Coffee With The Lord

This morning I read about a healthy practice that Ezra, the priest, established in Israel following the exile… The public reading of Scripture accompanied by it’s exposition/explanation! It’s still a healthy practice – an uplifting/edifying practice – a practice I’d like to recommend! Most churches today could profit by doing it as a regular part of their worship. Apostle Paul urged Timothy, as a young minister, to practice it the church he was responsible for… “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching!” (1 Timothy 4:13)

Here’s the account of Ezra’s practice from the Bible… (As you read it picture what was going on)…

“Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard… And he read from it… from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose… And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people… and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord.. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” (from Nehemiah 8:1-12)

So what’s so powerful about the public reading and exposition (explanation and application) of Scripture? Paul knew! This is what he said…

“ALL SCRIPTURE is breathed out by God (i.e. it is “inspired”) and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man (or woman, youth or child) of God MAY BE COMPLETE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK!” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Hey, if the public reading and exposition (explanation and application) of Scripture was good enough for Ezra in Old Testament times and Paul and Timothy in New Testament times… It’s good enough for me! And it should be highly recommended for modern church leaders today!

Tomorrow begins the week of Christmas… In my Bible reading today, this was one of the passages…

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life! Whoever does not have Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

This Old Testament prophetic passage pointing to Jesus also came to mind…

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end!” (Isaiah 9:6–7)

Got me thinking… From eternity past into eternity future… The Jesus story! A manger and beyond!

Think I’m going to reflect on each of the following themes about Him during Christmas week (Don’t know though… I may begin Christmas day instead and end on December 31 – What a way to prelude the New Year!). Stay tuned…

1. His miraculous birth
2. His sinless life and selfless ministry
3. His redemptive death
4. His victorious resurrection
5. His exalted position to the Father’s right hand
6. His promised return
7. His eternal kingdom and universal reign

Just finished reading Ecclesiastes this morning during “Coffee with the Lord.” Some like to refer to the book as the musings of “a backslidden preacher” – the reflections of an individual that has largely abandoned a God-centered focus in life and become occupied with nothing more than money, power, pleasure, and sex.

I disagree… although it records the vain and fruitless search for fulfillment in all of those things; it expresses wisdom “this side of heaven!” The writer has not lost complete sight of the heavenly perspective… He merely draws his conclusions based upon a largely worldly horizon. There’s good stuff in there… but there is always the sense that there is more!

So what was his conclusion once he moved beyond “the vanity of it all?” What’s the bottom line? Here it is…

“The end of the matter; all has been heard… Fear (reverence) God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man!” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

I want to learn from the search (and mistakes) of the writer of Ecclesiastes! I have to tell you, I want the bottom line of my life to be reverence for the Lord and obedience to His word! I am convinced that is where “vanity” (an empty, fruitless, futile life-search) is overcome and significance, purpose and meaning in life are discovered. With God’s help I’m going to learn from the writer of Ecclesiastes!