TOKONAKI SEPITEMA 7, 2024

THE PEOPLE OF GOD

KO E KAKAI ‘A E ‘OTUA

Romans 2:28-29

No one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, nor by the letter.

Loma 2:28-29

28 He tala‘ehai ko e Siu mo‘oni ia ‘oku Siu ‘i tu‘a pē; pea tala‘ehai ko e kamu mo‘oni ia ‘oku ha pē ‘i tu‘a, ‘i he kakano: 29 kaekehe, ko e Siu mo‘oni ia ‘oku Siu ‘i loto, pea ko e kamu mo‘oni ‘a e kamu ‘o e loto, ‘a ia ‘oku tu‘unga ‘i ha laumālie ‘o ‘ikai ‘i ha tohi; ‘a ia ko hono fakamālō ‘oku ‘ikai mei he tangata ka mei he ‘Otua.

Every kingdom has citizens,  and the kingdom of God is no different. Who, then, are citizens in God’s kingdom? Who are God’s people? 

The people of God comprise all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. These people are not a part of God’s kingdom because of their intellect, power or any other external factor, but simply and only because has chosen to love them and so has given them the gift of faith in His Son. Jesus rebuked the Pharisee for assuming that they were members of God’s family because of their lineage. “If you were Abraham's children,” He said, “you would be doing the works Abraham did” (John 8:39). And what did Abraham do? He trusted in the promises of God: he “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6). 

We are full members of God’s family, then, not because of something we do but by the work of God’s Spirit in convicting our hearts, causing us to believe, and leading us to repentance. We don’t need to undergo the ritual requirements of Jewish law or be physical descendants of Abraham to be included among God’s people. In Romans 2.29, Paul essentially asks, “Who are the children of Abraham? The answer is: anyone who undergoes “ circumcision…of the heart, by the Spirit.”

As we consider these truths, we may wonder whether Paul thought there was any benefit in being a Jew. Paul explained that there was actually a phenomenal advantage, because the Jews were the first to receive God’s promises, giving them a unique opportunity to understand the signs that pointed forward to fulfillment in Christ (Romans 3:1-2). But that understanding itself does not make anyone a citizen of God's kingdom. That is open to, and reserved for, those who become subjects of its King. Whether we are Jews or Gentiles - whatever our background, wherever we were born, and however we were raised - God offers salvation to all who come to faith in Christ. Our citizenship in God's kingdom is not tied to ethnicity or externals, but to humble, childlike faith in the Messiah.

The world is full of people struggling to find where they fit or striving to maintain their position in a company, society, friendship circle, or even their own family. God does not ask you to struggle or to strive but simply to enjoy. If you belong to God’s people by faith in Jesus, then you have been rescued by His name, you have been freed from shame, and you are part of His people. It is here that you find your home.

EPHESIANS 2:11-22

Bible Through The Year: Judges 1-3; John 2

 FALAITE SEPITEMA 6, 2024

THE CONSEQUENCES OF JEALOUSY

KO E NUNU ‘A KOVI ‘O E MEHEKA

PROVERBS 14:30

“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."

PALOVEPI 14:30

Ko e loto ‘oku toka ko e mo‘ui‘anga ‘o e sino kotoa: Ka ko e meheka, ko e popo tofu pē ‘oku totolo ‘i hoku ngaahi hui.

Envy is a spiritual cancer, destroying a person from the inside out.

The consequences of jealousy are grave. King Solomon does not mince words as he warns us of this diagnosis with graphic imagery and directs us instead towards a life of health and peace.

Envy harms us. Even if it does nothing to anyone else, it will still destroy the one who envies. It influences our perception of others. It breeds a destructively critical spirit, leading us to view our neighbors with unwarranted suspicion and anger. It leaves us incapable of being happy for others, and it undermines any chance of contentment, for there is always someone else with more for us to feel resentful of. Envy makes the bones rot.

Jealousy can invade swiftly and subtly. Take the apostle Peter, for example. Prior to the crucifixion, he had made a mess of things by denying Christ three times. John records that after His resurrection. Jesus made breakfast for Peter and some other disciples on the beach, and Jesus spoke with Peter, restoring their relationship, reminding him of His call to Peter to follow Him, and tasking him to shepherd and feed His people. If you had asked Peser the day before what his heart most longed for, it would have been this. But when Jesus added that one day Peter would be called to give his life for his Lord, how did Peter respond? By looking at John and saying. "What about this man?"

Jesus, though, fully aware of the dangers of jealousy, replied. "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" (John 21:22).

How easy it is, even in moments of great advance, for jealousy to infect us and cause us to forget all that Jesus has done for us and given us! How, then, do we find any kind of cure for this spiritual rottenness? The last thing that we want to do is the first thing that we need to do: recognize envy for what it is - sin - and bring it into the light of God's presence through confession. Then, we must prayerfully reject jealousy, moment by moment, asking the Spirit to enable us to reflect on all we have in Christ, until we are gripped not by jealousy but by joy. Those who count their blessings are more able to praise God for the blessings He bestows on others. And a tranquil heart gives life.

Do not let your envy eat away at you unchecked. In what way does it have a hold on you? Confess it, pray about it, and fight it with gospel truth.

JOHN 21:15-23

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 148-150; John 1:29-51

 TU‘APULELULU SEPITEMA 5, 2024

A WORD TO HUSBANDS

AKONAKI KI HE NGAAHI HUSEPANITI

EPHESIANS 5:25-26

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her." 

‘EFESO 5:25-26

25 ‘a e kau tangata, mou ‘ofa ki homou ngaahi uaifi, ‘o hangē foki ko Kalaisi ne ne ‘ofa‘i ‘a e Siasi, ‘o ne li‘oa ‘a ‘Ene ‘Afio koe‘uhi ko ia: 26 koe‘uhi ke ne fakamā‘oni‘oni‘i ia ‘aki ‘a e folofola, hili ‘ene fufulu ia ‘i he pālutu‘anga ko ia ko e vai;

By God's grace, every Christian marriage is about more than marriage.

The purpose of human marriage is to point away from itself to the ultimate marriage made in heaven: that of Christ, the Bridegroom, and the church, His bride. Marriage, in other words, is about God's ultimate purpose "to unite all things in (Christ), things in heaven and things on earth" (Ephesians 1:10). This is why Paul offers specific instructions for husbands: so that their marriages might display the union God intends. 

In marriage, the husband's primary objective is not to make sure his wife is physically and emotionally sustained. That is part of it, of course but his ultimate objective should be that his wife will be prepared to meet Jesus.

To that end, the word that Paul uses for "love" here, agape, is important: it expresses self-sacrifice and self-abasement. It's about what we give, not what we get. It's about what we owe, not what we're due. It's not about seeking what's good for you; it's about giving yourself up for what's truly good for your wife, so that she might be "holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27). This was the purpose for which Christ gave His life for His church; and, as a picture of this, it is what a husband is to give himself up for and pursue for his wife.

But if you are a husband, how do you love in this way in the day-to-day reality of life? One practical step is to look for the absence of "NAG-ing". That is, you must renounce neglect, physically, emotionally, and spiritually - and, if career, club, or church responsibilities interfere, you may need to re-evaluate your commitments. You also need to renounce abuse, which, while including more egregious sins, also encompasses belittling your wife, talking down to her, treating her with disregard, or acting as if she's really fortunate to be married to you. And finally, you need to ensure you never take your marriage for granted, which can become so easy as time goes by.

Yet as helpful as such practical reminders are, the ultimate yardstick for, and motivation to, love is the cross-shaped love of Christ for His bride. Without a clear view of how Jesus loves His church, our best intentions will flounder, and our failures will crush us. So we must look to Christ, who, although He needed no one and nothing, came and gave Himself up in order that we, in our need, rebellion, and emptiness, may be caught up in His embrace, welcomed into His heart, brought into His family, and considered a part of His bride.

Do you find yourself saying, "Why would He ever love me like that?" If so, you see what a high calling it is for husbands to "love your wives, as Christ loved the church." So if you are a husband, or hope to be one day, it must start with prayer: prayer that the Holy Spirit will enable you to think biblically, live obediently, and truly love selflessly. And if you are a wife, or hope to be one day, this should likewise be your prayer for your husband, for the sake of your joy and his, but most of all for God's glory.

EPHESIANS 5:22-32

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 146-147; John 1:1-28

 PULELULU SEPITEMA 4, 2024

GOD'S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE

KO E FOKOTU‘UTU‘U ‘A E ‘OTUA KI HE NOFO MALI

GENESIS 2:24-25

"A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." 

SENESI 2:24-25

24 Ko ia ‘e tukuange ‘e he tangata ‘ene tamai mo ‘ene fa‘ē, kae pīkitai ki hono uaifi: pea te na hoko ko e kakano pē taha.

25 Pea na‘a na fakatou telefua, ‘a e tangata mo hono uaifi, ka na‘e ‘ikai te na mā.

Marriage is a God-given gift that we have tarnished by our sin. These verses describe a perfectly trusting, perfectly shame free, perfectly united partnership of love. Sadly, one tangible effect of our living in a fallen world is that outside of the movies, no marriage is only and ever like that. The tragedy of human sin is that it is in our very nature to corrupt what God has created for our good and His glory, causing the beauty and enjoyment of marriage as He intended to be lost. But there is hope! For believers, God's Spirit enables us to consider marriage according to His design.

We must first acknowledge that outside of Christ, men and women are in flat-out rebellion against God's purposes. It's not that we are simply confused about the nature of marriage; it's that our sinful desires are completely opposed even to what we do understand. Marriage as it is given to us in the Bible is often perceived as a cage, a restriction, or a human contrivance put together long ago - a kind of useless vestige left over from previous generations. If we see God's design for marriage in this light, it's because we are predisposed to say, "I don't like God's plans. I'll do this my own way."

When we are united with Christ, however, God enables us to view marriage according to His design. No matter what any government legislates, Scripture is absolutely clear that any relationship other than a monogamous, heterosexual relationship cannot be and is not a marriage before God, because that is what He decided marriage should be in the very beginning Jesus' affirmation of the Genesis 2 depiction of marriage demonstrates that nothing between the beginning and now has changed God's design (Matthew 19:4-6). We must not tamper with or readjust the Bible to accommodate social trends which would define marriage differently. Though God's pattern for biblical marriage may be looked down upon by our fallen world, if we believe the Bible to be the very word of God, then we will uphold its teaching - in how we choose to order our own lives and in how we speak of and pray for other people's relationships.

As believers, we must recognize that God's concern for marriages in all cultures and at all times is that they would reflect Christ's love for and commitment to His people (Ephesians 5:22-25). And we must remember that all that is broken and distorted as a result of the fall the Lord Jesus came to renew and repair. Only in and through Christ is it possible to view marriage according to God's pattern and plan. Instead of us living according to our own way, He has graciously invited us to bow our hearts under His design, which is like no other. For some, it will call for great personal sacrifice to obey God's commands in this area. For all of us living in the 21st century, it will call for courage to stand up for God's ways in the face of man's. In your particular context and circumstances, what will it mean for you to think, speak, and act in a way that reflects God's design for His great gift of marriage?

GENESIS 2

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 143-145; 2 Corinthians 13

 TUSITE SEPITEMA 3, 2024

A WORD TO WIVES

KO E POUPOU KI HE NGAAHI UAIFI

EPHESIANS 5:22

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." 

‘EFESO 5:22

‘a e kau fefine, mou anganofo ki si‘omou ngaahi husepāniti, ‘o hangē ki he ‘Eiki.

The word submission tends to trigger all kinds of negative responses. This is due in part to the reality that, as John Stott wrote over 40 years ago, "submission to authority is out of fashion today. It is totally at variance with contemporary attitudes of permissiveness and freedom." The intervening four decades have only increased submission's negative reputation, and nowhere more so than within marriage.

Yet the fact remains that, properly understood and rightly applied, submission lies at the heart of relationships as God established them. Children are to submit to their parents (Ephesians 6:1), church members are to submit to their church leaders (Hebrews 13:17), and, here, wives are to submit to their husbands "as to the Lord." Submission to others, depending on the roles to which we are called in life, is part and parcel of our relationships with each other.

A wife's submission to her husband reflects God's divine ordering for marriage, then. But how, specifically, are we to understand this teaching? First of all, the directive for a wife to submit to her husband in no way implies her inferiority. The Bible is very clear that men and women are equal in dignity, as both are made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). As believers, we are also equal in redemption - and that equality is seen in the fact that we are heirs together of God's grace (1 Peter 3:7). Our standing as men and women before God is entirely equal. A difference in role does not mean a difference in value.

Second, women are to submit to their own husbands, not all men in general. Paul isn't giving a blanket instruction about the place of women in society; he is giving a specific directive concerning the wife's role in the family. Within that context, a woman's desire to submit to the Lord is revealed in part by her submission to her husband.

Third, this submission isn't the same as unconditional obedience. Husbands are not to coerce their wives, nor are they to call them to submit, and certainly not to that which the Lord has not ordained. A wife is not in the hands of one who has the authority to command what he pleases. Rather, a husband is to "love his wife as himself," to give himself up for her and to lead her in holiness (Ephesians 5:33). If you are a husband, then it needs to be underlined that if at any point you seek to lead your wife away from obedience to Christ rather than deeper into it, your wife is under no biblical obligation to follow your lead.

If you are a wife, the Bible does not call you to slavish, unthinking obedience. Rather, your submission is to be a joyful loyalty to and commitment to following the lead of your husband as part of a mutual partnership which pursues God's glory in all things. Wholehearted and without reluctance, this kind of submission is only possible by God's enabling so that you might do your husband "good, and not harm, all the days of [your] life" (Proverbs 31:12). This biblical submission is certainly not fashionable. It is often not easy. But, in the sight of God and of His people, it is beautiful.

PROVERBS 31:10-31

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 140-142; 2 Corinthians 12

 MONITE SEPITEMA 2, 2024

REVERENCE FOR CHRIST

‘APASIA KIA KALAISI

EPHESIANS 5:20-21

"... Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

‘EFESO 5:20-21

20 mo mou fakafeta‘i ma‘u pē ‘i he me‘a kotoa pē ki he ‘Otua ko e Tamai ‘i he huafa ‘o hotau ‘Eiki ko Sīsū Kalaisi; Ko e Kau Mātu‘a Malí

21 mo mou feanganofo‘aki ‘i he ‘apasia kia Kalaisi.

People submit to one another for many reasons - on the basis of politics or social structures, or even on the basis of pragmatism. Sometimes it's much easier (and certainly nice!) just to submit to people than it is to take the risk of seeming rude or confrontational.

None of these reasons, however, are the motivating factors for Christian submission. Instead, the distinguishing feature of our submission to one another should he that it is “out of reverence for Christ." Bowing our knees to Jesus keeps us from being preoccupied with ourselves. Reverence for Christ doesn't only pull us away from ourselves; it pulls us toward Jesus. In Him we see how to heed the call of submission, for it was Jesus Himself who taught, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant... even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26, 28). He not only said those words but lived them. Consider, for example, Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet in John 13. As John records, "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet" John 13:3-5). What was happening here? Nothing less than the submission of God the Son to God the Father. He who came from God and is God was making Himself nothing by "taking the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7).

Jesus came to do not His own will but His Father's (John 6:38). As a result, He accepted hardship. He was isolated and ill-treated. He endured malice, misunderstanding, and death. Jesus was broken in order that our broken lives may be repaired and transformed. It was He who came to die on a cross, submitting Himself to the will of the Father, in order that He might provide a ransom for all who are humble enough to bow down and say, "That is the very Savior I need."

When we consider Christ as He truly is, we cannot but be moved to revere Him. Who else would we respect and love more than the divine second Person of the Trinity, who was willing to submit Himself even to death in obedience to His Father and for the good of His people? And when we revere Christ, we are ready to have the same attitude as Christ: one that does not grasp for prominence or strive for authority or stand on our rights, but one that obeys God by submitting our own interests to those of our brothers and sisters.

There are many reasons why we may choose to submit to another (and many more reasons why we may choose not to do so). But let this be true of you: that you submit yourself to others in your church out of reverence for Christ, who submitted to His Father and, in doing so, became your Savior.

PHILIPPIANS 2:17-30

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 137-139; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

 SAPATE SEPITEMA 1, 2024

OVERFLOWING WITH GENEROSITY

LOTO FONU MAHUOHUA KE FOAKI

EXODUS 35:4-5

"Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution.”

‘EKISOTO 35:4-5

4 Pea lea ‘a Mōsese ki he fakataha kotoa ‘o ha‘a ‘Isileli, ‘o pehē, Ko eni ‘a e me‘a kuo tu‘utu‘uni ‘e he ‘Eiki, 5 ke mou to‘o mai ha‘amou me‘a‘ofa kia Sihova: ‘ilonga ha taha ‘oku loto lelei ki ai, ke ke ‘omi ‘ene hapai kia Sihova; ko ha koula, pe siliva, pe kapa;

God's people give thankfully in response to His grace.

Or at least, we should. But often our reasons for giving are very different ones. Many see giving as something they must do, perhaps because of their social position or the perceptions of others. Some give in response to a measure of guilt, attempting to make amends for their bad deeds. Others give out of fear, thinking, "I'd better give, or God won't want to bless me."

But the principle of giving which runs throughout the Bible is very different.

In the wilderness, as the Israelites prepared to construct the tabernacle for the Lord, Moses began a collection for the work. His request wasn't heavy-handed or manipulative, he simply told the people that the Lord was willing to receive from all who were willing to give, and every generous heart brought an offering. They not only gave from what they had, but they also gave on the basis of who they were and the abilities that God had given them, from building and cloth-making to craftsmanship and artistry.

Many gave, and they gave overwhelmingly. As a result, Moses had to issue a second directive, sending word throughout the camp: "Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary" (Exodus 36:6). They knew that God had given them everything they had. Fueled by the immensity of God's goodness, they overflowed in generosity - to the extent that Moses had to tell them to stop!

The Lord needs nothing, yet He is willing to receive from those who, by His grace, are the beneficiaries of His many gifts. God doesn't administer His grace in percentages; He lavishes it and out of the abundance of His heart, in Jesus, He has given to His people one blessing after another. When we, the recipients of His grace, give of our time, money, talents, or anything else abundantly and thankfully, God is glorified.

God's desire for generous hearts never wanes. He has a plan for saving people through the work of His Son, and He yearns for followers who are willing to join in gospel work through giving. It is grace, and grace alone, that moves a person to give both sacrificially and cheerfully. If your giving - of your time, your talents, or your money - is limited or grudging, reflect on the grace of God in lavishing so much upon you, not least in the Lord Jesus. Be stirred by His grace, and you'll find you abound with thankfulness that overflows in generosity, bringing glory and praise to God.

JOHN 12:1-8

Bible Through The Year: Psalms 135-136; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15