How Beautiful the Feet of God’s Messenger

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘your God reigns.’ The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted His people: He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” –Isaiah 52:7-10 (ESV).

Today we cannot tune onto a television or radio newscast, read a newspaper or talk with friends without hearing bad news. Doom and gloom are too often the subjects we talk about and dwell upon. “In these times,” we often say, “all we hear is bad news.” Contrast our day to the time when Isaiah penned the words in our focal passage for today. He was writing a message to Zion—to the Israelites in Babylonian captivity. In this beautiful hymn telling of God’s coming deliverance and salvation, he implores “Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.” How like Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 6:10-20 to put on the whole armor of God!

This message of Isaiah was intended to bring hope and encouragement, even joy, to the captives in Babylon. The day of the Lord, a time of deliverance was coming. No longer would they have to cower in sackcloth and ashes, but they could put on the garments of rejoicing; for oppression—the bad news, even living the bad news—would have its end. This message also speaks of “end times” hope and the triumph of the believers. So much is carried with the messenger with “beautiful feet”!

This section of Isaiah and subsequent chapters, especially Isaiah 53, constitute the Messianic hope message of the prophet. “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). And how beautiful upon the mountains are those who tell forth this message! The good news may at times be ignored and seemingly lost amidst all the clamor of bad news. The main message, despite the naysayers, is “Your God reigns!”(Isaiah 52:7) God’s people are to take hope and listen to the messengers who bear God’s news. It is the news that will ultimately triumph. This is a sure promise from Sovereign God: “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10) Isaiah wanted his own people, and us today to hear, for his message miraculously has come to us, and we hold forth hope.

Hope is at the heart of God’s message of love for any age. They who bear that message, are distinctive and engender hope:“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news!” (v. 7). Paul reiterates this theme in Romans 10:14-17: “How, then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So, then, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” The message can be faithfully preached, but people must hear, respond and obey.

My husband, the Rev. Grover D. Jones, felt the distinctive call of God to be a bearer of this marvelous message of the ages. His ministry was, geographically, to the people who dwelt in the mountain region of the state of Georgia. His were, indeed, as the prophet foretold, “beautiful feet upon the mountains.” Such are the feet of those who bear the good news of Jesus Christ wherever they are. Thank God today for the beautiful feet of those who are faithful to tell God’s message and who give hope amidst the bad news! Indeed, “our God reigns!” –Ethelene Dyer Jones 04.26.2015

God’s Work of Grace in the Believer

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” –Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKJV).

For everyone who is a new creation in Christ Jesus, we are the workmanship of God.

God’s grace—His unearned, unmerited favor—is the gift from Him that changed us from a separated, condemned, hopeless state to a new creation in Christ Jesus. Not from any works which we did or could have done are we saved. Salvation is the gift of God. And Jesus is the originator and bearer of that gift of salvation. God prepared and ordained it beforehand and Jesus died that God’s grace could be manifested.

A person’s works cannot save him/her. If we depend on a salvation by our works—which are “as filthy rags,” we cannot be saved. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. Our own personal faith is the commodity we bring to the Lord to accept the gift of grace He extends to us. How can we describe faith? It is a firm and unshakeable conviction, belief, trust and confidence. Faith gives believers the assurance that they can approach Holy God; He is reachable, accessible and already reaching out to us even before we approach Him in faith. If salvation came through our own works, we would have occasion to boast, to brag about what we have done. But it is through no merit of our own work or goodness that we are saved.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (v. 10). The Greek word poiema translated “workmanship” is the same word from which we derive our English word “poem,” and means “that which is made.” For myself, being a poet of sorts, and having a life-long interest in the pursuit of and love for poetry, I can relate to this idea of God’s workmanship in us being like creating a poem. The germ of an idea presents itself for a poem. Sometimes it comes “full blown” and easily; at other times much thought, rearrangement and labor go into a poem before the poet is satisfied that the work is finished. God’s grace saves us and His “poiema” (poem) workmanship begins in us. Then through His Word, the Bible, which teaches and woos us, our prayers, our diligence in study, and even trials and sufferings, God works in each individual to bring us to our fulfillment in Him. Look how long He worked in Moses: forty years in the wilderness; and Joseph, sold into slavery before he was made second in power to the Pharaoh in Egypt and ready to help his own brothers who had sold him into slavery; Paul, persecuting the Christians before he was called to be an Apostle. God’s grace saves us, and that individually through our faith. God’s workmanship in us, to form us into the meaningful “poem” our life can be takes our whole lifetime of walking in His way. Not only is faith required to accept His grace, faithfulness is required in practicing and growing in our faith. May we be found faithful! --Ethelene Dyer Jones 04.19.2015

Wait for the Promise of the Father

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”-Acts 1:1-4 (ESV).

The book of the Acts of the Apostles has as its purpose to give a selective history of the early church and the spread of the gospel following Jesus resurrection. Its theme is the witness of those who received the Holy Spirit and were compelled to share the good news of Jesus Christ to all, beginning in Jerusalem. In the introduction, the “I” is believed by scholars to be Luke, author of Acts. who also wrote the Gospel of Luke. Both the Gospel of Luke and Acts are addressed to Theophilus, a name which means “friend of God.” Speculation about the unknown Theophilus holds that he might have been one who was in high political standing and was a benefactor of the apostles and the early church; other scholars hold that Theophilus was a generic term meaning, as the name implies, any who are friends of God. 

 

Luke himself is not mentioned either in his gospel or in Acts, but we learn about him in the three places Paul names him in his writings (Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:11 and Philemon 24). He was present with Paul on occasion and he was a physician. The name Luke is Greek, and he wrote both his gospel and Acts in excellent Greek. The date usually accepted for the writing of Acts is about 70 to 80 AD. Luke’s knowledge of the Old Testament as often reflected in his writings. This shows that he was well acquainted with the Hebrew writings of the law, the prophets and the wisdom literature, and that he may have been first, before becoming a Christian, a Gentile convert to Judaism who regularly worshiped in a synagogue. Or, through study, he could have gained this knowledge after he became a Christian. Dr. John B. Polhill who wrote the study helps for Acts in the English Standard Version Study Bible (Crossways, 2008, p. 2077) states: “The book of Acts is a small anthology of individual literary genres. The list includes hero story, adventure story, travel story, conversion story, and miracle story. Drama also figures prominently; there are 32 speeches in Acts.” He notes that a common pattern is repeated throughout the Acts account of early church beginnings: (1) Christian leaders preach the gospel; (2) listeners hear, are converted, and are added to the church; (3) opponents begin to persecute Christians; (4) God intervenes to rescue leaders or to protect the church (Polhill, p. 2077). Acts is an exciting account of God’s work. It is fitting that, after the introduction, Luke tells of how the apostles are to “wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father.” Note name change from disciples (learners) to apostles (those who had been with Jesus and were sent on a mission). 

 

The “promise of the Father” for which the apostles were to wait was the Holy Spirit. They were to be “baptized” with the Spirit soon. Jesus had promised the disciples on many occasions that the Holy Spirit would come upon them and be in them (Greek paraclete—“walk beside”). One of the notable promises is found in John 14:16-17: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” In his post-resurrection appearances, and especially at his ascension, Jesus promised His disciples again that the Holy Spirit would come upon them. I can imagine the anticipation, the eagerness, with which the disciples awaited the “baptism” (or coming upon them) by the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had announced it (see Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 and John 1:33).

It is significant that they waited for the promise of the Father, the imbuement of power by the Holy Spirit. To be “baptized” by the Spirit can be interpreted as being completely immersed by the Spirit, to have one’s life directed by Him and propelled forward by Him in the work God intends. The disciples did not have long to wait. On the Day of Pentecost the Spirit descended in their midst as Jesus had promised. In the meantime, there was the period of preparation, of expectantly waiting, and prayer. This pattern for receiving the promise of the Father has not changed: preparation, waiting, prayer. May we be faithful, even in these and may we wait expectantly for the Holy Spirit to guide us into the work Christ has called us to do. We sing, “There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.” (Kurt Kaiser, c1962) May we recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence, follow His leadership. –Ethelene Dyer Jones 04.12.2015

Holy Week:–Sunday, the First Day of the Week-Resurrection!

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus Who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. See, I have told you. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!” and they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” –Matthew 28:1-10 (ESV).

Not yet good light; the dawn was just breaking and shadows of darkness played about the garden tomb. Sorrow and fear walked with the two women, Mary Magdalene ‘and the other Mary,’ female disciples of Jesus, last at the tomb on Friday, first at the tomb on Sunday. They were afraid. I would have been too, going early before good day, and then being shaken by a reverberating earthquake! How strange to be greeted by such shaking and clattering of the earth. And fear overtook them again, for seated there upon the great gravestone was an extraterrestrial being whose garments glowed in the half-light like lightning. Even the strong, burly Roman guards lay on the ground, out cold, like dead men!

But when the angel spoke, for by now the women realized the person meant them only good and not harm, they listened, for his message reechoed what Jesus Himself had told them before He died: “Fear not!...He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.” And with that I can imagine that the angel stepped aside, inviting Mary Magdalene and Mary to step up to the tomb and look in.

Matthew does not give these details, but accounts of the resurrection in other gospels tell us that the grave clothes lay there on the rock ledge where the body had been—as though the corpse of Jesus, now alive, had just escaped from them and left the clothes lying in the tomb. And folded, the napkin, or handkerchief, that had covered Jesus’ face was placed neatly to the side. Even this had significance. Scholars tell us that if a napkin were folded instead of being “wadded” up, it indicated that the person would be back again. This did not mean for Jesus to come back into the tomb and to death, but to the earth again! With all the excitement of the angel’s message, the women would not have had time to give more than a cursory glance into the tomb. But later, they would remember an important aspect of the neatly-folded napkin: It lay folded in readiness, a sign that the Master would be back again; He had not gone far away.

Listen, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the angel has directions for you, an important errand for you to run: “”Go quickly and tell His disciples He has risen from the dead! Tell them to go to Galilee; there He will meet them!” What joy, what delight! The Marys did not need their urns of burial ointment and spices they had so lovingly brought to embalm the body. No dead body was there to receive the embalming.

They left the garden grave, excited and exulting that they had such a message to give to the disciples! And as they rushed through the garden, behold, Jesus Himself met them and said, “Greetings!” There was no mistaking that voice! No one ever spake like Jesus speaks. They fell to His feet, worshiping Him! But He, like the angel, had a message for them to bear, “Go! Tell My disciples that I am alive. I will meet them in Galilee! Do not be afraid!”

Each of the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection is slightly different. We are not to wonder at the different approaches four different writers took to recount this most marvelous of occasions—Jesus rising from the dead! It is the central truth of the gospel story, the Word, the Lord, alive and victorious, as He had said. For my edification and amazement, I am reading each account today, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach me all facets and views of the great truths of the resurrection accounts in Matthew 28:1-10: in Mark 16:1-11; in Luke 24:1-12; and in John 20:1-18. I pray that you, dear reader, will take the time to do the same. Because Christ is victorious over death, we, too, know assuredly that death is not the end, that the soul is quickened to new life. “O grave, where is thy victory? O death, where is they sting?” (I Corinthians 15:55, KJV).

Matthew records Mary Magdalene and the other Mary meeting the angel and being greeted by the living Lord. Mark records three women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bringing spices and hearing the news from ‘a young man dressed in a white robe.” Mark later records His appearance to Mary Magdalene. In Luke’s account, they (meaning the women mentioned being last at the tomb on Friday) came with prepared spices to find the stone rolled away and a man in dazzling apparel giving them the news of the risen Christ. Luke identifies these women as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and “the other women” (Luke 24:10). But when the women told the disciples, they didn’t believe. Peter himself went and saw the grave clothes as the women had said. He had to see for himself. Then he marveled at what had happened. In John’s account, Mary Magdalene went first, saw the tomb empty, and ran to tell Peter and ‘the other disciple’ (John). They rushed to the tomb, saw the grave clothes, the napkin folded neatly, and John “saw and believed” (v. 8). Peter and John returned to their homes, but Mary remained in the garden, and Christ appeared to her, calling her by name and asking her to go and tell His disciples that He was alive.

Many poems, songs and hymns, essays and books have been written about the resurrection. Myriad are the accounts of Jesus conquering death, not only that of the gospel writers, but many throughout the ages since. On Easter around the world Christians celebrate anew the glory of the cross where Jesus died and the majesty of the empty tomb where Jesus shed the bonds of death and rose victorious. Millions of voices on Easter proclaim the words of the gospel hymn written by Alfred H. Ackley (1887-1960):

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;

I know that He is living, whatever men may say;

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.

He lives! He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way;

He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart!” --Ethelene Dyer Jones 04.05.2015