This morning we are going to begin a new series, which will be a comprehensive survey of all the virtues and all the vices. We are going to study the difference between right and wrong, between good and bad, between righteousness and sin. And this is because sin is your mortal enemy, and you must know how your enemy is plotting and scheming against you, if you would be able to conquer him. As Paul says in Romans 8:13, For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. This is the theme verse for everything else that follows. We want to know how to identify sin so that we can crucify our sin. We want to know how to live by the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that our lives conform more and more to the perfect life of Jesus. So this is what we will be contemplating and working on for the next year or so in this series. And this morning we will begin with a most basic question, and that is:

What makes a human action good?

• Every free moral action has three basic parts to it. And for an action to be truly pleasing to God, every part of the action must be good.

What are those three parts?

• 1) First there is the action itself, in ethics we call this the movement, or the object which you intend.

  • So for example: walking, sleeping, playing, praying, these are all actions you intend for some purpose. They are the object.

• 2) The second part of every action is the purpose or intention that motivates the act. This is the Why behind your action.

  • Why are you walking? Is it for fresh air, or is it to go murder someone? Why are you praying? Is it because you want God to forgive you, or because you want people to think you are pious.

  • In every moral activity there is some intention behind the act, and this too must be good, if the action as a whole would be good.

• 3) And then the third part of every action is all the circumstances connected to that act and intention. This is the who, the where, the how, the by what means, and the when of your action.

  • So if you are sleeping in harvest time, when you should be working in the field for your employer, that sleep, which may be very good in itself is now made bad by the circumstances. As it says in Proverbs 10:5, He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

Now every action we do is going to be judged by God in all of its parts. And that reality should motivate us to bring every thought, word, and deed, into obedience to Christ.

• Jesus says in Matthew 12:35-37, A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

• So rather than scrutinizing your neighbor’s actions, God wants you to scrutinize every part of your own. So do you know how to examine your own heart, to study its motions, its intentions, and the circumstances around it? Do you know why you say and do what you say and do?

• You can only mortify what you can identify. And so as we prepare to confess our sins to God, ask God to help you with this self-examination. Ask God to bring to mind those sins that He wants you to confess. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Greater Than Jonah (Greek: πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ)

In Matthew 12:38-41 we read, Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

In this passage, Jesus highlights two ways in which his own life and ministry is superior to the life and ministry of the prophet Jonah. Jonah, whose name means “dove,” tried to fly from the presence of God. But he was unsuccessful and learned the hard way that a prophet should always do exactly as he is told. Jonah was cast into the sea, swallowed by a great fish, and for three days and three nights he was carried by that fish, until God commanded it to spit Jonah out. In a similar way, Jesus says that he will descend into the very heart of the earth. And this sign of death and resurrection will be the only sign given to that evil and adulterous generation, and even then, many still will not repent and believe. For as Jesus says in Luke 16:31, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, [including the prophet Jonah] neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.

This brings us to the second way in which Jesus is greater than Jonah, and that by his preaching and the response of those who hear him. Jonah was sent to Nineveh and preached a message of divine judgment, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown (Jonah 3:4). Christ on the other hand preached a message of mercy through judgment, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). At Jonah’s preaching, how did the Ninevites respond? It says in Jonah 3:5-6, So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. If that was Nineveh’s response to Jonah’s preaching, how much more should the Jews have repented at the preaching of their own Messiah? And how much greater is the condemnation for those who harden their heart when the truth of the gospel is proclaimed?

The message of Christ has converted billions of people of all different nations from the time of the apostles down to the present day. And so the question for us whenever we hear the Word preached is: Will you repent? Will you believe? Or will you incur a judgment far greater than Nineveh for denying so great a light as Jesus? It is a dangerous thing to hear the word and not obey it, and so take heed to yourselves, repent of your sins, for one greater than Jonah has come and shall come again.

Prayer

Father, we thank You for sending Your Son into the stormy sea of this world, and for making his perfect life to be as bait for Leviathan. Christ we praise You for conquering death by death, and for Your holy resurrection that has lit up the world. Reign victorious in us, now and forever, Amen.

Lord of the Sabbath (Greek: κύριος γάρ ἐστι καὶ τοῦ σαββάτου)

In Matthew 12:1-7 we read, At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Here in this passage, Jesus corrects a false understanding of the Old Covenant sabbath, while also giving us the principles for how to observe the New Covenant sabbath, which we call the Lord’s Day (Rev 1:10, Acts 20:7).

Contrary to the Pharisees, who condemned the guiltless disciples, Jesus teaches that there are three reasons that justify working on a sabbath day. Those three reasons are as follows: 1) A work of necessity for the health of the body, 2) A work of mercy to help someone in need, and 3) A work related to worship in God’s house.

In regards to works of necessity for the body’s health, Jesus likens his disciples to David and his fighting men who because of their great hunger were fed by the shewbread in the tabernacle. The disciples were worn out from their long days of ministry. It says in Mark 6:31, For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. And so Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their excessive strictness, and reminds them the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. The Pharisees had got it backward and would prefer the disciples starve, rather than glean in a nearby field.

The second reason a work can be justified on the sabbath, is when it is a work of mercy to help someone in need. The example Jesus poses to the Pharisees a couple verses later is that of pulling a sheep out of a pit. He says in verse 12, Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. After this saying, Jesus then heals a man’s withered hand (the body part most associated with work), and by this principle of healing on the sabbath, Christian societies have been known for keeping hospitals and other emergency services running, even on days of worship.

The third and final reason Jesus gives for working on the sabbath day is when that work is priestly or related to worship in God’s house. He says in verse 5, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless. Under the Old Covenant, the priests were required to make and bake bread, slaughter animals, cut them up, wash them and their dishes, offer incense and prayers, and perform other holy works in service of God. And by this same principle, all of us as priests and kings unto God (Rev 1:6, 1 Pet 2:9), perform holy works by worshipping together on the day of resurrection (Heb 10:25). This work includes singing and praying and listening to the Word of God, wrangling our children in the pews and teaching them how to participate, running the sound in the back, playing piano up front, preparing the bread and wine for communion, making snacks for after service, cleaning up, vacuuming the sanctuary, taking out the trash, these and other tasks are all in the service of God and when done in His honor they are good and holy works, not sabbath violations.

The purpose and reason for God commanding us to rest our bodies, is so that our minds may arise to contemplate the truth. Therefore, whatever is in service of contemplating God, worshipping Him in the spirit, and seeking our soul’s salvation, is by no means a violation of the sabbath, but rather the keeping of it. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath day, the Lord of every resurrection Sunday, and our gracious Lord says to the world in all its busyness, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).

Prayer

God of mercy, teach me to work diligently for six days, and then to rest as You rested. Make me to cease from sin, to cease from worry and fear, to cease from my pursuit of earthly goods, that I may attain to heaven’s peace. I am burdened by pain, sorrow, and evil. I desire Your comfort, joy, and the good You freely offer. This I seek and believing shall receive, through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

In this prayer I interpolate many passages of Scripture to give expression to that desperate yearning of our hearts for permanent joy in a transient world. As always, I encourage you to download the file, print it out, and make this prayer your own.

Master of the House (Greek: τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην)

After Jesus had said that the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Matt 9:37), he then sends forth the twelve disciples into that harvest, but he gives them a sober warning saying, Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves (Matt 10:16), and then a little later he says, A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master…If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. (Matt 10:24-26).

In this passage we have two titles applied to Jesus. One is true and the other a derogatory insult. The first and true title is Master of the House, which Jesus uses to signify both his authority over the disciples, but also his close kinship with them. Jesus is the head of household, and all the disciples are his dependents. In the Latin Vulgate this same title is pater familias, father of the family. Or we as might say in English, Jesus is The Patriarch, and the one who predates all other patriarchs. After all, it was Jesus who said in John 8:58, Before Abraham was, I AM. Likewise in Isaiah 9:6-7 it foretells of Christ’s headship saying, And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end.

So Jesus assigns this title Master of the House to himself in order to cast out fear from his disciples’ hearts. It is a fearful thing to be a sheep amongst wolves. It is a fearful thing to be reproached, slandered, and falsely accused. Therefore, Jesus wants us to know in advance that whatever we suffer, He suffers with us. Moreover, he has suffered far worse for us. If they called him “Beelzebub,” which means, “lord of the flies,” or “prince of the devils” (Matt 12:24), then of course they are going to call us names too. But this should not frighten us. It should not intimidate us. Instead, we should remember what our head of household told us. He says in Luke 6:26, Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets. And then in Matthew 5:11-12 he says, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

Prayer

O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I rejoice that by Your Holy Spirit I have been made a member of Your everlasting household. Grant me courage to confess You before men, and to never deny You. Give me fortitude to endure the scorn of those who look down on me, and that my love for You would grow so exceedingly great, that my love for my own parents, children, and spouse, might be called “hatred” by comparison. Grant that I might lose my life for Your sake, and thereby find it. For You alone have the power to destroy both soul and body in hell, and so give me patience to possess my soul, keeping it chaste for union with You, my God, my Savior, my Redeemer, Almighty. Amen.

In this installment I have included five short prayers to use before reading, writing, and preaching. A couple of them have intentional rhyme schemes to aid the memory. I hope these are a help to you in your studies, and I encourage you to print them out and make them your own.

Lord of the Harvest (Greek: τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ)

We read in Matthew 9:35-38, And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Here in this scene, Jesus teaches us to ask God for more missionaries and evangelists to be raised up in his church. God the Father sent God the Son to be the ultimate and founding missionary to earth, and then after accomplishing his work of redemption, the Son together with the Father sent God the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. From that day onward, the church has been indwelt by the whole Trinity of Persons and that Trinitarian pattern of sending forth and returning to is a pattern the church itself imitates in its mission and worship.

The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. This work of going forth, proclaiming Christ, and returning sinners to God, is described by Jesus under the metaphor of laboring in his harvest. The world is our Father’s field, Christ together with his Father is the Lord of that field, and our Lord bids us to pray for more workers to be sent into that field. This is the Biblical basis for all missionary endeavors. The world belongs to God, all the nations belong to Christ, and until the knowledge of God floods the earth like the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14), we still have work to do!

This work of going out and gathering in souls is not a work that can be accomplished by any one congregation, or any one person. The harvest is simply too plentiful. Our arms are not big enough; our churches lack sufficient pews. Therefore, the solution Jesus prescribes is that we pray for an increase in harvesters. Not all will be sent out, not all are called to be missionaries, but all of us are called to participate in God’s global mission in some small and tangible way. All of us should be praying for a local harvest in Centralia, Chehalis, Olympia, and the surrounding regions. All of us should be desiring to support godly men and godly women who have made worthy sacrifices to leave the comforts of home and exchange them for the trials of the mission field. All of us should have a generous eye to support the things that God values most, the rescue of souls from the misery of sin. And so whatever your unique calling in life, pray always for more laborers, pray always that you can become what Proverbs 11:30 describes, which says, The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

Prayer

O God of the harvest, I owe the salvation of my soul to Your grace and wisdom, in which You have seen fit to use many human instruments, from the apostles down to the present day, to proclaim the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection, and eternal life to those who believe. I thank You for those missionaries, evangelists, pastors, and saints, who spoke the Word of God to me, and gathered me as wheat into Your barn. Make me to be faithful to do the same for those who are near me and yet far from You. Raise up more laborers for Your great harvest, to the praise of Your Triune Glory, Amen.

The Bridegroom (Greek: ὁ νυμφίος)

We read in Matthew 9:14-15, Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

In this scene, Jesus likens his earthly ministry to the preparation and celebration of a royal wedding banquet. Remember the first miracle that Jesus performed? It was turning water into wine at a wedding. That first sign was just a foretaste of things to come. For as it says in Joel 3:18, And it shall come to pass in that day, That the mountains shall drop down new wine. And in Zechariah 8:19 it says, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

In Jesus, the bridegroom of Judah, truth and peace and new wine has come. And so while John’s disciples fasted in preparation for the Lord, Jesus’ disciples do not fast, for how can they when the Lord Himself, the Lord of joy, is dwelling in their midst? If Jesus is the bridegroom, and the twelve apostles are as his groomsmen (children of the bridechamber), who then is the bride but the New Jerusalem, the Christian church. In Ephesians 5, Paul says that marriage is a great mystery that speaks of Christ and the Church. And by this mystery of marriage, we come to know the depths of intimacy and the most fervent love that God desires to share with His people.

The God who lacks nothing, the God is Himself abundant life, wants to give all that He has and is to you. And so when Jesus calls himself the bridegroom, he is appealing to that romance of marriage, to the drama of courtship, to the desire that every human being has in the depths of their heart to be fully known and fully loved, to be fully seen and completely embraced. This universal human desire is only satisfied through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ the bridegroom. For upon the cross, Christ was laid bare, he was exposed and robbed of all dignity, he was left to die forsaken by his Father. Why did he do this? It says in Isaiah 53:4-5, Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.

Who has ever loved you with such bleeding and sacrificial love? Who has ever chosen to die, not for a good person, but for the wicked and undeserving, for spiritual harlots and literal adulterers, for those very murderous people who crucified him? No one has ever loved like Jesus Christ the bridegroom. And it is by faith in him that your sins are forgiven, your fasting turned into feasting, your sorrows turned into joy, your sorry life turned into eternal life. This is the new wine of God’s salvation, and it is freely offered to all who repent and believe the gospel.

Prayer

O God and Lover of my soul, teach me the secret things of Your heavenly kingdom. Teach me truth in the inner parts so that I may be called Your friend, knowing what Your will is and doing it. Take the names of false gods out of my mouth, and join me in perfect union with Yourself, Holy Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, One God, world without end, Amen.

Son of Man (Greek: υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου)

We read in Matthew 9:2-7, And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.

In this scene, the Lord Jesus gives to himself the title Son of Man. And it is by three actions of this Son of Man on earth, that Jesus reveals his divine and heavenly origin.

First, we see that Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic. This man who could not walk signifies all of humanity who is likewise incapable of walking uprightly apart from God’s grace. After Adam’s fall, we became just as this man, sick with sin and lying upon a bed languishing. But Jesus, the Last Adam, knowing our true state, comes to us and says, Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee. Now the scribes knew enough of the Scriptures to think to themselves, who can forgive sins but God alone? (Mark 2:7). But because they were blinded by envy and unbelief, they blasphemed in their heart the very God they claimed to worship, the very God who was standing right there in front of them. Imagine being within arm’s reach of the immortal Creator, but unable to see your own desperate need for him. This was the state of the Jewish scribes.

The second action that reveals Christ’s divinity is that he can read the minds of every man in the world. It says in Psalm 44:21, For God knoweth the secrets of the heart. And in 1 Chronicles 28:9 it says, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. So when Jesus asks the scribes in verse 4, why do you think evil in your hearts? They should have recognized that this was no mere man, for God alone can see what we are thinking.

Third and finally, Jesus from love condescends to the scribes’ weakness. Since the forgiveness of sins is not something you can physically observe or verify in the moment, Jesus gives them a visible sign to confirm His invisible divinity. He says to the now forgiven man, Arise and walk, and the paralytic arose and departed to his house.

This miracle teaches us that it is by grace alone that we can stand uprightly. Faith is what changes us from being spiritually paralyzed into those who can run with patience that race set before us (Heb 12:1). It says in Habakkuk 2:4, Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: But the just shall live by his faith. And Paul says likewise in 2 Corinthians 1:24, for by faith ye stand.

Prayer

Most merciful God, please look upon the many miseries I have brought upon myself. Have compassion on me and relent, even though I justly deserve a far more severe punishment than what You have permitted for my correction. Strengthen my feeble knees under your discipline. Lift up my drooping hands that they may praise You again. Pity me O Son of Man, who came down from heaven for my salvation, for I cannot walk without Your grace. Amen.

Master/Teacher (Greek: Διδάσκαλε)

In Matthew 8:19-22 it says, And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath nowhere to lay his head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

This title of Master (Greek: Διδάσκαλε) signifies a teacher who has mastered his subject. In modern terms we call such people “Professors,” or “Doctors.” These are the experts who ought to know their material inside and out and be reliable guides to those who want to learn from them. The Apostle Paul describes in Hebrews 5:12-14 what such a master/teacher ought to be. He says, For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

So to call Jesus Master, is to ascribe to him maturity of knowledge, full age, complete use of reason to distinguish not only good from evil, but also lesser goods from greater goods. Jesus is the Master who can nourish all his disciples with whatever food they can stomach (Prov 30:8). He gives milk like a nursing mother to the infants in the church. And he gives red wine and red meat to those who have a greater hunger and thirst for righteousness.

It says in Colossians 2:3 that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And it is this treasure of knowing Jesus, being with Jesus, living with Jesus, that makes leaving everything for Jesus, the bargain of a lifetime. The Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head. Why? Because he was determined to climb upon the cross and lie down in the grave for your redemption. The Son of Man left heaven to come down and teach you. And he taught us not only by words but also by his actions. For as he says in John 13:13-17, Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. So let us heed the words of our Master and Teacher, for he only ever tells us to do what will make us truly happy in Him.

Prayer

Father in Heaven, Instructor of my soul, teach me where true happiness is found. Make my soul to say, “I have no goodness apart from You.” Put more joy in my heart than the world has when their grain and wine abound. Feed me with what is necessary for my salvation. Feed with my Christ’s body and blood, that I may ever be united with Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord (Greek: Κύριε)

This title lord signifies a person who has authority over another. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he concludes his sermon by applying this title to himself, and he does so in order to drive home the world of difference between those who merely profess Jesus as Lord, and those who obey Jesus as Lord.

He says in Matthew 7:21-27, 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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Every professing Christian is building a house on some foundation, and what separates the rock from the sand is whether you are presently obeying Jesus, or not. James 1:22 warns us, But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. And then he goes on to give us a reliable indicator to help us inspect our own foundation. What is that indicator? To put it bluntly, it is the spiritual power of keeping your big mouth shut. He says in James 1:26, If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. The Apostle Paul says likewise in 1 Corinthians 4:20, For the kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power. And Ecclesiastes 5:3 says, A fool’s voice is known by his many words.

So there are many people who confess outwardly that “Jesus is Lord.” They love to talk and talk and talk, even about the Bible, or theology, or other good Christian things. What is more, there are people who preach the gospel in the name of Jesus, they cast out devils, they work miracles, and yet on judgment day, Jesus will say to them, I never knew you. These are those fools who are building on sand, and amongst such fools are men like Judas and Demas. For they both loved this present world more than the world to come (2 Tim 4:10), and in God’s justice, the Lord permitted them to have what they want.

So take heed from these cautionary tales. Be warned by these kind words from the Lord Jesus. Examine the foundation of your house, of your marriage, of your parenting, of your business, of your finances, of your entertainment standards, your hobbies, your friendships, and so forth. Ask yourself if these areas are built on obedience to Christ, or not. For rains and floods and winds blow upon all, but only the wise man’s house shall stand.

Prayer

O Holy Trinity, Rock of Ages, my firm foundation, shelter me from my own evils, remove far from me vanity and lies. Save me from duplicitous living, from hypocrisy, and from walking in a vain show. Make me to build upon the word of Christ by obeying all that He has commanded. In the name of Jesus, grant me grace til kingdom come, Amen.

This post marks the first in an ongoing series that will, Lord Willing, become a book of prayers for the broader church to use. I have titled this work The Pastor’s Prayer Book because they are especially prayers that a pastor needs in his ongoing ministry to his people. However, the themes of these prayers will be applicable in some way to every Christian, and my hope is that they will be a nourishment to your own soul as you make them your own.

A few notes about the formatting:

1. Substack does not allow for easy indenting, and therefore each prayer will be posted as an image file that retains the poetic meter and spacing of my original Word document.

2. The indenting and spacing of each line has a logical intention behind it, and is also meant to be a visual aid to help you memorize these prayers more quickly.

3. I would encourage you to download and then print out each prayer to use in your private prayer times. All of these prayers are intended to be repeated regularly until you hardly need to read or look at the page.

4. I make no claim to originality in these prayers, quite the contrary. I am usually interpolating passages of Scripture along with various theological maxims that are common property of the saints who pray in the Holy Spirit.

5. I welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have. And may God bless your prayers and answer you speedily!

Great Light (Greek: φῶς μέγα, Hebrew: א֣וֹר גָּד֑וֹל)

After Jesus’ victorious combat with the devil in the wilderness, he begins to preach. We are told in Matthew 4:12-17, Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Here, both Matthew and Isaiah identify Jesus as the Great Light. And there are at least two explanations for why Jesus is called a Great Light, even before his death and resurrection.

The Great Light of a New Day

The first reason is that Jesus is the one who brings the light of a new day, and with that new day, joy and hope. It says in Lamentations 3:21-23, This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. While the Jews and Gentiles had long sat in darkness, oppressed by demons, and suffering the just consequences of their idolatry, Jesus chooses to go to them and show them mercy. Even in punishment, God had been merciful, He did not utterly consume them but rather promised through Isaiah that one day a great light would shine, even on those living in the shadow of death. So if you feel like help is slow in coming, or that God has forgotten you, call to mind that God’s mercies are new every morning, and through the great light of Jesus’ presence, God’s compassion has shone.

The Great Light of Truth

Now to this you might ask, “How exactly has this mercy and compassion come to me? I still feel like I am living in the dark.” Well observe the means by which this new day has dawned. It says in verse 17, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Observe that the mode of God’s compassion is a word preached by Christ. God is merciful by telling you to repent of your sins, to stop grumbling and complaining, to stop disrespecting and hating your spouse, to stop being cold and distant with those who you ought to be most warm and affectionate. The great light of Jesus is a light of truth and friendship. It exposes our sins and invites us to walk in the light as he is in the light (1 John 1:7).

God says in Jeremiah 5:25, Your sins have withholden good things from you. And in Psalm 84:11, No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. So if you would like to experience all the good that God desires to give you, but which you are preventing by living in sin, Jesus says the path is repentance. The path is forsaking crooked, compromised, and inconsistent living, and exchanging it for a life that seeks first the kingdom of heaven. For as it says in Proverbs 4:19, 18, The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble. But the path of the just is as the shining light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Prayer

O Son of God, true light from true light, pour forth a ray of your brightness into the darkened places of my mind. Disperse from my soul the twofold darkness into which I was born: sin and ignorance. Melt my coldness towards those you have commanded me to love, that I might obtain mercy and be called a child of God. Help me Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, One God, world without end, Amen.

Son of God (Greek: Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ)

When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke from heaven and said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matt 3:17). Immediately after this, it says in Matthew 4:1-3, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

At this stage in history, the devil was uncertain whether Jesus was truly God in the flesh. He knew that Jesus was on the side of the angels (the good ones), and that he was somehow special to God (like some of the prophets of old), but for 30 years Jesus had lived an outwardly ordinary human life. This all changes when Jesus is ordained to the ministry and the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove with a voice from heaven calling him My Beloved Son. Therefore, the devil sets to tempting Jesus, not merely to make him fall, but in order to determine whether Jesus is really the Son of God.

Twice the devil tempts him by asking, If thou be the Son of God…then do something only God can do, turn stones into bread, and then cast yourself down from the temple without harm. Jesus refuses to take the bait and combats these temptations by citing Holy Scripture. Thinking then that Jesus is not the Son of God, the devil proceeds to offer him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory on one condition, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me (Matt 4:9). To this Jesus responds with a rebuke saying, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve (Matt 4:10).

We learn from Jesus’ combat with Satan how we who are baptized and adopted sons of God, may likewise resist and withstand the fiery darts of the devil.

First, observe that the devil likes to tempt us in the places and times that we are most vulnerable. He comes to Jesus when he is isolated, alone in the wilderness, tired and hungry from fasting for forty days. So also he tempts Christians when our bodies are weary, when we have not prayed or read the Scriptures recently, or whenever God is far from our minds; there the devil loves to play.

We see also that the devil begins by tempting us with bodily vices (food, drink, sex, etc.), and if those don’t work, he praises us and tempts us with spiritual vices (pride, vainglory, and selfish ambition). The devil is a cunning liar, and he even corrupts the Scriptures and wields them against us.

Therefore, the only remedy to Satan’s devices are the same devices Jesus’ used: the shield of prayer and the sword of the Word. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. He was in constant prayer and communion with His Father. Are you in constant prayer throughout the day, talking to God, confessing your sins, telling him your problems and asking for help? If not, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to attack. Second, are you reading, studying, and memorizing God’s Word? Do you have the truth of God’s promises ready at hand, so that when Satan’s lies enter your mind, you have a verse to answer them back. This is how the Son of God fought and conquered, and this is how you can conquer in Him. For as Jesus says in Matthew 4:4, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Prayer

O God, Defender of the vulnerable, be my shield, my strong tower, my defense against all assailants. Increase my powers to memorize Your Word. Grant me understanding that I may derive greater joy in contemplating Your truth. Give me discernment and self-awareness so that I may abandon the lies I am tacitly believing. Sustain me in temptation and lead me far from it, for the glory of Christ, in whose name I pray, Amen.

Mightier Than I (Greek: ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστιν)

We hear in Matthew 3:11-12 the words of John’s preaching. He announces, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Here John compares his younger cousin Jesus with himself. And he acknowledges the absolute supremacy of Jesus by comparing his baptism with Jesus’ baptism. John’s baptism was merely an external sign, a washing with water unto repentance to prepare the Jews for their king. But Jesus’ baptism is the arrival of the king. And when Jesus baptizes, he uses the Holy Ghost and fire. Unlike John, Jesus can actually communicate grace through baptism and indeed does so by sending into our hearts the person of the Holy Spirit who then burns up our sinful desires and fans into flame the fires of charity. The baptism of Jesus is a baptism of divine judgment. By His divine power the whole world is separated into wheat and chaff, believers and unbelievers, the baptized and the defiled.

And so however great the Jews may have thought John to be, John wants everyone to know that Jesus is far greater. How great was John? Well according to Jesus, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist (Matt 11:11). What made John the greatest of all old covenant saints? It was his humility and devotion to Christ. John thought himself unworthy to untie or even carry Jesus’ shoes, because the feet of Jesus are the feet of God. John is the one who says, He must increase, and I must decrease (John 3:3), and that is the mindset of someone who knows Jesus as the one who is, Mightier than I.

So if you are weak, if you are struggling, if your problems feel like a crushing weight, remember that Jesus is the Almighty One, and He says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. So whatever your weaknesses are, offer them to Jesus. Humble yourself and decrease, so that He might increase. Cry out for mercy to the one who is abundant in mercy, for God loves to help those who cannot help themselves. He is mighty to save.

Prayer

God Almighty, look down upon me in my frailty and infirmity. You know the weakness of my body and how illness obscures my joy in You. You know the weakness of my spirit, and how I do not pray to You or seek You as fervently as I ought. I am weak, wretched, and frail, but I know that You are strong and vigorous. Grant me sufficient strength to serve You with holy zeal in sickness and in health. Help me Christ Jesus by the power of Your Holy Spirit, Amen.

Nazarene (Greek: Ναζωραῖος)

The life of Jesus even as a baby and toddler, was marked by supernatural signs. Jesus was conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit. Angels appeared to and spoke with Jesus’ parents. A star in the sky led the magi to Bethlehem. And Jesus’ father Joseph was warned by God in a dream as to where they should settle down after Herod’s death. We read in Matthew 2:23, And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

What is signified by this name and title Nazarene?

First, it signifies Jesus’ hometown. If Jesus had attended Jewish Public School, he would have been a graduate from Nazareth High. And so while he was born in Bethlehem, and was hidden in Egypt for a time, Nazareth was where Jesus grew up. Nazareth was where he played as a boy, and where he worked with his father as a carpenter. And so this title of Nazarene became a way to distinguish this Jesus from others. He was Jesus of Nazareth.

Now Matthew tells us that this growing up in Nazareth happened in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. And when we search the Old Testament, we discover there are two basic ideas connected with this title Nazarene, and both are dependent on how you trace the etymology of this word.

If Nazarene comes from the Hebrew word נָזִיר (nazir), then it signifies a person who has been devoted to the Lord for some holy work. This is the idea behind the Nazirite vow and the warrior Samson. Jesus is a more holy warrior than Samson, with an even greater supernatural strength. And so while Samson stretched out his arms to execute vengeance on the Philistines, Jesus stretched out his arms to destroy spiritual Philistines. While Samson picked up and carried away the gates of Gaza, Jesus picked up the cross and carried away the gates of Hell. He is Jesus the Nazir, Jesus the holy warrior from Nazareth.

The other possible derivation for Nazarene comes from the Hebrew word נֵצֶר (netzer), which signifies a branch or blossom from a tree. It says of Jesus in Isaiah 11:1, And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch (netzer) shall grow out of his roots. So on this interpretation, Nazarene signifies the offshoot of a great tree that has long been cut down. That tree is the Davidic dynasty, and the promise is that a king from David’s line would one day arise like a Netzer/Branch and flourish. Isaiah then goes on to describe how you will know this Netzer/Branch has come, And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, Neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

So regardless of whether Jesus is called a Nazarene from Nazir or Netzer, what is clear is that He is the holy and devoted one greater than the Nazirite Samson, He is the Branch, the Netzer from David’s root who has the fullness of the spirit. And so to those who may wonder with Nathanael, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” To them we say with Philip, “Come and see” (John 1:46).

Prayer

God of all power and strength, make me to flourish in Your house even in old age. Sanctify me for a holy purpose. Make me to live a life devoted to Your service, and help me to refer all my earthly service of others to the service of Your heavenly kingdom. For the glory of Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen.

My Son (Greek: τὸν υἱόν μου, Hebrew: בְנִֽי)

We read in Matthew 2:13-15, that after the magi from the East departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

It is here that Matthew cites a prophesy from Hosea 11:1, which says When Israel was a child, then I loved him, And called my son out of Egypt. This prophecy from Hosea is itself an interpretation of an earlier prophecy from Moses, where we read in Exodus 4:22-23, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me. So Matthew is referencing Hosea who is referencing Moses. And what we learn from all this comparing Scripture with Scripture and sign with sign, is that the original Exodus from Egypt, wherein the nation of Israel was adopted, delivered, and redeemed from bondage, took place as sign of a future Exodus wherein Jesus Christ, the true Son of God and true Israel, would effect a more perfect spiritual adoption and deliverance from slavery to sin and death.

When the infant Jesus escaped from Herod into and then out of Egypt, God was bringing to pass what the original Exodus pointed to: salvation from bondage to sin. Moreover, he was also making good on His promise to visit Egypt and bring salvation to them. For as it says in Isaiah 19:1, Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence. The presence of Jesus, even as a young child, was a sign of reconciliation to the land that God had once destroyed with plagues. And so it was a most fitting sign of God’s gracious love, that that same land which was once plagued with darkness, should now receive and protect the light of the world.

God loves to bring about miraculous reversals. He loves to give second chances and third chances, even to those who once persecuted His people. All this is signified in Jesus’ flight to and from Egypt. For as Isaiah 19 goes on to foretell, In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them.

According to church history, it was Mark the Evangelist who went to Egypt, and planted there the church of Alexandria, which would eventually become one of the most important hubs for Christianity, and the place from which biblical scholars and theologians would propagate the faith to other nations. And so even in Jesus’ infancy, his comings and goings foretell the whole purpose of his ministry, to bring light to the Gentiles, and to make the Gentiles into lights, who would bring that light to the ends of the earth.

Prayer

O God, You kill and You make alive, You send plagues and You send healing. Thank You for sending Christ to conquer the hardness of my heart, for delivering me from bondage to that ancient Pharaoh and foe Satan, for baptizing me in the Red Sea, for purging me in the wilderness, and for bringing me into the promised land in spite of all my murmuring, complaining, and corrupt desires to return to Egypt. Grant that I may never lose the resolve to forsake slavery to sin, and to pursue the freedom of the sons of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

King of the Jews (Greek: βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων)

When most of us hear this title King of the Jews, we tend to think of Christ’s passion and death, where the Roman soldiers arrayed Jesus in a purple robe, placed a crown of thorns upon his head and mocked him with irony saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (Mark 15:18). Or perhaps we think of Pontius Pilate, who had this title The King of the Jews, written above the cross in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (John 19:19-21). However, the first time that this title is applied to Jesus is at his birth. For we are told in Matthew 2:1-2, Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

This envoy of Persian magi, seeking a Jewish king so that they could worship him, greatly troubled Herod and all Jerusalem with him (Matt. 2:3). How did these Gentiles know the timing of the Messiah’s birth? How is it that the Jews who had the Scriptures and knew where the king would be born, could not also discern when? Why did God send a star to the Gentiles, but not to His own covenant people? The answer to all these questions consists in God’s good purpose and plan to save not only the Jews, but the whole world. And indeed, these events are a fulfillment of what God’s prophets had foretold.

It says in Numbers 24:17, from the mouth of Balaam, I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel. And of beholding this star it says in Isaiah 60:3, And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, And kings to the brightness of thy rising.” And also in Isaiah 49:6, I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. And again, in Psalm 72:10-11 it says, The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: All nations shall serve him.

So these magi from the east are the first fruits of the global Gentile harvest. And thus, the first people to worship Jesus are: humble shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night, (Luke 2:8-20), the old man Simeon (Luke 2:30), the prophetess Anna (Luke 2:36), and these wealthy wise men traveling from distant parts. Jesus himself says in Revelation 22:16, I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And so it was fitting that a star should guide the magi, and as Matthew 2:9-10 records, And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. For there they did find the King of the Jews.

Prayer

Thank You O Father for Your good news of great joy. Thank you for Your Son, the King of the Jews, who arose in the night sky to give light and salvation to the ends of the earth. Thank You O Holy Spirit for causing that light to shine in my heart. Reign in me. Reign over me. Reign through me for Your everlasting glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.