SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/26/2014
8:56 AM
My Worship Time Focus: More from 1
Thess. 2:19-20
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 2:19-20
Message of the
verses: “19 For who is our hope or
joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord
Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
John MacArthur entitles this section in his
commentary “Paul’s Anticipation of Christ’s Return.” I have mentioned in earlier SD’s that the
return of Christ is mentioned in every chapter of both first and second
Thessalonians. Now when Christ’s return
is mentioned it does not necessarily talk always about the rapture that he
explains in chapter four, but as we learned in the first chapter when His
return is mentioned that that referenced His second return to earth as
described in Revelations chapter nineteen.
My thought for verse 19 is that Paul is speaking about the rapture of the
Church.
When we began to look at verses 17-20 we learned that
John MacArthur broke up these verses into different ways in which we learn of
Paul’s relationship with the Thessalonian believers. Today’s SD deals with the third of Paul’s
relationship with the believers that are the anticipation of Christ’s
return. This is a great motivation for
his ministering and it is also for us as believers today. Just think how wonderful it will be when we
get to heaven and see people there that we have had the privilege to lead to a
saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul
says that this was his glory and crown, and we spoke about crowns in yesterday’s
SD. If one thinks about Paul’s question
here when he asks “who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation one may think
that the answer to that question would be the Lord Jesus Christ, but that is
not how Paul answers this rhetorical question.
Rhetorical questions are not usually answered in the Scriptures, but
perhaps it is because one would think of a different answer than Paul gives
here that is why he answered it.
Next I will write a quote from John MacArthur about
something that I did not understand before reading this quote as he compares
the believers hope with a parable that Jesus gave in Luke 16, the parable of
the unjust steward. “The believer’s hope
of such reward is in part what Jesus in His parable of the unjust steward alluded
to: ‘Make friends for yourselves by
means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will
receive you into the eternal dwelling’ (Luke 16:19). Even as the unbelieving steward or manager
used his master’s resources to purchase earthly friends, Christ said believers should
use the resources their Master provides to bring people to salvation. Whether
or not believers know those people now as friends they will know them in glory
as friends forever and as sources of eternal joy.” That parable has always been somewhat of a
mystery to me.
One more quote from MacArthur and we will be done with
this section: “Coming is the important
New Testament word parousia, ‘presence,’
which in the majority of its occurrences has an eschatological meaning (1
Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess. 1:8-9; James 5:7-8; 2
Peter 3:4, 12; 1 John 2:28). Sometimes
it refers to the time after the Tribulation when Christ returns to establish
His millennial kingdom (Matt. 24:3, 27, 37, and 39). However in 1 Thessalonians parousia refers more specifically to the
Rapture because Paul was writing to
believers whom he knew were already waiting for Jesus to return from heaven (1
Thess. 1:10). In addition to the present
verse, this epistle uses parousia three
other times to denote the Rapture (3:13; 4:15, 5:23).” Earlier in this SD I mentioned that in 1:10
that it was referring to the second coming of Christ, and I have to admit that was
in error.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Again we see the
importance of being a witness for our Lord in telling others how they can
receive eternal life. I did make an acquaintance
with while playing golf and prayed that the Holy Spirit would give me an
opportunity to talk to him about the Lord, however nothing happened and this
was a great disappointment to me.
Perhaps today He will give me a divine appointment.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust that the Lord will give me more divine
appointments, perhaps even today.
Memory verse for the
week: Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with
Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave Himself up for me.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Jesus.” (Luke 18:16)
Today’s Bible
question: “Where did Israel suffer defeat
because of Achan’s sin?”
Answer in our next SD.
4/26/2014 9:56 AM
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