Joseph Bailey, Author at Kuyperian Commentary

On April 21, 2019 By Joseph Bailey In Scribblings, Worship Like

Seeing is Becoming

A Meditation for this Easter Lord’s Day:

The old saying goes, “Seeing is believing.” And in many cases that is certainly true. However, in the Christian life seeing holds a far greater purpose than simply believing. Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ^a

The Triune God gathers His church this and every Lord’s Day around the Word and the Table that we might see our risen Lord. We see Him in the songs we sing; we see Him in the love and grace we extend to one another; we see Him as we gather as one people where “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for [we] are all one in Christ Jesus” ^b; we see Him in all the Scriptures as they are read and preached; and we see Him in the bread and wine.

For us today, seeing is not just believing. Seeing is becoming! John the Beloved writes in 1 John 3:1-3:

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.”

The more clearly and affectionately we are able to see Jesus today and in the week ahead, the more we will be conformed into His likeness. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus encountered the risen Lord; their eyes were opened as they broke bread with Him, and their hearts burned within them as they listened to His Word. ^c

Therefore, “let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” ^d

On this Easter Sunday, taste and see that the Lord is good. And in the process we also will be transformed, sent out to flavor the world around us with His life and truth. AMEN!

John 20:29 (back)
Galatians 3:28 (back)
Luke 24:30-32 (back)
Hebrews 12:2-3 (back)

On April 13, 2019 By Joseph Bailey In Theology 1

A Parable for Palm Sunday

John 12:12-26 A Series of Unexpected Events

Looking at the Apostle John’s account of the events leading up to and playing out on Palm Sunday, we see the tension between promise and expectation take center stage. More specifically, we see the contrast between the kingdom of heaven as a seed being planted and soon to spring up from the ground as a plant with unstoppable growth and glory, and the kingdoms of the earth withering and fading in their last gasps of life.

The people had the promises of Yahweh, and they had their expectations of how those promises would be fulfilled- power and dominion, freedom and blessing, glory and honor. How was this King riding into Jerusalem during the Passover celebration different from all other Kings and rulers before him? How would He not only challenge but far exceed their short-sighted expectations of the Messiah?

To answer that question, let me take you to a parable given in the book of Judges, then use it to draw some application for us as we look toward Palm Sunday.

Judges 9:7-15 The Parable of Trees

Gideon had been the Lord’s anointed to deliver Israel from the hands of her enemies; to rescue her once again from tyranny and oppression. And he proved to be a true champion for much of his life. But rather than continuing to be a picture of God’s faithfulness and particular love for his people, Gideon sinned by taking for himself many wives. And these many wives gave him 70 sons.

James Jordan, in his excellent commentary on Judges, points out the significance of the number 70. It is a number often used to represent the nations of the world. Right away we see that something about this story is bigger than it first appears.

Following the death of Gideon, it is a man named Abimelech that rises to the occasion. He offers himself as a would-be king for the people. ^a And he offers up the lives of the 70 sons of Gideon as a “small” sacrifice to have such a worldly king as himself.

For, you see, Abimelech was a son born to Gideon from his concubine in Shechem. He is somebody who gives the people exactly what they want. They get the best of both worlds. He is of the people of God and he is also of the people of Baal. It is his connection to the Canaanites that he appeals to for why they should make him ruler.

It should be no surprise that the people agree to this. Worldly people always hunger for worldly authority over them. Those who have first given themselves over to the tyranny of the devil will inevitably return, like a dog to its vomit, again and again to oppression and slavery.

In verse 2, Abimelech says, “Which is better for you, that seventy men, all sons of Jerubbaal (Baal-fighter), rule over you, or that one man rule over you?” Remember the words of Caiaphas, the High Priest, in John 11? “It is expedient for you that one man die for the people and that the whole nation not perish.” ^b

The nation of Israel turns away from a Baal-fighter to a Baal-compromiser. They turn away from their faithful Husband, the One who protects them, fights for them, blesses them. Instead, they play the harlot for trinkets. They trade shelter for slavery.

Abimelech climbs the stage so that all the world can see what worldly dominion looks like. Power and glory are taken, not received. Authority is not a gift given in order to serve, but a claimed right to be served. Kings do not lay down their lives for the good of the people. The people become the necessary sacrifices for the good of kings.

Again, Jordan’s commentary is helpful here. He notes the significance of human sacrifice in this story and how it describes so well the kingdoms of this world. As nations of men have raged against Yahweh, it has always been accompanied by human sacrifice (Remember, altars of sacrifice can take many forms). Rebellion against God is never a bloodless revolution.

When man sets himself up as King, it is his law that is broken by others, his justice that must be met, his wrath that must be satisfied, his enemies that must be crushed beneath his feet. And this is bloody work, indeed!

Only one of Gideon’s sons escapes slaughter. Jotham then ascends upon a hill and addresses the people with this parable of trees. Below are a few observations from the parable.

8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

The trees are looking for a king from among them rather than acknowledging the King above them. They want someone like them.

9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’

Olive trees produce the oil of anointing. They serve to honor others, to make others shine, to give glory not take it. They see no glory in vain waving over others.

10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’

Fig trees produce sweetness and fruitfulness in the land. They produce their fruit in its season for the pleasure of others. They offer up themselves to revive and sustain and strengthen. They have no time for vain waving over others.

12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’

Vines produce grapes for good wine. This wine brings joy to others. It cheers the heart of man as it is crushed, fermented, and flows freely. It delights the heart of God as it is poured out in worship. They have no desire for vain waving over others.

14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’

Then there are the brambles. Now here we have a willing candidate. Brambles are the growth of the fall. Brambles are the product of rebellious seed. They give neither sweetness nor shade. They neither satisfy nor shelter. Here now is the vanity of all earthly rule. Here now is why every earthly kingdom and every worldly king will fall short.

15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

To serve a bramble king is to either become satisfied with the “shade” it provides among thorns, or find yourself consumed in its power. A bramble fire can destroy the tallest cedar.

Some Application for Today

Here is our problem. Every time we give in to temptation, when we embrace the promises of sin, we are asking brambles to do what only the true King can do.

Every time we see other people as merely a means to get what we want or an obstacle getting in the way of what we want, we are not imitating the King who redeemed us. We are becoming bramble kings ourselves.

But when we are trusting and following Christ as King, we will be like…

Olive trees. We will serve to honor others, to make others shine. We will give up our lives that others might receive glory and blessing.

Fig trees. We will be fruitful in the land. We will bear fruit in each season of life and sweetness will flow from us even in the midst of sorrow and suffering. The fruit that the Spirit produces in our lives will revive, sustain, and strengthen others.

Vine branches. We will present our bodies as living sacrifices unto the Lord. We will be crushed and pressed so that wine may flow from us as a drink offering for the joy of others and the pleasure of God.

Judges 9:1 (back)
John 11:50 (back)

On April 8, 2019 By Joseph Bailey In Counseling/Piety Like

Someone Has to Die

I once was having a conversation with a woman who was having difficulty in her marriage. Her husband was consistently struggling to bring his home into order. The problem was two-fold.

First, he was allowing a certain sin to set up camp in his heart. It’s not as though he was overjoyed at the struggle he was having, but he was not exactly kicking the scoundrel out with a swift boot to the backside either. This tolerance of sin is what created the bigger problem in his home. When a man is truly taking his duty of godly dominion seriously, the result will be a degree of beauty and order. His home will be slowly and steadily growing in these areas. When a man allows sin to get all comfy in his garden, then chaos and ugliness will result. It will follow him in whatever his hand touches. His wife will be infected by it, his children will be infected by it, his work will be infected by it. Everything will start to wither and fall apart. Something has to die. Either sin and self has to die or the things around him will die. Death is inevitable, which leads me to the second problem.

Her second problem was the struggle to allow sin to have its natural consequences in his life in order that he might wake up to the seriousness of the situation. She was concerned that if she stopped bailing him out then others would suffer. The children would suffer if she didn’t pick up the slack and provide for the family. Others within the extended family and the church would have to sacrifice to take care of her and the kids if the consequences of his sin were allowed to come to the surface. This is true. The man is called to lay down his life for his family. He is to die to himself that he might give life to those under his care. If a man will not do this because of a love for his sin and a love of self, then someone else has to do it. Life only comes through death. Abundant fruit only comes from dying seeds. If a man will not die to himself that his family might be blessed, then someone else will have to do it in his place. Others will have to sacrifice, others will have to serve. No amount of enabling or pretending can prevent this.

And a man can only do this if he has first looked to the One who suffered and died in his place. Christ was crucified and buried that all us men once enslaved to our lusts and in love with our own lives might be raised as servant-kings. And the people who continue to live under the care of such men can only endure with grace and hope if they also have looked to the One who endured undeserved hardship for the joy of redeeming and restoring an undeserving people to glory and honor.

On March 28, 2019 By Joseph Bailey In Theology, Worship Like

Tune Our Hearts to Sing Thy Grace

The Scriptures have a deep simplicity to them. They feed and nourish us from the first reading to the 100th. I understood this more vividly once I began reading and teaching the Bible to children. Not only are their little hearts warmed and their little minds enlarged in child-like faith, but so often is my own heart and mind strengthened by familiar ground revisited time and time again. These are ancient paths that become sweeter and richer with time.

The Psalms especially display this characteristic because they are not only meant to be read and studied and meditated on, but they are meant to be sung. What an incredible reality that we can simultaneously plumb the depths and exalt to the heights its glorious truths and do so with one voice alongside my children, the aged saints, and the young in faith. These are ancient songs that resonate with old and young alike.

While I was working through Psalm 46 some time ago preparing a sermon, these thoughts were ruminating through my mind; and there were three “notes”, three observations that struck a chord with me and seemed to set the tune for this wonderful song of war and peace.

The first note we hear is the blessedness that comes from God’s immutability. This simply means that God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ^a This Psalm appears to have been written with a particular historical event in mind in the life of Israel. There are a couple of different opinions as to what event that might have been, but there’s no doubt that it was at a time of great uncertainty and danger for the nation as a whole.
The Psalmist begins by saying, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (v.1) The only way he could say that with confidence is to have fixed in his mind the firm belief that God Himself does not change; there is no shadow of turning with Him. The Psalmist looks back at what was and proclaims in the present what is. To serve an unchanging God is to elevate history beyond mere curiosity or cautionary tale or nostalgic recollection. History becomes one of the means by which God encourages and instructs His people. This is why a rejection of the worship of God eventually ends with a rejection of the importance and continuity of history.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:4-5 ESV

The second note we hear is the blessedness that comes from God as creator. Like so many others, this Psalm makes use of nature imagery like earth, mountains, rivers, and seas. Unfortunately, we live in a time that makes it very hard to appreciate the significance of this. C.S. Lewis, in his book, Reflections on the Psalms, is insightful and helpful on this point.

He explains that acknowledging the One true God as the creator of all things brings a separation between the Creator and creation that releases Nature from being divine and frees her up to be a symbol of the Divine. Let me give you Lewis’ own words.

“To say that God created Nature, while it brings God and Nature into relation, also separates them. What makes and what is made must be two not one. Thus the doctrine of creation in one sense empties Nature of divinity…But in another sense the same doctrine which empties Nature of her divinity also makes her an index, a symbol, a manifestation, of the Divine.”

In other words, only when the “created” speaks for and points to the “Uncreated” can it find its fullest expression and meaning. So earth, mountains, and seas are both real created things and instruments through which God reveals a greater reality, a more lasting reality. Thus, the song of the Psalmist establishes us as in the world but not of it. It is a Christianity that is earthy but not earthly.

The third and final note is the blessedness that comes from God as covenantal. We not only have a God who is immutable, and a God who is eternal, but we also have a God who is relational. And this covenantal relationship between the eternal God and his chosen people is the very thing that enables the Psalmist to say “[Because] God is our refuge and strength…therefore, we will not fear…” (v.1,2) The LORD is most wonderfully our LORD and we are His people. It establishes the connection between how we live and who God is. Our hearts can then be tuned to fill in the blanks with absolute hope, “Because God is _________, therefore, we (as His people) will _________.”

Let these notes resonate in our hearts and minds as we study and sing the Psalms. We serve the Lord of history, the Lord of life, and the Lord of love, and He is bringing us in harmony with Himself and one another.