.

Similar observations are given in parallel passages, except a “bowl” is used instead of a “clay jar”:
• Mt 5:15-16 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
• Mk 4:21-22 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
• Lk 11:33 No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

Interpretation:
The lamp represents one’s life, in particular a lighted lamp a person who knows God (Mt 5:18 You are the light of the world). The light represents his good deeds (Mt 5:16). The normal place to put a lamp is on a stand, where everyone may see the light. It should not be placed under a bowl or a bed, where the light is wasted. The bowl is used for food, and represents making a living. The bed represents marriage (Heb 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure). Life could be “wasted” by preoccupation with earning a living, or the welfare of the family. Both are necessary, but should not be allowed to smother one’s light.

Truth cannot be hidden. It will eventually be brought out into the open. If we have God’s truth, we have the responsibility to make it known, just as if we have the cure for cancer, we have responsibility to tell others and not keep quiet. God will give us opportunities to share the good news. If we make use of these opportunities, God will sharpen our witness and give us more opportunities. We go from strength to strength (Ps 84:7). If we keep silent, God will put us on the sideline and won’t use us anymore. The principle behind “whoever has will be given more” is “You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things (Mt 25:21, 23)“. God tests us and rewards those who are faithful.

Application:
I don’t know your specific circumstances, so you have to come up with your own applications unique to your situation. But several principles are obvious:
• We should let our light shine to glorify the Father, and keep our livelihood and family in their proper place.
• We need to seize the opportunities to speak up and not be afraid.
• The more we share, the better we will be at it. Practice makes perfect.

Christmas Activities

December is very hectic with preaching at two churches, attending grandchildren’s school presentation, visiting the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery District, doing volunteer work, and many parties and dinners. Let’s not let our busyness crowd the real meaning of Christmas, which is Christ coming to save us. Wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Action accompanying song.

KSP singing solo

Just looking pretty.

NCP just wouldn’t sing.

Very difficult to get all 4 looking at camera!

Toronto Christmas Market in Distillery District

With our niece

Volunteering at CNIB as gift-wrapper:

Restoration of Israel

Q. Is the restoration of Israel in Isa 49:8-26 referring to the re-establishment of the Israel nation in 1948 which already happened?

A. Most, but not all e.g. in 1948 the Jewish Diaspora did return from afar all over the world:
v 12 they will come from afar—some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan i.e. south.

​However,
v 23 ​They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground;​ they will lick the dust at your feet​, or
v 26 ​I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;​ they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.​

These haven’t happened yet. Many nations are opposed to, or at best only tolerant of, Israel. These await future fulfillment.​