April 18, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” (Isaiah 60.1-3)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

Mentioning yesterday that there may be a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus and the establishment of His Kingdom being referred to is but a part of the whole reflection for these verses. As one reads into and through Isaiah 60, there is no doubt God is speaking of Israel as a nation chosen by Him to be a testimony to the world. What that testimony is refers to the goodness of God and the favor shown on those who call upon Him. It isn’t just about Israel. They are a part of the whole mechanism of declaring the acceptable way of the Lord. That they, in their history, set an identity of being the “only” people of God is true. This shows the power of sin to confuse and blind people to the truth of God. God has extended and continues to extend the opportunity for those of the human community to choose Him as their One true God. That choice includes mercy, grace, forgiveness, blessing and everlasting life in the Kingdom of God be it on earth, in Heaven or in the New Earth/New Heaven as described in Revelation. What is important is “who” is a part of that community. Only those who confess their sins, seek forgiveness from God and profess Jesus as the Christ (Greek terminology)/Messiah (Hebraic terminology) who is Lord and Savior. It is not limited to, nor was it intended as such, only those who were descendants of Abraham by birth. It is by faith, a truth which Nicodemus learned from Jesus, that we are called children of God.

So, what is it we see as “Israel” in Isaiah 60? Is it not the kingdom to come at the end of scriptural revelation? That will be the day when “on that day every knee will bow in heaven, on earth and under the earth; and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.” (Philippians 2.10-11) What a day that will be! But we have not seen that day. In liturgical history, today is called “Good Friday” because the ultimate price was paid for the salvation of all people. Yes, I said “all people.” We, as mighty ones of God and believers that Jesus is the Christ, exemplify what accepting the gift of salvation given to us by God through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son means. We have not only accepted the gift but honor God and Christ by using the gift to spread the gospel to all the world in our witness by teaching and in our works by service. Those who have interpreted “evangelism” and “evangelicalism” as “selling the idea of salvation in Christ alone” have not spoken correctly. Yes, we are apologeticists committed to defending the truth of scripture over and against all other philosophies, ideologies and theologies. But bearing witness to the Gospel of Jesus the Christ is not, and has never been meant to be, a marketing strategy. We are not “selling” Jesus nor eternal life because humanity cannot buy it, earn it or procure by any other means but by “accepting Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and acknowledged as Lord and Savior of the world.” The work of the Church and every member of it is to assist everyone acknowledge that truth and live it out using the paradigm of the Great Commands: Love God first and always; love the neighbor as you are loved by God; love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian community of faith in Christ “Let love be your earnest and highest aim.” (1 Corinthians 14.1)

It is on this day in “faith history” as the close of one age (the age of The Law) opens into the second age, I will not say “new age,” (the age of Grace) that we see that greatest expression of human love divine. It is where Jesus humbled Himself to death, crucifixion no less, on the cross. He so loved us that He accepted the will of His Father to demonstrate the extent of how much God values human life, all life, but especially human life.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free from death. So may we live by the name of Jesus our Christ. AMEN.