Josh Benner

Category: Gospel

  • The Church – being part of something bigger than yourself

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    An astounding 16 million soldiers, sailors and Marines served America in the Second World War.

    And while most of our focus on World War II is on the military and combat, within the United States, there was an effort to support the war unlike anything our nation had seen or has seen since.

    With millions going overseas, Americans at home took up new jobs.

    Coming out of the Great Depression, unemployment dried up, reaching an all time low in 1944.

    The war effort affected virtually every facet of American life. Companies shifted their manufacturing efforts to supporting the war and supplying the military. Maytag went from making washing machines to making parts for airplanes. Firestone Tires made artillery shells and aluminum containers for food transport.

    Products like sugar, butter, bacon, and cheese were rationed. As were penicillin and other medicines, along with rubber and certain types of metals. Materials for clothing such as silk and nylon were needed for uniforms. Everything went to supporting a cause that was so much bigger than any one person.

    And everyone’s contributions mattered.

    To help pay for the war, the government sold war bonds. Over 85 million Americans purchased war bonds to help fund the effort. To put that in perspective, that was more than half of the entire United States population at the time.

    An incredible effort.

    The church has a mission 

    As Christians, we too are called to be part of a cause that is far bigger than any of us, but where everyone has a role, where everyone has a job to do, where everyone has a way to serve.

    The mission of God on earth.

    And that mission is to spread the gospel. To make disciples. To build up the church. To love one another.

    It’s not a passive request in scripture, nor is it a good suggestion, but something which God commands from all of his people.

    If you’re a person who has placed faith in Jesus, this applies to you.

    As the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20:

    I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

    You belong to Jesus when you place your faith in him.

    And part of the purpose of the Christian life is one that is lived in service of God for the mission of God in the world.

    You were made to have an impact 

    Do you ever feel like you were made for something great?

    Do you ever feel like you were meant to have an impact?

     You are made for more, you are made to do great things, you are born to have an impact in the world.

    An impact for Jesus.

    We can try to build our own kingdoms, we can try to collect our own toys, we can try to control and manipulate the circumstances in our lives to make us feel secure.

    We can do those things.

    But we were made to serve the mission of Christ in the world.

    And that includes sharing the gospel, making disciples, making Jesus known, growing together as His Church, and serving God.

    As a church, every person in the church is called to use the ways God has gifted and equipped them for the purpose of serving God and building up the church.

    That’s why we’re here.

    Writing to the Church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul said:

    Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 

    Maybe you’ve never really thought about that.

    But all Christians are given Spiritual gifts.

    Doesn’t matter how well you know the Bible.

    It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a Christian. There’s no probationary period before you can God.

    It doesn’t matter how smart you are, or how outgoing you are, or how many people you know.

    It doesn’t matter how talented you think you are.

    If you’re a Christian, God has given you gifts to serve him and build up his church.

    Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have nothing to offer.

    I think that’s the reason why some people don’t serve.

    It’s nonsense.

    Because everyone here has much to offer. Much to contribute.

    It can be easy to see a really talented pastor, a really gifted musician, someone who’s really outgoing, and to feel insecure about what you have to offer.

    But the unsung heroes are the backbone of congregations, people faithfully and humbly serving. Books get written about generals, but the real work is done by soldiers.

    Originally posted May 13, 2019

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  • Cain and Abel. Studying Genesis 4

    Cain and Abel. Studying Genesis 4

    In Genesis 3, we dramatically see the fall of humanity into sin. 

    While death is the ultimate judgment for a sinful world, Adam and Eve do not die immediately. Genesis 4 begins with the continuation of the human race. As Eve has children, it is also a reminder of God’s promise that a child of the woman would crush the head of serpent (Genesis 3:15). 

    Genesis 4:1-2:

    Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 

    We see the first brothers: Cain and Abel. It will become the first of several sibling rivalries in the Book of Genesis. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers. 

    From their introduction in Genesis, we see that the two are different, even down to their occupations. One is a sheep herd, the other is a farmer. It’s not a commentary on one of those jobs being superior to the other. But the brothers are different. 

    In verses 3-5, we see the sacrifice which would spark a bitter and tragic disagreement between the two brothers. 

    3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

    Sacrifice becomes a significant theme throughout the rest of the Bible. 

    Here we see two sacrifices made to God. One is acceptable. One is not. 

    The NIV Study Bible describes sacrifice and says: ​​”Generally speaking, Israelites presented sacrifices for one of three reasons: to praise and thank the Lord, to emphasize their requests to the Lord, and to atone for sin and impurity.”

    To our modern sensibilities, the idea of sacrifices might seem archaic and backwards. Sacrifices point us to the holiness of God and that there are appropriate ways to approach a holy God. Atoning sacrifices point us to the costliness of sin. Sacrifices were an opportunity to trust God’s provision as people would sacrifice things which were costly (God required a person’s best animals), and to make that sacrifice and to trust that God would still provide what was needed. 

    Sacrifices also point us to the ultimate and perfect sacrifice when Jesus gave himself for our sins. 

    The author of Hebrews talks of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice. when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12). 

    Cain and Abel make sacrifices. That raises a lot of questions. Were they told to make sacrifices? If so, that’s never recorded. Did they take it upon themselves to make sacrifices? Had Adam made sacrifices? Where did the idea come from? The Bible doesn’t answer any of these questions. Perhaps it’s part of human nature. We prize and value sacrifices for that which we think is worthy. 

    Cain and Abel both make sacrifices. 

    As has already been mentioned, the Lord accepts Abel’s but not Cain’s sacrifice. 

    But the issue with this passage is not the sacrifices themselves, it’s the heart of Cain. 

    Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.

    Cain and Abel each bring sacrifices which are related to their vocations. Cain the farmer brings some of the fruit of the ground while Abel the sheep herd brings the firstborn of his flock. 

    In later Old Testament laws, God would require the firstfruits of what was produced and the firstborn of teh animals to be sacrificed (cf Exodus 13:2; 23:16). 

    This language will also be applied to Jesus in the New Testament. In the Christ hymn of Colossians 1, Jesus is referred to as the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15). 

    There was a greater heart behind the sacrifice of Abel as he brought God his best. In bringing the fat portions, those were the prized cuts of the animal. 

    As I’ve mentioned, the issue is the heart of Cain, not the sacrifice itself because when the Lord had no regard for Cain’s sacrifice, Cain became better.

    Verses 6:

    6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 

    Just like with Adam and Eve in the garden, God begins with a question. 

    More and more, I appreciate the value of the right question.

    God tells Cain what he must do. 

    Genesis 4:7: 

    If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 

    This is the first time in the Bible that sin is named. It is personified as something that is powerful. On a similar train of thought, Paul would describe the power of sin in Romans 7. 

    Romans 7:15-20:

    15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 

    Instead of dealing with sin, we see Cain against his brother. 

    Cain murders Abel

    Genesis 4:8:

    8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

    Instead of listening to God, Cain has swung hard the other way. 

    In the first sin, humanity ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and now man is killing man. Cain kills his brother. Man has taken the life of another image bearer. 

    Genesis 4:9, The Lord asks Cain: 

    9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 

    Once again, God comes to Cain with a question. Cain is invited to confess but instead attempts to deflect. He acts as though Abel’s whereabouts are not his responsibility. But he’s the one who has taken the life of his brother! 

    Adam fesses up to his sin, but Cain misdirects and misleads in his attempt to cover up his sin. 

    We see no remorse from Cain for his sin. 

    But God knows. 

    Kenneth Matthews notes that Abel’s blood convicts the sinner, but we will see that the blood of Christ redeems the sinner. 

    Genesis 4:10-12:

    And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

    When Adam and Eve sinned, the ground was cursed. When Cain sins, we will see that he himself is cursed because of his sin against his brother. 

    In Genesis 4:13-15, we continue to see the heart of Cain:  13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 

    Cain’s sin brings alienation both from the land, from people, and from the Lord. We see his concern for vulnerability. Ironic considering he’s just murdered his brother! But just because Cain has killed Abel does not mean that anyone can arbitrarily kill Cain.  

    Genealogy

    Genesis 4 ends by introducing what will become another significant theme in the Book of Genesis. The genealogy from Adam, to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and beyond. 

    Cain’s genealogy is first introduced before the passage ends by returning to Adam and Eve and a new son they have. Seth. The line of Adam will continue, but through Seth. 

    25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:25-26). 

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  • Divine providence and the first king of Israel. Studying 1 Samuel 9:15-16

    Divine providence and the first king of Israel. Studying 1 Samuel 9:15-16

    In 1 Samuel 9, Saul is looking for some lost donkeys. What he didn’t know is that Samuel had had a vision the day before that will change Saul’s life. 

    1 Samuel 9:15-16:
    15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” 

    The ESV uses the word prince. Different translations use different words there. Prince. Some translations say leader. Captain. 

    What this word specifically isn’t is “king.” In fact, that word is found nowhere in this passage. Pointing out that God is the true king. 

    The providence of God

    In this passage, we see the providential hand of God. 

    The Lord is going to bring the future king before Samuel. 

    Providence can be a complicated thing. Some could look at all of life as just a random series of events, with nothing being connected.

    In the Bible, we see numerous stories, where God’s guiding hand of providence is leading. We see it in the story of Joseph as the Lord takes a man who was betrayed by his own brothers and uses Joseph to end up saving Israel and saving his brother Judah, from whose line Jesus would come into the world. 

    We see providence in the Book of Ruth when a young women who’s a widow and has nothing moves away from her homeland and goes to Bethlehem. And it is there that a relative of her deceased husband, a man named Boaz marries Ruth and they have a Son who was the grandfather of King David. 

    You have these series of events where the end result would not have happened had one thing been changed. The razor’s edge. 

    We see the providential hand of God working throughout the Old Testament, throughout the history of Israel, throughout the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all the way to David, all the way to Joseph and Mary through whom Jesus came into the world. 

    God providentially working. 

    We see the providence of God throughout Paul’s missionary journeys. Successes but also times of major setbacks. Arrests, beatings, places he couldn’t travel to. But all of it was for a purpose as the work of God was advancing in the world. 

    Those events are not random. The Lord is working in the world. He is working in history. He is working today, and he is working in our own lives. 

    Saul found out his calling while searching for some donkeys.

    For other Biblical figures, Abraham had a divine encounter when near the entrance of a tent. God spoke to Moses in a burning bush when he was tending to his sheep. 

    Another man named Saul, who we know better as the Apostle Paul was hunting down Christians to persecute them and walking on the road to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him. 

    Events so dramatic don’t happen all the time but God is no less at work. 

    The things we do, the people we are, the backgrounds we have, the things that happen, all of it is for a purpose. 

    And we have an opportunity within those things to serve the Lord and to be part of his story. 

    Saul had his chance and ultimately fell into sin. Instead of being an example of grace, he became an example of how far we can fall.

    The Israelites had demanded a king and told that it would go poorly for them. More taxes, loss of land, everyone would be a subject. But they wanted a king nonetheless. 

    Perhaps you wonder why Saul failed if he was the man whom God chose? Because Saul was a fallible man and fallible people will never be the world’s ultimate hope. Even good kings in Israel still had their failings. 

    But a king would come who would be the ultimate savior of Israel and of the world. And Saul points to that, and David will point to that. And all of the kings of Israel will point to that. 

    The main character of this book is not Samuel, it’s not Saul, it’s not David. The main character is God who despite the failures of the kings, remains the ultimate sovereign over Israel who is leading his people and his kingdom. 

    That was true in the days of Saul. And it’s still true today. God is the king. He is soverengly working.

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  • Saul, the first king of Israel. Studying 1 Samuel 9:1-14

    Saul, the first king of Israel. Studying 1 Samuel 9:1-14

    In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites demand a king. They will have to pay more in taxes, more of their men will have to serve in the army and fight in wars. The best of their land will have to be given up for service to the king. Women will have to work in various trades that will serve the kingdom. They will be subjects. In spite of all of that, the people still say they want a king.

    In chapter 9, we’re introduced to Saul, the man who would be the first king of Israel. 

    Humble beginnings 

    1 Samuel 9:1:
    There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 

    As is often the case in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, when a new person is introduced, we see a family line given to introduce the person. 

    The Benjaminites were one of the 12 tribes of Israel. They were the smallest of the tribes numerically. 

    Other noteworthy Benjaminites in the Bible include Esther and the Apostle Paul. 

    The verse also mentions that the family was wealthy. 

    Continuing in verse 2:

    2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. 

    Physical descriptions of people in the Bible are generally pretty rare and when we see them, it’s usually for a reason. We don’t even know what Jesus looked like. But First Samuel mentions that Saul is a tall, handsome man. 

    Saul’s appearance matters to the story. Saul is the only Israelite who’s ever referred to as being tall in the Bible. And the word handsome is found just a handful of times. 

    So now that the general introductory things have been told about Saul, the author gets into the story. 

    The lost donkeys

     3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”

    So Saul might come from a wealthy family, but we’re introduced to him having to engage in a fairly inglorious task of looking for some lost donkeys. 

    Verses 4-5: 

      4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them. 5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”

    Still talking about donkeys. 

    It seems that the author is trying to show us the simple life that Saul was living. He’s going to be a king, but here, he’s just doing what his father sent him to do.

    Agin, he’s just some Benjaminite. The smallest tribe. While his family seems well off, they’re not even the most prominent family within their tribe. 

    Saul has no ambition of being a King. Israel has never even had a king at this point! 

    It’s kind of like how I doubt George Washington grew up with aspirations of being president. 

    Because he grew up in a time when the presidency wasn’t a thing. 

    Saul has no aspiration of being the leader of Israel. So Saul is with one of his servants looking for the donkeys and they have wandered into this small town: Zuph. Still no donkeys. But they’ve been gone for awhile and Saul starts to worry that his father is going to start to worry. 

    But the servant of Saul makes a suggestion. 

    Verse 6:
    6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”

    The servant refers to “a man of God” in that city. The man of God is the Prophet Samuel. 

    Samuel is essentially a leader over Israel. He’s not a king. But he’s known throughout the land. 

     For instance, 1 Samuel 3:20 says:
    20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 

    Back in our passage. So it’s not Saul that has the idea to see Samuel. It’s his servant who has the idea. The servant knows and Saul doesn’t. And this is the future king of Israel! So Saul’s servant suggests Saul seek out Samuel. To find some donkeys. 

    Saul responds. He’s uncertain.

     7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have”

    Culturally, he feels like he needs to have some sort of gift to present before a prophet. 

    His servant happens to have some silver on him in verse 8. And so the two men go in pursuit on Samuel. 

    After a quick note on how they needed to have a gift, we see in verses 11-12, their journey is interrupted by a group of women. 

    Saul and his servant are looking for Samuel. And the women tell Saul and his servant that Samuel has just returned to the city. 

    1 Samuel 9:11-12:
    11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.

    So the women tell Saul and his servant to hurry because Samuel has to perform a sacrifice that day. 

    1 Samuel 9:13:
    13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.”

    So the women are talking about this feast. Unknown to the women, unknown to Saul, but the feast is for him. 

    Verse 14:
    14 So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. 

    And it is there where they will meet the Prophet Samuel and where Saul will receive some news which will change his life and the future history of Israel.

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  • Atonement after The Fall. Studying Genesis 3:21-24

    Atonement after The Fall. Studying Genesis 3:21-24

    The first sacrifice 

    After the fall of Adam and Eve, God had made them new garments from animal skins. 

    Genesis 3:21: 

    ​​21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 

    These are both an act of God’s grace and also a reminder of man’s guilt. Our innocence has been lost because of the fall. 

    This is the Bible’s first sacrifice as God covers Adam and Eve in animal skins. Sacrifices in the Bible point to the final and ultimate sacrifice when Jesus gave his life, and gave up his flesh so that all who believe in him could be forgiven. 

    Exiled from Eden

    In one final act of divine judgment, Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden because of their sin. 

    22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. 

    This penalty is not arbitrary nor is it unfair. 

    The passage has God saying that man has become like one of us. 

    Trinity

    There’s another hint to the Trinity in this verse. 

    Man was told that he’d be like God if he ate of the fruit of the tree. Here God says that man has become like one of us. 

    Who is us? 

    Some might take it similarly to Genesis 1 and suggest God is referring to himself in the plural. This overlooks the theology which develops in the Bible. Man has made himself like the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

    And while Adam is now like them, in a sense, he will not be with them as he is removed from Eden. 

    Eden is the place where the tree of life is. God promised death for eating of the forbidden fruit. And so many  must be expelled from the place where there is the tree of life and be placed outside the garden. 

    Returning to Eden

    The rest of the Bible is the story of man getting back to Eden. 

    In the Bible’s closing chapter, an Edenic heaven is depicted in the new heaven, the new earth and the new Jerusalem. In both places, there is the presence of God where there is flowing water, the tree of life, angelic guards, that faces to the east. 

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