Bound as One

by Pastor Patrick Cho

This past Sunday, I announced that theme for 2011 at Lighthouse would be “Bound as One.” This theme will focus on the instruction given in Scripture for believers to live consistently with the unity that has been established through the gospel. One particular point of application will be in the practice of the Peacemaker pledge. This pledge is derived from Ken Sande’s book, The Peacemaker, which is a very helpful resource dealing with conflict resolution. In Sunday’s sermon, I listed six reasons why I believe this theme is necessary.

  1. The theme would remind us that our unity matters to God.
  2. It would show how God can work all things together for good (Rom. 8:28).
  3. It will help us live consistently with the unity that God has established in the church.
  4. It will remind us that unity is something that has to be worked for and is not easy.
  5. It will challenge us to not simply side with people in conflicts, but to help those involved to consider responding to the conflict in a God-honoring manner.
  6. It will remind us that no one is above this, and all members of LBC have made a promise to being Peacemakers.

Certainly, God is not pleased with our conflicts. They are sinful and a clear manifestation of our jealousy, selfishness, and pride. God is the one who establishes unity through His truth. Our sin is what causes divisions. This is why our conflicts are things that need to be repented of, and why reconciliation needs to be our goal. God is not pleased when believers are not reconciled.

But still, as sinful as our conflicts are, they present an opportunity for obedience and worship. While our conflicts are sin, the way we respond to them can be honoring to God. There are a number of ways this is true, but I will highlight a few.

First, through our conflicts, we can see God’s character and will. For instance, we can see God’s sovereignty. We can recognize that He has placed us in these circumstances to help us to grow and to give us an opportunity to respond rightly. We can also see how He always has the best in mind for us because of His goodness. We can see how He always stands for truth and will not tolerate lies. Our conflicts can remind us of His holiness.

Second, we can see through our conflicts how far we fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). We are selfish, arrogant, and envious. God is good, just, and true. We want to control our circumstances because we want to get our way. God is sovereign and will not relinquish His control because of our sinful desires. God desires our good and growth, but we seek harm for others and want to get even. God wants us to respond to our conflicts in a way that would honor Him, and yet so often we add fuel to the conflict by piling sin upon sin.

Third, we can recognize our dependence upon God to respond to our conflicts in a God-honoring way. Jesus told His disciples that apart from Him they could accomplish nothing (John 15:5). So it is with us. Understanding how difficult conflict resolution is and how hard it is to live at peace and in unity with one another, we need to seek God’s help to give us the wisdom, strength, courage, and determination to do it. By relying on Him and confessing our dependence, He then gets the glory when broken relationships are mended.

These and many other ways are examples of how our conflicts can be turned into opportunities for worship. God really can take even some of the ugliest situations and use them for our benefit and His glory. As we focus on the theme “Bound as One” this year, let us strive to push each other to focus not on ourselves, our circumstances, or those who have harmed us. But instead, let us remind one another that our chief end is to glorify God in all things, including our response to conflict.

Weekly Links (1/24/2011)

by Stephen Rodgers

As promised last week, here’s the weekly links, albeit post-weekend rather than pre-weekend.

That’s probably enough for now since you don’t have a weekend to leisurely peruse them all.  But even if you just read one bullet point each day, you’ll be ready when we’re back with another batch on Friday!

Pro Rege

I Sought Him, but I Found Him Not

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Song of Solomon 3:1

Tell me where you lost the company of a Christ, and I will tell you the most likely place to find Him. Have you lost Christ in the closet by restraining prayer? Then it is there you must seek and find Him. Did you lose Christ by sin? You will find Christ in no other way but by the giving up of the sin, and seeking by the Holy Spirit to mortify the member in which the lust doth dwell. Did you lose Christ by neglecting the Scriptures? You must find Christ in the Scriptures. It is a true proverb, ‘Look for a thing where you dropped it, it is there.’ So look for Christ where you lost Him, for He has not gone away. But it is hard work to go back for Christ. Bunyan tells us, the pilgrim found the piece of the road back to the Arbour of Ease, where he lost his roll, the hardest he had ever travelled. Twenty miles onward is easier than to go one mile back for the lost evidence.

Take care, then, when you find your Master, to cling close to Him. But how is it you have lost Him? One would have thought you would never have parted with such a precious friend, whose presence is so sweet, whose words are so comforting, and whose company is so dear to you! How is it that you did not watch Him every moment for fear of losing sight of Him? Yet, since you have let Him go, what a mercy that you are seeking Him, even though you mournfully groan, ‘O that I knew where I might find Him!’ Go on seeking, for it is dangerous to be without thy Lord. Without Christ you are like a sheep without its shepherd; like a tree without water at its roots; like a sere leaf in the tempest-not bound to the tree of life. With thine whole heart seek Him, and He will be found of thee: only give thyself thoroughly up to the search, and verily, thou shalt yet discover Him to thy joy and gladness.

1.19a

Weekly Links (1/21/2011)

by Stephen Rodgers

Work, life, and everything has taken a bit more of a toll this week than I expected.  As a result, the traditional Weekly Links will most likely appear on Monday.  Until then, please note that the Recommended Resources page has been updated however, and now includes:

My hope is that by updating this gradually instead of all at once, it will give you an opportunity to really check out the resources listed there, and see if they are useful to you.  Since this is the update for today, please take the time to do so.  I’ll continue to point out updates to that page here so that you know when to check back.

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

We Memorize to Internalize (Grace Life)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Most people at Lighthouse probably know by now that in GraceLife we are currently studying the life of Christ in the book of Mark. So far it has been a good study and has generated some helpful discussions. What people might not know is that along with the study, we are currently memorizing various passages of Scripture that are consistent with the themes from each lesson. The passages are not necessarily from Mark, but are intended to help us remember what the lesson was about and challenge us in our application.

Our first memory passage was Mark 1:14-15 where Jesus goes about Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God. The reason why this passage is so significant is because it serves as a clear, succinct summary of what Jesus’ gospel presentation entailed. He preached a gospel of repentance and faith in light of the kingdom being at hand. This serves us as a helpful reminder that the gospel is more than coming to understand a series of facts. When a person truly understands the gospel and is saved, there is a necessary inward change, a turning from sin and to God.

Our second memory passage was Hebrews 4:15 where Jesus is referred to as our sympathetic high priest. This was the verse that corresponded to the lesson on Jesus’ baptism and temptation in the wilderness. In His baptism, Jesus stood in the place of sinners as one who represented us to the Father. One of the amazing truths about His incarnation and humanity is that He understands from experience our temptations, struggles, and hardships. We have a high priest in Christ who really can sympathize with us.

Our third memory passage was Romans 10:9. Paul writes that a person who confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that God raised Him from the dead will be saved. This verse corresponded with the lesson about the preaching focus of Jesus’ ministry. Certainly Jesus performed amazing signs and miraculous deeds, but He came primarily to teach, and specifically to preach the gospel.

In like manner, all the memory passages correspond with the week’s lesson and help us internalize the point of each passage of study. Our hope is that by having these passages memorized, it will help us to constantly have God’s Word on our hearts and to remember the important themes and lessons from the book of Mark. A complete list of the weekly memory passages can be found at the GraceLife webpage.

LBC Weekly SPARK – January 19, 2011

by Pastor Patrick Cho

To all our dear LBC family and friends!

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord. Ephesians 4:11-14 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible because it describes what church ministry looks like when everything is happening as it should. Leaders are providing helpful instruction, members are actively involved in service, and the church grows together in unity and doctrinal fortitude. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that church? There is a lot in this passage that deserves attention, but one thing in particular is to see how important it is that each member be a part of the ministry of the church. Each member is to actively invest in others and serve to be a blessing to the other members of the church. Not until this is accomplished does Paul consider the church to grow into maturity and into the fullness of Christ.

There is a lot going on at Lighthouse right now and there are many opportunities for you to invest in others and encourage them in the faith. This really should be a regular part of your life and not just something that happens from time to time. If you are not very involved in the ministry of the church, consider how you might get more involved. Keep in mind that we are not just trying to maintain nice little programs but are seeking to provide opportunities for the church to practice the “one anothers” and grow together in Christ. Ministry is not something that only the “professionals” do. It isn’t only for pastors, missionaries, elders, etc. As each member of the church gets involved in each other’s lives, as we speak truth to one another and encourage each other in the faith, the church will grow in strength. In this sense, the church is not only as strong as its leaders, but really only as strong as its members are committed to one another in this way.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Please read through the following announcements:

  1. Kids’ Club. Kids’ Club meets again this tonight (January 19) at 6:30pm. This is a great time for the kids to have a fun evening together and grow in their understanding of God. All kids from preschool to 5th grade are welcome to participate. The cost is only $30/child for the entire year ($20 for each additional child of the same household). Contact Josh Liu for more information ( liu.joshuac@gmail.com ).
  2. Mommy and Me. Please don’t forget that Mommy and Me meets again this Thursday morning at 9:45am. If you are a mom of a 0-4 year old and would like some time midweek to spend with other moms and kids, join us for this time. Contact Jane Kim to get involved ( janeminkim@gmail.com )! The cost is $25/family for registration.
  3. Single Life Table for Six. Single Life will not be meeting this Friday for Bible study. Instead, we will be having a Table for Six fellowship activity. If you are interested in participating, please sign up with Brian and Beverly Chan by tonight (Wednesday, January 19; bchan1127@gmail.com ; bevs802@gmail.com )! This will be a great opportunity to get to know fellow singles and enjoy an evening together over a meal!
  4. College Life After-Christmas Party. This Friday evening (January 21), both the UCSD and SDSU Campus Fellowships will be meeting at the church for an After-Christmas Party! This is an annual tradition for College Life and is always a wonderful time. Meet at the church at 7:00pm for a time of fun and fellowship. There will be a “white elephant” gift exchange (limit $10), so be sure to bring a wrapped gift to participate! Contact Hansol An for more information ( hansolan@gmail.com ).
  5. Women’s Ministry Car Rally. This Saturday, January 22, the Women’s Ministry will be having its first ever car rally! The event will take place from 9:30am-2:00pm. Sign up with Christine Cho by Thursday afternoon in order to participate ( christinescho@gmail.com ). Also, don’t forget to bring some money for lunch and gas.
  6. Sunday Morning Prayer. Please try to come out to the church at least fifteen minutes before service begins to pray for the needs of the church and for one another. This prayer time takes place in the sanctuary and prayer requests are projected onto the wall. There is also a group that meets for prayer at 8:00am in Room 107. Contact Josh Lee for more information ( joshuaglee@gmail.com ).
  7. Members Meeting. We will be having a members meeting this Sunday, January 23, at 4:45pm, at the church. All members are highly encouraged to attend. As always, dinner will be served.
  8. LBC San Jose Inaugural Weekend. LBCSJ will be having its official inaugural weekend from January 28-30. If you are planning to go up to support the church plant, or if you would like more information about that weekend’s events, please contact Pastor Patrick ( pastorpatrick@gmail.com ).
  9. Flocks. Our various monthly flocks will be meeting again between February 2-5. If you are not part of a flock but would like to be, please contact Pastor Patrick. This is a great way to get to know the church family!
  10. Care Month. If you would like to help out with our February Care Month, whether you are officially part of the Care Ministry or not, please contact Ryan McAdams for more information on how to get involved ( ryan@mcdoulos.net ).

Living Theology #52 – The Return of Christ

by Garrett Glende

This article begins the final section in Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. We’ve come a long way thus far and it’s fitting that the end of the book deals with eschatology, or the study of last things. Just as spiritual gifts are a highly debated issue, eschatology fosters a fair amount of conversation as well. There are many evangelicals who disagree on certain issues that fall under this umbrella, but it remains to be an issue of secondary nature. Provided, there are some who stray too far away from Biblical truth, some of whom we will address later, but the majority of believers do attempt to derive their beliefs from Scripture. In the coming weeks we’ll deal with a variety of topics relating to the end times. Many will brush them off as confusing or non-consequential, but we should take heed of Jesus’ own warnings about these things and seek to understand them in a manner that changes our hearts and minds.

The first issue that Grudem writes on is the return of Christ. Specifically, how and when Christ will come back to earth. The first major point under this section is that Christ will return in physical, bodily form for all to see. There are those who advocate that Christ will not come back or that He will return in a spiritual sense, but these teachings are misguided. Revelation 1:7 says that “He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.” Acts 1:11 states, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” There is little debate in mainstream Christianity regarding the physical return of Christ. The exact timing of His return however, is much more contested (mostly in regards to the millennial kingdom, which will be discussed next week).

What we can say about the timing of Christ’s return is that no one knows the exact day or hour. There is a heavy amount of Scripture attesting to the mystery of the second coming. Jesus says to “watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13). It will come as a surprise to many, “like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2). We see in many places that only the Father knows the timing of this event, yet we also are urged to be ready for it because it is near. Jesus himself says that he is coming soon multiple times in the book of Revelation (Rev. 22:7, 22:12, 22:20) and Peter also attests that “the end of all things is at hand” (1 Peter 4:7). The evidence from the New Testament authors illustrates that perhaps they expected Christ to return within their own lifetimes or shortly thereafter, yet it is obvious that this has not happened even 2000 years later. So were they wrong in saying that his return would be soon? To answer this, we must understand that the nature of prophecy in the Bible as one that often does not account for large gaps in time. I’ve heard it illustrated as a mountain range where you see many summits from the distance and they all look equally far away, but when you reach the peak you discover that the others are really much further away. This happens a lot in Old Testament prophecy, as we see both the first and second advents of Christ.

The challenge from Scripture regarding Christ’s return addresses the desires of our hearts. Since we have been saved by the grace of God, we are to “live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13). But do we really wait eagerly for Christ’s return or are we more concerned with our lives here on earth? We want to accomplish things here before we get to heaven. I even see this attitude come up in my own heart as I am soon to be married. Would I rather have Christ come back and be with Him or would I rather be married? I must admit that it’s a struggle in my heart. I think we all have certain things that our hearts are drawn to in this world – even good things. But we should not value them more than Jesus. The unexpectedness of his return should draw us more to the lost, where we must preach the gospel unashamedly. Since no one knows the day or hour, we must proclaim Christ in every corner of the earth. Selfishly, we entertain ourselves with other things and we lose sight of the immanency of Jesus Christ. Together, let’s put aside our worldly desires and focus on loving Christ and desiring to be with Him.

Godly New Year

by Elder Peter Lim

During our New Year’s Eve service, I shared about greeting one another with “Godly New Year” instead of “Happy New Year” because merely being happy for any old reason isn’t enough for a Christian to be fulfilled. Disneyland is famous for its slogan, “The Happiest Place on Earth” but imagine that you were wealthy enough to be there every day in 2011 and didn’t mind paying $8 for a hamburger and the lines for the rides were next to nothing. Would that be enough? While we are at it, let’s imagine that it truly is the happiest place on Earth with no conflicts with other people and everyone is having fun and enjoying themselves all day long. Would that be enough? I would say that it’s a waste of a life. Why? Because as Christians, we are in a spiritual war that is being waged all around us. It is our enemy’s goal that we waste our life with meaningless activities so that we would fail to take advantage of our true mission in life: to make disciples of Christ.

Lest you think that my example of living at Disneyland 24/7 was a silly example, replace it with the pursuit of fine dining, golf, physical fitness, wealth, prestige, travel to exotic vacations, or anything else that people (not you, but other people of course) spend most of their time and money on. Does it still sound like a silly example? Is it getting a little too personal for your comfort? Good! It’s good to examine ourselves to see if we need to change our ways. If your budget and time aren’t being spent for God’s ministry on Earth, where is it going? Is it going to selfish fulfillment?

The book of Jude has a lot to say about this issue. Jude had originally wanted to write his letter to celebrate our common salvation but he felt compelled to warn of the danger of ungodly selfish people who would creep in unnoticed into the church and lead people astray and bring division into the church. Verses 14 and 15 describe what they are like: “It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’” In verse 15 alone, “ungodly” is mentioned 4 times. That gives us an idea of the heavy emphasis placed on the fact that they are very unlike God. So how is it that they crept in unnoticed? (vs. 4) It can only be because they were pretending to be Christians. Perhaps they were even self-deceived into thinking that they were saved. (Matt. 7:22) Regardless, they looked like the real thing. They were nearly indistinguishable. Pretty much all of their defining characteristics are subjective and can be explained away by minimalizing their significance. Even some true Christians must have been confused and they must’ve had conflicts with more discerning observers over the issue of whether these ungodly people ought to be disciplined out of the church or not. It’s not difficult to see that some well-meaning Christians would misplace their loyalties to these ungodly people, having been deceived by the doubts and accusations cast upon the proper leaders of the church. Even worse, perhaps it may have been the case that at least some of the leaders themselves may have been led astray by the ungodly. The ungodly people are described as turning grace into licentiousness, denying the lordship of Christ, rejecting authority, reviling angelic majesties (even the devil) with their own authority instead of appealing to God, killing the mood and unity at love feasts with their selfishness, grumbling, finding fault, following their own lusts, speaking arrogantly, and flattering people for their own advantage (vss. 4, 8-10, 12, 16). These ungodly men cause divisions, are worldly-minded, and devoid of the Spirit (vs. 19). Properly dealing with these men who cause divisions is described in Titus 3:10.

In an imperfect church filled with imperfect people (as all churches are), it is often difficult to distinguish the divisive complainers from people who are weak or young and need to grow. Jude even warns us that some of these people need to be “snatched from the fire” and to have mercy on the doubting. Clearly we are to treat different people differently. However, we are not to show partiality based on differences of such things as ethnicity (Acts 10:34), social strata (Gal. 2:6), loyalties (1 Tim. 5:21), or gender (Gal. 3:28). We are to expose wickedness and deal with sinning believers (Eph. 5:11, Matt. 18). In other words, the criteria that we are to use to base our judgment on involve sinful attitudes of the heart, which are very difficult to bring into question. In order for the leaders of the church to gain a clearer peek into the true condition of the hearts of people, godliness manifested externally by good works is critical. This is one reason why godliness is a defining characteristic of genuine Christians. This leads to healthy churches where the ungodly become obvious and can be pruned out. This isn’t legalism. This is the biblical way in which a church stays healthy.

The U. S. Constitution declares our unalienable right to pursue happiness. Perhaps this is why we wish each other happiness in the new year. Christians have a far greater pursuit: godliness. Therefore, it is absolutely correct for us to greet each other in this new year with “Godly New Year!” We should all strive to be more like Him this year.

Book Review: From the Resurrection to His Return

Book by D.A. Carson

Book Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

We live in the last days. No, I’m not about to talk about a particular event in the news that shows a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It’s actually the time period between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of His return. This is the position of Scripture, which has been written for our instruction, reproof, correction and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In fact, the apostle John himself wrote of the last hour: “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.” Knowing this, how does God call us to live? Does He call us to live in a certain way?

According to D.A. Carson (even more importantly, Scripture), the answer is yes. In one of his short books, From the Resurrection to His Return, Carson exposits 2 Timothy 3:1-4:8, pointing out what Paul himself instructed Timothy in terms of how to live, since “there will be terrible times in the last days.” Coming from a sermon he’s preached a number of times, Carson draws us to see what is most important for Paul to tell another saint as he is about to pass from this world onto the next. Paul knows he is at the end of his life, and wants to impart the truths of God to his faithful child of the faith, so that he may know how to live and then pass that on to others. Reading like a sermon, Carson goes through Paul’s list of 19 characteristic traits of those who make these times terrible, the same term that is used of the Gadarene demoniac. To make Timothy aware of this not only is to keep him and those who want to be faithful away from such wicked people, but to also keep themselves from temptation, that they themselves would not fall prey to a life of profession which, at the same time, denies the power of God that always changes us. So how does Paul warn Timothy to live knowing all this?

In four chapters, Carson points us to how to live faithfully today in these last days:

  1. hold the right mentors in high regard,
  2. hold few illusions about the world,
  3. hold on to the Bible, and
  4. hold out the Bible to others.

When there are false teachers running amok in the church as well as false professors of Christ, Timothy can’t help but look to faithful men with a real outlook of the world and trusting completely in the Word of God, passing that on to his congregation. Similar to J.C. Ryle’s Thoughts for Young Men, instructions are given to those who are either beginning the journey of following Christ or are at a spiritual crossroads, confused by what they see or read, and how to be faithful to the God who made us all. Paul points Timothy to his own life of faith, and that he should trust him to guide him in the right path, not only because of what he says (even though he is an apostle), but also his example. This is where Carson makes some great insights: “Do you ever say to a young Christian, ‘Do you want to know what Christianity is like? Watch me!’ If you never do, you are unbiblical” (p.26). He also points to those who are in need of a mentor:

You must therefore ask, ‘Does this person I am thinking of follow apostolic teaching? How about his way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, sufferings? What are the virtues and experiences in a potential mentor that are worth imitating? Do you see the point? Choose your mentors and then hold those right mentors in high regard. (27)

He then gives the example of a college friend who was seen as a resource to answer difficult questions believer and non-believer alike had. He also was a fairly brash individual, who would not waste time with people who were playing around and were not serious about the things of Christ. Yet when a self-confessing liberal did not see any substantial difference between one who believes in the literal resurrection of Jesus and himself who didn’t, Carson’s friend answered, “Watch me.” He also told him to move in to his home and live with him for the rest of the semester and see whether he tell there was a difference or not. Though the liberal student didn’t take him up on his offer, he did continue to watch his life and later came to follow Christ. What a bold example of a mentor who knows the importance of mentoring. If only everyone in church saw the importance of finding mentors, as well as believers becoming mentors for the sake of the newborn saints.

Carson then goes on to dispel many believers’ misguided views of the world, driven by the culture’s constant message of tolerance and avoidance of criticism as well as critical thinking, knowing that as people age in life, their wickedness only grows exponentially, not less. We have to be on guard about this in the way we think and see the world around us. What follows is a wholehearted commitment to the Scriptures, the same Scriptures that led Timothy to faith in Christ. Because of what Scripture is (God-breathed revelation), it is practical, and is designed to change our way of life and thought, because it brings us to Jesus. Finally, Paul calls Timothy to give the Word to his people at Ephesus, a call for all pastors to heed. Yet, knowing that Christ has commanded His disciples (not just the twelve) to make disciples and teach them all He has commanded, we as congregants in our churches, faithful believers are to do the same. As you look out into the world of relationships, where is this being fulfilled in your life? We “constantly are to be teaching and declaring the Word of God” (pp. 44-45) to our small groups, disciples, family members, coworkers, and on and on.

This book is small, but packs a punch. It draws us away from our own opinions to the Word of God to direct our hearts and minds to the goal of Christ, and adjust accordingly, with the help of the Holy Spirit. I’m thankful for the number of individuals who have invested in my life to follow hard after Christ, and live faithfully in these last days, and hope to follow theirs and Paul’s example for the rest of my life. I’m sure Paul would agree.

Editor’s Note: You can read this book online for free.

He Expounded Unto Them…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Luke 24:27

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable journey. Their companion and teacher was the best of tutors; the interpreter one of a thousand, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus condescended to become a preacher of the gospel, and He was not ashamed to exercise His calling before an audience of two persons, neither does He now refuse to become the teacher of even one. Let us court the company of so excellent an Instructor, for till He is made unto us wisdom we shall never be wise unto salvation.

This unrivalled tutor used as His class-book the best of books. Although able to reveal fresh truth, He preferred to expound the old. He knew by His omniscience what was the most instructive way of teaching, and by turning at once to Moses and the prophets, He showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculation, reasoning, or reading human books, but meditation upon the Word of God. The readiest way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge is to dig in this mine of diamonds, to gather pearls from this heavenly sea. When Jesus Himself sought to enrich others, He wrought in the quarry of Holy Scripture.

The favoured pair were led to consider the best of subjects, for Jesus spake of Jesus, and expounded the things concerning Himself. Here the diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the House unlocked His own doors, conducted the guests to His table, and placed His own dainties upon it. He who hid the treasure in the field Himself guided the searchers to it. Our Lord would naturally discourse upon the sweetest of topics, and He could find none sweeter than His own person and work: with an eye to these we should always search the Word. O for grace to study the Bible with Jesus as both our teacher and our lesson!

1.18p