The Reproach of Christ pt.2

Continuing on with the reproach of Christ…

Hebrews 11:24-26
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Verse 26 says that we are to “Esteem” the reproach of Christ, which means to ascribe value and worth to this shame, scorn, and disgrace. The reproach of Christ here is precious, not just good, but better than riches and treasure.

This verse shows us Moses as the example, now I’m not quite sure about how he carried the reproach of Christ let alone value it as precious, but here’s what he did.

First of all, he refused to allow the world to define who he was. The Egyptians saw him as one of them, and he had been for years, but once he realized his identity and was convicted he cast off that identity to be called the “People of God". When we come to Christ we are to put off the old man and put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:21-24) we are to take on a new identity. The world no longer has claim to us, and the Devil (though we were once his) has no more claim to us… moreover once we take on this new man we no longer have claim to ourselves. We are bought with a price and we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:20) we belong to Him.

Second, he denied the flesh. Moses had all the temptations Egypt had to offer at his disposal but he knew that it wasn’t pleasing to God. He chose rather to suffer, by denying himself the pleasures of sin. In the palace of Pharaoh he could have fared on the choicest meats, as an Egyptian he could have rested comfortably in soft raiment yet the Bible says he chose to suffer affliction for the worthiness of the reproach of Christ.

Finally, he looked toward the reward. Sure the sins of Egypt had their offer of pleasure and temporary happiness, but they were not worthy to be compared to the future reward, and Moses set his affections on things above rather on the things of this world. This hope gave him the strength to choose to suffer rather than sin, to esteem the reproach of Christ rather than the riches of Egypt, and to resist sin, knowing that great would be his reward in Heaven

The Reproach of Christ

I was reading the other day, and I got interested in the word “Reproach” it pretty much means - shame, scorn and disgrace and the Bible says we are supposed to delight in it. Many though would rather not take part in that kind of delight, but I would like to share some scriptures that have been encouraging me as I look into the "Reproach of Chirst"

Hebrews 13:12-13
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

To “Bear” His reproach could mean to endure it, but in the context of this passage it looks like it means to willingly take it up and carry it, that is what we are enouraged to do.

The “Closet Christian” makes sure that no one would ever see him as fanatical. He blends in hoping not to make anyone feel uncomfortable or convicted. He may carry the name of Christ, but only within the camp with the others who are called by His name. Without the camp is another story… when you willingly take the precious name of Christ without the camp you quickly see that this world is no friend of grace. You quickly find that the name that is praised and revered in the camp is a rock of offence to those who don’t believe. (1 Peter 2:8)

So here’s the problem… the name of Jesus Christ that is reproached by those who don’t believe in Him is the only hope of their salvation.

Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

…And the only way to bring that message to those that don’t believe is for Christians to willingly go without the camp bearing His reproach.

It is more comfortable to praise that worthy name of Jesus with others who do the same. It is more dignified to bridge people to the Gospel by inviting them and earning the right to perhaps speak to them about spiritual things, but this year would God help us to take the name of Christ and His reproach toward those who are without the camp and without Christ.

Matthew 7:21

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Probably one of the most terrifying verses in all the Bible, especially when it is put with its context. The people saying it are people who have prophesied in Jesus’ name and have cast out devils in Jesus name. I get the feeling that those who hear the condemnation “I never knew you” will be shocked.

Really this verse solidifies what I hear when I witness out on the street. Many times people will tell me that they’re all set, but when I dig a little deeper even many who profess to be born-again haven’t the first clue who God is. The Jesus they claim they know is OK with their language, their sexuality, and their lies.

The only person who is in worse shape than a lost man who knows he’s lost, is a lost man who thinks he’s saved. False assurance is a dangerous notion, and so Paul exhorts us to put our own selves on trial. We need to hold our lives up against the word of God, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal our shortcomings.

I do not believe any born-again believer can lose their salvation, but I do believe that there are many people who claim to be born-again who will be numbered among thoses that hear those dreadful words “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

2Cr 13:5 - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Matthew 6:24

“No man can serve to masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Webster's dictionary defines 'Mammon' as: 1) the false god of riches and avarice. 2) riches regarded as an object of worship and greedy pursuit; wealth as an evil, more or less personified.

How many Christians have been ruined trying to serve both God and money? How tarnished has the name of Christ been by televangelists that have been caught with their hand in the back pocket of those faithfully trying to serve God? How many have walked away from the faith because they were taken advantage of and used by someone serving two masters?

This is a warning to every Christian that we must be singly minded, with our affections, our devotion, and service directed to the One that it is due. David had his priorities right, and therefore his wealth was put in it’s proper place.

1Ch 29:3 - Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

Matthew 5:16

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

A few weeks ago I was teaching about being an example of the believer in “purity” and I used this verse as an object lesson. I lit a little candle inside a little glass, and turned all the lights off. I asked the kids if everyone could see the light from the candle inside the glass. I explained that this is a Christian who is letting his light so shine that others can see it, but then I started mentioning things that we do to that can dim the light that others see. I pulled out my “Sin Markers”…otherwise known as dry erase markers, and with each sin I marked the glass. Slowly the glass began to be covered with blotches of colors, and the light became less bright. The light never changed, but the way others saw it was changed.

When we allow sin into our life we obstruct the light of Christ in us. When we live in a way that pleases God, others see His work in us, and they end up glorifying God.

Eph 5:8 - For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Matthew 4:19

“And he saith unto them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

So there are two guys in a boat casting their nets into the sea, and Jesus decides that they need a career change.

I like this verse because it is a clear direction with a promised result. It says that the part about us actually being fishers of men is in His hand. It’s He that makes us to be fishers of men; we just need to follow Him.

Sounds easy right?

Mar 8:34 - And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

1Pe 2:21 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Matthew 3:8

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:”

I got to admit, that I may swing and miss on this one. This verse kind of confuses me, but my guess is that John was looking for evidence of repentance from the Pharisees and Sadducees. If I was to try and name these fruits I would look to the following verses:

Psa 51:17 – Contrition
2Cr 5:17 – A changed life
1Pe 2:2 – A desire for God’s Word

I’m sure there are more, but these are first that come to mind. The other thing that I immediately thought if was all the different kinds of “fruit” or “fruits” mentioned in the Bible. Here is a few.

The fruit of the Spirit – Gal 5:22
Fruits meet for repentance - Mat 3:8
Fruits of righteousness – Phl 1:11
Fruit unto holiness - Rom 6:22
Good and evil fruit - Mat 7:17

Matthew 2:11

"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
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When I read this verse I always think of Mr. Sunseri teaching the lesson to our first grade Sunday school class “Wise Men Still Seek Him”. The Holy Spirit records the wise men’s reaction to finding Him.

First they fell down - This is the reaction everyone will one day have in the presence of Christ as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Next they worshipped Him - From the fall until now man had worshipped anything and everything. They have worshipped the sun, the moon, the beasts, and fowls. They have worshipped the figments of their own imagination as well as other men. There is no end to what fallen man will find to worship, and yet only ONE is worthy of our worship.

Lastly they presented their offering to Him - Myrrh for a Prophet, Frankincense for a Priest and Gold for a King. Gifts that were costly, precious, and appropriate. When we see Jesus and respond correctly to Him, we too will offer our spiritual sacrifices.

1 Peter 2:5 - Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

The Sacrifice of Praise – Hbr 13:15
The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving – Psa 116:17
The Sacrifice of Self - Rom 12:1

Matthew 1:21

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from thier sins."

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The rescue mission of God's plan found in the name JESUS. From what I've read the name of Jesus is Yeshua which translates "Salvation" and the angel let's Joseph in on what God is doing. As I though on this verse I remembered the words from "Rock of Ages" and thought of what it means for JESUS to save His people from thier sins.

"Rock of Ages, cleft for me,Let me hide myself in Thee;Let the water and the blood,From Thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure; Save from wrath and make me pure."

Jesus saves from the eternal penalty of sin, but also the power of sin in our present life now.

Titus 2:14 - Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

My Mom (part 1)

Out of all the days since my Mother has been in Heaven, Mother’s Day is always the hardest for me. I have ruined the previous two for my wife by just being in a bad mood, and I was determined not to do it again this year. I really tried not to think about her on Sunday. I think I made it through not being such a jerk this year, but after Mother’s Day was over I felt I had missed something by not taking time to think about what an amazing Mom I had.

I really would like to post a few times about my Mom, but we’ll see how this goes. One of the things I’d like to post about is how I had the chance to lead my Mom to the Lord, and all the circumstances that lined up to that event. She trusted Christ as her Lord and Savior less than a year before she died. Any sadness I get thinking about her is totally selfish, as I know that she is better now, and more alive today than she ever had been here on earth. She is in the presence of Jesus, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore. I WILL one day be with them both! Glory!

I am horrible with remembering dates, so I don’t know when she was diagnosed with cancer, but I was living at home. I pretended not to hear her say it on the phone to a family member, and I think I convinced myself that I misheard…until she got my brother and me together to talk. I hope you never have that talk.

The doctors called her cancer “very aggressive” and she had to go in for a radical mastectomy, followed by all the treatment that you know goes with that, also followed by all the side effects. I know that she and my Step-Father held back a lot of information from my brother and me so I may have some details wrong. From what I remember she beat the cancer, and they did another radical mastectomy on her other breast I suppose as a precaution…I’m not sure. I remember many surgeries, and recoveries. I thought that would be it, and it was for a few years.

When it came back it did so all over her body. The doctors again began treatments and with that again came side effects. The last bout had her all over the place. She gained a lot of weight, and then dropped down to hardly anything. She went from being in a wheelchair to walking around fine. It was a crazy rollercoaster. I heard them say the word terminal but they never said it to my brother or me. I guess they figured we knew. We probably did, but it is amazing how your brain will let you think that means something else.

I knew though...

I knew by the way she held her grandkids, and how she just poured herself out. You could see that she was trying to give all that she could with the time that she had. I know that she made it so long because she fought! Man, she fought for everyday, to see us, to see her grandbabies, to see her husband. I think she surprised many doctors. She saw both Zakk and I get married, and she was there to hold five of the six grandkids, but with a weakened system and two bouts of sepsis the cancer finally got its foothold on her.

When I got to the hospital she was already very medicated, and we were told that she had between two weeks and two months to live. She was too medicated to really speak to anyone from that point on. I remember sitting in her room and trying to think of Bible verses to say to her. I sang quietly “What a Day That Will Be” to her. I quoted Romans 8:18 – “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” over and over. I don’t know if it was for her or me. I let her know that it was ok to let go. I know she tried to say “I Love You” to me, which meant more to me than anything. It was the last words she ever heard me say, and the last words I ever heard her say. She only made it the two weeks.

I got the call Sunday morning as we were getting ready for church. She had gone on to glory very early in the morning. She had not opened her eyes in days, but my Step-Father said that she turned her head, looked at him, and smiled as she drifted away peacefully. My wife and I got to the hospital and into the room, and to me it was really the most reliving thing to see her. To know that she was now absent from that body and present with the Lord was the most comforting thing I could imagine.

I remember my grandma sitting at the head of the bed weeping. I leaned over and hugged her, and said, “Imagine the church service Mom is at this morning!” That was my thought. I can’t remember feeling any pain throughout that whole time. All I remember is feeling gratitude to the Lord for saving her, and comfort knowing she is with the one who loved her enough that He took her sins upon His shoulders some two thousand years ago.

The thought of my Mother in Heaven has comforted me everyday since she has been gone, and most days it is enough to know that she is with Jesus, and I will see her again. Other days I get a little selfish and wish she was still here for me to hug, and hear my kids call “Hunny”. Mother’s Day is one of those days, but the last thing she would want is for me to get hung up on being selfish, it was so not her style. Mother's Day now is for the Mother of my kids, who, like my mom is one of the most selfless people I know. She is a wonderful mother to our three kids, and I love her more than I could say. She deserves a Mother's Day each week, and by the Grace of God I will not ever ruin another one for her... my Mom raised me better than that.

Bonnie Kay
“Hunny”
1953 - 2006