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Tag: Church

Persevering the Social Distancing of Virtual Relationship
Letters to a Distanced Church

A quick glance at the map reveals many first century churches near the Aegean Sea, a long voyage from Jerusalem.

Believers of The Way had to depend on distant leaders to sow and nurture virtual relationships:
- to each other,
- to other churches (many in local or nearby homes)
- and to distant Shepherds of Christ like Peter and Paul.
The Apostles embraced these saints of so many distant churches with Christ’s love. They loved their flocks through letters and by occasional visits of their founding fathers (Apostles and other disciples of Jesus). Each of these mission churches had its own shepherd, sometimes a father of the household where they met.

Like the Gospels, Church Letters (Epistles) arrived by messenger or with its own pastor (Shepherd or father) returning from Jerusalem, Rome or other place where the Apostles could encourage them in Christ.

A voyage to Thessalonica from Rome or Jerusalem is about the same distance.

Pastoral letters (from the Shepherds or Church Fathers) would be read in as many of the churches along its route as practically possible.

Do you suppose that the saints of the Church in Thessaloniki suffered social distancing from their local friends, neighbors and businesses?

YES. In fact many early Christians were socially distanced from their own communities and neighbors due to threat of persecution or even death.

2 Thessalonians

from the Church Fathers of the First Century

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater…

Hear Paul’s heart for them and note how these socially distanced Christians coped with a new reality much different than before.

4 As a result, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God:
- for your perseverance and faith
- in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering.

Commentary on a too-familiar setting
- Does this also encourage you in your social isolation from the brothers and sisters of Christ’s Church?
Picture this background from commentary of John MacArthur:

..pressure and persecution had also increased. The seeds of false doctrine concerning the Lord had been sown, and the people were behaving disorderly.

So Paul wrote to his beloved flock who were: 1) discouraged by persecution and needed incentive to persevere; 2) deceived by false teachers who confused them about the Lord’s return; and 3) disobedient to divine commands, particularly by refusing to work.

Who witnesses Christ’s love in you?

Our own 21st century community also watches us, even as the Lord Jesus assures His distant lambs held near in every era,

“In the world you have tribulation, G2347 but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NASB

There’s that PRESSURE AGAIN.

COVID – the Affliction of Social Distancing – 2

Pressure from Affliction – ours and our loved ones.

Paul assures the Church of Relief & Retribution

For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict G2346 you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted G2346 and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 NASB

Sinners AFFLICTED — Sinners without hope as once we were.

SEPARATED by our sin, DISTANCED from the Lord God never seeking Christ Jesus, the Savior who cleanses our soul.

Afflicted by others, but also sinners spared from Judgment by the mercy of the Lord Jesus.
- COVID – Social Distancing for a time known to the Lord.
- Judgment – Just punishment separating sinners from God forever.
- COVID will end, replaced by other pandemics of the world’s sin.
- Judgment will come to the unrepentant after our mortal time expires.
These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power..
2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB

Yet in Christ, our Lord and Savior, with the Presence of the Holy Spirit; even now — in these days of affliction — we draw near to the love and light which shines through the darkness of this world.

Amen.
January 8, 2021
Page TWO – Christ Jesus, Lord for a 21st c. Church
NEW – Page TWO

This NEW approach for talkofJesus.com posts replicates an interactive technique used for centuries: introduce the story and characters, then interrupt the storyline briefly to provoke thought about the story. The author’s design is for you to respond to the storyteller.
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As author of most posts here I ask you:
Do you talk of Jesus?
After you read Scripture, do you comment or respond to the writer with a question?
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Page TWO:

Thanks to Paul Harvey for this engaging media concept of communication developed for radio in the 20th century.

Story telling goes back beyond the ancient oral traditions of the Bible. Scripture; however much like contemporary BREAKING NEWS, it often reveals only page one of a continuing story.

Sometimes as Christians we need to turn the page from a first century impact of Christ Jesus as revealed in Scripture — to questions we should ask if we could talk of Jesus Christ in this 21st century. We need to think about the story of the Lord and project our conversation into contemporary application.

The BIBLE still applies to a contemporary church of struggling saints of these last days.
Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com

So as struggles of these last days unfold I ask you, my fellow followers of Christ Jesus, to turn to Page TWO.

On ‘Page TWO’ I’ll ask you questions and earnestly desire your answers or your questions.

Let’s talk of Jesus as if the Lord’s life after His death for our sins and glory of Christ’s resurrection applies to us – His saints of His Church.

Will you apply Scripture to what the Lord would have us do now, in this year of our Lord Jesus Christ twenty-one centuries into these last days?
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Page TWO - Please click Page 2 below for the questions.
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Pages: 1 2
October 2, 2020
Defending GOD!
Apologetics

You may know of a Christian ministry or witness whose stated purpose is to defend God.

RZIM.org and others focus on apologetics witness Jesus Christ to unsaved souls, comparing Christianity to other religions — even to atheism. Some have come to Christ through these ministries by learning the logic and love of the Lord God calling sinners to Christ.

Yet think of the irony of it:

If any have NO NEED of defense, it would be ALMIGHTY GOD.

“I and the Father are one.”
Christ Jesus
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(Apologetics is not really defending God, 
but answering those who question God - unbelievers
and those who refuse God's love - apostates.) 
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Defending God and Christ Jesus to unbelievers is not my purpose, which is to grow your faith IF you are a Christian follower of the Lord.

As I have stated recently, talkofJesus.com is not focused on unbelievers, but on followers of Christ who want to talk of Jesus in the context of scripture.

Continuing in the Gospel of John we move on from the betrayal of Jesus by Judas to the defense of Jesus by Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane.

John 18:

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” …

10 Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.

11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Who is Malchus?

Malchus is δοῦλος doulos of the High Priest, perhaps better translated in the KJV and other translations as ‘servant.’

In fact, Judas had left the upper room in Jerusalem to betray Jesus to the ruling council headed by the High Priest Caiaphas.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they could not find any.
Mark 14:55 CSB – of the Sanhedrin, religious rulers of Jerusalem

Malchus’ name means ‘king,’ from a Hebrew origin pointing to the tribe of Benjamin. (The priests of course were Levites as prescribed by Law.)

How ironic that Peter should defend Jesus, King of the Jews, by lopping off the ear of this man Malchus, whose name meant king.

More about Malchus

Malchus would have been ordered to lead these armed police officers of the Sanhedrin, guided by Judas, to bring this popular Messiah back to them for trial.

John has already told us:

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”
John 11:49-50 NASB –

Malchus would have been a personal servant to Caiaphas, an assistant with some authority assumed by his role in serving the High Priest. The Temple police held similar authority. And add to that a few Roman soldiers in the entourage lead by Malchus whose role was to see that the Jews did not get out of hand in this area governed by Pilate.

Judas is, no doubt, among the men sent to bring Jesus to the justice of the Sanhedrin, but Malchus, servant of the High Priest is the man leading them into Gethsemane under the cover of night.

Luke’s account

Of course John, Matthew and Peter would have been among the awakened Apostles present in Gethsemane. Peter, who would later lead the church until his own crucifixion, responded by cutting off Malchus’ ear just after Judas’ kiss of betrayal of Jesus.

Brash as always, Peter will defend the Lord – an ironic gesture defending the One who could instantly have angels present to ‘smite’ the lot of them – IF, that is, defeating men of dust was Jesus’ will.

Of course, it wasn’t.

Luke 22: KJV

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said unto him,

Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him,

(The Eleven have now drawn near to Jesus…)

Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

Details of witness from John:
- As soon then as he [Jesus] had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. John 18:6
- A second time Jesus answered them (probably their leader): I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way John 18:8
- Simon Peter drew the sword… John 18:10 & 11
- The name of the High Priest’s slave (servant) is Malchus. John 18:10
Luke’s detail of a miracle

But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.”
And He [Christ Jesus]
touched his {Malchus’} ear
and healed him {the servant of Caiaphas, High Priest of the Jews}.
Luke 22:51 NKJV

Jesus heals the ear struck by Peter’s sword! His enemy, head of an armed force sent by the Jews to apprehend their Messiah Jesus to be tried and convicted covertly under the cover of night. The Lord just betrayed by one of His Disciples shows mercy to the men Judas led to apprehend Him.

Defending Jesus

John is about to tell us more of the saga of Peter on this night in which our Lord was betrayed. In fact, as you know, away from Jesus Peter could no longer defend Jesus even by admitting to be a follower.

If that how it is for you, beloved believer in Christ Jesus?
- How do you defend Jesus when confronted by the multitudes?
- Is your defense of God an aggressive agenda of man, a political position of proving that Jesus wants what you do?
  - (For that was what Judas expected of his King Jesus.)
- Do you praise the Lord in the church building, yet deny your God on trial in the rise and fall of blame by the darkness of this world’s accusations?
  - Even Peter struggled with that, dear friend, but the risen Lord Jesus restored Him again and again.
How ironic that we would defend the LORD God, that we want to defend Christ Jesus who came into the world to save us.

In these last days, which began under the darkness of a night in Gethsemane, God has defeated sin and death for us

— by the grace of the Lord’s love

for those He has chosen.

We believe in the One Son the Father sent to suffer for our sins, the Messiah Jesus.

For Christ Jesus our Lord, we make no apologies to a world without ears to hear the Good News — a world directed by Satan for just a time more.

Jesus IS LORD!
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To be continued...
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September 16, 2020