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Articles 2021-2023
In our last article, we saw Simeon prophesying over the infant Jesus. This Child was – 1. the Consolation of Israel 2. Israel’s Messiah 3. the Salvation of God 4. Heaven’s Light of Revelation to the nations and 5. Israel’s Glory.
But then Simeon turned to Mary with a sobering thought:
and a sword will pierce even your own soul – to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.
Even though Mary had been blessed with the privilege of miraculously giving birth to the Son of God, the unique call on her life would also bring suffering. While she would remember and treasure the amazing events connected to His birth, yet she would also have to face the expansion of Jesus’ life as He responded to His Father’s call to messianic ministry. His enlargement would cause Her heart to be stretched as well.
First, she had to face His assertion at the age of twelve that His true father was God – a statement that Scripture says she did not understand (Luke 2:49 - 50). And then, the question arises: what did she and Joseph share with their children about the events surrounding Jesus’ birth? One thing is clear. When He stepped into visible ministry, His brothers clearly did not believe that He was the Messiah (John 7:1 - 5). Did their perspective bring relational strains to the family? And if so, it would have certainly contributed to the sword that pierced Mary’s soul.
And what did she experience emotionally when on one occasion she and His brothers wanted to speak to Him and his response was that those who do the will of God are His mother, His sisters, and His brothers (Matthew 12:46 - 50)?
Had His love for His mom diminished? Clearly not. Rather, His definition of family had expanded. Those who believed on Him were coming into oneness with His heavenly Father and were now constituting the family of God. But still, it must have been somewhat painful when Mary heard of His response.
And then think of the grief she must have experienced when she saw her Son suffer the humiliation and death of crucifixion. What anguish to a mother’s heart!
God’s call on each of us brings with it a certain amount of suffering and tribulation. Repeatedly, Paul taught those he discipled that:
through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
I am sure that each of us has at many times questioned the Lord as to why we had to go through some of the sufferings we faced. “What is the point of this pain? Why me? How does my going through this help anybody?” But Simeon’s prophetic word to Mary is helpful. Because she would embrace God’s work in her life, the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed. Through the life, death, and resurrection of her Son, the Lord Jesus, massive change would come to the hearts of millions.
God has always been after the hearts of people. In fact, He has committed Himself to revealing to each of us the depths of our own hearts. Of course, it can often be painful to suddenly have to face those of our thoughts, attitudes, and motivations that fall short of His glory. But God has a purpose in exposing these to us. How else would we ever understand the depths and magnitude of His mercy if we never came face to face with how much we needed it?
Likewise, mankind must come to see the magnitude of the destructiveness and ugliness of sin.
But the story of human history is not simply about massive human depravity but about the glory of God’s mercy and grace. Apart from Christ, we were by nature children of wrath and were spiritually dead in our sins. But thankfully, God through His wealth of mercy made us alive by his grace and gave us a place with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:3 - 6):
so that in the ages to come He might show (display – Weymouth) the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
It will take ages to fully show and put on display the wealth and the glory of His grace that was needed to form a people into His glorious bride without spot or wrinkle.
But if the main topic of conversation in the coming ages is the glory of God’s grace, and if our present conversation is more about the great sin of man, then perhaps we need to consider whether or not we are proclaiming Heaven’s emphasis in the gospel.
Again, God does want to make clear to everyone the massive repercussions of original sin. But sin in all its grievous elements is providing the backdrop for Heaven’s main point.
Today, great spiritual darkness oppresses the nations. But the question we face is not primarily about what the devil is doing, but about the point that Heaven is making. One thing is clear, God is not intimidated by sin; He hates it. But He wants mankind to see that He is the only solution to it. So, He gave to Israel His Law.
The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Greek, HUPERPERISSEUO – super abounded), so that, as sin reigned (Greek, BASILEUO – to rule) in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God allowed sin to grow, to increase, and to function as king and ruler in the realm of spiritual death – to “call the shots” as it were. And mankind reaped (and still reaps) great destruction from yielding to its influence. But however great the sin of man seems today, God’s superabounding grace is far greater. And His statement from heaven is getting louder and clearer.
As much as sin has reigned and ruled bringing forth mental, emotional, relational, economic, and spiritual death, so God’s work of establishing His contrasting rule of grace in and through a people made righteous by his mercy is increasing in volume and clarity.
Can you hear the sound of Heaven? It is the quiet whisper conveying the glory and the majesty of the grace of God. And the Church simply must hear and then yield to its rule. Grace must “call the shots” among us like sin “calls the shots” in the world. At the center of God’s emerging kingdom is a throne. And it is a throne of grace.
As sin and darkness seem to be prevailing and simultaneously propagating the lie of their own planet–wide inevitability, the gentle but insistent whisper of God continues to make the promise of an increasing revelation of Heaven’s beauty found in a people who have a growing lack of confidence in themselves and an increasing awareness of their great need for Heaven’s grace to be the centerpiece of their existence both individually and corporately.
And to be clear, He will only give grace to those who humble themselves (James 4:6).
So, let us bow our knees before His grace. For example, when God sends someone with a prophetic word, we must discern to what degree their words reveal His heart (He has given overseers to help with this process). But then we must hold fast to that which is good (1Thessalonians 5:21); we must humble ourselves before the grace that He released empowering the prophesier. Here is the way forward. As God’s grace is revealed in and through those responding to Him, the Church must discern the multifaceted nature of His grace as it is made known through the great diversity of His people. As elders oversee the process and our discernment grows, and as our submissiveness to His revealed grace increases, Heaven’s statement to the earth will become clearer.
God’s alternative to sin’s rule among the multitudes living in spiritual darkness is the rule of His grace growing in manifestation among the redeemed. What the Church needs is not stronger and more visible leaders but a deep work of humility in all of us (including, maybe especially, the most visible leaders) so that we may recognize and receive what His grace would bring to birth among us. Clearly, there is no grace shortage in heaven. But on earth, the pride in our hearts hinders the revelation of Heaven’s grace in God’s house.
Some might say, “We need more evangelism!” No. What we need is God through His grace arising in the hearts of many revealing His heart for the lost. Others might say, “If only we had more men like the apostle Paul today.” No. Hear Paul’s own words.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
Paul bowed his knee and moved in oneness with the grace of God. And the kingdom of God came into view wherever he went. The Scriptures do not tell us to build God’s kingdom; it tells us to receive it. Like children (Luke 18:17).
O Lord, continue showing us that apart from You we can do nothing. And that in Your grace is contained the beauty of Your kingdom that You intend to reveal to all the earth. Amen.
Donald Rumble – August 2023
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