“It’s the Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.  He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

Four minutes later:
the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.

Six minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

Ten minutes:
A three-year-old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist.  Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time.  This action was repeated by
several other children.  Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.

Forty five minutes:
The musician played.  Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while.  About 20 gave
him money but continued to walk their normal pace.  He collected $32.

One hour:
He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed.  No one applauded, nor
was there any recognition.

No one knew that the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the
world.  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story.  Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.  The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?  Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments …

How many other things are we missing?”

So after reading all of that article and watching the video; and after playing twice on the streets of London this past weekend, seeing all the people walking by… I’m caused to think about how many people are missing out on, not just beauty and talent or music, but the very reason we’re alive.

The one who made beauty, and who is the embodiment of it. The questions raised in the writers mind are quite valid. And it’s amazing how similar the Biblical accounts of Jesus, who is God incarnate come to earth, really are to the account you just read. He came into the World at an “odd” time, and was born in an “obscure” place…and even given the historicity of the Bible and it’s infallible claims, and given the masses that witnessed His miracles and resurrection, we still find it hard to stop, and to look at Him. To take a long look at Christ. Jesus told us in John 3:14 that just as Moses lifted up the snake, He would be lifted up, and that anyone who believed in Him wouldn’t be damned…but accepted into Heaven as sons and daughters of God. And what’s crazy is that this amzing information is for all of mankind…the whole earth can bank on that promise! (see John 12:32)

That, to me, is a whole lot better of a deal than a free concert by an amazing musician. I propose a different, but similar, question: In a common place World, do you and I stop to see, and know, a very uncommon savior?

Psalm 23:6

The pursuit of satisfaction is one of the most common conflicts of the human heart.  History tells us of a King who sought satisfaction and what he met along the way.  Intellectually he had no rival, he drank of the finest of wines and the feasts were so lavish that a country could have fed for a week upon what was presented at his dining room table in one night.  He experienced romance with the most beautiful women and held respect and prestige throughout the entire world.  Money was no object, and luxury became commonplace compared to the extravagance of this man’s lifestyle.  In all of this you would think this guy had all the right ingredients for the recipe of satisfaction, but you’d be wrong.  After all the wisdom, wonder, indulgence, and success this man penned the words: 

“So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.  Also my wisdom remained with me.  Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.  I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.  There was no profit under the sun.”

Ecclesiastes 2:9-11

You see, God divinely blessed King Solomon with wealth, wisdom, and wandering.

“What do you mean by wandering?”  You might ask.

Charles Spurgeon said this of Solomon, “The wisest of men was permitted to make experiments for us all, and to do for us what we must not dare to do for ourselves.^[1]”

Solomon wandered through the vast pleasures of life looking for a purposeful satisfaction.  The interesting thing is he received lengthy instruction from his father, King David, the man after God’s own heart, on where and how to find this purposeful satisfaction.

“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” He wrote so that those who followed would know.

It’s by dwelling with the Lord that we find our purpose

And it’s in His house that satisfaction is found

The times in life that I have wondered what my purpose was in life have always been answered when I stopped looking to this world and started looking in His Word.  When I came to church and purposefully sought the Lord in His house.  At church is where we have access to God’s word, and God has access to us through worship.  That’s why it’s so important to come away from the hustle and bustle of life and present ourselves before the Lord.

Many people have needlessly wandered through the journey that Solomon went on.  They move from pleasure to pleasure in a pursuit to fill the void they experience in their hearts.  The only problem is outward experiences will never bring lasting satisfaction to the inward conditions of the heart.

That’s why the King of Kings came down from heaven to dwell among us.  Jesus Christ, God Himself, came down and became one of us.  Fully divine in Holiness never committing a sin, yet fully human in the flesh, He gave His innocent life so that all who were guilty of sin might have hope.  Through faith in His completed work of salvation we can enjoy the eternal destination of His house forever…Heaven.

When you place your faith in the work that Jesus did on the cross His spirit comes and makes His home in your heart…satisfying you.  He goes on to dwell with you so that one day you might express that which King David believed and confessed:

“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever!”

Psalm 23:5

Sometimes sheep face an enemy far more intelligent, threatening, and successful than the usual wolf, bear, or lion.  This predator doesn’t scatter and strike as the others do, he sneaks and steals.  He waits until the cover of night, undetected the thief will come to take for himself what is not rightfully his.

 ”Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  ^But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.^ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  ^Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

John 10:1-5

It wasn’t unusual that the shepherd would find one of his sheep missing and after searching near and far he would find his sheep in another pasture among another flock. 

What could the shepherd do in this situation?

How could he prove that his sheep were stolen?

How does he regain his property?

In Psalm 23:5 the word “prepare” in the Hebrew is normally translated “to set in order” as a waiter setting the table for the dinner guests, I find it interesting that this same word can also mean “to set forth” as a legal case. 

The little shepherd boy who became a king tells us of another King who would shepherd into freedom those who had been stolen by the enemy and imprisoned due to sin.  After all the evidence was prepared Jesus set forth His case on the table of communion, testifying of the body that would be broken and the blood that would be shed as a remission for our sin.  Based upon undeniable evidence God the father, the Righteous Judge declared us clear of all charges. 

We’re forgiven, and upon faith in Jesus we are Holy and can enjoy intimacy with Almighty God.  Just as the shepherd called to his sheep in John 10, Jesus calls to us through the open door of salvation and it’s our responsibility as the sheep to respond to His voice, to come to Him, to believe and walk out of the prison of sin and into the freedom of salvation. 

^”Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”“

 Hebrews 3:12-15

Genesis 23:10-13

The exchange here between Ephron and Abraham is a perfect example of what the bargaining process was back in the ancient Middle East.  Upon further study one can begin to see quite a few similarities between what was and what the bargaining process is today.  Being that Abraham valued Sarah so highly he wasn’t about to bury her in a tomb that cost him nothing.  In the same way we as believers must not settle into compromise while conducting ourselves in this world.  While others who don’t necessarily agree with Christian beliefs or understand the biblical convictions of those who follow Christ, we as believers must seek to live in such a way that shows just how wonderful the ways of the Lord are.  As this world tries to have us bury our standards and principles in a way that would dishonor the value of Jesus’ life present in us, we must tenaciously hold to our standards so that we might honor properly that which God has given us.

To settle the exchange Abraham humbled himself by bowing, as he did the proper purchase of the tomb was possible and the relationship with the sons of Heth was strengthened.  So too, if we expect to effectively carry out business and strengthen the relationships we have in this world without compromising our standards and faith, we must conduct ourselves as Christ.   

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Philippians 2:3-8

You see, Jesus too humbled Himself without compromising His Holy standard.  In doing so He won the entire human race something of the greatest benefit…salvation.  Through lovingly exhibiting the character of Jesus Christ to those around us we too will not only be blessed in our lives for the glory of God but we’ll also win those around us unto a far greater purpose…an intimate personal relationship with God. 

At this point many of us are familiar with the legend of William Tell who won the freedom of himself and his son, Walter Tell, when he split the apple off of his sons head with one arrow.  In Switzerland today William Tell is considered a hero.

In the Bible, the word for sin in the Greek is “hamartia” which means “Missing the mark”.  It speaks of an archer or bowman aiming to hit the mark of a target, bulls eye, or perhaps an apple.  If the Archer were to miss the mark his ability would be considered imperfect and if the stakes were as high as that of William Tell it wouldn’t go so well. 

The truth is that the stakes are pretty high when it comes to our ability of perfection or lack thereof.  I’m not talking about apples or bows and arrows; I’m talking about Holiness and Sin.  The standard of abiding with God in heaven is perfect holiness.  The Bible tells us, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  If William Tell had an off day, which I’m sure he had at one time or another when practicing to be a marksman, his son would have died.  When it comes to our spiritual life the same is true, due to an imperfect ability to gain salvation we face the consequence of death, it says in the book of Romans, “For the wages of Sin is death.”  This isn’t good news for us. 

“But Dan, I haven’t missed any marks, I’m a pretty good person” You claim.

To be a pretty good person doesn’t cut it, just like being an alright shot wouldn’t have cut it for Ol’ Willy Tell.  You see, according to the Bible if anyone has broken the Law (also known as the 10 commandments) any law, even if it was once, then you have missed the mark, you’ve sinned, you’re guilty. 

What if I don’t believe in Bible and the Ten Commandments Dan? 

Your belief in the Law doesn’t void it from being the Law just like me not believing in a speed limit doesn’t get me out of a ticket when I’m caught and justice is served. 

Don’t get bummed out though…there is good news!

That verse that I just quoted from Romans has a second part to it. 

It tells us, “The gift of God is eternal life.”  Just like Walter Tell’s dad won his life and freed, so too our heavenly daddy won our life and freedom by sending His only Son to this world to die on the cross and pay the penalty of our sin. 

That’s it…Jesus is a master marksman, being fully God and fully man He was perfect and worthy to cover the consequences of our sin.  When we as sons and daughters of God had the apple of Sin hanging over our heads, Jesus came and split our sin in two, not stretching out His hands for a bow and arrow, but for a few nails.  He shed His blood for our punishment, saving our lives and raising His own life up, becoming the hero of our salvation. 

If you wish to receive this free gift that was paid for you on the cross all you have to do is simply “believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and confess with your mouth that He died on the cross for your sins.” (Romans 10:9-12)

I know when it comes down to a life and death target shot, I wouldn’t trust my life into anyone’s hands that were less than perfect, I’d want the highest standard of perfection deciding my outcome.  Jesus has done that.  He has completed the work saying, “It is finished”.  And for those who have received that free gift have also received their freedom and eternal life. 

Genesis 22:13

As a child I often wondered why God gave a ram as the offering here. 

Wasn’t the sacrifice supposed to be a pure and spotless lamb?  

Upon further study I came to find out that the ram was speaking of the fact that God’s promise to provide Himself a lamb (vs.7) was yet to be fulfilled.  It would be later in history that God would bring forth the Lamb (John 1:29), He Himself would become the provision as He would come into this world as a pure babe, live a spotless life, eventually to climb the very same mount, be bound to the wood of the cross, and be pierced as a sacrifice for our sins.

It never ceases to amaze me how well in advance God sorted out salvation.

Below is a clip of a teaching that Dan gave on 2 Samuel 9 while in McConnelsville, Ohio.  Listen while he shares about Love instead of Hatred, Kindness instead of Anger, and how God makes good on His promises for everyday ordinary people! 

Dan\’s sermon on 2-samuel-9-at-mcconnelsville-ohio, USA

Genesis 22:6

The knife, the fire, and the wood are three things which lead to the Holy offering that God desired.  Here we witness a sneak peek of what was to come just a few thousand years later on the same Mount between another Father and Son story.

On Mount Moriah we see Isaac laden with wood, while Abraham leads him up the mount to be offered as a sacrifice.  He carried fire to consume Isaac entirely, and in the other hand a knife to spill his son’s blood as necessary for a sacrifice.

Fast forward with me a couple millennia, to when the Roman Empire was in power. There on what was once known as Mount Moriah, renamed Calvary, we see another Son shouldering some wood, in fact it was a cross.  He was being led by His Father up the mount to be offered as a sacrifice as well.  He was the pure and spotless lamb who would become the propitiation for mankind’s impending judgment.  The fire in the hand of the Father isn’t a torch, but a fire of judgment and wrath which was poured out on the Son as He willingly received the penalty for our sins.  The knife was now a spear as it drew blood from His side and the Son breathed His last and said, “It is finished!”

That’s it folks, the hereditary sin of mankind is finished only through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Just as Isaac and Abraham were able to celebrate life instead of partaking in death, we too as the recipients of salvation can celebrate life through the blood of Jesus Christ without having to fear death, sin, and hell.  Jesus Christ has paid the price and given us the opportunity to enjoy entrance into heaven as well as this wonderful gift of freedom and relationship with the Father, Almighty God.

As it is with any gift, it’s the recipient’s responsibility to receive it.  So if you find yourself today in a position where you know that you have not yet received the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, what are you waiting for? 

It’s available to anyone, go ahead and enjoy it!

Genesis 22:1-2

The one thing I loved about Biology in High School was the fact that we got to use microscopes.  When placed beneath the lens the things that seemingly were insignificant and small became alive and I was one who received an entirely new understanding. 

This is often how I look at the story of Isaac, seemingly small and less significant than his father or his son, to whom much more time and reference is given to the ins and outs of their lives.  In reality however, as we take a closer look, as through a microscope, we see that what was seemingly insignificant and small is more wonderful than what was percieved at first glance, taking on a whole new life and meaning.  When you take a closer look you’ll see that Isaac is a type of image of Jesus Christ.

When confronted by an angel, Abraham and Sarah were told of their son to come and what they would name him, so too when met by an angel, Joseph and Mary were told of their son and what they would name Him.

Isaac was the son of promise given by a miraculous birth; Jesus was the Son of promise given by miraculous birth.

Isaac was in His early thirties when bound to the altar as a burnt offering, Jesus too was 33 when bound to the cross as a sin offering.

Isaac meekly obeyed the will of his father trusting that he fully knew best, so did Jesus when in “word and deed” He lived out His Father’s will.

The similarities run deep and are so much fun to look at.  When we consider and meditate on the truth that lies in the life of Isaac, we can’t help but see what is to come, the Greater-than-Isaac, Jesus Christ, Who would bring new life and meaning to all that would believe and receive Him.

Genesis 21:9-11

The story of Sarah, Isaac, Hagar, and Ishmael gives us an in depth illustration of the conflict within every man between the flesh and the Spirit, and the Law versus Grace (Galatians 3:19-4:31).  We’re told by Paul in the book of Galatians that Ishmael is a picture of the flesh and Isaac a picture of the Spirit, as well as Hagar a picture of the Law (or Mt.Sinai, where the Law was given) while Sarah is an illustration of the new covenant, also referred to as Jerusalem where Jesus shed his blood and sealed the deal for salvation.

“For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.  But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic.  For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear!  Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor!  For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.”

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.  But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.  Nevertheless what does the Scripture say?  “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.”

Galatians 4:22-31

Abraham was in a hard spot.  On one hand he had the love of his youth, his first wife Sarah, with whom he’d trekked for so long, waiting for the day when the desire of their hearts, Isaac, would arrive.  On the other hand he had this relationship with Hagar that should have never happened, the path that should have never been taken, and the responsibility that he couldn’t put off due to the results of pursuing what he thought was best. 

Sound familiar? 

It’s exactly like us, when we choose to pursue our own desires instead of the way, God (the love of our lives), has called us to walk. 

Now the time arrived for Abraham to choose which will be nurtured and which will be cast off.  Will it be his first love and God given son, or will he choose the path which he tried to establish, the woman which wasn’t his wife, and the son which was birthed from disobedience and disbelief?

The option to raise and nurture both boys wasn’t available.  Enmity was present between Ishmael and Isaac.  That’s the way it is with the flesh and the Spirit.  The fleshy sinful desires will always look to overcome, smother, and destroy the God given spirit-filled promises for your life.  If Abraham didn’t choose, more than likely Ishmael would have killed Isaac, this might seem like speculation, but it wasn’t uncommon that a surrogate son who was old enough to realize all that he had coming to him as heir would do everything within his power to secure his inheritance, even if it meant killing the biological son.  And so it is with the Spirit and the flesh, if we don’t choose which to nurture and which to cast away we’ll see that the flesh will grow, the things that were birthed from our own desires will seek to dictate over the Spiritual things of God, moving ever so slightly into the position to smother, destroy, and dispose of the promises of God for our lives.

This story seems kind of odd and a bit harsh, but in reality it’s a stark contrast to the human condition of sin and sanctification.

When confronted with the failures of the flesh we’re tempted to embrace the Law (Hagar) to control the flesh (Ishmael).  We think, “If I crack down on the flesh, if I show it who the boss is and lay down the law, then I’ll be okay.  A couple practical rules here and there and this will all be under control.” 

The problem with that answer is the control never lasts, you’ll do fine for a day, a week, or even a couple months…but just when you think you’ve gotten things sorted and you let down your guard the flesh rises up and overcomes you.  That’s why the Law can’t bring salvation.  It will always condemn mankind, the Law isn’t bad, it simply shows us for who we are…fleshy and sinful.  Hagar and Ishmael needed to go.

The answer is Grace, God’s promise of salvation through the greater-than-Isaac, Jesus Christ the Son and the deliverance of God’s desired outcome (Sanctification).  We must embrace our Sarah and Isaac if we desire to see life and the best that God has in store for us, otherwise we will be living with conflict, strife, and under the oppression of the Law instead of the Liberty and Love of our Savior.