"Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." (Luke 20:18)
" Broken," can be put back together; "grind to powder," literally, "crushed to powder," cannot. It is total annihilation, nothing left to deal with. The origin is the word for "winnowing fan." There may be other interpretations, but I believe Jesus is teaching us here that we can either fall on Him in repentance from self-will, and be what Chambers referred to as "broken bread and poured out wine," or, Jesus can fall on us and, "grind him (her) to powder." This is frightening, and perhaps is intended to be.
But there is a brokenness here which is not only desirable, but absolutely necessary to our walk in Jesus Christ. Biblical Theology teaches this from Genesis to Revelation. When I "fall" on Jesus, I am sort of "throwing myself on the mercy of the Court," Whose, "mercy is everlasting." This is fundamental Gospel. Jesus then takes the broken, repentant life and puts us together, not back together. What good would that accomplish?!? Jesus rather converts us into new persons in Him. "If anyone be in Christ," we do not become as Colson referred to many professing Christians, "Christianized version of what they already were." Rather, Our Living Triune God in Jesus Christ calls us, saves us from ourselves/sin, "to be conformed to the image of His Son..." I repeat what a great Presbyterian preacher said so many years ago, "God the Father loved Jesus the Son so much that He wanted a whole family with many children just like Jesus."
Self will is the fundamental malady of the human race. Even the most timid among us have this problem/sin. But when you and I fall on Jesus Christ and are broken, a brokenness of, " godly sorrow [which] produces repentance leading to salvation...," we are put "back together," not the "back together" of our old sin-life, but the "back together" of what God intended for us in the Garden.
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for putting me "back" in Jesus Christ. Amen.
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* I started today a 21 day Daniel fast, i.e., the fast recorded in Daniel 10. Please pray for a spiritual "awakening," a deepening openness to, "hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches." Please pray also Colossians 1:9-11.
* Still need slots filled for the 24/7 prayer vigil, March 26, 06:00 to April 6, 23:00 (11:00PM)
" Broken," can be put back together; "grind to powder," literally, "crushed to powder," cannot. It is total annihilation, nothing left to deal with. The origin is the word for "winnowing fan." There may be other interpretations, but I believe Jesus is teaching us here that we can either fall on Him in repentance from self-will, and be what Chambers referred to as "broken bread and poured out wine," or, Jesus can fall on us and, "grind him (her) to powder." This is frightening, and perhaps is intended to be.
But there is a brokenness here which is not only desirable, but absolutely necessary to our walk in Jesus Christ. Biblical Theology teaches this from Genesis to Revelation. When I "fall" on Jesus, I am sort of "throwing myself on the mercy of the Court," Whose, "mercy is everlasting." This is fundamental Gospel. Jesus then takes the broken, repentant life and puts us together, not back together. What good would that accomplish?!? Jesus rather converts us into new persons in Him. "If anyone be in Christ," we do not become as Colson referred to many professing Christians, "Christianized version of what they already were." Rather, Our Living Triune God in Jesus Christ calls us, saves us from ourselves/sin, "to be conformed to the image of His Son..." I repeat what a great Presbyterian preacher said so many years ago, "God the Father loved Jesus the Son so much that He wanted a whole family with many children just like Jesus."
Self will is the fundamental malady of the human race. Even the most timid among us have this problem/sin. But when you and I fall on Jesus Christ and are broken, a brokenness of, " godly sorrow [which] produces repentance leading to salvation...," we are put "back together," not the "back together" of our old sin-life, but the "back together" of what God intended for us in the Garden.
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for putting me "back" in Jesus Christ. Amen.
********************
* I started today a 21 day Daniel fast, i.e., the fast recorded in Daniel 10. Please pray for a spiritual "awakening," a deepening openness to, "hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches." Please pray also Colossians 1:9-11.
* Still need slots filled for the 24/7 prayer vigil, March 26, 06:00 to April 6, 23:00 (11:00PM)
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
