Asaph | considering the word

Mt. 27:25: “And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.'”

This is what the people said to Pilate when he washed his hands before them saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person [Jesus]. You see to it.”

Pilate could find no fault in Jesus because there was none. The people took the fault upon themselves, but what struck me this morning was that they not only took the fault upon themselves, but they put it upon their children, as well. Wow! That’s some kind of serious burden and legacy to place upon your own children.

Back in Ps. 78, Asaph writes, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.” (vs. 2-4)

What happened between the time he wrote this and the time that Jesus was standing before the people and Pilate? Well, just because one father decides to tell his kids about the Lord doesn’t mean they all do. We know that. That is why people did not recognize the Messiah when He came. He was standing right in front of them, and instead of worshiping and honoring them, they took their blood upon themselves and their own children, crucifying Him.

We have the same responsibility today that Asaph had all those years ago, and it doesn’t matter if we are a parent or not. Jesus is going to come back one day for His bride. We must not hide the parables and the truth about our loving Savior and Messiah from the generations around us. We need to tell the praises of the Lord. He is worthy! We need to talk about His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. He is mighty!

We can leave a wonderful legacy to the world around us. A legacy of eternal life and reward. There is still time to help those around us recognize the Messiah and give Him honor. Get involved in sharing the gospel one way or another. Don’t let someone meet their Messiah unprepared because you weren’t willing to open your mouth. Let’s follow Asaph’s example and leave the legacy of hope they’ve been granted through grace.

Thank You, Jesus Christ, for our salvation through Your death and resurrection! Thank You for Your grace, mercy, and forgiveness through the cross! We praise You, and You alone, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Amen.

jamie

Pr. 20:7: “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.” (Now that’s a legacy worth leaving!)

You’ve heard that pride comes before the fall. In my reading today I saw more than one example of this. In Ps. 73, Asaph is confessing how he began envying sinners. “Pride served as their necklace,” he said. They were successful, prosperous, glamorous. He was thinking that if they have it so easy and have such abundance, then surely he had cleansed his heart in vain, giving His life over to God.

Then, however, he went into the sanctuary of God and understood their end. God’s Word is true, and those who trust in the lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life are trusting in the world and not in the Father. “This world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17. Surely they will receive their reward.

Likewise, in Pr. 9:13-18 there is a foolish and prideful woman who is so bold in her pride that she sits at the highest place of the city calling out to those who pass, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” Isn’t this just was sin and lust do? They are bold, crying out to us that they are pleasant…just as they did to Asaph.

Asaph questioned if it would just be better to give in, act like the world, turn His back on His suffering for Christ. For every man who gave into the clamorous woman; however, we are told, “he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of hell.” That is the truth of giving in to sin. It may seem pleasant, it may sound delightful, it may even promise wonderful things, but the truth is that it leads to hell.

Asaph, upon realizing this same truth, said, “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.”

Serving and trusting in the Lord means we are submitting our lives to the One about which Asaph said, “You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” We have a great reward awaiting us. Lusts and pride of this world tempts us to give in, but we must remember that its end is death.

“My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Asaph. “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life.” 1 John 2:24-25

Keep trusting in God,

jamie