Irony by Gary Rose

Using one word, describe this picture?

For me, that word is Irony.

Consider...

The Wordnet dictionary says...

1. (5) sarcasm, irony, satire, caustic remark -- (witty language used to convey insults or scorn; "he used sarcasm to upset his opponent"; "irony is wasted on the stupid"; "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"--Jonathan Swift)

2. (3) irony -- (incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs; "the irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated")

3. irony -- (a trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs)

You would expect that a fire hydrant would be used to put out a fire, not be put on fire, so the meaning that is highlighted in blue is my choice. This picture also reminds me of my chemistry teacher in high school. Why? Well, after I started my class in chemistry, it wasn’t long before my teacher (whose name was Mr. Osterhout) called me aside and told me I was not going to pass this course and that I should drop it before I received a failing grade. I did. But that was not the end of the story, only the beginning. A few years later, I started working in a chemical laboratory and over the next few decades, actually worked in bench chemistry for seven different companies; receiving multiple promotions and achievement awards. Irony; a word that I know only too well.

Jesus used irony in his teaching – here is but one example…

Mark 8 ( World English Bible )

Mar 8:34, He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mar 8:35, For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

Mar 8:36, For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

Mar 8:37, For what will a man give in exchange for his life?

Mar 8:38, For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Every single day we make choices, small ones, large ones, those that are important and those that are not. But, Jesus present us with an ironic choice; choose him and follow the spiritual way he dictates or deny him for the things that seem important in everyday life. If you chose Jesus, ultimately it could cost you your earthly life, but you gain eternity in heaven. Chose the things that the world favors, deny Jesus and at the eternal judgment face hell. I chose Jesus, how about you?

Humm, that burning fire hydrant takes on a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?

Bible Reading May 20, 21 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading May 20, 21

World  English  Bible

May 20

Joshua 21, 22

Jos 21:1 Then the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.

Jos 21:2 They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "Yahweh commanded Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for our livestock."

Jos 21:3 The children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the commandment of Yahweh, these cities with their suburbs.

Jos 21:4 The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin.

Jos 21:5 The rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Jos 21:6 The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Jos 21:7 The children of Merari according to their families had twelve cities out of the tribe of Reuben, out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun.

Jos 21:8 The children of Israel gave these cities with their suburbs by lot to the Levites, as Yahweh commanded by Moses.

Jos 21:9 They gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are mentioned by name:

Jos 21:10 and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.

Jos 21:11 They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (the same is Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its suburbs around it.

Jos 21:12 But they gave the fields of the city and its villages to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.

Jos 21:13 To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah with its suburbs,

Jos 21:14 Jattir with its suburbs, Eshtemoa with its suburbs,

Jos 21:15 Holon with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs,

Jos 21:16 Ain with its suburbs, Juttah with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

Jos 21:17 Out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,

Jos 21:18 Anathoth with its suburbs, and Almon with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

Jos 21:20 The families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

Jos 21:21 They gave them Shechem with its suburbs in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Gezer with its suburbs,

Jos 21:22 Kibzaim with its suburbs, and Beth Horon with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:23 Out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its suburbs, Gibbethon with its suburbs,

Jos 21:24 Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:25 Out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; two cities.

Jos 21:26 All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbs.

Jos 21:27 They gave to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be Eshterah with its suburbs; two cities.

Jos 21:28 Out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs,

Jos 21:29 Jarmuth with its suburbs, En Gannim with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:30 Out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs,

Jos 21:31 Helkath with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:32 Out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Hammothdor with its suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs; three cities.

Jos 21:33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

Jos 21:34 To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, Kartah with its suburbs,

Jos 21:35 Dimnah with its suburbs, and Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:36 Out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its suburbs, Jahaz with its suburbs,

Jos 21:37 Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; four cities.

Jos 21:38 Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,

Jos 21:39 Heshbon with its suburbs, Jazer with its suburbs; four cities in all.

Jos 21:40 All these were the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites. Their lot was twelve cities.

Jos 21:41 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their suburbs.

Jos 21:42 Each of these cities included their suburbs around them. It was this way with all these cities.

Jos 21:43 So Yahweh gave to Israel all the land which he swore to give to their fathers. They possessed it, and lived in it.

Jos 21:44 Yahweh gave them rest all around, according to all that he swore to their fathers. Not a man of all their enemies stood before them. Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand.

Jos 21:45 Nothing failed of any good thing which Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.

Jos 22:1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

Jos 22:2 and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you.

Jos 22:3 You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of Yahweh your God.

Jos 22:4 Now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan.

Jos 22:5 Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Jos 22:6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents.

Jos 22:7 Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but to the other half gave Joshua among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,

Jos 22:8 and spoke to them, saying, "Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with brass, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

Jos 22:9 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

Jos 22:10 When they came to the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look at.

Jos 22:11 The children of Israel heard this, "Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertains to the children of Israel."

Jos 22:12 When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.

Jos 22:13 The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

Jos 22:14 and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were everyone of them head of their fathers' houses among the thousands of Israel.

Jos 22:15 They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,

Jos 22:16 "Thus says the whole congregation of Yahweh, 'What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Yahweh, in that you have built you an altar, to rebel this day against Yahweh?

Jos 22:17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of Yahweh,

Jos 22:18 that you must turn away this day from following Yahweh? It will be, seeing that you rebel today against Yahweh, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

Jos 22:19 However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of Yahweh, in which Yahweh's tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but don't rebel against Yahweh, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the altar of Yahweh our God.

Jos 22:20 Didn't Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn't perish alone in his iniquity.' "

Jos 22:21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel,

Jos 22:22 "The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, the Mighty One, God, Yahweh, he knows; and Israel shall know: if it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against Yahweh (don't save us this day),

Jos 22:23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Yahweh; or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings, let Yahweh himself require it.

Jos 22:24 If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, "What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel?

Jos 22:25 For Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no portion in Yahweh." ' So your children might make our children cease from fearing Yahweh.

Jos 22:26 Therefore we said, 'Let's now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;

Jos 22:27 but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of Yahweh before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;' that your children may not tell our children in time to come, 'You have no portion in Yahweh.'

Jos 22:28 Therefore we said, 'It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, "Behold the pattern of the altar of Yahweh, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you." '

Jos 22:29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away this day from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tabernacle!"

Jos 22:30 When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.

Jos 22:31 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, "Today we know that Yahweh is in the midst of us, because you have not committed this trespass against Yahweh. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh."

Jos 22:32 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

Jos 22:33 The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived.

Jos 22:34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar "A Witness Between Us that Yahweh is God."

May 21

Joshua 23, 24

Jos 23:1 It happened after many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,

Jos 23:2 that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, "I am old and well advanced in years.

Jos 23:3 You have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is Yahweh your God who has fought for you.

Jos 23:4 Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea toward the going down of the sun.

Jos 23:5 Yahweh your God will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight. You shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke to you.

Jos 23:6 Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left;

Jos 23:7 that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them;

Jos 23:8 but hold fast to Yahweh your God, as you have done to this day.

Jos 23:9 For Yahweh has driven great and strong nations out from before you. But as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.

Jos 23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand; for it is Yahweh your God who fights for you, as he spoke to you.

Jos 23:11 Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God.

Jos 23:12 Else if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you;

Jos 23:13 know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you.

Jos 23:14 Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you. All have happened to you. Not one thing has failed of it.

Jos 23:15 It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which Yahweh your God spoke to you, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you,

Jos 23:16 when you disobey the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you."

Jos 24:1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Jos 24:2 Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.

Jos 24:3 I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

Jos 24:4 I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it. Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

Jos 24:5 I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did in its midst: and afterward I brought you out.

Jos 24:6 I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Red Sea.

Jos 24:7 When they cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt: and you lived in the wilderness many days.

Jos 24:8 I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan: and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

Jos 24:9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you;

Jos 24:10 but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand.

Jos 24:11 You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand.

Jos 24:12 I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.

Jos 24:13 I gave you a land whereon you had not labored, and cities which you didn't build, and you live in them. You eat of vineyards and olive groves which you didn't plant.'

Jos 24:14 Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh.

Jos 24:15 If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh."

Jos 24:16 The people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods;

Jos 24:17 for it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed.

Jos 24:18 Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God."

Jos 24:19 Joshua said to the people, "You can't serve Yahweh; for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins.

Jos 24:20 If you forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good."

Jos 24:21 The people said to Joshua, "No; but we will serve Yahweh."

Jos 24:22 Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh yourselves, to serve him." They said, "We are witnesses."

Jos 24:23 "Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel."

Jos 24:24 The people said to Joshua, "We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice."

Jos 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

Jos 24:26 Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh.

Jos 24:27 Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of Yahweh which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God."

Jos 24:28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

Jos 24:29 It happened after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred and ten years old.

Jos 24:30 They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.

Jos 24:31 Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had worked for Israel.

Jos 24:32 They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. They became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Jos 24:33 Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.

May 20, 21

John 3

Joh 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

Joh 3:2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can't see the Kingdom of God."

Joh 3:4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, "Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into the Kingdom of God!

Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:7 Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.'

Joh 3:8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Joh 3:9 Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?"

Joh 3:10 Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?

Joh 3:11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don't receive our witness.

Joh 3:12 If I told you earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

Joh 3:13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

Joh 3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

Joh 3:15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:17 For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

Joh 3:18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Joh 3:19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

Joh 3:20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

Joh 3:21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God."

Joh 3:22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.

Joh 3:23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.

Joh 3:24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.

Joh 3:25 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification.

Joh 3:26 They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him."

Joh 3:27 John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

Joh 3:28 You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'

Joh 3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

Joh 3:31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

Joh 3:32 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

Joh 3:33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

Joh 3:34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.

Joh 3:35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

Joh 3:36 One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

To God be the glory in the church! by Roy Davison

To God be the glory in the church!

[Text: Ephesians 3:1-21]

Ephesians 3 ends with a prayer of praise: “To Him be the glory in the church in Christ Jesus¹ to all generations of an eternity of eternities! Amen!” (Ephesians 3:21 RD).

The church glorifies God in various ways.

The church reveals the wisdom of God.

In Ephesians, chapter 3, Paul states that God’s “eternal purpose”² was that “the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”³

God’s wisdom shines forth in His work of redemption through Jesus Christ. “You are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption - that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31).

The church makes God’s wisdom known, first, because of the marvelous beauty of God’s plan of redemption for man, and second, because in word and deed the church glorifies God.

The redeemed are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13, 14). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

In the church, God will be glorified forever!

The church of Christ is the only institution on earth that will exist in all eternity. When Jesus promised to build His church, He said: “And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Hades is the realm of the dead. Thus, the church of Christ exists beyond the grave.

On earth, the church represents the kingdom of heaven. “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). When the Lord adds the saved to the church⁴ they are registered in heaven. Their names “are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3). “Only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of Life” may enter the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27). They are the “church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23).

God is glorified in the body of Christ, His church.

Those who are in the church are in Christ because the church is His body: “He is also head of the body, the church” (Colossians 1:18). There is “one body” (Ephesians 4:4). We are “one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5).⁵ “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). God “put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Ephesians 1:22, 23).

Christ has one body, one church. Often in Scripture the church of Christ is simply called “the church” because there is only one church.

Other religious institutions will be uprooted. “Then His disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?’ But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch’” (Matthew 15:12-14). All denominations and religions of human origin will be uprooted.

Only the church of Christ will glorify God forever. “To Him be the glory in the church in Christ Jesus to all generations of an eternity of eternities!” (Ephesians 3:21 RD).

The church must be cleansed and sanctified to glorify God.

This cleansing is necessary because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Christians are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). The church consists of “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2). “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

As a gift of God’s grace, this cleansing and sanctification occurs at baptism. “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4, 5). We are born again of water and the Spirit (John 3:3, 5). We are baptized into the body of Christ: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

By water Noah was saved from an evil world. Peter says: “There is also an antitype⁶ which now saves us - baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).

After Paul had fasted for three days, he was asked: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). 

Christ cleanses and sanctifies the church to present her to Himself, a glorious church. Paul wrote: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

The sanctified church glorifies God as the beautiful bride of Christ: “‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:7, 8).

The church glorifies God in its preaching and in its service.

“If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).

When we serve we must give God all the glory because He is the one who gives us the ability, strength and resources to serve.

When we speak we must give God all the glory by speaking as the oracles of God. Jesus said, “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory” (John 7:18). God receives the glory only when our preaching conforms to His word.

Paul told Timothy: “Preach the word!” (2 Timothy 4:2). The church is the foundation of the truth: “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). The church glorifies God by preaching the truth in all the world.

The church glorifies God in its worship.

In Psalm 22 David predicts that the Messiah will be remembered in all the world. On the cross, Jesus quotes the first four words of this psalm: “‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:46). Psalm 22 gives details of the crucifixion. The Jewish leaders used words from Psalm 22:8 to mock Jesus as He hung on the cross: “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”⁷ 

“They pierced My hands and My feet” (Psalm 22:16). “They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18).

After His plea for help, the Messiah says, “You have answered Me!” (Psalm 22:21). Then the psalm is victorious: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You” (Psalm 22:22). In Hebrews 2:12 this statement is ascribed to the Messiah in the Christian age. “My praise shall be of You in the great assembly” (Psalm 22:25). Since this is said after the crucifixion, the great assembly is the church of Christ.

In the closing portion of the psalm, David says the Messiah will be remembered in the whole world: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD’s, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship” (Psalm 22:27-29). The worldwide observance of the Lord’s supper is a fulfilment of this prophecy!

To glorify God as the church of Christ let us sing praises to God, let us worship and eat the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week, let us proclaim the good news to all peoples so they can turn to the Lord.

What have we learned?

The church will glorify God forever. God’s wisdom is made known by the church. On earth, the church represents the kingdom of heaven. The saved are registered in heaven. God is glorified in Christ, in His one body, the church. The church must be cleansed and sanctified to glorify God. By grace, this occurs at baptism. The sanctified church is the bride of Christ. The church glorifies God in its preaching, in its service and in its worship. 

Our goal, as a congregation and as individual Christians, must be to glorify God.

“To Him be the glory in the church in Christ Jesus to all generations of an eternity of eternities! Amen!”

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc. Publishers, unless indicated otherwise. Permission for reference use has been granted.

Endnotes

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¹ The original has “ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐν χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ” [“in the church in Christ Jesus”]. Many translators add “and” after church. Linguistically this is admissible if the church and Christ are viewed as two separate sources of glorification. Christians, however, are “one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5). Paul wrote “To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:1). Thus the church is “in Christ Jesus” and only as the body of Christ is the church qualified to glorify God! Thus in my translation I have not added “and”. John Darby’s translation has: “To him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages.” 

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² Ephesians 3:11.

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³ Ephesians 3:10

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⁴ See Acts 2:47.

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⁵ See also 1 Corinthians 10:17; 12:13, 20; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 3:15.

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⁶ Greek: ἀντίτυπος. An “antitype” is something prefigured by a “type” or symbol. Many Old Testament happenings and institutions foreshadowed New Testament realities or fulfilments. Adam was “a type [τύπος] of Him who was to come” (Romans 5:14). Jewish holidays (“a festival or a new moon or sabbaths”) were “a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16, 17).

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⁷ Compare with Matthew 27:43: “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

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Published in The Old Paths Archive
http://www.oldpaths.com

The Resurrection Hoax by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1708

The Resurrection Hoax (Easter 2015)

The Resurrection – Our Hope! What If It Never Happened?

One of the greatest motivators in our life is the feeling of hope. Think about it.

We will do so much, we will put up with so much, we will strive and work really hard if it’s something we desire or hope for.

We all say things like, “I can’t wait until… Friday, or payday, the weekend or my vacation. That which we hope for can really stir us and move us, and sometimes that’s good.

The anticipation of something we hope for can actually make us feel happy, even excited. E.g. How do you feel before a long awaited vacation or trip? (The anticipation excites us, makes us feel good) I remembering Gary Smalley saying in his seminar that it’s a noted fact that for most women the anticipation and preparation for a vacation is actually more exciting for a woman than the actual vacation time itself.

Christianity is religion based on a hope. And our hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus. Traditionally, Easter is a celebration of Christ and his resurrection. But I wonder, What if it was all a hoax?

What if Jesus was no more than a nice guy and a good teacher.

And what if He really didn’t rise from the dead on that third day?

The fact is, our faith and the hope that we have as a Christian rests on the fact that Jesus left that grave almost 2000 years ago, alive! It is the very foundation of Christianity itself.

And so, if the resurrection didn’t really happen, it would in essence pull the rug right out from under Christianity itself.

It’s sad to think that there are a lot of people in the world today who have a hard time swallowing the fact, or belief that Jesus rose from the grave.          To some it is more of a story, fable, or folklore, than fact. What if it was? What if it was fairytale?

How would the face of religion in this world change? Would those who choose to believe in God still have to become a Jew and still wait for our Messiah to come into the world to save us? Would we have only synagogues?

Did you know that there were actually people in the first century church who were teaching that there idea is no resurrection of the dead?

That which we consider the very foundation, the very hope of Christianity, people were passing off as a hoax, or just a imaginary story!

This was actually being taught in some of the first century Christian churches, and when the Apostle Paul hears about it he addresses the matter right away.

Listen to what he writes to the church in Corinth. Read I Cor. 15:12-19

“12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

I can almost hear Paul shaking his head saying, ‘Where did you people get this false idea?’ ‘How could you people come up with idea that there was no resurrection?’

And so in Chapter 15, Paul reminds them of the good news which he preached to them when he first came to them, and that is the fact that Jesus came, that He died for their individual sin, was buried and then rose from the grave. So let’s back up and look at what he originally told them:

Read 1 Cor. 15:1-8 “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”

In verse 17-18, he says in essence, ‘if Christ didn’t really rise, if it was all hoax, then all our faith, all our hopes and dreams of heaven are worthless, a big waste of time, and we are still lost in sin.’

‘And not only that, all those we know who died before us, those we thought to be martyrs, men and women of faith, friends and family members who died believing that Jesus rose are just dead, and now dust, no more.‘

And so he writes, if Christ Jesus didn’t rise,  ‘of all men, we are to be pitied the most.’   And why does he say this? Because we are living a lie, and we are without hope.

Personally, I would have wasted my life going to Bible school and teaching and preaching about Jesus, struggling trying to start and help churches here in NY. It would all have been a waste of time, effort and money.

You also wasted your time coming to church and listening to teachers and preachers all those years. All of that money ever contributed to support teachers, and preachers, and missionaries, and buy evangelistic materials and publications and radio programs, and building church buildings, and so much more, has been just a big waste.

And if it all was a big hoax, a bad joke, a fairy tale, then like Paul writes in verse 32 “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.”

Why, because if there is no resurrection, this is as good as it going to get!The life you are living right now is all you have.

But the pure and simple fact is, Jesus did rise from the dead!

That was the Gospel message Paul preached to them.

Now look at what Paul write to them in vs 15:20-24. “20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” 

First of all he says “Christ has been raised from the dead, and He is the first born of all those who have fallen asleep.” (that is of all those who die)

In the following verses we read of the hope we have in Christ. In vss. 21-22; “for just as death came through that one man, Adam, so in Christ we will all be made alive.”     This is our hope!

But how can we know for sure that this is all true? That is isn’t just a story or fable?

1) First of all, we do know the how, when, and where Jesus died. It was done publicly.

– It is not only a Bible fact, It is a historical one as well. We know more of the specifics of his death; the date the day, time and the method, than we know about his birth.

– At the time no one seemed to doubt whether he was dead or not, and so they placed Him in a tomb and sealed it, and then posted Roman guards outside it to ensure that no one would steal the body.

 But how can we be sure of His resurrection?

#2) We know that it just didn’t happen out of the blue.

What I mean is, for hundreds of years predictions had been made by the prophets that something like this would happen.

Concerning the coming Messiah the prophet Isaiah wrote in 53:11 that after his death ‘He would see the light of life and be satisfied. ‘

David wrote “God would not abandon His Holy one in the grave.”

Even Jesus Himself made the same predictions concerning himself.  Read Mark 8:31-32a & 10:32-34

#3) Paul also mentions the fact that he himself as well as the other apostles personally and more than 500 others saw Jesus after His resurrection.

As I mentioned earlier, it is not only a Biblical fact, secular historians also wrote about these events, Flavius Josephus (37-97 AD), court historian for Emperor Vespasian: (Wrote)       “At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And His conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and other nations became His disciples. Pilate condemned Him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become His disciples did not abandon His discipleship. They reported that He had appeared to them three days after His crucifixion and that He was alive; accordingly, He was perhaps the messiah concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”

The Death, Burial, and Resurrection is the very pinnacle the high point of all Bible History. It is the point in history that all the Old Testament looks forward to and the Point in the New Testament Era that we all look back to as the most important event of all in history. If it never happened we simply won’t have a leg to stand on.

#4) And though many have tried, no one has ever been able to disprove these facts.

#5) And last all but not least, more evidence that this is not just a made up story is the fact that it has had a life changing effect on so many live thru the ages.

In Romans 1 Paul wrote; “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”

This Good New, The Gospel of Jesus Christ; His death, burial and resurrection, has changed more lives, and has brought more people back to God than we will ever know.

In I Corinthians 15 Paul had to deal with the skeptics.

They just couldn’t understand this whole idea of resurrection; so he continues and writes more..

Read I Cor. 15:35-50 & 53-55 (From the NLT. I like how they translate this text.)

35 But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” 36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. 37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. 38 Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. 39 Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

40 There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.

42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”[h] But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like[i] the heavenly man.

50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,[j] this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.[k] 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

This is what we Hope for .

This is what should empower and motivate to:

– turn our lives around to please God.   It should also motivate us to…

– help others who He cares about.       It should also motivate us to…

– share this good news with others   And it should also help us to…

– endure the struggles of this life .

Paul told the Corinthians, Jesus is the first born and if we are right with Christ, if we are ‘in Christ’,   even though physical death may eventually come our way, God has an awesome plan for you, a Heavenly plan for you, you will rise again!

The question is, will you rise and live with Him in that Heavenly home, or, will we rise and be driven from His presence because we’ve rejected Him and His will for our lives? He gives us the freedom to choose. What will you choose for your life?