A Word about the Master of Nature

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Nature as I comment on passages from Luke 5 and Matthew 8 and 14. Let’s begin by reading Luke 5:1-11:

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.  And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.  And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Today, we will go sailing. We’re going to spend some time in boats today, and small boats at that.  As with many subjects, boats can cause people to have some strong emotions.  For example:

A man put a post on social media to try to meet a new girlfriend.  The ad said, “Looking for adventurous, out-doors oriented lady with boat and motor.  Send photo of boat and motor.” Of course, from the opposite perspective, one wife’s definition of a boat is “a hole in the water into which you pour money.”

All joking aside, one emotion that boats can cause is fear. This fear does not come from the boat itself, but from the way sailing is so dominated by weather.  Even a minor storm can seem big in a small boat, and even the biggest ships are vulnerable to the overwhelming forces of nature. 

When the Great Lakes ore carrier Edmund Fitzgerald was launched in 1958 it was the largest ship on the Great Lakes, and it remained so until 1971.  She weighed 13,632 tons empty, and she was 729 feet long.  Called “Big Fitz,” she regularly carried twice her own weight of iron ore to steel mills in the US.  She was so big and powerful she seemed to shrug off the forces of nature, that is, until November 1975. On the 9th day of that month, while bound for Detroit, MI with 26,000 tons of iron ore, Edmund Fitzgerald was overcome by a winter storm and disappeared with the loss of all 29 crew members.

If anyone has doubts about the power of nature, they should go to the Mississippi gulf shore.  At the sea front you will find a tall pole on which is marked the height of the storm surge of the many large hurricanes that have come ashore there.  I had always heard about Hurricane Camille, and I was disappointed that the storm surge wasn’t marked, but I was wrong. Up near the top of the pole there is a mark that showed a wave of nearly thirty feet in height had crashed ashore there.

The forces of nature are far beyond the control of we mere mortals, but we will see today that they don’t even compare to the powers of the Master of Nature.

THE MASTER OF CREATURES:

In our passage from Luke 5, we see Jesus as the Master of Creatures. 

No one likes it when people butt into their business. As the old saying goes, “Those of you who think they know it all really irritate those of us who do!” The truth is that some people think they know more than the experts. Just as often, these folks act on their “knowledge.” Usually when they do, disaster strikes. 

An example of this is the leadership of a police department which took it upon themselves to install a temporary traffic light at an intersection without properly consulting traffic engineers. A fatal traffic accident was the result.

Jesus should not have known about fishing. Jesus was a trained carpenter and a religious teacher. This kind of fishing was not done by just anyone. These fishermen were highly skilled and had long training. Catching fish with a net isn’t easy; it is an industrial process. Yet, Jesus did know more about these creatures than these expert fishermen did.

Jesus is the Master of Creatures because He is the Creator as revealed by the very beginning of the Apostle John’s Gospel.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)

Because Jesus is the Creator, we need to honor His knowledge.  We need to follow His instructions to have dominion over this world and to be good stewards of it. If we violate His guidance we risk losing out on His abundance.

THE MASTER OF STORMS:

Let’s continue by reading Matthew 8:23-27:

And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

In this passage we find our expert mariners and our supposedly landlubber carpenter on the Sea of Galilee, which was actually a very large lake. It was a lake, but that didn’t make it less dangerous. The terrain is such that a funnel effect is created that causes very strong winds that can create severe storms. like the one which sank the Edmund Fitzgerald on another large lake. Though the dangers were real, the Sea of Galilee was a key element in the economy and culture of northern Israel.  Without the Sea, it would not have been the same place.

The Sea of Galilee was a major transportation route, and Jesus and His disciples had sailed upon it to reach the other side, where Jesus had an appointment to meet with the Gadarene Demoniac, although the disciples did not know that yet. While on the way, a typical storm of great violence descended upon them. The disciples, who knew boats and the lake, were deathly afraid. Jesus, of course, was sleeping. Do you think Jesus didn’t know what was happening? Of course He did, but He was not worried because He is the Master of Storms. 

When He was awakened, Jesus rebuked the Disciples for their fear. He then rebuked the wind and waves, and calm came over the sea. The disciples marveled the same way we marvel at a magician, but then being surprised by how simple the solution was after it has been revealed to us.

THE MASTER OF PHYSICS:

For experienced fishermen, it seems that the disciples had a tendency to get caught at sea in severe storms. The next time this happened, in Matthew 14:24-33, we learn that Jesus was the Master of Physics:

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

God created our world, and He designed it to run in certain ways: He created the laws of biology. He created the laws of chemistry. He created the laws of oceanography, and He created the laws of physics. The belief of Christians in the existence of an intelligent creator prompted us to systematically study nature, because if there was a design behind the creation, we could discover it and discover how creation works. Even though science now often seems to despise our faith, in truth, science came out of our faith!

God’s design was perfect and was only marred by human sin. The Laws of Physics are largely immutable. They work the same way every time. We can use them for our own purposes, but we can’t alter them.  When we use the laws of physics properly, we can do wonderful things like fly an airplane. When you violate the laws of physics you pay the price. People often perpetuate the myth that bumble bees violate the laws of physics.  Nothing that flies can violate the laws of physics; however, if you jump off a building with an open umbrella you will violate them, and the results will be painful!

Jesus showed us in these verses that He is the Master of Physics. A man cannot walk on water, but Jesus could. And not only could Jesus walk on water, but He could also empower Peter to do so as well!

 MASTER OF OUR FEARS: 

Because human sin has marred God’s perfect creation, the world is a dangerous place. This causes people to experience fear. 

People are often afraid of creatures. Sometimes these are four-footed creatures, like the young lady who, when she was a child, had been knocked down by a dog who stole her graham cracker snack. Years later, as an adult, she was frightened by the barking of a German Shepherd. She frantically ran away from the dog, only to fall and hurt herself.  People are also afraid of two-footed creatures, like the mother who would always call her daughter when a convict had escaped, or if the local police were looking for a fugitive. 

Jesus, of course, is the Master of Creatures, whether they have two feet, or four feet, or slither upon the ground. We need to let Him be the Master of our fears about creatures.

People are often afraid of storms, too. Storms are violent and can cause destruction and death. I know a family whose home was once hit by lightning and caught fire. They never left their house unoccupied again. Someone was always at home just in case lightning might strike in the same place twice.  Jesus demonstrated that He is the Master of Storms and He needs to be the Master of our fear of storms, too.

People also have what is called on social media, FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out. Like children who don’t want to nap or go to bed at night because they are afraid that they are going to miss out on something:

• We often think that God’s way is not the best way.
• We try to find ways around the rules of creation. 
• We try to find pleasure in ways God didn’t intend.
• We try to find power in ways that God didn’t intend.
• We rebel against His plan and when we do it costs us.

Jesus is the Master of Creation and He needs to be our master as well. We need to seek His abundant life, not our false abundance.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is the Master of Nature. He created nature for our blessing. The way we are most blessed is by allowing Him to be our master, too! Have we done this today? Or are we still trying to be our own master? Surrender to Him today!

A Word about the Master of Spirits

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Spirits as I comment on Mark 5:1-20. Let’s begin by reading Mark 5:1-5:

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 

Sometimes we lose what pilots call situational awareness.  That is, we just forget the situation we are in and lose sight of reality.  That was the way it was for a man I recently heard about who owned five dogs, and he installed an “invisible fence” to keep them in his yard.  An invisible fence is a wire buried in the ground around the boundaries of his property.  This wire emits a signal that can be received by a collar worn by a dog.  When the dog crosses the wire, it is shocked. 

This invisible fence proved very effective, except when the man lost situational awareness.  Once when he was taking his dogs to the vet, he forgot to turn the fence off before he backed out of his driveway.  The dogs found that to be shocking experience!

They say, “what goes around comes around,” and so it proved for this dog owner the next time he lost situational awareness.  He called a man to come to his house to groom his five dogs.  To do this the man had to take the shock collars off of the dogs, and while he was holding them in his hand, he thought he’d go check his mail box.  The five shock collars activated the second he crossed the wire and reminded him of his mistake!

We, too, make a mistake when we forget that we are at war. I’m not referring to the war on terrorism or in Iraq. There has been a war raging since before time began. It is a spiritual war.  As Paul said in Ephesians 6:10-13:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Humans struggle to overcome natural challenges, and we are totally unable to fight in the supernatural realm. We are blessed, however, the know someone who not only can fight supernatural battles, but also win them, every time!

A FEARSOME SPIRIT:

In the beginning of Mark 5, Jesus and His disciples were confronted by a fearsome spirit. This man was being used of Satan to strike fear in the hearts of people. People are afraid of Satan’s power as a supernatural being, and we are also afraid of his evil nature. Because we can’t see him, we are even more afraid of him.

Truth be told, much of this fear is unnecessary for Christians. We regularly confuse fact with fiction. We have been conditioned by Hollywood horror productions. We have been deceived by hyped stories of Satan worship. Most of these tales are false and misleading.  

At the same time, we should not discount Satan’s existence. He does exist, and he is evil and powerful. We ignore that reality at our own risk, and neither should we make light of evil, the way people do during Halloween and other cultural events which seem to celebrate evil. 

If we look at the subject of this story, we’ll see Satan at work. Satan had totaled destroyed this man’s life! He was living in hell!

A FREEING SPIRIT:

Let’s continue by reading verses 6-13:

But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

What happened when the man saw Jesus? He immediately ran and worshipped Jesus. He begged Jesus for help. This is an object less for us as well. When we are tempted or oppressed by the Devil, we should do the same!

Jesus, of course, knew exactly with whom He was dealing. The spiritual world is not hidden to Jesus. Satan has opposed God to His face on many occasions, and Jesus, Himself had recently been confronted by Satan. The demons also knew who Jesus was, and they reacted with fear. But, how did Jesus react to this confrontation? Jesus acted to free the man from this horrendous situation:

• Satan oppressed him.
• Jesus released him.
• Jesus prevented the spirits from going into another person.
• The man ended up dressed and in his right mind.

This was a complete job! No plea bargain was accepted! The guilty were prevented from hurting anyone else and a complete restoration of the man was realized. In this way, Jesus showed His complete mastery over the demons and spiritual forces of evil!

A FEARFUL SPIRIT: 

As we read in verses 14-17, this dynamic event caused a mixture of reactions:

And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

No one who meets with Jesus goes away unchanged. The townspeople reacted one way. The former demoniac reacted in an entirely different way.

The townspeople reacted with a fearful spirit. They seemed to believe in the saying, “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.” They did not know this Jesus and they rejected His power because of their fear. They would rather have the devil that they knew.

Even today, people are afraid of the power of Jesus in their lives. They are afraid to attend church. They are afraid to release control of their lives to Jesus. People are afraid to risk on behalf of God. We give Jesus our broken lives to mend, but then we try to snatch then back. Contrast that spirit of fear, with the new spirit possessed by the man who was formerly possessed by demons.

A FOLLOWER’S SPIRIT: 

As mentioned before no one who meets with Jesus goes away unchanged. Finally, in verses 18-20, let’s see how the man’s spirit was transformed:

And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

The Bible tells us of many people whose lives were transformed by meeting Christ. This man was released from demons. Others were released from physical illness. Lazarus was released from death. Many, many others have been released from sin.

When our lives are changed by Christ, how should we respond? Our best response is gratefulness! We should be grateful about what Jesus has done for us. Sometimes this does not happen; Jesus once healed ten lepers but only one returned to Him, but it always should happen.

Although we can’t ever repay Jesus, we should be grateful to Him and the best way to show that we are grateful is to follow Him. This is exactly what the former demoniac did, and this story ends with an example of what happens when we develop a follower’s spirit. People hear about Jesus and the power of God impacts people’s lives. People’s lives are changed, and abundant life in Christ happens!

CONCLUSION:  

When Jesus sent out the twelve and then the seventy, they came back to Him proclaiming that “Even the demons were subject to us!” Because they followed Him and ministered in His Name, they saw first-hand that Jesus is the Master of Spirits. He still is today.

If you are beset by spiritual oppression you can turn to Him and He will release you! Then, when you are released by the power of God, then you have the privilege and responsibility to help others be released. Have you experienced the spiritual power of Jesus?  If not, you can today, if you will seek it!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master Shepherd

Today I want to share a word about the Master Shepherd as I comment on John 10:1-18. This passage reads:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Sheep and shepherds play prominent roles in the story of God’s relationship with people, for example:

• Abraham, Isaac, and the ram that God provided as a sacrifice.
• Jacob was a shepherd for Laban for 14 years so he could marry Leah and Rachel.
• Moses was a shepherd for his father-in-law after he had to flee Egypt.
• David was the little shepherd boy who later wrote the Shepherd’s Psalm (Psalm 23).
• The shepherds at Christmas were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus.

Here we see that Jesus was the Good Shepherd, or as I am calling Him in this devotional, the Master Shepherd.

While we romanticize shepherds, in reality, their task was a dirty, smelly, and lonely one. As Luke tells us, they would “abide in the field” with their charges, almost living like animals themselves.

I once met a former paniolo, a Hawaiian cowboy, who told me that people had the wrong idea about such work. He told me, “People don’t realize that cowboys work hard from before sunup to after sundown, and they come home wet, cold, tired, and covered in muck.”

Not only was being a shepherd difficult, but it also involved a great deal of responsibility. They were responsible for feeding, watering, healing, and protecting the sheep, which were valuable commodities. Some shepherds failed at their task, neglecting the sheep, or failing to protect them. The consequences were severe for all concerned.

Jesus, however, was the Good Shepherd as we saw in our focal passage from John 10 today. He would lay down His life for the His sheep. But, what about the sheep? What are our responsibilities? Let’s look at them together.

GOOD SHEEP KNOW THEIR SHEPHERD:

They know his personality. They learn how he thinks and how he works, and they learn his heart. They also learn from him his purpose:

• To nurture the sheep and protect them.
• To lead them into places where the can prosper.
• To present them spotless to their master.

They also let him know them. Sheep tend to look alike, but they are not. All creatures have their own wants, needs, and limitations and the sheep must be open to their shepherd. The shepherd can do a better job of caring for his sheep if they let him know who they are.

GOOD SHEEP FOLLOW THEIR SHEPHERD: 

Leaders can't lead without followers. Often God’s people resemble a line from an old song from Dean Martin which complained that there are, “too many chiefs and not enough Indians around this place.” 

Sheep look meek and mild, but some were prone to wander. Also, while sheep are mostly defenseless, they can butt with their heads, and more than one shepherd has been knocked down that way.

Being a good follower is a blessing: to the follower, to the leader, and to God. If the sheep didn’t need to be led, they would not need shepherds. Also, being a good follower is a prerequisite to becoming a leader.

GOOD SHEEP TRUST THEIR SHEPHERD: 

Sheep need protection because they are prey animals, and the world presents many threats to them. In the same way, the world presents many threats to the sheep of God’s pasture (us) today. Some are temporal threats, but many are spiritual. Temporal threats are bad, but spiritual threats are worse because they involve issues of eternal importance.

The shepherd provides protection. Sheep are largely defenseless as individuals, and they are safer in a flock. The shepherd maintains the integrity of the flock, but he will also intervene between a threat and the flock. That is why Jesus called Himself the Door of the Sheep. The spiritual threats to our abundant life must come through Jesus to get to us. And Jesus can handle those threats!

The sheep, however, can thwart the protection provided by the shepherd:

• By wandering off by accident (sin).
• By wandering off on purpose (transgression).
• By wandering off to spite the shepherd (iniquity).

Yes, sheep can cause themselves and the shepherd much trouble by their wandering ways, but the good news is that the Good Shepherd is willing to seek the lost sheep. As Romans 5:8 puts it, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

GOOD SHEEP RESPECT THEIR SHEPHERD: 

The shepherd's job was a humble one. It was a dirty job, with a low status in society even though shepherds were charged with caring for a very valuable commodity. Also, for a shepherd to do their job properly, they must make sacrifices for the sheep. They put the sheep first before themselves, and they put the sheep before their families, too.

Good shepherds love their sheep, which is a reminder to us that love is not an emotion, but an action. Love is doing what is best for another, without regard to cost or inconvenience. When I was a teenager, our church youth group had a saying, “You don’t always have to like me, but you have to love me.”

The love of a shepherd to his charges reminds me of the saying I learned from the US Coast Guard about search and rescue in a storm: “You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back!”

GOOD SHEEP SHARE THEIR SHEPHERD: 

There is only one Good Shepherd, but there are many sheep. Some need more attention than others, and they must get that attention. All sheep need to be concerned about the whole flock, however. If one sheep takes up all the shepherd’s time, then the flock suffers, and eventually so will that sheep. What happens to the flock affects all within the flock, so the sheep need to share the shepherd with each other.

The sheep also need to realize that the shepherd is not indestructible. Even Jesus, the Good Shepherd, got tired and hungry. Jesus also had to maintain a close relationship with His Father. He often, as the King James Bible put it, would go “apart to pray.” This caused the old revival preacher, Vance Havner, to quip, “We must come apart, or we will come apart!” Shepherds cannot live in the field forever. They, too, are a part of a larger flock, and they need a shepherd as well. Good sheep share their shepherd so they can be blessed by times of refreshing and renewal.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus was the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His flock. Jesus is unchallenged as the Master Shepherd; there has never been any one better than Him at that vital role.

The question is not, “Is Jesus the Good Shepherd,” but it is, “Are we good, sheep?” Do we follow the Master Shepherd? Do we follow the under shepherds sent to us by Him? If we want to experience the abundant live Christ promised us, we should!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master Leader

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Leadership as I comment on John 1:35-51. This passage reads:

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon te son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!  Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

We are continuing to learn from Jesus as our Master and Commander and today we come to the point in time in which Jesus called to Him twelve disciples to learn from Him and to carry on His work.  

In calling these twelve men, Jesus showed himself to be the Master Leader.  We’ve already seen Him as the Master of Repentance and as the Master of Temptation, but today we will see His mastery of a vital skill, the skill of leadership.  

I have been a student of leadership all my adult life and I still have a lot to learn.  I have held numerous leadership positions and yet I know that I am not a master leader in the way Jesus is.  For example, when I was a line officer in the Army before I became a chaplain, I served as a company commander in the Louisiana Army National Guard. One day, some of my full-time staff put up a plaque in my little office to honor my efforts.  It said:

I am their leader!  Which way did they go?

Leadership is a craft; it is not a pure science, and yet it is not done just for the sake of the art.  It is a very practical skill, yet one that is not easy to define.  To paraphrase an old statement about art: “I can’t tell you what it is, but I know it when I see it!” Today we will see the Master Leader demonstrating His craft.  We need to watch Him and learn.  

THE MASTER LEADER WAS COMPELLING: 

As we can see from our focal passage, the Master Leader was a compelling personality. He knew that leadership is different than command. Command is defined by the legal authority to compel compliance. That’s why the Uniform Code of Military Justice allows commanders to punish troops who don’t comply with their orders. 

Leadership is different. Leadership is the ability to inspire the willing cooperation of those being led. As leadership expert John Maxwell said, “If you look back and no one is following, you are not a leader.” Jesus was a leader because people followed him willingly, including:

• People who were already seeking God (Simon and Andrew).
• People who were sinners and outcasts (Matthew and the Samaritan woman).
• People who were struggling to make ends meet (fishermen).
• People in the establishment (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea).

This is a rare gift, and we must take full advantage of its power in the church and in the military. Every church, and every military unit, has members that people look up to. Influence like this can cause good things to happen, bad things to happen or nothing to happen! Jesus said that good things and bad things cannot come from the same source, so leaders must be wise stewards of their gift!

THE MASTER LEADER HAD A MORAL CHARACTER:

John 2:13-22 tells us more about the Master Leader.

And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

People invest their trust in their leaders. They believe them and do what they say. They trust them with important parts of their lives. They expect them to take due care of this devotion. Like when people entrust a financial advisor to wisely invest their life savings, people invest their trust in their leaders. Therefore, leaders must be trustworthy.

In the case of Jesus, we can see from this passage that He embodied righteousness.  He could not abide injustice, or pride, or arrogance, and He revealed this when He cleansed the temple. He also showed this when He forgave the sin of those repentant persons who came to Him. He was as comfortable proclaiming the woes on the Pharisees as He was in healing the ear of the high priest’s servant on the night He was betrayed. Jesus embodied righteousness and that righteousness infused His exercise of leadership.

We must insist that our leaders must be of the highest moral character. Too often we shoot ourselves in the foot by focusing on gifting and job performance but ignoring the issues of maturity, judgment, and morality. Leaders must be sure to guard their hearts, minds, and passions, because the damage leaders do when they fail morally is beyond measure!

THE MASTER LEADER WAS HIGHLY COMPETENT: 

Luke 5:1-9 reveals to us that the Master Leader was highly competent.

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.

Since followers place at least a portion of their lives in the hands of their leaders, leaders must be competent for their followers to trust them.  They must be able to accomplish the tasks they set forth. What if there were no fish in net? Would the disciples have followed Jesus? If they are not competent, they may be liked, but they will not be followed.

To show their competence, leaders must lead by example, unlike the church pastor who hid in church basement when teams went out to visit prospects. Also, to be competent takes work. We learn how to lead by osmosis, we must study and train. We also must try our wings and learn from our mistakes. 

THE MASTER LEADER WAS COURAGEOUS: 

Luke 5:18-32 shows us that the Master Leader was courageous.

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.  And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Leaders, being out in front of the group, are exposed and that makes them vulnerable. They often see things others don’t and they often take stands others don’t like. This makes them easy targets for criticism.

Jesus was the model of courage. He did the right thing, all the time, even if people misunderstood. Here, He forgave the man’s sin, not just healed him. Then, He called Matthew, even though he was a hated and despised tax collector. He even had supper at Matthew’s home!

Some, so-called, leaders practice a form of lowest-common-denominator leadership which is swayed or even dominated by public opinion. While this is really not leadership at all, it is very common among politicians and other civic leaders. Opinion polls drive American politics more than convictions do, but Jesus was the Master Leader, He was not dissuaded by public opinion from doing what was right.

Assuming risk is inherent in the process of leading. We must not be afraid to lead if called to do so. A turtle gets nowhere unless it sticks out its neck, so we must trust God and enjoy His love. As 1 John 4:18 reminds us, “Perfect love casts out all fear.” God’s love is perfect, even if ours is not!

THE MASTER LEADER WAS COMMITTED: 

Finally, Luke 9:57-62 shows that the Master Leader was totally committed.

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

A leader does what it takes to accomplish the mission. Jesus, of course, was the inventor of the phrase, “going the extra mile,” and He did that and more Himself.

Leadership is about helping people overcome obstacles. It is also about achieving your goal, while taking care of people at the same time. One of my favorite leadership sayings encapsulates this concept:

Mission first! People always!

One of our biggest needs is for balance in our lives and in our work and our leadership. Airplanes have two wings for a reason. They need both wings to be able to fly straight and true. 

When I was a young boy, and I would get upset about something, my momma would always tell me to, “Straighten up and fly right.” Well, you can't fly straight, and you can't fly right if you are out of balance, and this idea of “Mission First, People Always” gives us the balance that we need in our lives and our leadership. 

This motto begins by reminding us that we have a mission to accomplish. If we don't accomplish this mission, then we have no reason to exist. We have a purpose, and we need to carry out that purpose. 

Although we must put mission first, we must also understand that we cannot accomplish that mission without people. We cannot do our job without our people. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to always take care of our people. And not only our people at work but our people at home, in our communities, in our churches, and our schools. Taking care of people is essential so that we can accomplish our mission. It is also essential because it is the right thing to do.

Let me put it this way: if we just focus on our mission then we become bureaucrats. If we just focus on people, we become politicians. We must have both wings to fly this airplane straight.

Jesus did what was needed to be done to achieve His mission and to take care of people:

• He turned water into wine, and He saved the wedding at Cana.
• He healed the sick and He revived the dead.
• He taught in parables, and He fed the 5,000.
• He put up with twelve whiny disciples.
• He died on the cross for our sins and He rose again to defeat death and hell.

Our leaders need to be committed as well. We must take responsibility because the saying, “Everybody’s job is nobody’s job,” is a reality. We must follow the command of God from Paul in Galatians 6:9 that says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” 

CONCLUSION:

As the Master Leader, Jesus set the standard for those who lead. Jesus was (and still is), compelling, competent, courageous, committed, and He is of the highest moral character. He taught His disciples to be leaders, and then they became models for Christians to follow down through the ages. As Paul instructed the church at Corinth:

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master Teacher

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master Teacher as I comment on Mark Chapter 4. Let’s begin by reading verses 1-9:

And he began again to teach by the seaside: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

My wife is a retired educator, and she disagrees with the idea that teaching is an easy profession. She strongly disagrees with the saying, “Those who can do, and those who can’t teach.”  That, as anyone who has ever taught knows, is a false statement.  Teaching isn’t all that easy.  Let me give you a couple of examples:

In every introductory psychology course in college, the students must participate in a laboratory experience where they train a white rat. In my school, we had to train the rat to react to a light by pressing a lever to get a treat.  You would think that training a dumb beast like a rat would be easy for intelligent humans, but that isn’t always the case. Every semester someone, often several students, trained the rat to grab the light instead of pressing the lever.  It isn’t all that easy to be a teacher.

Besides being a hard task, a teacher must be sure to teach the right things.  We often say that “practice makes perfect,” but in truth, “practice makes permanent.”  If you teach the wrong things, you will cause major problems for the students!  For example: A child’s aunt was trying to encourage the boy to learn his times tables. She told him, “You need to just rattle the answers off like snapping your fingers.  Like, you should be able to spit out 8 times 8 equals 72!”

If you didn’t understand that last part, remedial classes will be available soon!

It is not easy to be a teacher, but as we continue review the life and ministry of Jesus, we will find that he was the Master Teacher.  Today we will see the Master Teacher demonstrating His craft, so we need to watch Him and learn. Let’s begin by looking at the Ministry of the Teacher.

THE MINISTRY OF THE TEACHER:

Jesus spent much of His ministry teaching, so much so that, in fact, He was often called “Rabbi,” which literally means, “teacher.” He taught from the beginning of His ministry until the end, and He took every opportunity He had to teach. Jesus taught in many different situations:

• Jesus taught in the synagogue, among religious Jews.

• He taught as He walked and lived day by day with His disciples.

• He taught large crowds who came to see Him.

• He taught people in their homes at meals.

• He taught in the temple, and the scholars were amazed.

• He taught sinners as He showed them God’s love.

• He taught as He healed the sick and opened the eyes of the blind.

He has now passed on the ministry of teaching to us. The Great Commission instructed us to make disciples and to do that we must teach all that we ourselves have been taught. We are blessed that the Holy Spirit has given the gift of teaching to people, and those who have it must use it, but all of us are teachers, either intentionally in a class or with some we are mentoring, or organically, but the way we live our lives. 

Remember, Jesus told us in Acts 1:8 that we will be His witnesses, whether we choose to be or not!

As we teach, others learn about the love of God, and we learn more and more ourselves. In fact, the best way to learn is to teach.  The teacher always learns more than the students.

Next, let’s see the methods of the Teacher.

THE METHODS OF THE TEACHER: 

Mark 4:10-13 tells us:

And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Different people learn through different techniques. Some people are visual learners, while other learn through hearing. Some are tactile learners, and almost everyone learns through doing. In His ministry, Jesus used the full range of teaching techniques.

He taught didactically, like in the Sermon on the Mount. He taught by example, like when He healed the paralytic. He taught though experience, by sending out His followers to do ministry out two by two. Much of His teaching, however, was through parables.

The basic structure of most sermons includes exposition, explanation, illustration, and application, but a parable is an illustrated sermon. It is not a sermon illustration, but an illustrated sermon. We remember stories when we don’t remember the sermon, so a parable uses a story to teach a truth.

I remember very clearly the time my pastor was preaching a sermon and would up a rift about the consequences of sin by proclaiming, “Be careful, for your sins will find you out, just like how God drowned the Israelites in the Red Sea!” For the record, it was the Egyptians who drowned in the Red Sea, but I will never forget what my pastor said that day about the consequences of sin, even though I don’t remember the rest of his message!

A less frivolous lesson was taught in the fabled “Footprints in the Sand” poem by Mary Stevenson. Many people have learned about God’s care and concern for them through that short, but powerful parable in the form of a poem.

For Jesus, there was a method to this perceived madness. Some people were not ready to hear the truth. and others were actively working against the truth. Using parables was the way that Jesus could teach them best. His method is an example to all of us as we teach God’s truth. For example, missionaries in a country which was closed to the Gospel learned to use the technique of Chronological Bible Storying in their missionary efforts. They were able to continue teach after the local authorities were informed of their presence. These government officials did not feel threatened because, “They are just telling stories.”

Next, let’s see the message of the Teacher.

THE MESSAGE OF THE TEACHER:

Mark 4:14-20 tells us:

The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Jesus did many things in His ministry: He fed people and turned water into wine. He healed people and he revived the dead. He radically opposed the powers that oversaw Israel. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. Jesus did many things in His ministry, but He had one purpose, to “seek and save that which was lost” through spreading the Gospel message.

Churches and Christians also do many things in our ministry: Some churches are like a kicked-over ant hill, and we have devised all kinds of programs from sports to scrap-booking. Activity for its own sake is not ministry, however. Believers must focus what they do in the way Jesus did. Sadly, purpose, vision, mission, are often all missing. 

The lesson we must learn from the parable is to focus on teaching the Gospel. This is what Jesus did, and it was what Paul did in his ministry as well as told the church at Corinth,

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Paul also taught them,

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3)

Therefore, as Paul taught us, we should imitate him as he imitated Jesus. That means, if we aren’t teaching the Gospel, then all we are doing is just making noise and wasting time!

Finally, we see the majesty of the Teacher.

THE MAJESTY OF THE TEACHER:

Mark 4:21-29 says,

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Teaching is hard, unheralded work. Few teachers accrue any fame or glory. In fact, the glory in teaching is seeing the lives of your students changed. Teachers want to see that they are having an impact. They want to see growth occur. They want to see their students be able to do what they couldn’t do before.

Jesus wanted to see lives transformed by the Gospel, and He still does. He wants our lives to shine out lamps. He wants our lives to be open books for God. He wants us to be growing daily in the Gospel.

Are we instruments of transformation in our home? In our workplaces? In our churches? In our communities? If not, we should be and we should do this by teaching the Gospel because when the Gospel changes lives it is a glorious thing! Paul described this effect in Philippians 4:1 saying “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is the Master Teacher, but have we been diligent students? We need to dedicate ourselves to learning from Him, and if we do, we will have the abundant life He has promised!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master of Repentance

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Repentance as I comment on Matthew Chapter 3.

Let’s Start with Matthew 3:1-6. This passage reads,

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

When I was young, I believed my dad could do anything with his hands. He was a vehicle mechanic by trade, but it seemed he could do most anything. For example:

• When our hot water heater died, he plumbed in the new one himself.
• He built an addition on the back of our house using metal studs that he welded himself on top of a concrete slab that he poured himself. He broke open a wall and installed a door so we could have access to this addition.
• He did his own electrical wiring work and his own carpentry. 
• My mom wanted to divide our breakfast nook from our living room, so my dad built her a paneled room-divider from plans that he developed in his head.
• Later, he and mama built a barn and tractor shed from the timber left over from when his family’s old home place was torn down.

I asked him once about all his skills and he told me, “Son, I’m a jack of all trades, but a master of none.” I had no problem believing the first part, but I did wonder about the last half of his comment. He certainly was a master mechanic if nothing else.

If we review the Biblical record of the ministry of Jesus, we will begin seeing something new. The Old Testament is full of the acts of God as He carefully unfolded His plan to redeem the world, but now we will begin seeing him personally. We will begin seeing the Master of the universe walking amongst His creation and demonstrating His power and control. Today we will see Him as the Master of Repentance.

First, Let’s see the Preacher of Repentance: 

We understand situations based on our perspective. Each of us has a role to play in God’s Kingdom. This is reflected in our spiritual gifts, and it is also reflected in our individual callings. Like a football player who plays only in certain game situations, we too have specific roles to play in God’s Kingdom. Paul taught the Corinthian church about this in 1 Corinthians 3:1-10 and this fact still applies to the church today.

One very important but very difficult role is that of prophet. Prophets forth-tell the Word of God and they often confront sinful humanity with the truth of God. At times, this is not a particularly pleasant task as we see in 1 Kings 18:17 & 18: 

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?  And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

It is a pretty tense day when the leader of your country and your people calls you a troublemaker to your face! Still, Elijah did not back down, and he continued to share God’s truth!

In our passage today, we see that John, too, was a prophet of repentance. He was only the next in a long line of prophets. Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and many others had come before he did, and each one made calls to repentance. Like Job, however, John specialized in this call. He knew his calling from God and the task that he was required to perform, and he engaged it with every fiber of his being.

We Also Must See The Need For Repentance:

Matthew 3:7-12 reads,

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Why was John sent to call people to repentance? Because repentance is necessary for salvation. Without repentance there is no salvation as Jesus taught in Luke 13:1-3, which reads:

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

In Acts 3:19 Peter told the Sanhedrin, the Jewish leaders in the Temple and Jerusalem, the same thing: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” 

But what does it mean to repent?

• It does not mean to just feel sorry, nor to try to do penance.
• It does mean to make a decision of the will to do right.
• It means that we agree with God about our sin, and we have decided to seek His help in blotting it out.
• It means deciding to make a “u-turn” in our lives.

Another vital question to ask is, who needs to repent? To answer that, we must consider the Biblical record which would include:

• The people who know that they are sinners, like the woman who anointed Jesus with oil.
• The people who aren’t sure if they need to repent, like the woman at the well.
• The people who don’t think they need to repent, like the Pharisee who prayed arrogantly.

In short, all people need to repent, Romans 3:10-12 tells us: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Next, We See The Symbol Of Repentance: 

Matthew 3:13-15 reads,

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Symbols are important, even if they are not important in themselves. They are important because they represent a deeper meaning, like the symbols on a road sign or the symbols on the controls on a car. The symbol of repentance is baptism.

Baptism was a relatively new practice at this time. Converts to Judaism were often baptized as a rite of passage and this might be why a lot of synagogues were located near water. The Essenes, the producers of the Dead Sea Scrolls, also conducted water baptism by immersion. Without the right meaning though, baptism has no effect.

Baptism is an audio-visual symbol of repentance to illustrate that people have decided to repent and allow Jesus to become their Savior and Lord. When you go under water it shows you died to the old life. When you come up it shows you have a new way of life. It is also a symbol of being washed clean of our sin by the shed blood of Jesus.

The proper meaning of baptism is a symbol of repentance & new life in Christ. If there is no internal change in your life before being baptized, then all you have done is gotten wet! However, if you have repented and received new life and are baptized, you have preached a powerful sermon to all who watched!

Finally, Let’s See the Example of Repentance:

Matthew 3:15-17 reads,

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus came to the earth for many reasons. He came to seek and save that which was lost. He came to defeat sin, and death, and hell. He came to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He came to bring light to people walking in darkness. He also came to be a model for our lives, which is why Paul said, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”

Jesus, being fully God and fully man had lived a sinless life and he did not need to repent. John the Baptist knew this and tried to prevent Jesus. Jesus never sinned and was one with the Father. There was no need for Him to repent because He’s never done wrong. So, what was Jesus doing?

Jesus was leading by example.

Jesus was baptized because it was the right thing to do in His ministry as our spiritual leader. Leadership by example is the best form. The motto of a good leader is, “Follow me and do as I do.” The motto of a bad leader is “Do as I say, not as I do” and this is a poor leadership model. Jesus was baptized to show us what to do. We all need to follow His example.

Conclusion:

Jesus is the master of all things, and in this passage, we see that He is the Master of Repentance. He showed us what we need to do by His example of obedience.

Have you repented of your sin and become a child of God? If you are a child of God, do you have a besetting sin that is holding back your spiritual growth? In either case, Jesus has shown us what to do in these situations, and like John the Baptist, His counsel to us today and forever is: 

Repent!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Aaronic Blessing

Today I want to share a word about the Aaronic Blessing as I comment on Numbers 6:22-27. This passage reads, 

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

I am writing this during the 2023 New Year season, and at times like this we want to be positive.  We want to be positive about our future: the year to come. We want to be positive about the past: the record we wrote last year. We even want to be positive about what is happening in this moment in time.  Sometimes, though we try hard, it is difficult to be positive.

An example of this is what a lady said to her pastor on the way out of church one Sunday.  She said, “Pastor, thank you for sending tapes of our services to the nursing home.  You just don’t know how much your sermons mean to my husband since he lost his mind!” 

Yes, often it is hard to be positive with all the difficulties we face in the world and all the frailties we see in our own lives and the lives of others.  Yet, we should be positive because we have been greatly blessed by God.

Our focal passage for understanding these blessings today is from Numbers 6:22-27. This passage is the blessing that Israel’s priests were told to bestow upon Israel from God.  This blessing is called the “Aaronic,” or “Priestly” benediction or blessing.

The church, as Spiritual Israel, is the inheritor of this blessing.  As we begin the New Year together, let us be blessed by the words of this benediction.

IT IS A BLESSING IN TRIPLICATE:

First, let’s notice that the blessing repeats “Lord” three times. This shows the fullness of God’s blessing. He is blessing us again, and again, and again. The repetition intensifies the blessing unto infinity. It reminds me of the words in Isaiah 6, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty” and of Ecclesiastes which tells us that, “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Not only was this blessing intense, but it was also prophetic: this was written for Israel and for the church as well. God had not yet fully revealed Himself as Triune, but He has now. Looking back, we can see the fullness of God in this blessing. This is very much like the Apostolic Blessing in 2 Corinthians 13:14, which says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Therefore, some would read it this way:

May God the Father bless you and keep you. May God the Son make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May God the Spirit lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

This is a triple blessing with double the potency. We need a powerful blessing in this day, and like getting a powerful dose of the right medicine, we have been given an intense blessing from the fullness of God.

IT IS A BLESSING WITH AUTHORITY:

This blessing came from God through His priests. A priest stands between God and people making intercession: A priest transmits to God human repentance and in return, he transmits to people God’s forgiveness. A priest, therefore, is like a pipeline, or an internet connection.

The Aaronic Priesthood foreshadowed Christ’s Priesthood as we clearly see in Hebrews 5:5-10: 

So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The Hebrews passage tells us that Christ is our priest. He is the one who blesses us. Even His last act upon Earth was to bless His people as we read in Luke 24:50 & 52: 

And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

Because Jesus is High Priest and God, His blessing has authority. Blessings are intended to invoke the power of God upon people. This is why it was so tragic for Esau that Jacob was able to steal his blessing from his father.  They all believed it had real, spiritual power! If a human blessing could have power, how much more a blessing from God Himself. This is reflected in lines from the song “He touched me”:

He touched me, He touched me, and suddenly, nothing, nothing is the same!

When the God of the universe blesses us, nothing is ever the same again!

IT IS A BLESSING ACCORDING TO OUR NEEDS:

The Lord Bless You: The word “Bless” is found 415 times in the Old Testament. It implies life, health, and prosperity. This covers a multitude of our earthly needs. 

The Lord Keep You: The term “Keep” means to protect. It was used to describe a shepherd watching over his flock and it comes from a word which means to “hedge about”. This would mean today “to secure a perimeter around” and the implication is to “exercise great care over.”

The Lord Make His Face To Shine Upon You: As He shines upon us, we soak up light, joy, and enthusiasm, like feeling the warmth of the sun on a cold day. As we feel His warmth, we begin to draw close to him like a plant turning toward the light. So, like it was when Moses’ face shined when he came down from the mountain, we reflect that light to the rest of humanity.

The Lord Be Gracious To You: "Gracious" means “kind and beneficial.” It means giving us what we need rather than what we deserve. Today, a common cry during civil unrest is “No justice, no peace!” In relationship to the perfect, righteous, and Almighty God of the universe, what we need is grace, not justice!

The Lord Lift Up His Countenance To You And Give You Peace: When we are angry or upset our facial expressions give us away. When we see this in others, we can’t have peace. We need to know that God isn’t angry with us so we can have peace, and the truth is, we need peace most of all.

CONCLUSION:

As we start off this year of 2023, the most important questions for each of us is this: do I have the God in my life that gives blessings like these? Do I receive His blessings every day? To realize His blessings, seek Him and He will find you! When He does, He will give you His greatest blessings!

So, as we begin this New Year,

May the LORD bless you and keep you; 

 May the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 
  May the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, 
And give you peace.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

Note: This devotional was adapted from a sermon on Page 2 of
 Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 
2004 Edition, Robert J. Morgan, Editor