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If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable, but now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1 Corinthians 15:19-20

Communists used to make fun of Christians by saying that all they had was after this life. One of their so-called poets, Joe Hill, had a famous mocking line: Work and pray, live on hay, you’ll get pie in the sky when you die. Poor Joe Hill didn’t have much for a reference point; an execution squad shot him for a murder he probably didn’t commit when he wouldn’t use the alibi of being with another man’s wife at the time of the murder. Sadly, much of the world shares Joe Hill’s belief that the Christian is missing out on all that is good in this life, and will probably miss out in the next. How very wrong they are on both counts. Paul reminds us in today’s text that because of the resurrection, Christians have the best prospects for time and for eternity.

The most important element in life is hope, and it is part of our reason for being at all stages of life. Teenagers hope for a driver’s license and a nice car, and for a glamorous girlfriend/boyfriend. Students hope for a great job and a fulfilling life. Young people hope for the best for their families and careers; middle aged people hope for a great time in retirement; retired people hope for good health as long as possible; and those in poor health hope the doctors find a cure. We need hope, it’s what gives us a reason for living, for looking forward to tomorrow and next year. That’s the way humanity is built. Without hope, we die. Do we have hope today as we gather to remember the One who died to give us assurance of hope? The certain and glorious hope of eternal salvation is rooted and founded in nothing more and nothing less than the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ.

Our gathering to remember the Lord today causes us to look backward to Calvary. We remember how much He suffered, how much He paid, how much He loved, to rescue poor sinners from eternal perdition. We remember His death. But we also remember His resurrection. Because He died, we have no fear of hell. Because He lives, we have assurance of Heaven.

Without the resurrection, we would be miserable. But we rejoice today, because He lives. And we will live forever with Him. -Jim MacIntosh

He said unto them, Give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn. Matthew 9:24

I see in the news headlines that Richard Dawkins has determined that God did not create the universe. That’s not very surprising, coming from that sorry pseudo-scientist, because he has long held that there not a God. And he has been behind the push to place signs on London buses declaring that there is no God. Of course, it’s easy for Dawkins to say that now, because he has yet to encounter God. The time is coming, and probably far sooner than Dawkins realizes, when he will discover he was wrong. What a shock he will have when he leaves time and enters eternity! There are no atheists there. Denying God here does not quench the embers of hell there. Refusing God’s grace here does not negate God’s wrath there. Dawkins’ surprise at his horrible discovery in hell is much like that of the folks in today’s text who laughed to scorn the Lord Jesus when he declared that the sick maid was sleeping. Like us, they had to learn that Jesus is never wrong.

These people had seen the corpse. They knew she was dead. They were awaiting only the funeral. Nothing could convince them that they were wrong. Nothing, that is, except the sight of the lass walking about in apparent good health. They changed their minds. They had no choice. And we too must listen to, and believe, every word from the Lord Jesus. How much better to believe His words by faith than to have Him unfold His will by force!

Note that not everybody laughed at Jesus’ words. the maid’s parents were not laughing. Their little girl was dead but the Lord Jesus was at hand. They had heard He could heal; maybe he could raise the dead. The ruler - her father - had already declared that a touch of the Saviour’s hand would cure his daughter. Faith acts where doubt laughs to scorn. Faith trust the Lort Jesus when doubt can do no more than bury the dead. Faith is victorious when doubt grieves.

Only by faith in the Lord Jesus can we rise above the doubt and scorn and failure of the world. Faith in Him has saved us; that same faith can lead us to joy and victory. -Jim MacIntosh

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. Matthew 8:21,22

A judge had lost his life in a car accident. Well-known and influential in the province, he was widely respected and liked by most people. As a result, huge throngs of people showed up at the funeral home for the viewing, and at the church for the funeral. The trappings were ornate and costly, and the ceremony was elaborate and dignified. A long train of vehicles followed the hearse to the cemetery, where a flowery commital was performed, and the judge was buried. I hear the tombstone is one of the most impressive in the entire cemetery. Despite the elaborate send-off of the corpse, the judge left very little evidence that he was prepared for eternity. The man who performed the ceremony had little to say on the subject, apparently because he kew more of religion than he did of Christ. It seemed to us that it was truly a case of the dead burying the dead.

There is no way we can avoid having to attend funerals, even though we don’t enjoy them, and in most cases, are deeply grieved to have to attend. But when it comes to an unsaved person’s funeral, the Christians are in a foreign element. We can’t relate like we can to the death of a believer and the comfort that we take from the knowledge that the person is ‘far better’. It has been suggested that this disciple’s father was not yet dead. But it doesn’t matter, his father was not saved and was, at the very least, spiritually dead. His funeral was better taken by someone like himself.

On the surface, it seems like Jesus was being a bit callous and could have offered comfort and support. But Jesus knew the situation perfectly. And He needed to remind His disciple of his priorities. There is no higher priority in life than following Jesus. Had this disciple been sincere in wanting to follow the Lord, the Lord would have supported and sustained him. Remember how Matthew, when he was called, returned home to give a good-bye dinner for his pals. But he did so in order than they might meet the Lord Jesus. His priorities were right.

Much of the world’s affairs are little more than a big funeral. As Christians, we should let them bury their dead, and we should concentrate on following Jesus. -Jim MacIntosh

And a certain scribe came, and said unto Him, Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. Matthew 9:19

The most popular radio station in the world is WIFM. Everybody tunes it in, you and me included. And everyday. What is WIFM? It stands for What’s In it For Me. In whatever situation comes up, the first thing we do is check to see what advantage there is for us to gain. Admit it, you tune this station in more than you should, don’t you? That’s what the scribe in our text today was doing when he made his bold declaration to Jesus. On the surface, it sounded like he was making a lifetime, full-time commitment to discipleship. But if we read Jesus’ response, we see what this scribe was after. Jesus told him he was poor and homeless, with no wealth or power to offer. And we don’t read any more about that scribe. Some people who profess to be Christians are like that, too.

Jesus was in the middle of a popularity boom, if you will. He was drawing huge crowds to hear Him preach. And He was attracting dozens, if not hundreds, of sick and lame people to be healed. The scribe would see this popularity and attention, and desire to be part of it. Caught up in the excitement of it all, he would joyfully declare his loyalty and commitment. But his commitment was to himself, not the Lord Jesus. In response to his unspoken WIFM question, Jesus declared that he was offering nothing of this world. And the poor scribe couldn’t see beyond the things of this world so he missed out on what really mattered.

There’s a better radio station for us to tune in; it’s WIFH! What’s in it for Him. How much more gloriously victorious would we be in our spiritual lives if we tuned in that station. Every consideration would be for the honour and glory of the Lord Jesus. Every decision would be based on His interests, and on the interests of His people. Every effort would be exerted to promote His cause. And the surprising thing is that by doing so, we gain the most and best for ourselves. Maybe not here and now, but our eternal blessings and reward will reflect how well we followed the Lord Jesus for His sake and not our own.

The scribe’s words of commitment were good, although his intention was not. Will we follow the Lord Jesus today, and for the right motive? -Jim MacIntosh

And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered unto them. Matthew 8:14,15

About a month ago, some form of the flu was about, and I caught it. For almost two weeks, I was running a low-grade fever. My appetite was poor and my energy levels were low. Chores that were normally routine became major undertakings. I managed to keep working, but I’m afraid I did not really contribute much to the cause. That fever was like a heavy weight, and it took a long time to emerge from it. But that was just a minor fever, nothing like Peter’s mother-in-law had to endure. She was very sick, she was very weak, and she was very unhappy. Not until Jesus touched her hand was her hand of any benefit to the family.

There is an old poem about sin being like a fever. It’s true, as far as the Christian is concerned. Sin in our lives robs us of our ability to serve our Lord. It makes us feel miserable and unhappy, and we are of no use to anybody. Sin deprives us of the energy and appreciation for the things of God, takes away our appetite for the Word, interferes with our fellowship with fellow saints, and prevents us from functioning in our roles in the Assembly. When we allow sin to come in, we are sick and weak and miserable, and we need the touch of Jesus hand.

When we consider what happened to Peter’s mother-in-law, we must admit this was a miracle. One touch of the Saviour’s hand, she was better. She was not only back onto her feet, but she was back to her customary role of tending to guests and others in the house. Perhaps she tidied up the house and swept the flolor. Perhaps she put on a lunch for the guests. Perhaps she tended to the foot-washing that was customary when visitors arrived. Whatever she saw to do, she had both the desire and the energy to do it. The fever was gone, and so too were its after-effects. What service do we render to the Lord Jesus? What chores and services are on our heart as we seek to obey His will? Until the fever of sin is gone, we will find it impossible to serve. But when the fever of sin is gone, we will find restoration of spirit and energy in the things of the Lord. And we will be happy.

Today, allow the Lord Jesus to touch your hand, to restore you to Himself, and to His joyful service. -Jim MacIntosh

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion, beseeching Him. Matthew 8:5

The first time we encounter something that turns out to be important, we usually remember. Our first day at school, our first driving lesson, our first meeting with the person we eventually married, these are all significant events because of the impact that they had on the rest of our lives. We read of one such encounter today in our text. And this encounter was important, not only to the centurion, but to all of us who come from European descent. This is one of the first recorded meetings between Jesus and a European gentile. And this centurion came with the same attitude that we require.

The Saviour came first to the Israelites. He was the fulfilment of all of Israel’s dreams and hopes, although as a nation, they failed to recognize and accept Him. The vast majority of those who have and are accepting Him are gentiles, and the majority of those are of European stock. So Jesus encounter with this Roman officer was an event with tremendous significance. Without an obvious claim on the Lord Jesus, this centurion came humbly, pleading for grace. That he received what he asked is proof of the Saviour’s lovingkindness. Jesus declared that this man’s faith topped all that He had encountered to that point in His ministry. And He reminded his followers that it was the gentiles who would enter into the kingdom before many of the Jews. He was announcing the upcoming opening of a great door that we have been brought through these many centuries later. What an event this was!

And yet, just as the centurion was humble and acted on faith alone, we too must realize we have no right to access the salvation and blessings that Jesus provides. Although we have no right, He responds in love and grace in giving to us. Well might we beseech, just like the centurion. But the Saviour’s love is for all.

Do you take your salvation for granted? Do you view the blessings and promises of Christ to be your right? Take a second look… we are outsiders, strangers, foreigners. Anything and everything we have is not because of us, but because of the One who loves us anyway. -Jim MacIntosh

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:3

I grew up on a farm, and knew what it was like to get dirty, especially around the barns and the muddy fields. Often, the dirt was a byproduct of the chore I was involved in. Perhaps the dirtiest I ever got was the time my brother and I cleaned out the old septic tank that held the flow from the kitchen sink. That sticky, smelly grey sludge covered us and clung to us. When we finished the filthy task, we showed up at the back door to the kitchen, but our mother just shook her head. ‘You’re not coming in here like that! I want you all cleaned off before you come in.’ She handed us a bag with some clean clothes, and a bar of soap, and pointed to the brook. Off we went, and did not return until we were clean. We were carefully inspected before we were allowed back into the house. Our Heavenly Father’s presence is like that: He requires us to be clean. But the Lord Jesus is willing to cleanse us every time we get defiled.

The world defiles us and robs us of that which is good, just as leprosy, or a dirty septic tank. The man who Jesus addressed had no hope of entering polite society, or even humble society, with his wretched disease. In a wonderful Gospel message, Jesus willingly and fully cleansed Him. But you and I who are already saved need to be aware that, although our sins are gone, we become defiled, affected by a wicked and godless world that is filled with filthy talk, unkind and dishonest deeds, and an animosity toward God and His Son. We need to be cleansed by constant communication with Heaven and frequent feedings in the Word. Sometime, when we feel we are too defiled, or have committed a serious wrong deed, we feel that the Lord Jesus won’t want to have anything more to do with us. But today’s text sets that straight: He always is willing that we should be clean.

Do you want to be clean and stay clean for your Lord? Remember that He is always ready to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. -Jim MacIntosh

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine, for He taught them as One having authority, and not as the scribes. Matthew 7:28,29

There were times during my short career in customer service when the person calling in about a problem with their printer was not happy with what I had to tell them. One woman in particular was angry when I refused to replace her ink cartridge, because she had refilled the cartridge three times, contrary to the instructions for non-refillable cartridges. Upon my refusal to replace the cartridge, her next demand was to talk with my supervisor. So I connected her to my boss. She was like so many others who don’t want to talk to anybody but the person in charge. For example, salespeople never want to talk to anybody but the person who has the authority to place an order. The people who were listening to the Sermon on the Mount had, without realizing it, reached the top rung of the chain of authority. They were listening to the One who was in charge of everything. We have the same privilege today as we gather in His name, under His auspices, and in His very presence.

The disciples were amazed when He stilled the wind and waves of Galilee. But all nature was subject to His authority. The people were astonished when He brought Lazarus forth from the grave. But all sickness and even death are subject to His authority. In today’s text and during so many times during His ministry, people were astonished at His teaching. But all of Scripture is from Him, about Him, and for Him. His authority is absolute, and His control is complete. And yet we recall His subjection to His earthly parents, His acceptance of baptism at John’s hand, His obedience to His Father’s will, His adherence to the Scriptures, His moving in harmony with the prophecies, His allowing soldiers with staves to bind Him, His submitting to the false trials of the Jews and of Pilate, His committing of Himself to the old rugged cross of Golgotha, and finally, His yielding of His life to the king of terrors. Nothing moves us so deeply today as to realize how the One in authority stooped to total submission.

We also rejoice today to know that the One Who yielded up His life on the cross had power to take it up again. His releasing of His authority was temporary, and for our sakes. But now, He is again in authority. His is a dominion and power than can and will never cease nor wane. And into His presence we humbly come today. We thank Him and bless Him today for His submission to the wrath that our sins deserved. And we worship and adore Him today for His eternal authority in which He has drawn us to Himself. -Jim MacIntosh

Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

On January 7, 2010, as the morning work shift began, an employee of the ABB electrical transformer factory in St. Louis, Missouri, pulled out a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, and began shooting his fellow-workers. He killed three and injured several others before killing himself. Identified as 51-year-old Timothy Hendron, the shoother had been involved in a legal dispute with the company and its pension review committee. Apparently, he felt he was being treated wrongfully, so he struck back. His behaviour is exactly the opposite of what the Golden Rule, as described in today’s text, tells us we are to do.

Note that the Lord Jesus is not telling us to respond to others in the same way that they treat us. No, that is the eye-for-an-eye approach that the world understands, and that Mr. Hendron was trying to apply. You and I have been given a higher standard. We are to respond to others in the way that we would want them to treat us. The Lord Jesus followed that standard Himself. And he is telling us that, although the letter of the law allowed the eye-for-an-eye approach, the true fulfilment of the law lies in the Golden Rule approach. All of the Word of God would have us follow the Golden Rule, and Jesus’ example is set before us. The first Adam failed to follow the Rule, as his descendents have proved, but the Last Adam fulfilled all the law and the prophets by observing the Golden Rule perfectly.

There are some objections to following the Golden Rule. Some will say that we will be treated unfairly. Maybe so. Was anybody ever treated more unfairly than the Lord Jesus? Others will worry that we will be taken advantage of. Likely so. Our Saviour was. And yet, knowing all that would befall him, he gave us this Rule. It contains no exceptions and offers no loopholes. Often mocked and ridiculed, the Rule offers the only true way to be happy in our relationship with others - by placing the responsibility on ourselves alone.

My sister Bev abbreviated the Rule: Do as you would be did by. Whatever works, learn the Golden Rule, and fulfil the law and the prophets. -Jim MacIntosh