Passing the Torch
With this issue we complete 55 years of publishing Think. My father, Leslie Diestelkamp, served as editor for the first 20 years before handing it down to me. After serving 35 years as editor, the time has come for me to hand down this work to the third generation. Beginning with the next issue, my son Andy will assume the role of editor. As long as I’m able, I will continue to do the page layouts and handle the finances, including receiving voluntary donations.
– Al Diestelkamp
Wilderness Warnings
In general, throughout time, the gospel of Jesus Christ has not been well received. The Jews of Jesus’ day imagined themselves as being more receptive to God’s Word than were their forefathers, saying “If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets” (Matt. 23:30). Yet Jesus called them “serpents” who as “sons of those who murdered the prophets” would “fill up ... the measure of [their] father’s guilt” by their own rejection of Him and those He would send to them (vv 31-34).
After crucifying Jesus, the Jewish leadership focused on squelching any effort to resurrect the idea that Jesus was the Messiah (Matt. 27:62-66; Acts 4:1-3,17,18,21; 5:17,18, 26-28, 33,40; 6:9-15, etc.). They failed simply because “it was not possible that”death could hold Him (2:24); and those who witnessed His bodily resurrection boldly proclaimed it (2:32-36; 3:15; 4:8-12,19; 5:29-32; etc.).
It is in this context that Stephen, when hauled before the Jewish council on false charges, used the opportunity to review Israel’s history. He highlighted Israel’s pattern of rejecting God’s prophets. Specifically, he emphasized Moses as a type of the “Prophet” who was to come and to whom they should listen (7:37). Moses, too, had been rejected (vv 23-28); but it was Moses, though rejected, who God used to deliver His people from bondage (vv 35,36). It was Moses to whom God spoke and “who received the living oracles to give to”Israel. Yet their forefathers “would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt” and its idolatry and the bondage that came with it (vv 38-41). Next Stephen adapted the words of Amos who—centuries after Moses—prophesied to the apostate tribes of Israel about their future Assyrian captivity. Yet, instead of saying “beyond Damascus” (Amos 5:25-27), Stephen said, “beyond Babylon” (Acts 7:42,43),making it clear that his present audience could not excuse themselves from his point. Both Israel and Judah were historically unfaithful to God. Their captivities went well beyond Assyria and Babylon as they were presently dominated and occupied by Rome!
Stephen’s lesson was masterful and his application blunt. “You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. ... they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers” (vv 51,52). Once again the Jews had rejected the One sent to rescue them. Still, Jesus willingly went to the cross to offer them and us deliverance.
The wilderness wandering of the children of Israel serves as a warning to subsequent generations for any with ears to hear and minds to learn from history rather than blindly repeat the sins of their fathers. Israel did not do a good job of this despite being repeatedly reminded to remember. Jesus calls His disciples to do better (cf. Matt. 5:20). Thus, even the earliest Christians were taught lessons from Israel’s failures to make them aware of the real threat of apostasy.
Using the events of the exodus and wilderness wandering, Paul presented a compelling comparison that should sober all followers of Jesus Christ. He observed “that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink” (1 Cor. 10:1-4). Note that the word all is used five times to emphasize their common experience. Using Moses as a type of Jesus, Paul inserted the word baptized into this historical sketch of Israel’s deliverance to make a point to all who had been baptized into Christ. Just as all who were “baptized” into Moses were saved from Egyptian bondage, so all who are baptized into Christ are saved from bondage to sin. Likewise, those so delivered all ate of the same food and drink which “was Christ.” Again, Paul inserts Christ into the picture to insure that Christians understand the point of this comparison: “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (v 5). All Israel was saved, but most of Israel did not remain faithful and were not permitted to enter the land of promise! To Christians Paul writes, “These things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted” (v 6). “They were written for our admonition” (v 11). “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (v 12). Thus Paul wrote as an admonition to us to do likewise,“I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (9:27).
Similarly, the Hebrews’ author cited Psalm 95 which admonished ancient Israel to remember their “rebellion in the day of trial in the wilderness” (Heb. 3:8) and warned Christians, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (v 12). “To whom did [God] swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (vv 18,19). “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end” (v 14). Let we who call Jesus Lord beware lest we behave like Israel in the wilderness or like the Jews of Jesus’ day. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (2:3). Remember Christ. Trust in Him. Obey Him. Hold fast to Him to the end!
andydiestelkamp@gmail.com
Sleepy Sermons
‘Do You Also Want to Go Away?’
‘Do Not Forbid to Speak in Tongues’
Another Lesson from Mary, the Mother of Jesus
‘Greetings!’
It is common courtesy in communication to extend greetings to those with whom we interact and even to those with whom we may only briefly intersect. It was typical of Paul in his letters to the churches and to individuals to have some opening and closing remarks which included some form of greeting. For example, at the close of his letter to Titus he wrote, “All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith” (Titus 3:15). To the churches in Rome, Paul closed his letter with an extensive list of greetings to specific brethren and then passed along the greetings of other specific co-workers in the gospel as well as the general “the churches of Christ greet you” (Rom. 16:16).
The word that is translated greet is the same word that in other contexts is translate rejoice. A greeting is something that is generally positive and expressed with joy and a desire for the recipient of the greeting to have joy.
In Paul’s time, a common form of greeting face to face was with a kiss (which would have been much like a brief embrace). Many are familiar with Paul’s admonition to “greet one another with a holy kiss” in some of his letters to the churches (1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; cf. Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 5:26) However, the emphasis of Paul’s command is not on the kissing part but on the need for it to be holy. Since kissing to greet was already a cultural norm in ancient times, Paul’s concern was with its holiness. Since our culture generally associates kissing with more intimate relationships, we might assume that Paul is concerned with keeping those common greetings morally pure. While certainly, Paul would want to encourage holiness in that sense, this is probably not what was foremost in his mind.
Paul wanted their greetings to one another to be sincere and genuine in their joyful expressions. That greetings might be insincere is no better exemplified than in Judas Iscariot’s kiss of Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he said with feigned loyalty and affection as he kissed Him (Matt. 26:49).This was not a holy kiss!
So regardless of the mode of greeting, we ought to be holy and sincere in our greeting of one another as brethren. We Christians ought to be holy greeters to all we come in contact with because we are also admonished to be hospitable (Heb. 13:2); and hospitality begins most simply with a holy and sincere greeting.
When strangers dare to venture into our assemblies, the least we can do is greet them, acknowledge their existence and their presence, and welcome them by showing a holy, genuine interest in them. When we leave such greetings only to others (e.g. the preacher, the elders, the extroverts, etc.), we are failing to be hospitable in this most basic and simple way.
Granted, some visitors may find greetings awkward and uncomfortable (as many of us do when interacting with strangers). However, a sincere welcome generally will be appreciated, and a failure to be greeted will be noticed. So, let’s greet one another with a holy sincerity and also be aware of and joyful toward outsiders who courageously venture into our assemblies. Introduce yourself with joy and rejoice at the possibilities that may come from a simple, holy greeting.
andydiestelkamp@gmail.com
“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart”
1 PETER 1:22
