The Gospel of Who?

Posted on December 25, 2022 by drgause@agause.com

A group of Greco-Romans issued a proclamation commemorating the birth of the savior as a matter of good tidings and good news. An inscription placed on a government building in 6 BC declared Caesar Augustus to be divine, savior, and the beginning of the good news [the gospel] for all people on Earth. Romans celebrated Augustus’ birthday as the beginning of the gospel for the whole world.

Sound familiar! We also celebrate a birth that happened in the same year, 6 BC, as this proclamation about Caesar. This is the most probable date for the birth of Jesus. Mark declares in his account of Jesus’ life, The beginning of the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1). The Gospel of Jesus Christ was a direct challenge to the gospel of Caesar Augustus.

When the angel of the Lord suddenly stood before the Shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:9, 11). The word for good news or gospel (the same Greek word) wasn’t a new word the Jews had never heard. In the Roman empire, the word for good news was used for official announcements. It carried military overtones and meant a Military Victory. The town criers who conveyed the news would begin their announcements, “And now the Good News of the First Legion.” From the time of Alexander the Great, good news was used to refer to history-making, world-shaping reports of political, military, or societal victories.

It is no coincidence the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the four Gospels to use this same Greek word. When an angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias, he told him that he and his wife would have a son. The angel said, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news (Luke 1:19). Their son John the Baptist later preached the good news and gospel to the people (3:8).

When we understand the term gospel or good news, and how it was used in the ancient Greco-Roman world, we can begin to understand that the Gospels were written in such a way to present Jesus as the true divine King, the Savior who came to bring true salvation to the whole world. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote a direct challenge to the so-called ‘gospel’ of Caesar,which did not provide any salvation. As Christians celebrate Christmas, we should remember it was the beginning of a long conflict between Caesar and Christ.

After His victory over temptation for forty days in the wilderness, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). He entered the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath. An official handed Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He stood and read 61:1, 2. God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!” (Luke 4:18, 19 MSG). He sat down and declared His good news, “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” The Apostles proclaimed the same message in Acts. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching [announcing the good news] Jesus as the Christ (5:42). 

When Paul preached the Gospel in Thessalonica, that Jesus was the Christ the risen Savior and coming King, some of them were persuaded. They joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. The Jews became jealous and took along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. They attacked the believers dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities. The charge was they were directly challenging the gospel of Caesar. “These men who have upset the world have come here also; and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Act 17:1-9). 

Caesar Augustus went by the name Prince of Peace, but his peace in Rome was enforced through brutality. The ‘gospel’ of Rome is still proclaimed, but where is the peace in our world today? Jesus warned that many would come in His name, false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead (Matt 24:24). We are surrounded by the gospels of Caesar and Rome who claim to have good news and promise peace. Yet, they never deliver. Only Jesus has good news and only the true Prince of Peace can give us peace.  

Sustaining Word for the Week:  Embrace His good news—God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

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Today, as Well?

Posted on December 5, 2022 by drgause@agause.com

Some might think I should have published this in time for Thanksgiving Day. But I purposely waited. Thanks is not something confined to one day a year. In fact, Thanksgiving Day isn’t even a biblical holiday; it began in America in 1621 with the Mayflower pilgrims who founded the Plymouth Colony. The Bible teaches that we should thank God every day of the year. Certainly nothing wrong with designating a day for giving thanks as a nation, but we must not limit it to that. In thinking about thanks, I surprised myself when I looked for a word study or topical study I had previously conducted. But I found nothing in my notes. I realized I had never done an in-depth study on thanks.

In the Old Testament Law, God stipulated five sacrificial offerings; One of these, the Peace Offering, was also called a Thanks Offering. We find numerous verses throughout the Old and New Testaments. When you sacrifice a Thanksgiving-Offering to God, do it right so it will be acceptable (Lev 22:29 MSG). In Psalms: A THANKSGIVING PSALM. Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth! (Ps 100:1 NET). I will present my thank-offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling (Ps 56:12). Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish . . .But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord (Jonah 2:1, 9).

The New Testament continues with the theme of thanks seventy-one times. The Gospels record seven times Jesus gave thanks to the Father. When He fed the 5,000, Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks (Jn 6:11). Before raising Lazarus from the dead, So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me (Jn 11:41). At the Last Supper, when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them (Luk 22:19).

Several times during my ministry, I’ve heard people say, “I have nothing to thank God for. My life is dreadful, so why should I be thankful?” “I don’t feel like giving thanks.” My response was to remind them they were still breathing, it didn’t appear they were starving, and thanking Him would probably make them feel better. Paul gives one significant reason: Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinth 9:15). Paul adds that we must still give thanks during challenging times. Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (2Corinthians 5:20). Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16-18). Note the wording; Give thanks in all circumstances; it doesn’t say ‘for’ all circumstances but ‘in’ or during. We don’t thank God for evil, but give God thanks despite evil. Giving thanks honors God. He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me (Ps 50:23). Thanks, show we trust the Holy Spirit.

Giving thanks can chase away anxiety. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Giving thanks can confuse our enemies and bring victory. An excellent example is when Moab, Ammon, and the Meunites came to make war against Jehoshaphat (2Ch 20:1). The Lord gave King Jehoshaphat an unusual military strategy. When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 

As the Levites . . . marched ahead of the warriors, they sang: Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures. Judah giving thanks confused their enemies; why was Jehoshaphat’s army giving thanks to the Lord? When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir. Fearing their coalition of three nations was betraying one another, The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir and annihilated them. When they had finished off the men of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another (vv 21-25).

Keep in mind the difference between praise and thanksgiving. Praise is expressing our admiration for who God is, and thanksgiving is being grateful for what God gives us. Thanksgiving is tangible, and praise focuses on God’s character. Paul warns of the process of sin that leads God to give the wicked over to a depraved mind (Rom 1:28). But note where it began: So that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful (v20, 21). Have you given God thanks for something today? First, if for no other reason, I thank God I woke up this morning.

Sustaining Word for the Week: Enter His gates with thanksgiving (NASB) — Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him (Ps 100:4 MSG).

I gave a lot of Scripture; each one worth an individual study.

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Pickpockets

Posted on November 14, 2022 by drgause@agause.com

When people are about to travel abroad, they often ask me what they should be most vigilant about. “Don’t drink the water, don’t eat anything raw that doesn’t have a peel, and beware of pickpockets!” I’ve accompanied too many groups that ignored the first two. In Ethiopia, one team member inadvertently moistened his toothbrush with tap water. He did not have a pleasant flight home—neither did anyone seated near him. A group I led in Ukraine became violently ill. I discovered they ate slaw, not remembering slaw was just cut-up raw cabbage. Yet, I couldn’t emphasize enough that people watch out for a thief. A pickpocket can spoil and inconvenience an entire trip. You can lose money, credit cards, passport, and visa. They can take your property and be gone before you realize it.

Jesus cautioned about spiritual thieves. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (Jn 10:10a). Here, He is contrasting this with what He gives us; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (v10b). The word thief is the Greek word kleptēs, from which we get the English word kleptomaniac. It gives the picture of a bandit, pickpocket, or thief so artful they can steal your valuables and go completely undetected.

Before examining this verse, let me ask, who is the thief Jesus is warning about? I’m sure the majority said what I’ve always heard—the Devil. However, the Devil does not appear anywhere in this passage when considering the context. Jesus, the good shepherd, directly responded to the Pharisees for mistreating one of His sheep, the blind man He healed on the Sabbath. Jesus clearly identified the religious leaders as thieves. Jesus also added that they weren’t the first to steal from God’s sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers (Joh 10:8). Even though the Devil isn’t the thief Jesus is charging, throughout the Bible, Satan exhibits these evil characteristics. He uses men, even religious leaders, to carry out his agenda.

It does not satisfy a spiritual thief merely to take the blessings God gives us. He plans to kill you, which has nothing to do with killing in terms of murder. To fully understand this, we must examine the word used for kill. It refers to the sacrificial giving of an animal on the altar. We can also translate this word to sacrifice, surrender, or give up something precious and dear to you. If the thief hasn’t already taken all your blessings, he will try to convince you that you must give up everything not already taken.

An evangelist came to our church to raise money for one of his projects. It was a worthwhile venture. But here is his last plea after a tear-jerking sermon. “I want you to write me a check for all the money in your bank account. Tomorrow, go and borrow an amount of money far beyond your means. Then send it for this project. Show your faith and trust God to give it back to you ten or even a hundredfold.” He may have claimed to be a church leader, but he really was a thief trying to kill us by manipulating people to give him all their blessings. This would also destroy us when the hundredfold didn’t come. The thief cannot bear the fact that you possess any kind of blessing.

The thief also comes to destroy. It pictures something ruined, wasted, trashed, and devastated. This kind of thief’s ultimate goal is to obliterate you to the point you end up feeling as if you are finished and out of business! A perfect contemporary example is Kim Jong Un and what he did to his uncle, whom he accused of treason. The leader ordered him brutally executed (some report it was with a rocket). They killed his entire family. Officials destroyed everything written about him and any trace the uncle ever lived. Soldiers destroyed the 500-acre theme park Jang Song Thaek built for the nation. Today you will find no evidence the man even existed. This horrific act of evil pictures the meaning of the word, destroy, and vividly shows what thieves desire for us.

 An extended translation: “The thief wants to get his hands into every good thing in your life. In fact, this pickpocket is looking for any opportunity to wiggle his way so deeply into your personal affairs that he can walk off with everything you hold precious and dear. And that’s not all — when he’s finished stealing all your goods and possessions, he’ll take his plan to rob you blind to the next level. He’ll create conditions and situations so horrible that you’ll see no way to solve the problem except to sacrifice everything that remains from his previous attacks. The goal of this thief is to totally waste and devastate your life. If nothing stops him, he’ll leave you insolvent, flat broke, and cleaned out in every area of your life. You’ll end up feeling as if you are finished and out of business! Make no mistake — the enemy’s ultimate aim is to obliterate you….”  (Rick Renner).

The older I get, the more I realize the blessings thieves stole from me—some friends, colleagues, leaders, fellow believers, etc. Their methods happened through false teaching, hypocritical friendships, manipulating praise, jealousy, and selfish leadership.

Sustaining Word for the Week: Think about what the thief has picked from your spiritual pockets. Begin to reclaim God’s blessings.

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Why?

Posted on October 28, 2022 by drgause@agause.com

If you could ask God only one question, what would you ask? Christian Apologist Lee Strobel commissioned a national survey and asked this question. He writes, “The Number One response was: ‘Why is there suffering in the world?’” Probably every believer has asked God why about something that happened in their life or the world. “Why did my daughter die? Why do I have cancer? Why was our home destroyed?” I ponder why God allows the wicked tyrant in Russia to continue inflicting death and destruction in Ukraine and why the godless despot in North Korea continues spending millions of dollars on his obsession with destroying America while the country’s people are starving.

With no definitive human answer, people also ask, “Why didn’t God create a world where suffering and evil didn’t exist?” Scripture answers this question, but people overlook or ignore the answer and immediately blame God. First, we must understand God did not create evil or suffering. Instead, He made the world without suffering. At the end of each creation day, God saw that it was good (Gen 1: 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). After creation was complete, God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Gen 1:31). So, what happened?

 God gave humanity the freedom to choose. He did not force men and women to love Him. Instead, He wanted people who would freely choose to love and obey Him. However, Adam and Eve abused our freedom; they rejected and disobeyed the Lord’s one command to them. Their sin, called the fall, brought death and suffering into His perfect creation. The fall plunged all their descendants (us) and even the earth into despair. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now (Rom 8:22 NET). “When we humans told God to shove off, He partially honored our request. Nature began to revolt. The earth was cursed. Genetic breakdown and disease began. Pain and death became part of the human experience” (Cliffe Knechtle).

With sin entering the creation, we now live in a broken world where suffering never ceases. Be mindful that receiving Jesus does not exempt believers from the effects of sin. However, the Bible assures us He is with us through all our times of trouble. “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you” (Heb 13:5 NET). The analogy behind this verse is a soldier mortally wounded and surrounded by the enemy. In the distance, he can see his fellow troopers fleeing as fast as they can. They have abandoned him. Jesus, using the most vivid wording, promises He will never, never, never leave us in such a situation. King David went through countless painful experiences but knew he was never alone. Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me (Ps 23:4 NET).

Pain and suffering come from two sources—the sinful nature of humans and the broken natural world. Universally, all people are born with a sinful nature. Charles Spurgeon said, “As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature.” Jesus taught that out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder,adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly (Mk 7:21, 22 NET). One example of man’s evil greed is the earth produces enough food for every person alive to have 3,000 calories daily. So, why do 828 million people suffer going to bed hungry every night? Because of men’s evil, selfish nature. Knechtle comments, “It is a cop-out to blame God for human irresponsibility.”

Man’s disobedience also corrupted nature. We call this second source ‘natural evil’. The ground is cursed because of you (Gen 3:17). After this proclamation by the Lord, men had to grow their own food through hard labor because of “thorns and thistles”. This decree on the ground also brought suffering through earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, heat waves, etc. Not just man but the whole creation groans and suffers (Rom 8:22 NET). Nature longs for redemption to come and for things to be set right.

Suffering is never good, but God will take the dire circumstances we endure and cause good to emerge. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28). Paul even tells us we can rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint (Rom 5:3:5 HCSB).

Not only will God turn our suffering into good in this life, but the Bible also assures that our worst moment of pain isn’t even worth comparing to the eternity of blessings and joy we will experience. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Rom 8:18).

Sustaining Word for the Week: Why? We may never know in this life. But you can stand on the fact God didn’t cause it. All suffering results from living in a broken world and among people with sinful natures. And God makes suffering work for our good and gives believers the Holy Spirit to have victory over our own nature of sin.

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