Possessing Our Possessions

The words in our title come from Obadiah 17. It was a time of oppression and trouble for Israel. Edom, her most persistent enemy, possessed their land. Therefore, God promised to bring Edom low, and in that day Israel would have their land restored. They would possess their possessions.

Here is an important lesson. It is possible to have possessions we haven’t fully possessed. Matthew Arnold said, “We see all sights from pole to pole. We nod and beck and bustle by and never once possess our souls before we die.”

Men may own but never truly possess in true spiritual and inward enjoyment. One meaning of the word possess in our text is enjoy. I’m sure we’ve all known Christians who don’t seem to take the time to enjoy the faith, to be happy with the church, and to contemplate the great spiritual blessings given to us by a resurrected Savior.

There was a lady once who walked into a book store. She told the clerk she wanted three yards of books with brown bindings to match the décor of her living room. The books became hers but did she really possess them?

A poet once said to his generation, “What you have inherited from your fathers earn over again for yourselves, or it will not be yours.” Our Father has given us a name. “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

It’s not enough to just wear the name. We must possess it.

– David and Tim Johnson

That’s Not Fair

“This isn’t right!” she shouted, and with a stomp of her foot she shrieked “That’s not fair!” Had she lost out on a large sum of money, or suffered major inconvenience? No, her hamburger was missing something she had ordered in a fast-food restaurant! Never mind that the undeserving employee was totally embarrassed or that people had to listen to her rant. The most important issue was her food.

In Canada, we are raised to think we should not tolerate any mistake that inconveniences us – whether intended or not. Woe is the person who must quickly sort out the problem to our satisfaction.

When will we learn that it’s impossible for life to always be fair? Why should young children be stricken with serious illness? Why must a billion people in the world have to drink contaminated water? Why must innocent civilians lose their lives in war?

How should Christians react to injustice and unfairness? Let’s first recognize that some battles people fight are motivated by revenge. They feel they’ve been treated unfairly, so somebody must pay. Our Lord warned, “never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God” (Romans 12:19). Let’s not take His place in the matter.

Yet there are battles we should fight to make life easier for the disadvantaged and helpless. Religious people, James says, should “visit orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27), implying we should try to right some wrongs. Yet, some battles are minor in nature and not worth it. We look silly when we make a big scene over a hamburger.

Let’s also remember that our attitude is important. The young lady above would have received what she needed if she had better manners. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). It’s okay stick up for yourself, but do it with respect.

Christians ought to be models of patience and understanding. Quarrelling people in Corinth went so far as to take each other to court! Paul said they were flawed in attitude. “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” (1 Cor. 6:7). We shouldn’t always expect perfect treatment from others.

Was it fair that Jesus had to come to earth and give Himself on the cross for us? He didn’t die for his own mistakes, but rather for ours. He treated us with grace and mercy. That’s the Lord we serve, and we must serve Him even when life isn’t fair. As the judge of the whole universe He will right all wrongs on the GREAT DAY. Let’s look forward to that day, and not expect total fairness in this world now.

– Tim Johnson

Last Apostle

When John wrote his three short New Testament letters, he was an elderly man. It is highly likely that he was the last living apostle of Jesus Christ. He had contributed the Gospel of John, and the great book of victory, Revelation. The shortest of his letters is 2 John; it only has 13 verses. It would have been one of his final letters. As in the case of the book of Revelation, did he write it in exile on the island of Patmos? We can only speculate.

And what did the last apostle have to say in one of his last letters? He reminded us to love one another (v5), uphold the truth (v2), and refuse deceivers (v7-11). THE TRUTH dominates his thoughts. Everything dear to Christians is built upon it. Even love for one another is related to it; “…whom I love in truth” (v1).

It was a violent time in the Roman world and John writes in a discreet way. Rather than identify the congregation of the church that was to receive his letter, he calls them “the chosen lady and her children” (v1). A fellow congregation is mentioned as “the children of your chosen sister” (v13). It is John’s love for these churches that shines through the ages. He speaks of love four times in the letter. They were people in the Lord “whom I love in truth” (v1).

The challenge for us is not just to walk in truth, but to love the church as John did – and to love it in truth. Love without the truth is just sentiment. God calls us to a higher love for His people.

Our care for the church is not because our building is convenient or some of its members may be relatives. We love it for the sake of the truth, because its people know the truth and walk in it, and because the truth abides in them forever.

The last apostle laid down a challenge for all succeeding generations of Christians – love each other in truth.

– Tim Johnson

The Seed of the Word

Having had our first snow of the season, it seems like a sad time for gardeners. All the beautiful flowers they have worked hard to nurture are now wilted and need to be pulled out and sent to the landfill. But the wonder of it all is that within six months, many of those same flowers will emerge from the soil and bloom again. What looks dead now is merely dormant; it’s how nature preserves itself through the winter.

There have been times in history when the church has declined and almost passed away. While the religious groups of the world have thrived through politics and endless catering to men and their desires, the church of the New Testament seemed to disappear.

Jesus often compared the spread of the gospel to the seed sown by the farmer. “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows – how, he himself does not know.” (Mark 4:26-27). Like seeds of specific plants, they can only produce the same plants. Tulips can’t produce roses, nor can mums make dandelions. The seed of the word of God will produce New Testament Christians, who are the church that Christ built. If the church of the Bible seemed to disappear in the past, perhaps it was just dormant for a while, then new life appeared once again.

The power of the gospel is that it can deal with sin and save souls. It’s like a powerful seed that only produces one thing: Christians, who are members of the body of Christ. The seed that made Christians in the first century also makes Christians today, for it pays no attention to the period of time in which it does its work.

Some say the church in Canada is declining. If that is true in some areas, it’s also thriving in others. Let’s not hinder our work by fretting about it. Rather, let’s dedicate ourselves to the truth and share it. Let the seed do its work.

– Tim Johnson

Doctor Luke

While Luke is only mentioned by name three times in the Bible, his reputation is huge. We would know very little about him if it wasn’t for his authorship of the gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts (in both, he does not name himself). He wrote them about 30 years after the church began (a.d.60-62), but what do we know about him before that? Continue reading