Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

I’m Jemima L. Yeggs, a.k.a. Stinker.  Pink Lady Apple Yeggs, my landlady and my auntie, wants to read about how younger people, especially couples respond to what the Bible says.  And she wants to know how God is at work at Lily the Pink.

Arabella and Menzie were helping me with my hair, since they thought I was some kind of invalid.  Some of these days, I am going to come out of the restroom with a “Kick Me” sign on my backside.

Easy was back, but B.B., No Joe, Amazon, and Skinny were off chasing storms.  It was the season for storms.  Skinny would do the driving, with some help from No Joe.  B.B. was in charge of the Turtle, as the graduate assistant.  That meant Dr. Ben would be in our little choir, and I would have to lead us in prayer.  Dr. Ellie was playing with Stormie, Misty, and Joan.

When we came in, I was shocked.  Brooke had a smile on her face and was sitting with Carla in the choir area.  And there was a mountain of a man sitting next to Dr. Ben.  I’m thinking that Goober might be able to sing baritone or even bass.

Arabella and Menzie slipped into the seats that had been saved for them.

Arabella giggled, “We’re gonna blow your socks off, Aunt Jemima.”

I led us in prayer.

Emmett led his choir.  The lead was sung by Menzie, Carla and Arabella.  At alto, there was Brooke and Mercedes Lothrop.  At tenor, Samuel, Michael, and Emmett.  And baritone, Dr. Ben.  And Goober sang bass.  The song was All I Have is Christ.

I asked, “Why that hymn?”

Emmett said, “Our greatest gift, and the only gift we can take from this world, is Jesus.  The second verse ends with ‘Now all I know is Grace.’  Of all the other gifts God gives us, that’s the best one.  He gave us Jesus.”

Samuel said, “Aunt Jemima, what attribute of God are we studying this time?”

I had to catch my breath. “As if you did not already know, we are studying God’s Grace.”  Then I turned to Arabella, “Do you need someone to fill in for Mr. Dictionary?”

Arabella giggled and shrunk her head between her shoulders, “You did a good job last week, and for a bit of a miracle, I was actually listening.  You sort of said that Mercy is not giving the punishment we deserve, but Grace was giving us a gift we did not earn or deserve.  And I read something online about it being God’s favor for the unworthy, or something like that.”

I shook my head, she thinks it to be a miracle that she was paying attention!  She is an excellent student, why me as the one she ignores, but then again, she likes to joke around.  I said, “Thank you, Belle.  Now the entire class is up to speed.”

Georges (1 Chronicles 17:16-17) “Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
‘Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.”

Georges asked, “This does not mention grace.  But I need some context.”

I smiled, “Okay, Georges, what precedes this song of praise to God from King David is the prophecy of the prophet Nathan.  Nathan details how God will keep an eternal kingdom through David.  Of course, we know that the kingdom was split because Solomon sinned.  We know the people were sent into exile, but from the bloodline of David, we get both Joseph and Mary.  Joseph from the kingly line.  Mary from Solomon’s brother, Nathan, a different Nathan, not the prophet.  It is the kingdom of the King of kings, Jesus, that Nathan is ultimately referring to.”

Georges smiled, “Okay, with that in mind, this life-long warrior, who still thought of himself as a lowly shepherd, David did not think he deserved such a distinction.  When David thought of himself as king, he made mistakes, like sleeping with Bathsheba and having Uriah killed…  The census was not a smart move either. But when he thought like a king, he messed things up.  When he humbled himself, and looked toward God, he had a heart of repentance, knowing that he was not worthy.  And here he is having his bloodline leading to an eternal kingdom, he did not deserve that.  Thus, this Scripture shows us the essence of Grace, but why didn’t you pick things from the Apostle Paul?”

I smiled, “Have you ever heard the hymn, Amazing Grace?  John Newton, who had been a slave ship captain before he became a Christian minister, gave a sermon on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17.  To emphasize his sermon, he wrote a poem that was put to music.  The poem was sung to a variety of tunes and the tune we now sing wasn’t connected to the Newton poem for nearly a hundred years.  But we now know that poem as the hymn, Amazing Grace.  And as Paul Harvey would say, or so I am told, ‘And now you know … the rest of the story.’”

There were murmurs in the class.

I said, “And now, to keep Georges happy…”

Dr. Ben (Zechariah 12:10) “’And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

Dr. Ben took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.  He said, “Wow!  You faked me out when you hinted we were going into Paul’s letters, but this is a great Messianic prophecy.  Zechariah says that God will pour out His Spirit on the people, a spirit of grace and supplication.  Thus, it says that His people will accept Jesus and the Holy Spirit will fill them with the Grace that God promises.  And their primary supplications will be repentance and forgiveness of their sins.  But then it says that the house of David pierced the One.  Zechariah is saying that when Jesus came the first time, He will be pierced.  Then, when they realize that they had done what they did, they will mourn as if mourning for an only child.  I will have to admit, Stinker, you have covered a couple of heavy prophecies on us this morning.”

I sighed, “Okay, now for the Pauline Letters.”

Arabella (Romans 11:2-6) “God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”

Belle giggled, “That last verse defines Grace!  If we earned it, grace is no longer grace.”

I laughed, “Just wanted to see if you are still listening.”

Belle shrunk her head between her shoulders and giggled.  I was thinking about calling Flintheart High School to warn them that Fireball was coming.  They definitely should not expect a repeat of Emmett, her older brother.  Emmett is soft spoken.  Belle is the only extrovert in the family.

Carla asked, “But these verses speak of God reserving people by his Grace.  That means that God had his hand on me before I accepted Him as my Savior?”

I nodded, “God was looking out for you, Carla, when you were knitted in your mother’s womb.  His Grace extends that far and beyond.”

Carla said, “When I was doing naughty things and saying bad words and stuff…  Why did He put up with me?”

I smiled, “Someday, you and Brenton might have a child that does those things.  Will you still love them?  Will you give them a hug and say that you know what it feels like?  You were once there yourself.  But then you can say that God loved me in such times, and He is watching over you.  He loves you that much.”

Brenton (2 Corinthians 8:7-9) “But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

Brenton huffed, “I am new to this Christian thing.  Carla and I are studying the Bible together, but these verses confuse me.”

I smiled, “That’s why I had you read them.  There is a lot in these verses.  While God’s salvation comes by Grace, not by works, God’s love fills us to the point that it overflows.  So, one of the primary tests that God gives us, is for us to put our money where our mouth is, our time where our mouth is.  So, it is not a part of salvation, but if you fail the test of becoming generous or remaining a miser, do you really have God’s love in your heart?  You live in the rich part of town.  Have you heard anyone say, ‘If I gave to that charity, then they have my money, and I do not have it anymore.’?”

Brenton shrugged, “I’ve heard my father say that.”

I smiled, “Brenton, Paul is telling the Corinthians, and then expanded to us, that a first test of faith is to have a heart of giving.  In essence, God gives us Grace so that we can show grace to those in need.”

Brenton nodded, “So, it is a proof of our love for others to show that love by giving our money and our time.  Then I look at Thomas and Catherine over there.  They have no money, but they give everything they have to the homeless in Tracy.”

Thomas said, “That’s Homeless AT Tracy.  That makes the charity FHAT, Feeding the Homeless At Tracy.  Most of those people are not FIT, and I have no idea what a FOT is.  And since school is out, are you volunteering?”

Brenton shrugged, “I practice most days when I am not playing in a golf tournament, but I do not practice all day.  Maybe I can drag Carla along.”

Carla huffed, “What you talking about dragging?  It’d be me dragging you!”

I laughed, “Moving on!”

Darrell (Galatians 1:6-8) “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”

Darrell asked, “Somehow the Galatians got off track.  What is that all about?”

I smiled, “Paul commented in several of his letters about the heresy of the Judaizers.  There were Jews going from one church to another. Claiming that the men had to be circumcised or they would not be saved.  In Acts, it talks about how Peter and the elders put that to bed.  Circumcision was not required, but these Jews went against the ruling of the elders to cause trouble, mostly because they did not want Gentiles to be among the believers.  But Paul vehemently opposed circumcision, even though he was a Jew and circumcised.  The reason for it is the next Scripture.”

I said, “I’ll read it. (Ephesians 2:1-10) “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I said, “The by grace we are saved through faith and even that is a gift from God, but then it says not by works or we could boast.  God does it all.  We do nothing.  So, if you add circumcision to the salvation, you add something that man does.  Salvation has to be God doing it all.  But why are we saved?  We are saved to do good works.  We are saved to bring others to Christ.  And, Fireball, if you add works to grace, what do you have?”  She looked at me confused.  “You read the verse.  Are you still listening?”

Arabella giggled, “If you add works to grace, I have no idea what you have, but it is definitely not grace.  Is that a good enough answer?”

I winked, “Just checking.”

Lauren came from behind Menzie and patted her on the knee, “Mommie!  The buses!”

I smiled, “As we have been doing, let’s end with the Mizpah benediction.  Everyone, bow your heads in prayer.  “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.’” (Genesis 31:49b)

Carla came over to assure me that she and Brenton were not having a fight.  She just was letting Brenton know that he had a lot more free time than he thought he had.

And even though I had Easy with me this week, Carla picked up Stormie’s carrier and went with us to the bus.

Credits

I am now starting to use the David E. Fessenden study guides for The Attributes of God, A Journey into the Father’s Heart by A.W. Tozer, in two volumes. Again, no quotations, just some Scriptures that keep the flow going.

And here is All I Have is Christ sung by Hymns of Grace (singers: Hannah Park, Deb Victa, and Philip Webb).

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.