Just here to pointout an insightful comment by John MacArthur on how stiflingly frustrated Jesus was able to make the scribes and Pharisees. In their usual fashion, they were following Jesus around in Luke 6, looking for a good reason to accuse him of doing something wrong on the Sabbath. Here is how Luke records the events in Luke 6:6-11.

Luke 6:6-11 - On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored. But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

John MacArthur comments in his study bible:

Filled with rage. A curious response in the face of so glorious a miracle. Such irrational hatred was their response to having been publicly humiliated — something they hated worse than anything (cf. Matt. 23:6, 7). They were unable to answer His reasoning (vv. 9, 10). And furthermore, by healing the man only with a command, He had performed no actual “work” that they could charge Him with. Desperately seeking a reason to accuse Him (v. 7), they could find none. Their response was blind fury.

One of my favorite authors, Dr. Jay Adams, has started a new blog where he is giving short, helpful comments on topics and passages of Scripture. In a recent post he discusses the topic of “Promptings of the Spirit” as they relate to assurance of salvation, and gives a helpful discussion of the biblical passage almost everyone uses to describe this experience.

Here is the complete text of what Dr. Adams said.

This is an extended quote from Puritan author Thomas Brooks, which is appropriately themed for the holiday season. I found it at the site of an old friend of mine, who now pastors a church in London.

The quote encourages to think highly and clearly about the reign of the great King, Jesus Christ, and of our soon entrance into His holy, heavenly Kingdom. And it encourages us to follow the example of the wise men, who humbly bow in homage and worship to the King of kings.

Are you following the guidance of the star of Bethlehem through the dark wilderness of life? If you are, you will be led to the Sun of Righteousness; you will find Jesus; and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man can take from you. And in a little while, your eyes shall behold the King of Zion, your exalted Savior, in the heavenly mansions, where his glory will be no more veiled as it was on earth. This blessed vision may be very near.

The sight of your Father’s house above, may be ready to open upon your enraptured view. Angels may be waiting to conduct your happy soul to the glorious presence of King Jesus, who now reigns on heaven’s highest, brightest throne. You may be about to sit down among that ransomed throng, who are now beholding the glory of Him, who was born in Bethlehem, and crucified on Calvary. You may be about to gaze upon that countenance which now shines as the sun; to see those hands which were for you nailed to the cross; to hear that voice, which alone can speak pardon and peace to the guilty, troubled soul. Oh, let us be thankful for that spiritual light which points us to such untold blessedness. And let our joy increase more and more, as by faith we see the Star of Morning, guiding us to glory and immortality. ‘Exult in his holy name; O worshipers of the Lord, rejoice!’

When the wise men find the Savior they fall down, and worship Him. Notwithstanding the low and unhonored condition in which they see Him, they at once prostrate themselves in His presence with grateful hearts, paying homage to His name, and presenting unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. What a noble example is here presented to us! When we find the blessed Jesus, we should acknowledge His majesty, worship Him as our divine Savior, while, at the same time, we should give Him the strongest affections of our hearts, and the best services of our lives. We should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Him, which is our reasonable service. We should honor Him with our substance, and with the first-fruits of all our increase. Counting nothing too valuable to be withheld from Him, we should be ready, if necessary, to part with life itself for the sake of Him who, in His incomparable mercy, laid down His own precious life for us, that we might never experience the second death–that we might be crowned with a blissful immortality.

Thomas Brooks, The Star of Bethlehem

If you would like to listen to a Christmas themed sermon, here is one I preached a couple of years ago, which others have mentioned they enjoyed. I’ll take the opportunity for a cheap form of free advertising for our church’s website and our sermon audio.

At times it is simply unavoidable to engage in discussions about issues that are difficult to understand and controversial in nature. Because we are part of Christ’s one true church we should expect Satan and his blinded servants to attack and seek to confuse and distract God’s children. We’ve discussed in past posts why it is important to be vigilant about truth, and how to go about exposing error while maintaining Christlike character (clearly, our Lord did not shy away from controversy and “feather ruffling”).

I was encouraged by this quote from Martin Luther, who initially began the Protestant reformation as an objection to abuses within the Roman Catholic Church and by many of its priests. The real battle quickly exposed itself, as a battle that struck to the heart of the gospel, and the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone. Luther quickly took up that fight, because it was indeed the doctrine that “the world and the devil [were] at that moment attacking.”

Here is his strengthening encouragement.

“If I profess, with the loudest voice and clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battle fields besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point” — Martin Luther

Stand strong for truth. Be steady and loyal. A battle for truth is indeed raging today on many fronts, primarily regarding the very meaning of the term Christian (and the gospel), the sufficiency of Scripture, and the certainty and absolute nature of truth itself.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 - Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

Here is an encouraging devotional thought from Stephen Altrogge on his blog The Blazing Center. I copied it completely here, but you can view the post here at his site if you want.

He quotes from the English Standard Version of Judges 10:16. I actually prefer the way the NIV puts it — God “could bear Israel’s misery no longer.” When you are suffering and in misery, even as a result of your sinful choices, God’s mercy and grace is still in operation.

Here are Altrogge’s comments.

God is patient and longsuffering when it comes to our sins, but impatient over our suffering.

The book of Judges recounts how Israel rejected God repeatedly, and after much patience with their idolatries, would send foreign nations to oppress them, to turn them back to himself. And every time, after chafing under their oppressors’ yokes for years, Israel would cry out to God. Then, filled with pity, despite all their past rebuffs, God would rescue them. But as soon as things were going well again…poof – Israel’s love would evaporate, and they’d be back sleazing with their idols.

You’d think God would have just dumped them. That after so many slaps in the face, he’d say, “Hey, you made your bed, now sleep in it.” But he was patient with their sins and amazingly anxious to end their well-deserved suffering.

So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel. Judges 10.16

Isn’t that incredible? God was “impatient” over their distress. When I’m impatient it’s sinful, but God’s impatience in the above verse is seen by many scholars “as a reference to God’s great mercy and his capacity to be moved by Israel’s misery and repentance” (ESV Study Bible).

If God pitied unfaithful Israel in their affliction, how much more is he moved by the suffering of his blood-bought children. God has a holy impatience with our suffering. He’s not deaf to our cries or unmoved by our sighs, but quick to listen, quick to send grace. He has pity and compassion as vast and deep as the ocean.

What an incredible God – he’s patient with our sins and offenses, but he’s impatient over our misery, and anxious to end it.