The Trinity

By Ralph M. Petersen, 4/23/20

I don’t understand the doctrine of the Trinity. I cannot comprehend a triune God nor can I explain Him. But I do know that stupid analogies always fail and are heretical. God is NOT like an egg, water, a man, pie, a triangle, a three-leafed clover, or Pla-doh. Furthermore, there are lots of people who reject the doctrine of the Trinity simply because they think these analogies don't make sense. And they are right. There are no analogies that can explain the Trinity and we have no right to try to invent such nonsense.

Nor do we have the right to disbelieve the doctrine of a triune God; JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TRINITY IS NO REASON TO DISBELIEVE IT.

Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever.”

And this is one of those secret things. The tri-unity of God is a doctrine of special (biblical) revelation but He has NOT revealed how that can be or how we can understand it. Ours is just to take Him at His Word and believe it. No analogy can explain the Trinity because there is nothing in all of God's creation like Him. He is holy; there is none like Him.

“God Said It, I Believe It and That Settles It For Me,” was a song that was popularized in the 1970s. At first glance, it sounds good but the obvious error in the song is the phrase, “I believe it.” That seems to imply that the veracity of the declared Word of God is dependent on my belief. The better lyric would be, “God Said It and That Settles It Whether I Believe It Or Not.”

So, regarding the doctrine of the Trinity (and all other doctrines of God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture), our belief (or even our understanding) is irrelevant. There are a lot of things about Him that I don't understand. I can't comprehend eternity apart from and unaffected by time. Nor can I understand how God can exist apart from His created universe and yet inhabit His creation. Nevertheless, God’s Word is true even if no one understands it or believes it. We are not privileged to a complete understanding. All we can know about Him is what He has revealed to us in His Word. That’s it! That settles it! That’s all! End of discussion!

Grace Bible Church Encouragement Email: Psalm 119, Part 2

We are back in Psalm 119 talking about God and His word. Let’s zero in on verses 33-40 and I trust this will encourage you as you are praying to God for your own spiritual growth. Let’s finish with part 2 today (verses 37-40). 

1. Turn my eyes – The psalmist speaks of the eyes (v. 37). His eyes see things that can be desired both good and evil. There are many things that would desire to take his time and attention and yet, he needs to direct his eyes and ultimately his thoughts to those things that are worthwhile. Covetousness is just another expression of the selfishness that is lurking inside of us. Instead of an attitude that treasures God first and then seeks to serve others, often the eyes seek for selfish things, attention, wealth, prestige, power, etc. Chasing these things is like chasing things that have no substance (mirages, rainbows) and instead results in the emptiness that comes with chasing things that are of no value. Turning our eyes is similar to an infection that we don’t want to have spread. Each time I’m visiting in the hospital, they have hand-disinfecting stations around the hospital and warnings and messages about using them to keep disease from spreading. If we are not cleansing ourselves from the “infection” of our eyes, it can spread to our heart and mind. This infection goes by many names but for today, let’s just call it covetousness. Ultimately it is an expression to God of our dissatisfaction with how He is meeting our needs or how He has made us.

2. Reassure me - The psalmist is asking for God’s word and his promises to be kept and brought to his mind (v. 38). The psalmist wants to fear and be in awe of God but desires to be reassured. Everyone needs reassurance from time to time. Even with our families, we express our love on a frequent basis. Very few of us practice the attitude of, “I told you once that I loved you and if that ever changes, I’ll let you know.” We need to be reminded and that reminder serves to bring hope and comfort to our lives. Is it any different with our God?  We want to be reminded of His care for us. Our hearts desire to see His promises fulfilled. Every time a promise is carried out, our fickle and insecure hearts are reassured. Our doubts are calmed for at least a little while.

3. Turn away the reproach – the psalmist is not being motivated by a selfish ambition to avoid embarrassment. He does not want to do that which would cause God’s name to suffer. There are those around David who are trying to destroy him. Consider Psalm 119:21-23. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments.Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes (ESV). The psalmist commits his reputation to the Lord.

4. Give me life in your righteousness – the psalmist shows his desire for God’s word and asks for God’s help in following his righteousness. All of us need God’s help each day as we seek to follow Him. We need God’s help to face the challenges of right now. 

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Sent out to all who attend Grace Bible Church by Pastor Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Pastor Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor.

Grace Bible Church Encouragement Email: Psalm 119, Part 1

Most of you know that Psalm 119 is about God and His Word. Let’s zero in on verses 33-40 and I trust this will encourage you as you are praying to God for your own spiritual growth. Let’s start with part 1 today (verses 33-36). 

Look at all that David, the psalmist, is asking for God to help him with. Almost every verse contains the thought of “me” or “my” as he is asking God for help. Not in some selfish way but in his desire to please God, he is realizing his own shortcomings and where he needs improvement towards God. Let’s run down some of his list and see if some of these same things should be on our list as well.

1.  “Teach me” (submissive spirit) – He desires to be taught by God. He wants to know how God wants him to live. His understanding is that there is a way to walk and he desires to follow that way. His goal then is to live according to God’s statutes for the rest of his life (v. 33). What a wonderful thought for us today…God, teach us and once you do, we will be committed to your teachings as long as we are on this earth.

2.   “Give me understanding” – This implies that he was lacking something. The Psalmist needs understanding and he is not asking for knowledge for its own sake. There is also the comprehension that unless God was the one teaching him, his struggle to understand would be endless. Once he has gained this understanding from God, he will then respond in obedience to God’s Word. This obedience will go far beyond an outward compliance but will encompass his whole being. Even today, God gives us understanding and wisdom as we read, hear, and obey His word (v. 34). God desires believers who are more than just shopkeepers’ bright window dressings. He desires an obedience that completely envelopes the believer.

3.   “Lead me” – Consider that the psalmist is asking for help to walk the correct path. When a person asks for a guide, he/she is giving up some of their own liberty/authority. This person will now go where the guide points to rather than following his own path. The psalmist wants to walk in the right way and more than that, he wants to want to walk in God’s ways. His delight is to walk in the way of God’s commands. He does not express it as a heartless duty (v. 35). What a blessed path that a believer can walk as he treads in the way that God desires of him!  Am I willing to give up control of my own life and truly rely on God’s direction to lead me?

4.   “Incline my heart” – The psalmist identifies that his heart can go two different directions. He is asking for God to keep his heart focused on the things of God. The psalmist understands that his human heart, if left to itself, does not desire the things of God, so he needs God’s help. The other direction is one of “selfish gain” or dishonest profit. This type of attitude is condemned in passages such as Isaiah 56:11, “The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all” (ESV). Also Jeremiah 6:13, “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely” (ESV). During this time in history, is your heart being drawn towards God?  Ask God for His help to refocus you.

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Sent out to all who attend Grace Bible Church by Pastor Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Pastor Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor.

Grace Bible Church Encouragement Email: What About Death?

Ever heard the statement, “Death is a part of life”? I hope the death of logic in that statement is apparent. Death is a part of death, not life.

I listened in on a few sermons yesterday on TV before we had our own family church together. Apparently, the resurrection of Jesus Christ happened to give you peace in the midst of life’s storms. Funny, I don’t ever remember any apostle putting it quite that way. They cared about people, I’m sure, and the common sufferings we all go through – including struggles with anxiety and peace.

But doesn’t it seem to you that resurrection deals with death more than life here and now? I think it does. And I also believe that we all struggle with anxiety because we are sinners, fallen mentally and emotionally, and shall be until the resurrection. And frankly, being a sinner means making myself and my problems in the center of this life, and putting my emphasis in life on the wrong things – like making anxiety my greatest problem. You too.

Anxiety is not, in case you’re wondering, your biggest problem. Getting along with a holy God is, in this life and the next. And resurrection provides the foundation for getting along in both. If God shall give you a promise of resurrection, then the worst thing that can happen to you is the best thing that can happen to you:  death.

And if you are shot through with sin having learned it at your mother’s knee, then the best thing that can happen to you is resurrection.

And if you struggle in this life, unhappy with yourself, your well-being, your job, your everything, then again, resurrection is the best thing that can happen to you.

The Declaration of Independence promises you “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” God doesn’t. He does it better by promising resurrection to all who trust in Christ for their sins before God.

Your biggest concern is a holy God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And every problem in life is only as big as He is small in your eyes. Can not a God who freely grants resurrection based on His Son’s work on the cross not also give you freely all things to enjoy with Him? Why would He promise the greater and renege on the lesser?

Look death squarely in the nose, right now. It isn’t your greatest enemy, because the One who holds death is more powerful than it:  “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18, NKJV).

“He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-18).

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Sent out to all who attend Grace Bible Church by Pastor Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Pastor Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor.

Encouragement Email – Resurrection Sunday!

What a happy morning! A few women scurried to the garden where your Lord was laid in a tomb three days ago after being crucified. They were in such a hurry they forgot to make plans on how to roll away the massive stone covering the entrance into it (Mark 16:2-3).

What a happy surprise awaited them as a young man dressed in brilliant white, telling them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him” (Mark 16:6, NKJV). Only, he wasn’t a man. He was an angel (Matthew 28:5)!

Well, that’s revealing.

Yesterday your Lord had preached His victory to the demonic spirits already in prison (1 Peter 3:19). It may have continued in assembly of the great ranks of demons, whose only perspective is slander and hatred of God’s holy Son, and our human race. They delight in human sin.

But what they can’t understand, because they are blinded by hate, is the glory of the sacrifice of Jesus. He came to earth from heaven and disrobed Himself of all dignity, becoming a man. Then He disrobed Himself of the dignity of a man, and took the cross. All of this was Jesus making Himself a sacrifice. His holy soul, for your sinful soul. He did this in order to redeem a vast multitude and one day present them all as a love gift to the Father.

The demons can’t enjoy the resurrection, so why follow them in their promotion of sin? They hate everyone, Jesus, the cross, and the resurrection. They only want to think of themselves, but the resurrection not only redeems us from our sins and death, but also seals their fate in the worst pain and shame and misery, without hope for relief, for all eternity.

The holy angel at Jesus’ empty tomb bridged the two worlds of heaven and earth. One day both shall be one in perpetuity, as holy angels and redeemed men and women made holy unite in worship and service to Jesus, His Father, and their Spirit.

Hope is the rib cage of Christianity that protects the heart of faith. Like faith, it is not a wished-for outcome of good circumstances. Hope is the certainty that God unwinds evil and makes all things new and good. Hope is the cheerful confidence that if there’s no food in the cabinet, God will provide one way or another. It needs to be especially strong as the days wind down, hopeful that He is good to His promises. Even in death.

Jesus Christ defeated death, my beloved Christian friends. Unless he returns soon, most of us shall taste it, I’m sorry to say. But the glories on the other side of death are so great, that the experience will be like nothing compared to the glories to follow.

Had I preached today, I think I would have made much of the Corona virus, because it puts people in touch with the pain of death. We despise it so much we’ll stay inside and avoid social functions, work, and handshakes. But I’m pretty sure I would have stayed away from saying, “There’s a worse virus, and it’s called sin!” I’m sorry, I find that a bit confusing. A lot of people survive the virus, but no one survives sin.

How about this instead? The wages of the Corona Virus might be death for you. And if it’s not this virus, it might be another virus or something else. A car crash, an unforeseen circumstance.

Now if death for you means entrance into Life, then it’s a servant of the God who makes promises about such Life after death. Death then has lost its sting, because Christ took away its power to kill. Christian hope is certain of this.

On the other hand, if death for you is an entrance into the demonic realm, the abode of the dead where you suffer in agony with demons forever and without any hope of relief, won’t you repent of living in your sins and preferring them to the love of Christ for you?

He wants to rescue you, so please, call upon Jesus to save you.

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Sent on April 12, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Saturday, Passion Week

Silence on earth, but not in heaven!

As the earth slumbered on, unperturbed that its Creator had been slain by wicked men, the angels rejoiced! Yesterday their Lord returned with a brand plucked from the fire, the thief on the cross! It wasn’t for poetry sake He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43, NKJV). But He had left again.

In Jerusalem, Saturday morning’s sun arose just like every Saturday’s sun had for eons. True, the markets were quiet because of the Mosaic Law, and had been Sabbath-quiet since Israel had taken possession in the days of Joshua, in the division of the Promised Land. Somewhere out on the slopes the women cried and the men hung their heads low, as the elect of elect Israel dropped their heads in that familiar shame that clings to God’s people in this world.

The Prince of Life lived no more, they all knew. The word had spread by the women who had seen where He was laid. His disciples were nowhere to be seen, and strangely, none sought them out for counsel, or to get a word in with their Teacher.

Then came evening and the familial social distancing of the Sabbath lifted. The women who anointed the dead Messiah’s body went back to the markets and bought even more spices to honor it again (Mark 16:1). They would make the lonely trip early the next morning, perhaps not knowing the tomb was sealed and guarded by crack Roman troops.

And earth lumbered on. The Roman military planned their conquests, asking the gods of war for success. Citizens and peasants alike plowed fields, farmed animals, cooked meals, and made sacrifices of animals and their baser appetites at the temple. While students studied and newborns cooed, and while the drunkards drank and the sluggish slept all afternoon, the philosopher and priest earned ridicule for claiming sin to be good and the gods to be fickle. Blindness continued another day. The earth continued on its axis, seemingly none the worse for wear. Across the oceans undiscovered tribes hunted buffalo and fought for territory, raised their families and prayed to the sun. The demons and their hapless subjects, the sons of Adam, didn’t even question, “Why?”

But something else had happened, apart from hapless eyes. The glorious Son of Man proclaimed a great victory to them on Saturday, first in their eternal prisons, for He had been “put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison…” (1 Peter 3:18-19, NKJV). Then I picture the glorious Son of God, now triumphant Son of Man, ascending the mountain of the Lord where the ranks of Satanic intelligentsia and powers howled their protests against the LORD when He prophesied: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You” (Hebrews 2:12, NKJV).

Could it be a complete domination of Lucifer and His hundreds of millions army, all arrayed against the sons of men to secure their misery and deaths right before the face of God? Could it be? “Oh yes,” they told each other, from the depths to the heights.

“Defeated by a mere man?” they asked each other. “Oh yes,” they confessed.

“Well,” hissed their Leader, “Not so fast. He’s still with us and not with them, isn’t He?”

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Sent on April 11, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Friday, Passion Week

By the time you woke up this morning, your Lord had been through as many as six trials, all occurring late at night and early into Friday morning. Physically He should be exhausted, but emotionally and spiritually He is keen and wise.

Perhaps you would like to think about these events during your day today.

Late Last Night:

The first trial was at Annas’ house (John 18:13-24) during which Peter gives his first denial. The second trial is before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:54). During this trial Jesus identifies as the Son of Man coming from heaven to subjugate the peoples of the world and establish God’s kingdom on earth, a statement to which the chief priest tears his robe in mock disgust.

Then comes Peter’s second denial of Christ (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:55-65; John 18:25-27), where they detect Peter’s Galilean accent.
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A third trial occurs before the gathered Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:1; Mark 15:1a, Luke 22:66-71). This is the third of three Jewish trials, all of them illegal by their own protocols. Perhaps Judas was standing outside, for he now runs off and commits suicide (Matthew 27:3-10; Acts 1:18-19).

A fourth trial starts in the early morning as Jesus is taken before Pilate (Matthew 27:2, 11-14; Mark 15:1b-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-38). Jesus declares to him, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world then my servants would be fighting.” Pilate responds, “I find no guilt in Him.”

Early this Morning:

Pilate sends Jesus over to Herod, in town for the Passover. The sun is now up when Herod tries to get Jesus to do a miracle for his entertainment. Jesus refuses to say even a word to Herod which offends him, and after having Jesus beaten sends him back to Pilate with a robe as a gift. This initiates the sixth and final trial back at Pilate’s judgment seat (Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-19:16). Pilate says Jesus has done nothing deserving death, releases Barabbas, has Jesus scourged and presented  to the people now gathered. They cry out “crucify Him” and Pilate washes his hands as a sign of self-forgiveness, an act of cruelty and self-love. Pilate signs the death warrant and hands over Jesus to the soldiers.

Prior to be taken out by them, Jesus is mocked before and beaten before the crowd, for their enjoyment (Matthew 27:27-30; Mark 15:16-19). Jesus’ journey to the place of crucifixion is comprised of several scenes with common people:  a man pressed into service to carry the heavy cross bar and women who cry out (Matthew 27:31-34; Mark 15:20-23; Luke 23:26-33a; John 19:17).

9AM to 3PM:

The gospel writers divide up the crucifixion into two parts, from 9am to noon (Matthew 27:35-44; Mark 15:24-32; Luke 23:33b-43; John 19:18-27), and from noon to 3pm at which time death comes (Matthew 27:45-50; Mark 15:33-37; Luke 23:44-45a, 46; John 19:28-30). Jesus, alert and submissive to God, prays for the soldiers, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The soldiers gamble for His garments, the last and final possession of Jesus, and affix a sign over his head, all designed to afflict your Lord with maximum shame, as though His sins were so great He deserved the greatest mockery and humiliation.

As Jesus dies an agonizing death He cries out words of sacred Scripture and forgiveness: “It is finished.” A number of miracles occur as a centurion bears witness to Jesus dying, the Son of God (Matthew 27:51-56; Mark 15:38-41; Luke 23:45b, 47-49).

After 3PM but before Sunset:

Pilate grants Jesus to be taken down from the cross in response to a wealthy man who gives the use of his tomb to your Lord, now dead in is humanity (Matthew 27:57-58; Mark 15:42-45; Luke 23:50-52; John 19:31-38). His body is quickly placed in the tomb before the Sabbath begins at sunset (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53-54; John 19:39-42).

Finally, the tomb in which your Lord’s holy body is laid is watched over by the women and guarded by the soldiers (Matthew 27:61-66; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55-56).

The level of detail surrounding Jesus’ trials, punishments, and death is staggering. Every text rewards contemplation and consideration.

May your Good Friday, beloved friends in Christ, be profitable in your love for Him above all.

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Sent on April 10, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Thursday, Passion Week

Imagine your Lord waking up on Thursday, and knowing He in His humanity will never sleep again.

Like Wednesday, Thursday daytime, is quiet. You may assume that your Lord is resting and meditating in preparation for tonight. He travels down to Jerusalem with His men and His betrayer. There is no obvious anxiety in this Man who walks into the city of God His final time. In four days’ time He’ll appear in the city again, now resurrected, and in His Second Coming shall enter as Jerusalem’s Defender and King (Zechariah 12-14).

As He is resting midday, the disciples come to Him and ask, “Where do you want for us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He has been keeping it from them lest word get out and those wanting to kill Jesus might find Him and the disciples. Jesus shows supernatural power over all things by directing them to follow a man carrying a pitcher of water into a house in Jerusalem. Once safely inside, they will learn of His prior arrangements (Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13).

Then comes evening and all are in the upper room, served by faithful women and men. This shall be the last Passover meal for your Lord (Matthew 26:20, Mark 14:17, Luke 22:14-16): “I shall never eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then taking off His robe and donning a towel, He washes the disciple’s feet, a picture of lowly service for us to imitate with each other, and of Christ’s descent from heaven to earth to forgive our sins (John 13:1-20). Is any as good as Jesus?

Then He identifies Judas as the betrayer just prior to an argument among the disciple’s as to which is the greatest (Matthew 26:21-25, Mark 14:18-21; Luke 22:21-30; John 13:21-30). If He was hoping for better from men then He was disappointed, for fallen men are much more like devils than deity. Jesus even points out the confident Peter as one who will deny him (Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-38).

The Passover concludes and your Savior institutes the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Normally we would take this together on Good Friday. May our inability to do so help us appreciate every opportunity in the future to honor Christ’s institution:  the local church and its founding activity that brings us together in faith and love.

Now your Lord settles into teaching proper:  The Upper Room Discourse filled with encouragement for sad disciples (John 14:1-16:33), and the encouragement of Jesus’ prayer for them, and for all those who will believe in Him through their word (John 17:1-26). That’s you, my believing friend.

Jesus predicts again that Peter will, in fact, deny Him that night but also tells the men He will rise from the dead and meet them in Galilee. In arrogance Peter rebukes Jesus and professes his own spiritual strength to stand strong in temptation (Matthew 26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31); Luke 29:39-40a; John 18:1).

Jesus moves on the Garden of Gethsemane and prays hard that the cup might pass, meaning, that He might not have to die the death of crucifixion and shame. His human side makes fervent plea to God, but always leaves the matter up to God His Father. Strengthened, He is prepared to do the will of God (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40b-46).

No sooner than He was finished, but Judas and a large contingent of soldiers and temple police show up to arrest your Lord. Although He could call twelve legions of angels to eradicate the human race at that point, He submits (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:42-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12), even healing the cut-off ear of a slave. One cannot detect a single bit of revenge or anger in Jesus at His mistreatment.

Oh that we would learn to be like him!

Your Lord won’t sleep tonight, but will endure six overnight court trials before His condemnation to a cross the next morning. We’ll look at those tomorrow.

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Sent on April 9, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Wednesday, Passion Week

What a mournful day is Wednesday.

Your Lord does not travel down to Jerusalem, He does not teach the crowds, He does not argue with His enemies. Instead, He prepares.

The only event that happened on Wednesday was despicable. Judas, inexplicably, goes to the chief priests to betray your Savior. Here’s the text:

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people…." Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. (Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16).

If you read it in your Bible, you’ll notice Matthew inserts the story of Mary anointing Jesus with perfume in the middle, and event that had happened the previous Saturday night. Why would Matthew do this? Well, Jesus prophesied she did this to prepare him for His burial (Matthew 26:12). So, contrast Judas who is now preparing Jesus for a Friday burial on Wednesday out of unbelief, and Mary, who did the same on Saturday but out of faith. Both were saddened at the prospect of Jesus dying, but one thought Jesus foolish for going to His death and chose to profit by it; the other thought Him wise and suffered great financial loss by it. What do you think…was He wise, or foolish for going to His death?

Speaking of wisdom, I think Jesus wisely rested on Wednesday. If you remember, He had poured Himself out like water the day before with all the teaching and arguing in the temple, followed by lengthy teaching of the disciples on the Mount of Olives. He had a big day coming tomorrow (Thursday), and of course, He knew Friday, the Passover, was His pending crucifixion. I imagine Him spending Wednesday in prayer, physically resting but spiritually preparing.

He also knew what Judas was doing, as He had prophesied and would again of him on Thursday night. He knew Judas would come back late on Wednesday night, thirty pieces of silver guiltily jingling in his bag. There’s no reason to assume Judas didn’t sleep restfully that night, either, finding peace as he finally gave exercise to his sin.

Perhaps Wednesday’s theme is loneliness, a loneliness made worse for Jesus by betrayal. Was Jesus sad? Of course. He was about to lose Judas to Satan. But He also felt the “joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). Serving God is pleasing at all times, especially the worst of them.

The prospect of doing what God wants makes even the worst events bright with light, if not always cheerfulness. Even loneliness is fellowship if you have God to talk to and console with.

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Sent on April 8, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

But…My Good Outweighs My Bad!

By Ron Livesay

During this shutdown, when most churches are not meeting, many are having worship services at home. This past weekend, Janet and I met a block away with our son, his wife, and their three children. We had prayer, singing, Scripture reading, and a sermon from the Internet by John MacArthur.

The sermon again reminded me of a concept I have presented several times while teaching Sunday school. The common thread that runs through all false religion is the idea that human beings can do enough good to get to Heaven. This thread comes in many forms, usually having to do with completing a number of requirements on a list to prove to God that one is worthy of salvation. It is often summed up like this:  “Someday I will stand in the final judgment, and God will weigh my good against my bad. If my bad outweighs my good, I will be in trouble, but if my good outweighs my bad, God will let me into Heaven. I’m sure it will all be okay, because God is loving and I’m a good person.”

This is a very dangerous idea with eternal consequences. It makes some very false assumptions.

First of all, It assumes that humans can do good things in the eyes of God. Martin Luther said, “The most damnable and pernicious heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man is that somehow he can make himself good enough to deserve to live forever with an all-holy God.” Click here for source.

This idea ignores the fact that, while God is loving, so much so that He sent His Son to earth to be the atoning sacrifice for sin and to rise from the dead to defeat sin and death forever, He is also holy and righteous. 

“Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor” (Habakkuk 1:13, NASB).

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB).

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:6-8, NASB).

This idea that my good can outweigh my bad totally ignores the insidious nature of sin. We were born in sin, and our natural bent is toward sinning. We cannot possibly overcome that in our own strength.

Second, this idea assumes that our alleged “good” can somehow outweigh our bad. Aside from the fact that even our “good” is “bad” in the eyes of God, this assumption is totally incorrect. It only takes one sin to condemn us in the eyes of God, and there is no human, other than our Savior, who has lived a sinless life. “…there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20, NASB).

This reality can be easily illustrated. Suppose a man is accused of murder and decides his best course of action is to plead guilty and then try to reason with the judge. Imagine the following dialogue:

Judge:  “You are accused of one count of first-degree murder. How do you plead?”

The Accused:  “Your Honor, I plead guilty to this one count, but I have some other facts to present that should prevent any punishment for my actions.”

Judge:  “You have entered a plea of ‘guilty’ to one count of first-degree murder, but I will hear your additional facts. This should be interesting.”

The Accused:  “Well, Your Honor, it’s like this. I did kill one man. However, in comparison to the total population, one individual is not even a ‘drop in the bucket.’  There are dozens of people who live on my block, hundreds of people who live in my neighborhood, thousands of people in my town, hundreds of thousands in my county, millions in my state, hundreds of millions in the whole country, and billions in the world. Just look at all the people I didn’t kill. Look at all my good deeds. I did not kill you. I didn’t kill anyone else present in this courtroom. As a matter of fact, I did billions of good deeds by not killing anyone else in the whole world. Surely my one little mistake is forgivable and hardly even noticeable. It certainly is not significant in the grand scheme of things. It should be obvious that my good deeds outweigh my bad.”

Judge:  “Your argument is not compelling. You are guilty of one count of first-degree murder, and you will be sentenced accordingly.”

No right-thinking person would expect the judge to rule any differently based on the argument the accused presented. It is interesting that almost everyone would expect a fallible human being to understand clearly and make a correct ruling in such a case, yet many of the same people would expect the infallible God of the universe to buy into such an argument. Who could legitimately stand before God and foolishly believe that salvation is based on “my good outweighs my bad?” The obvious answer is that no one will be able to make such an argument. 

All of us are sinners, and any and all sin is an offense to a holy God. He does not, and cannot, save us by His love. Instead, His great love motivated Him to provide a way to save us by His grace.

It is clear that the human race stands condemned before God:  “…that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19, NKJV).

One sin is enough to condemn someone, and it is obvious from Scripture (Romans 3:23) and from experience, that all people are sinners. Breaking even one part of God’s Law is breaking all of God’s law, just like breaking one link in a chain is breaking the chain. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” (James 2:10, NASB).

God’s holy standard is Himself and His own righteousness and perfection.  “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, NASB).

If God’s standard is so high, how can anyone be saved? Clearly, none of us can be saved on our own. No matter how good we think we are, we fall far short of God’s holy, perfect standard. We don’t even come close. Our only hope is to “throw ourselves on the mercy of the court” by coming to Christ by faith for His mercy and grace. Only then can we become perfect, as His perfect righteousness is applied to us, because our sin was applied to Him. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB).

He took what we deserved so we could have what He deserves. There is no better deal available anywhere in the universe.

Encouragement Email – Tuesday, Passion Week

Tuesday is an extremely busy day for your Lord. It begins with the proof of yesterday’s curse of the fig tree: it is all withered. Jesus uses it pitiful condition as an object lesson to teach His disciples on faith and prayer (Matthew 21:19b-22; Mark 11:19-25). May we learn this, too.

Then he goes down to the temple, and Passover week is in full swing. Thousands are there from all over the known world, and almost immediately, like they knew He was coming, there was a formal challenge of Christ’s authority by the chief priests, scribes, and elders: (Matthew 21:23-37, Mark 11:27-33, Luke 20:1-8). He’s never caught unprepared or surprised by His enemies. They’re awful!

In true Messianic form, Jesus hides the truth from some and reveals it to those with ears to hear by teaching the faithful discharge of responsibility in 3 parables: (Matthew 21:28-22:14; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19). Oh, what a high value our Lord places on loyalty and fidelity to Him!

The drama increases as thousands overhear a debate, in Middle-Eastern fashion, as Jesus humiliates his accusers who tried to humiliate him: (Matthew 22:15-23:36; Mark 12:13-40; Luke 20:20-47). He crushes them as they try to use sophistry and duplicity to condemn and kill Him. He’ll make it to Friday’s Passover, O blessed Lamb of God!

Leaving the temple, Jesus’ disciples ask him about the end-times, which results in Jesus delivering “The Olivet Discourse”: (Matthew 24:1-41; Mark 13:1-32; Luke 21:5-33). The details are intense and sequential, awaiting the future still for fulfillment. Until then, may we learn to fear the Lord and study His Word!

One might conservatively estimate the Lord has been on His feet or sitting, while teaching upwards of thousands, for three to four hours already. But He’s not done.

From here your Lord teaches His men five more parables on watchfulness and faithfulness: (Matthew 24:42-25:30; Mark 13:33-37; Luke 21:34-36). The temptation to walk away from His is so intense. We need more teaching! I’m guessing He slept well that night!

How are you sleeping these days? Go to Him for help by reading some of these parables and praying over them in detail, taking all the concerns of your soul to Him. One hour with Him is better than a hundred seeking peace from worry

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Sent on April 7, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Monday, Passion Week

¹²The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. ¹⁵On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?' But you have made it a den of robbers.'" (Mark 11:12-17, NIV).

As your Lord enters Monday, the final Monday of His earth-bound life, He has already been inundated with hypocrisy. Yesterday’s entry to Jerusalem was suffused with worshippers and critics, most of whom will disown Him in but a few days. Thankfully His band of followers tag along by His side, listening carefully to Him whose every word was precious.

He makes his way down the hill toward Jerusalem. Surely there is sustenance for Him at this time of year in a fig tree. But the tree that promised figs by its showy leaf plumes yielded an unhappy surprise. What looked fruitful from a distance was in reality a lot of nothing. There were no figs to be eaten from that tree for breakfast.

So, Jesus uttered a curse upon it, likening the fig tree to Israel as Isaiah likely did in chapter 5 of his prophecy. “Okay,” we say. “That fits. The punishment was just; it was earned for obstinate rebellion.” It’s a punishment that is still in effect 2,000 years later.

So too, we would agree, with our Lord’s temple cleansing. Not a physical cleansing, mind you, but a spiritual cleansing. It too came with reproof, “you have made it ‘a den of robbers!’” I can’t help but wonder if His anger didn’t but burn hot. The temple, meant for men careful about their souls and anxious for God’s glory, was a fast-paced meat market. And is religion any less greedy for your money today?

And those are the two events on our Lord’s Monday recorded for our contemplation. Both were profoundly painful to the Lord who looked at all things not merely as a man does, outwardly, but also inwardly, as God does, to the heart. His soul is preparing for the cross.

As your thoughts turn to Friday’s cross, ask yourself a few questions.

“What is the condition of true religion in God’s name around me like on the surface, and then on the inside?”

“What is the fruit God wants, versus the fruit religious men admire?”

“How shall I love my Lord better in my heart, given that He was opposed to all hypocrisy?”

“What people shall I love better with my words and deeds, seeing that He has given Me His Son?”

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Sent on April 6, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Sent on March 22, 2020

“Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbral and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” (Ps. 150:1-6, NASB).

“Let this be the one, true barometer of my religion,” says the Christian. “Though the mountains fall into the sea and the fig tree refuse to produce any fruit, though there are no cattle in the stalls and the fields produce no food, yet I will praise the Lord.”

“What?!” says doubt, with evident disdain. “Don’t you see how at risk we are all?”

“Indeed I do,” says the Christian. “And better than that…. God sees too.”

A long time ago, in a barren spot out in the desert, a forsaken single mom, clutching her crying and hungry baby boy, even while out of food and water referred to God as the “…God who sees. Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” (Gen. 16:13, NASB).

She learned what we all must, all we who profess to know God. That not only is our God the God who ordains deprivation, but He is also the God who provides Himself. He not only ordains all that comes to pass, He ordains that the knowledge of Himself covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

And what is it like to know Him? To rest happy in the truth that all He ordains is the very, very best. That all sufferings and blessings are subsumed under divine heading:  God is good. That He is so good that all that is in your life is the very best you could ever, ever wish for, if you knew what God knows. That anything He does in life that directs the longing heart to Himself is an extension of His intimate kindness the ancients yearned for but did not attain: “Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand” (Isa. 52:15).

All grace to you, beloved saints of God, on this strange Lord’s Day where we cannot gather as one to praise the Lord. But let’s not let that stop us, or else the rocks themselves will cry it out!

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Sent out by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Sent on March 20, 2020

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts” (Rev. 9:20-21, NASB).

John the Apostle wrote Revelation to bless and amaze us, because he too was amazed at what he saw coming in the end-times. Already in chapter six he wrote about future people who will prefer living in caves and under rocks rather than stopping the practice of their sins, while experiencing the end-times wrath of the Lamb. Amazing! And a few chapters later as God’s judgments continue, the people of the world will be still be making the same dumb choices. Amazing

Who in their right mind wouldn’t trade misery for joy? Or, who wouldn’t trade pain for relief? Or heinous plagues for holy pleasures? The answer is most strange:  pretty much everybody.

However, when a man or woman is delivered from their sins by God in this age and the next, they are given not only a new heart, but a new mind too. This “new man,’ of which you and I are a part by faith in Jesus Christ, is renewed in knowledge as it is “created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24 NKJV). Apart from that amazing new creation, wouldn’t we think and do just like the rest? Wouldn’t we all be young people acting recklessly on Spring Break?

So what’s really amazing is the grace of God in making you a member of the new man in Christ, a new creation in which “there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Col. 3:11-15 NKJV)

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Sent out by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.

Encouragement Email – Sent on March 19, 2020

Then Solomon prayed…

"If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his hands toward this house; then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You have given to our fathers” (1 Kings 8:37-40, NASB).

In the great dedicatory prayer of Solomon, sanctifying the temple to the great God of Israel, he admits in advance of the fact there will be severe testing that comes upon the people who serve and love the Lord. Some of them will be nation-wide illnesses, attesting that God’s hand is moving and He desires the immediate attention of His people. 

We might naturally think they must make sacrifice at the temple to show they’ve heard Him, and we would be right.

But I wonder, have you thought what it would be like to go worship Him only three times a year, at festivals help in concert with harvest seasons as stipulated in the Law of Moses? If one made a sacrifice at the temple when God did not ordain, it was rejected by Him and considered unholy.

Or to say it differently, Israelite worshippers could only offer gifts to the Lord when He ordained, and it might not be for months after the time of harvest, or months after plague. And all of a sudden, guess what? The gathering of people for worship isn’t quite so routine. For the pious, the heart grows faint, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” (Ps. 42:2-3, NASB).

Truth is, God never wanted their gifts. He wanted their hearts, just as His Son said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:6-8, ESV). No wonder God gave them time off between worship services. He was giving them time to get their hearts square with Him and His high and holy commandments.

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Sent out by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.