Resurrection Realities

When Peter preached his powerful message on the Day of Pentecost— witnessing three thousand conversions to Christ, followed by believers’ baptism—it was his message about the resurrection of Him “whom ye have crucified” that shook the multitudes into a state of undeniable belief, causing them to be pricked in their hearts so that they would ask, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) Peter, without hesitation, replied: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (i.e., “because of the remission of sins”) and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost.” Peter’s message at the Temple, at the hour of prayer, was the same: “Ye denied the Holy One and Just…and killed the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:14,15) Five thousand souls responded to that message, trusting Christ as Savior. (Acts 4:4) The message of the apostolic era of the Church was the message of a resurrected Christ; and the message of every age to this present hour—the message with power—remains the message of the resurrection. It behooves us then, to learn all that we can about what the scriptures teach concerning the resurrection(s):

  1. Jesus said there are two resurrections (John 5:28,29): the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation, at which time “all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth.”
  1. Of the first resurrection, John says of those who are resurrected in it: “On such the second death hath no power.” (Rev. 20:6). The subjects of the first resurrection will reign with Christ a thousand years (the Millennium). This resurrection includes, but is not limited to, the souls of those beheaded for the witness of Jesus, who had not worshipped the beast nor received his mark. (Rev. 20:4)

The First Resurrection

  1. Who then will have part in the first resurrection? If the Tribulation martyrs are resurrected after the tribulation, and there are only two resurrections, then it is apparent that the first resurrection, beginning with Christ’s, occurs in phases, not all at once.
  1. This is what Paul meant, I think, when he said that “all shall be made alive,” (I Cor. 15:22) explaining further: “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming, then cometh the end.” (I Cor. 15:22-24a) So, there is “an order.” The first resurrection—the resurrection to life—does not just happen all at one time and in one place.
  1. First, Christ was raised, a “firstfruits”—answering to the Old Testament Feast of Firstfruits, a pledge that there would be more to come. Matthew, and only Matthew, in his account of the crucifixion, noted that on the day of Christ’s resurrection “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many.” (Matt. 27:52,53) This was the beginning of the first resurrection, Christ and the first-fruits.
  1. Then, “they that are Christ’s at His coming.” This would fulfill what we know and believe on the basis of I Thess. 4:13-18, that there will be a “rapture”—or a catching up of the Bride of Christ—at which time “the dead in Christ shall rise,” followed by those who at that time are “alive and remain(ing) unto the coming of the Lord, to meet the Lord in the air” and to “ever be with the Lord.” Revelation 20:5 introduces another group that will be raised in the first resurrection, when the tribulation martyrs who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus were resurrected to reign with Christ a thousand years. Then Daniel 12:1,2 gives us a clue as to when the Old Testament saints will be resurrected. He says that it will be after a time of trouble “such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and that thy people shall be delivered.” He continues: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Old Testament saints would be raised to everlasting life (first resurrection) at the end of the tribulation to rule and reign with all others who are blessed because they are part of the first resurrection.

The Second Resurrection

  1.  So, remembering that Jesus said that no one having part in the first resurrection would be under any condemnation “but is passed from death unto life,” we naturally ask ourselves, “Who then will have part in the second resurrection, and what will be their fate?” John, in Revelation 20:6ff. gives the answer to this question. He says of those raised in the first resurrection, “the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and reign with him a thousand years.” Not so with those who will be raised at the end of the thousand years, when “the dead, small and great, stand before God…and the sea gave up the dead which were in it: and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Simply stated, then, all who are not in the first resurrection—unto life—will be cast into the lake of fire which will be—along with the beast, the false prophet, and the devil—their eternal abode.

“For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (II Cor. 6:2)

The Book Above All Books

“The Bible is all things to all men: to the weary pilgrim it is a strong staff; to the one who sits in gloom, it is glorified light; to those who stoop beneath heavy burdens, it is a sweet resting place; to those who have lost their way, it is a safe guide. To those who have been hurt by sin, the Bible is a healing balm; to the discouraged, it is a message of help and hope; to those distressed by the storms of life, it is an anchor; to those suffering in lonely solitude, it is a cool, soft hand on a fevered brow.” (copied, unknown)

It is the Book of Books. Of it, Canon Hague wrote, “Therefore, think not of it as a good book, or even a better book, but lift it in heart and mind and faith and love far, far above all, and ever regard it, not as the word of man; but as it is in truth, the Word of God; nay, more as the living Word of the living God; supernatural in origin, eternal in duration; inexpressible in value; infinite in scope; divine in authorship; human in penmanship; regenerative in power; infallible in authority; universal in interest; personal in application, and, as Paul declared, inspired in totality.”

Of the Bible, the late Dr. Harry Rimmer, in a book Seven Wonders of the Wonderful Word wrote, “The Book by which men live successfully and die triumphantly needs no help from scholarship, and asks no aid from science; in all things and in every generation it is sufficient unto itself, and has an abundant contribution to make to every mental and spiritual need of man. This can be claimed for no other writing in the possession of our race.”

1).  The Bible is for Mastication (i.e. “to chew on”)

            a.  For spiritual life, I Pet. 2:2: “As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby.”

            b. It is the milk of the Word that we must receive; and it is the Bread of Life that we must eat of in order to have spiritual life.

            c. His Word is to be digested, Hebs. 5:13,14. We must hear it; we must heed it.

2).  The Bible is for Meditation

            a. For our prosperity, Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2: We must abide in it; we must obey it

            b. For our praise, Ps. 63:5,6: “My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee.” (Ps.77:12) “I will meditate of thy work and will talk of thy doings.”(Ps. 119: 78, 97, 99, 148) “A bit of the Book in the morning to order my onward way; a bit of the book in the evening to hallow the end of day.”

3).  The Bible is for Memorization

            a. For cleansing from sin. (Ps.119:9) It purges from sin: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed therefore according to the word.” It also prevents sin, Ps. 119:11: “Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

            b.  For consecration to service. (Ps. 119:105) His Word is a lamp to our feet (each step), and a light to our path to the journey’s end.

You probably have read this before, as have I, but I love it so will share it again in finishing this brief essay on the Book of Books. It is “Billy Sunday’s Tour Through the Bible:”

“Twenty-four years ago, with the Holy Spirit as my Guide, I entered at the portico of Genesis and walked down the art gallery of the Old Testament, where on the wall hung the pictures of Enoch, Noah, Jacob, Abraham, Elijah, David, Daniel, and other famous prophets of old. Then I passed into the music room of the Psalms where the Spirit swept the key-board of nature and brought forth melody from the dirge-like wail, like that of the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, to the grand, exultant strains of the 24th Psalm; and to the tuneful harp of David, the sweet singer of Israel who played for King Saul in his melancholy moods.

Next, I passed into the business office of Proverbs, then into the chapel of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the preacher was heard; then over into the conservatory of the Song of Songs, where the lily of the valley and the rose of Sharon, with their full-scented spices, filled and perfumed my life. Then I stepped into the prophetic room and saw the telescopes of various sizes, some pointing to far-off stars or events, and others to near-by stars, but all concentrated upon the Bright and Morning Star, which was to rise above the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation—while the shepherds guarded their flocks by night.

From there I passed into the audience room and caught a vision of the King’s glory from the standpoints of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Then into the Acts, where the Holy Spirit was doing His work in the formation room where John, Paul, Peter, James and Jude sat at their desks penning their epistles to the Church. At last, I stepped into the throne room of the Revelation, where all towered into glittering peaks, and I got a vision of the King sitting upon His throne in all His glory. Then I bowed my head and said, ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ name, Let angels prostrate fall; bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all.’”

“O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97)

Teach Us to Pray

I once heard of a seminar devoted to “fasting and prayer,” to be held in a certain city. Details of the dates, location, sessions, etc., were stated with the following notation following the cost of the meeting: “Price includes meals.”

In my early days as pastor, I invited an evangelist to conduct a week of meetings at our church in Wichita. We planned a “carry-in” dinner the first Sunday, following the morning service. Everyone went through the serving line except the guest evangelist. His plate remained empty, so I asked him if he were not going to eat, and he replied, “No, I am fasting for the week.” Well, if I have a guest evangelist preaching a revival at our church and he is fasting for the week, then I—as pastor of the flock—am also going to fast. After Tuesday, it wasn’t too, too bad; I had never fasted on purpose before and did not know exactly what to expect. But, we made it through Friday, the last day/night of the meeting; and, on Saturday, Ellen served a big dinner of fried chicken as I “broke” my fast. Later, the evangelist wrote and told me he had eaten some bad pork over the holidays (Christmas). It had about killed him—and that is why he was fasting all week! I don’t regret the experience but wish the preacher had been a bit more forthcoming as to why he was fasting. Anyway, I was sincere and was fasting and praying for God’s blessings.

“Teach us to pray,” the disciples asked Jesus. (Luke 11:1-4) R.A. Torrey, an associate of D. L. Moody, in his book How to Pray, starts off with four reasons we should engage in constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer: (1) Because there is a Devil who never rests—and is cunning—against whom we wrestle; (2) Because prayer is God’s appointed way for us to obtain things from Him (“Ye have not because ye ask not”); (3) The apostles regarded prayer as the most important business of their lives, and (4) Prayer occupied a prominent place and played a very important part of Jesus’ life on earth. (Mark 1:35)

The first and last thing Jesus did in His public ministry was to pray. In response to the request of the disciples that He teach them how to pray, Jesus answers: “When ye pray,” assuming that they will pray. Then He gives them what is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer.” In reality, it is not a prayer to be repeated but rather a pattern of praying to be followed.

1. “Our Father which art in heaven.” These words recognize a relationship with God. God, Paul affirms, is in a sense the Father of all, for “we are His offspring,” Paul reasoned with unbelievers on Mars Hill. (Acts 17:29) But, in a unique and special eternal sense, God is our Father if we have been born again by grace through faith in His Son, Jesus. “But as many as receive Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17)

There is also a reverence affirmed: “Hallowed be Thy name.” His name is anything but hallowed in the world that lives apart from God, but Ezekiel declares, “I will sanctify my great name which was profaned among the heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them….” (Ezek. 36:23) His name is above all names. (Phil. 2:9)

2. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” His kingdom will be coming, as He promised. (Jer. 23:5; Isa. 9:6,7) The key here is “as in heaven.” So, on earth now is His blessed will being done? Well, yes, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) But now we see through a glass darkly; and the “god” of this world seems to be getting his way. But doubt not: “Jesus shall reign where e’er the sun doth its successive journeys run.”

3. “Give us this day our Daily Bread.” God is committed to supplying and providing our basic needs. It has been interesting to watch how believers around the world have been used of God to send countless tons of relief to believers who are still suffering such hardships because of Russia’s four year-long attack upon Ukraine. “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25) “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

4. “And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.” We cannot ask God to forgive us unless we are willing to forgive those who have sinned against us. “The weight of unconfessed sin and its guilt and the burden of unforgiven offenses with its bitterness are the two greatest obstacles to prayer today. It is as natural for God to forgive us our sins as it is for Him to provide our daily bread.”

5. “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” God never solicits anyone to do evil. (James 1:13) But He does allow us to be tested with the end that we shall be approved. (Matt. 4:1) God may even allow Satan to severely buffet us (Job), but He will set the limits as to what Satan can do. “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.” If we are not watching and praying, the probability of our entering into testing will increase.

So, again, “Lord, teach us to pray.” One of His disciples felt the need to ask Jesus that question, and I believe that most of us who are following Him by faith in these last days still feel that need to enter into the school of prayer taught by Him through His Holy Spirit yet today. Let us, then, remember Paul’s admonition as we wrestle against Satan and his wiles and fiery darts:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Eph. 6:18)

Ellen, My Love (Special Edition of “You andGod”)

 

Since I am the author of the “You and God” blog, I have the opportunity (which I do not take lightly) to choose what the subject of each post will be. I try to stay on biblical issues, doctrinal and practical, and rarely talk about family and personal matters. But “Ellen, My Love” is going to be an exception, because Ellen, my love, has a birthday today!

We met more than 60 years ago as students at Bob Jones University. In those days, three meals a day were served in the Dixon-McKenzie dinning common, and each student was assigned a table at which to sit. Assignments were rotated every few weeks. That’s how Ellen and I met. In the fall of 1963, we both ended up at Table T-1. She was a first-year student, I was a junior. I later wrote a poem about our meeting: “It all began at Table T-1. When Tony thought he’d have some fun; he decided to tease a girl named Ellen, but soon found out she was sweet as melon.” (Dec. 18, 1963) I will spare you the rest of that first of many attempts at poetry dedicated to Ellen, my love, through the years.

I had to get in line, though, to snag my first date with her. BJU had what was called the “note system.” Every night about 10 p.m., notes from the girls’ dorms were delivered to the boys’ dorms, and notes from the boys’ dorms were delivered to the girls’ dorms. I sent Ellen a note asking if she would accompany me to the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl (i.e., soccer championship game) but, lo and behold, she said she had a commitment that day. I think she was the only girl I had asked on a date in college, so I was a bit taken aback. No worry, I took a number and waited, then sent another note for some kind of date—and she accepted. The rest is history. In February of ’64 (not too long after I had to get in line to wait) I wrote this poem that will indicate pretty speedy progress. In part it reads: “There’s no greater joy in this world to share, than the love of a woman—warm and fair. For a woman has power to mold and to form, A man who can bravely encounter life’s storm. Together a couple in love may walk, the span of life’s bridge, as they smile and talk. Together they love when the sun shines bright; together they love through the darkest night. Together—together, and so shall it be; forever we’ll love, my Ellen and me.” (The 2nd stanza is more spiritual!) “There’s no greater joy in the world to come, than to sit at the feet of God’s bless’d Son; to be able to say, ‘I have fought a good fight,’ To be able to know Christ hath conquered sin’s blight. To God be the glory—to Him be all praise! He hath conquered great death, from His grave He was raised. So while we must live for a time here below, precious souls let us win so that Life they may know. Precious souls, precious souls, they are walking on ice; This story we’ll tell them, ‘God’s grace doth suffice!’

Well, for more than 60 years now, what I was just dreaming about in that expression of a young heart madly in love has been working itself out day by day. We have not realized every dream as coming true, but we have realized enough of them that we are still dreaming on—even into our 80’s!

I want to update and close with one more effort at poetry—this one just three years ago on the occasion of Ellen’s birthday: “Ellen, My Love.”

“Through the years, toil and tears; From the start, Love in heart;
     You’ve been mine, all the time—day by day, all the way.

Two lives meld, as we’ve held, to the other, Dad and Mother.
     Children three, at our knee; God’s so good, Understood!

By His grace, in our place; Called to give, shaped to live;
     By His Word, to be heard; Now the time, clocks do chime.

Like a cloud, Death in shroud; Presses ever, lives to sever.
     You my dear, daily cheer! God above, gave us love.

May this day, crown your way; Joy and cheer, all the year!”

                  Happy Birthday, Ellen, My Love!

June 2, 2023

“Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled….” (Hebrews 13:4)

“House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord; Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.” (Provs. 18:22)

Thank you for your prayers for Dr. Larry Hufhand who suffered a bad fall last week. He is at home now, and is experiencing some serious pain due to a fractured ankle, and has to have help walking. He has several stitches in his head. And , he is scheduled for more than a half dozen doctors appointments this month. Pray, too, for Marion and family members who are caring for Larry. “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.                                                        Late breaking news: Brother Larry had a cast put on his ankle/foot Monday, and he can now walk without great pain. He is positive about his recovery. Prayers are already working!!

Why Mission Boards?

Every local New Testament church exists to “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” This is known as “the Great Commission,” given by Christ to His Disciples before He ascended to heaven following His 40-day post-resurrection appearances. (Matt. 28:18-20) That command to evangelize the lost, beginning at Jerusalem and ultimately going to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts. 1:8), has always been the top priority of His church. The question that local churches that are serious about fulfilling that commission deal with is: “How can we most effectively get missionaries to every corner of the earth with the life-saving gospel message?” 

Pastors and church members will agree that God alone can call missionaries, separating them for the ministry of church planting as the Holy Ghost did Paul and Barnabas. (Acts 13:1,2) It never ceases to thrill the hearts of pastors and church members when men and women surrender to the work of world evangelism, answering God’s call and obeying His command. The task may appear daunting, and missionaries will be the first to affirm that without support—prayer support, financial support, and “moral” support—they would not dare assume the staggering responsibilities that an ambassador for Christ, often with a family and usually on foreign soil, would volunteer to yoke up under. 

That is where I want to pick up a discussion on the subject of “Why a Mission Board?” My answers to this question will come from my heart, after having pastored churches for half a century and having been as wholly involved in 20th and 21st century missions ministry as I possibly could have been as a pastor. I have pastored a church that partnered with scores of missionaries in assisting their getting to and serving on the field to which God has called them. And, for 45 years, it has been my privilege to serve as a board member of Baptist World Mission, a service agency that has come alongside hundreds of local churches, assisting them as they work through the challenges and “logistics” of getting their God-called evangelists to their respective fields. I am “pro mission boards” because:

  1. Most pastors shepherd midsized to smaller churches and are limited in their ability to visit foreign fields in person. If God calls two or three families out of one church to go “across the waters” to minister, that would make the issue of accountability even more problematic. Thompson Road Baptist Church was the sending church, during my tenure as pastor, of several missionary families simultaneously serving on various fields. I have been indebted to the “foot work” of various good mission agencies that have assisted our own missionaries in matters such as obtaining visas, cultural adjustments, raising support, and submitting to counsel about serving in adherence to sound Biblical and doctrinal principles and work ethics.
  1. From time to time, emergency situations unfold that missionaries need extraordinary help with—situations beyond the ability of their sending church to handle. For instance, a missionary that our church supported as he and his family labored in Germany came down with “mad cow” disease. There was a critical need for this servant to be evacuated to where he could get the medical attention required for this dread disease. The board under whose auspices he served had the insurance policy in place to step up and be of invaluable assistance in getting the missionary back to the US, where he became one of the few survivors of this affliction.
  1. Partnering with many other churches supporting missionaries that we also support—missionaries who have been carefully and prayerfully screened and vetted by boards of like faith with our church—has afforded us the opportunity of fellowshipping with, and co-laboring with, scores of God’s choicest servants. As a church, we have supported some of them with our prayers, finances, and encouragement for more than four decades.
  1. Sound mission boards, such as Baptist World Mission, are diligent in examining the doctrinal beliefs as well as the personal walk with God of each applicant that comes before them. The mission board is committed to the principle that only churches send missionaries. But the board, as a service agency to the local church, takes its responsibilities as a co-laborer with the church very seriously. This working arrangement, involving visits by mission-board field directors to assist and encourage missionaries, gives the local church an added layer of assurance that each supported missionary is given all the help, encouragement, and accountability that could practically and possibly be rendered.

These are just a few of the pertinent reasons why this (retired) pastor is a proponent of mission boards. In truth, there is no perfect board, missionary, pastor, or church; but a wise and careful church, led by a pastor with a heart for biblical missions—in tandem with a mission board that has tools and expertise that many churches could not tap into—provides an arrangement that worked well for this pastor in enabling our church to know, love, and serve many, many godly servants of Christ who spent a lifetime in the ministry of missions. Should anyone reading this have questions or comments on this subject, which is deeply lodged in my heart, feel free to correspond further with me.

“Say ye not there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” (John 4:35)

PRAYER REQUEST: Our dear friend, Dr. Larry Hufhand, suffered a fall this week. He was hospitalized as is being treated and examined. Please pray for his recovery. I will try to give you an update when I can. The family requests no phone calls or house visits at this time. If you would like to send him (and his beloved wife, Marion) a card, message me for their address.

The Veil

As you will soon note, this post will be a bit unusual. It is the result of a recent Sunday School class I taught from Mark’s gospel, chapter 15, a record inspired by the Holy Spirit recording the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I want to share some thoughts on an important verse that we usually read over rather quickly after visiting Calvary and being reminded of the horrendous suffering of our Savior—and his lamentable cry, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) Mark continues with the comment that Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. Then he notes, “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” (Mark 15:38)

Reading again that true and shuddering account of our Lord’s last day on earth in flesh like ours, I had to pause a moment to reflect upon that simple, single reference to the temple veil that was rent in two the moment He gave up the ghost. Matthew also records a statement about the veil being rent in two, and Matthew adds: “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after the resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many.” (Matt. 27:52,53)

I meditated on these verses and, in time, was driven to my files to see if I had preached a message on “the veil” at some time in my ministry. I soon discovered some notes on a 3×5 card on such a message—not one that I had preached but one that Pastor Luther Peake had preached on March 22, 1970, at the Buckner Blvd. Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, the church that Ellen and I were members of when we were living in Dallas (1969-1971) when I was a student in Dallas Theological seminary. Pastor Peake was fairly old at that time. He, along with J. Frank Norris, founded the Bible Baptist Seminary of Arlington, Texas. He was an exceptional expositor of the Word of God, and I took copious notes on this unusual message that day, filling up both sides of my 3×5 card. I want to share some of those notes with you in this blog. Dr. Peake said:

“The (Old Testament) Tabernacle was divided into three parts: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. Gentiles were permitted only in the outer court; Jews were permitted in the Holy Place where they presented their offerings and sacrifices; and the High Priest was permitted in the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was on the Day of Atonement, once annually, to present sacrifices and offerings for his own sins and for the sins of the nation. The Holy of Holies was where God’s visible presence was manifested at times in a cloud or pillar of fire.

Separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was a thick veil—about 4 and ½ inches to 5 inches thick, 36 feet wide and 60 feet long, constructed of 72 plats of 24 threads of blue, scarlet and red colors, all skillfully woven according to instructions given by God to Moses. (Ex.26:33)

When the Lord gave up the ghost, (Matt. 27:51, Luke 23:45, Mark 15:24-38) the veil was rent in two from top to bottom. An earthquake followed immediately (Matthew’s account), but only after the veil had already been rent. What, then, was the significance of the rent veil?

  1. It was, first, a sign of deep sorrow, as when David heard of the death of Saul and Jonathan and rent his clothes in mourning. (See also Genesis 37:29; Job 1:20; Ezra 9:5 God the Father, it may well have pictured, was mourning the death of His only begotten Son, a death that caused the Father to temporarily “forsake” His Son as He bore in His body the penalty for the sins of humanity in toto.
  2. It speaks to us of the rending of Christ’s flesh (Hebrews 10:20). Christ was as much God as if He were not man; and as much man as if He were not God. God, invisible, omnipotent—yet providing through Christ a once-for-all sacrifice for our sins. The eternal deity was clothed in flesh, so that He would be the one and only proper sacrifice for our sins.
  3. The rending of the veil when the God Man, Jesus, had suffered, bled, and died for sins signified that from that moment there now was accessibility for man to God: ‘Whosoever will may come,’ and not just the High Priest on the one yearly Day of Atonement.”

Now, leaving the 3×5 note card that I filled up with Pastor Peake’s message alluded to above, I want to comment on the intriguing statement found only in Matthew’s gospel account of the crucifixion when, in Matt. 27:52, immediately following the statement that the veil was rent in twain from top to bottom (something only God could have done), Matthew notes that “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city and appeared to many.”

It is really interesting that Matthew inserted a description of this event—which did not happen until after His resurrection—in the middle of the story of Christ’s crucifixion. This no doubt is part of the “first-fruits” that Paul had in mind when he outlined the order of the first resurrection (see John 5:28,29): “But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” (I Cor. 15:23) On the day of His resurrection, He forbade Mary Magdalene to touch Him for He had not yet ascended to His Father. (John 20:17) Paul would write in Eph. 4:8,9: “Wherefore he saith, when He ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now that he ascended; what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same that also ascended up far above all heavens.”  Old Testament saints were waiting His death, burial, and resurrection in “Abraham’s bosom.” This may explain why some, if not all, of the Old Testament saints—part of the first fruits resurrection along with Christ—were resurrected when He descended into the lower parts of the earth the day He arose, leading “captivity captive”—i.e. Old Testament saints to God and to glory. Selah.

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.” (Hebs. 10:19,20)

True Story

In the course of a ministry that spans several decades, there are many unforgettable incidents. In this post, I want to relate one of them from early in my pastorate here in Indianapolis.

A family in our church lived next to to a family that did not attend Thompson Road Baptist Church regularly but allowed their children to ride our bus to Sunday School and church. They had a boy who was wheel-chair bound, due to a birth defect, and he was able to attend also.

One day, a local funeral director called me and said that the family who were neighbors to our church members had suffered the loss of an infant child. I do not remember the cause of death. But the family was planning a graveside service for the baby, and since I was the pastor of their neighbor friends, they asked if I would conduct the service. I was given the pertinent information about the time and place of the service and, of course, I agreed to conduct a service for the baby and family.

The day arrived and one of the deacons of our church, a retired employee of the Indianapolis Power and Light company, volunteered to accompany me. Henry knew how to get anywhere in the county because he had maintained lights on street lamps in just about every area of the city. This funeral was not in our city proper but rather in an outlying area; yet Henry knew exactly where the cemetery was and said he would give directions. In this pre-GPS era, I was glad to have him come along.

We left early enough to arrive at the small, rural cemetery with time to spare. Our trip would take us on Interstate 74, on the east side of Indianapolis. We headed out; it was a beautiful morning and—apart from a baby dying, for which there was a committal service—there was not a care in the world. Henry and I talked and, taken up with the conversation, neither of us paid much attention to where we were on the interstate. In time, I took an exit from I-465 E onto Interstate I-70 E, heading toward Columbus, Ohio. I kept driving and we kept talking, enjoying the scenery and the conversation.

After quite some time, I became concerned that the hour was getting late, and Henry had not advised me to exit from I-70 E. We were beginning to see signs that Richmond, IN, was coming up soon. I mentioned that fact to my deacon-guide, and his face began to get a bit red as he said that we should have gotten onto I-74 E, heading toward Cincinnati, rather than I-70.

I took the first highway heading south, hoping that we could soon pick up I-74, which we did in a fairly short time. Getting onto the right highway, we headed back a short distance to the cemetery, arriving probably 45 minutes to an hour late. Finding in that small cemetery the only grave that had been freshly dug, we were not surprised to learn that everyone had left. The only person there was a young woman at the graveside, an employee of the cemetery. With a shovel in her hand, she tossed one shovel full of dirt after another into the small grave. On the ground at the head of the grave, there appeared to be a small handgun which, since she was working alone, I assumed was for her protection.

Henry and I got out of the car and I, dressed as a pastor of course, slowly approached the grave, announcing to the young “grave digger” that I was the pastor who was supposed to have conducted the service for the family—but was late because we had missed our turn on the way to the service. I enquired as to how long ago the family had left, etc. The conversation was brief.

Though we had missed the “service,” I read a few verses from God’s Word, and Henry and I bowed our heads in prayer as the young woman stood by patiently in silence.

Before turning to leave, I looked at the young woman, then looked at the ground where the infant’s casket was now buried in dirt, the grave almost fully covered, and said to the young lady: “If this were your grave and your body was being covered in the ground below, do you know where your soul would be?” There were moments of silence—and, after 40 plus years, my memory is now a bit clouded—but I do remember that before we left, I gave her a brief explanation of the gospel, asking her to trust Jesus as her Savior and make certain that when her “burial” day came, her soul would be safe with her Savior. And she then bowed her head and prayed a simple prayer, asking God to save her. Rejoicing, Henry and I made our way back to the car and to Indy.

Yes, it was a terrible mistake, and I felt just awful for having missed the service. But I have been comforted by two things: (1) I did not arrive too late to lead that young woman to Christ on top of a baby’s grave, with no interruptions of any kind—just birds chirping hymns of praise in nearby trees; (2) I called the family as soon as I got back to church to apologize profusely for missing that special service. The mother was gracious, said she understood, and was very kind in spite of my (almost) “unforgiveable” error. And, in the years following, this same family called upon me again, several times, when other relatives, unchurched for the most part, needed a pastor to conduct a funeral service for them. We never saw the family become members, but we were “friends” over the many years to follow, and I had ample opportunities to share the gospel with the family at the many other services conducted for their family members. They forgave the “unforgiveable!” And, hopefully, another name was written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life on the morning that Henry and I “spaced it” on our way to a cemetery where one lonely grave digger needed to be saved.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Your Number One Priority

Here it is: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

Wisdom is a matter of the heart: “He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments and live.” (Proverbs 4:4) When a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, He replied that the “first and great” commandment was to love God with all of one’s heart, soul, and mind. (Matt. 22:35-38) Jesus spoke there of all our capacities:  emotional, volitional, and mental—heart, soul, and mind.

Since Jesus began with the heart in his reply to the lawyer, I want to speak to the heart issue in this post.

I have already quoted Solomon’s advice to his children that they should, in their heart, retain God’s commandments and live. (Prov. 4:4) He had much more to say: A man who lives by the philosophy that life consists of eating and drinking has an evil eye, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7) Again, “Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.” (Prov. 23:12) And, “My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.” (Prov. 23:15)

He continues: “Let not thine heart envy sinners…be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.” (Prov. 23:17,19) And, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” (Prov. 23:26)

In his epistle to the church at Rome, in the introduction to that letter, Paul gives a brief essay on the issues that the original sin, in Eden’s garden, left to the first couple and all their descendants. One of the problems was with the heart: “Because, that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:21) So, from nearly the beginning, humans have had a heart problem.

The good news (gospel) is that our heart problem can be fixed! Paul makes it clear in II Cor. 4:6: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

His glorious light has shined in these once-darkened hearts! How did that happen? Well, it was by the gift of grace and the power of God. And it happens instantly when a person—by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8)—believes in his or her heart.

The Ethiopian Eunuch, after the evangelist Phillip had explained to him the gospel, expounding some of the passage in Isaiah 63, believed—and, upon believing, wanted to do what he had seen thousands of people in Jerusalem do after accepting Peter’s message on the Day of Pentecost. Thousands of believers were baptized. The Eunuch, seeing water from his chariot perch, asked Philip: “What doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Acts 8:36). And Philip said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” (v.37)

Salvation is a heart issue. It starts with believing. Paul told the Philippian jailor the same thing when asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” It starts in the heart with believing. (Acts 16:31)

So, in his excellent theological treatise on salvation in Romans 10, Paul made it unmistakably clear: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9,10) It all begins in the heart.

Jesus answered the lawyer who had tried to trap Him—by asking which was the great commandment—with the simple yet profound statement, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” It all begins with the heart.

How is it today with your heart? Do you believe? It is not a matter of education, rank, or station in life. Salvation is a matter of believing. It begins with a heart change.

That wonderful truth inspired the 19th-century preacher to write the song that still appears in some of our older hymnals: “Have thy affections been nailed to the cross? Is thy heart right with God? Dost thou count all things for Jesus but loss? Is thy heart right with God?

Is thy heart right with God, washed in the crimson flood, Cleansed and made holy, humble and lowly, right in the sight of God?” (E.A. Hoffman, 1839-1929)

Is it? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:13) It starts with the heart. Believe now. Be saved today. Give your heart to God.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” (Ephesians 3:17)

P.S. In September 1964, marking my upcoming 22nd birthday, my parents gifted me with a beautiful Scofield study Bible. Inside the cover they wrote these words: “To our beloved son Tony, a token of our love in remembrance of your birthday…. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, records the instruction given to him by his father in Proverbs 4:5-27. We cannot improve upon these words but choose them as our own desire for your life that you may profit by them. ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’” (v. 23)

God’s Gift to Mankind

“Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exodus 20:12) Paul reiterates that 5th commandment in Ephesians 6:2-3, adding that it is the first commandment to which there is a promise attached—the promise of a long life.

Mother’s Day is the day after the day after tomorrow; don’t fail to show her special honor in some way. I know that some were born into a family where the mother was, more often than not, dishonorable. But I refuse to believe that is the norm; in fact, I believe every mother has a special “mother’s heart” for each of her children. That conviction moved me to write this poem in honor of my mother some years ago—and, when she passed away almost 20 years ago, to share it with all mothers in honor of motherhood.

God’s Gift to Mankind:

“Built for us in God’s own heart,
     She would love us from the start;
Watching o’er us like no other,
     We would cherish our dear mother.

In her arms she drew us near,
     There would chase away each fear;
Through her loving, soothing voice,
     We knew we were hers by choice.

From her eyes there shone rare grace,
     Love was written on her face;
With her hands she met each need,
     All our calls and cares did heed.

She was our first loving teacher,
     Doctor, nurse and even preacher!
Words of kindness she would say,
     Coaching us along life’s way.

Her wise lessons were our rule,
     Ere we set a foot in school.
She would teach us by her life,
     How to cope with stress and strife.

One could see her angel eyes,
     When we called with coos or cries;
She was ever quick to come,
     Caring ‘til the day was done.

Lullabies and sweetest song,
     We could listen all day long.
Darkest room with heaven’s light,
     Mother’s presence would make bright.

With a word or touch we’d know,
     All was peaceful here below.
In her warm and caring arms,
     We were safe from fears and harms.

So on this her special day,
     We would simply pause to say,
‘Mother, mother, mother dear,
      You have brought to us such cheer!

We thank and praise you for your love,
     You’re a gift from heaven above!
From our earliest infant cry,
     To the day that we shall die.

We’ll thank God for you forever,
     Nothing from your heart will sever.
‘Till we draw our life’s last breath,
     We will cherish you till death.

We will honor our dear Mother,
      For she loved us like no other;
Built for us in God’s own heart,
     She has loved us from the start.”

(ALS)

I am happy to say—and I am sure many husbands/fathers who read this would say the same of their own wife—that God in His grace gave me a wonderful wife who fully fits the description painted in this poem of a mother who is a gift from God. We join together, then, in wishing these wonderful wives and mothers the happiest Mother’s Day this year.

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praiseth her…Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:28,30)