May 9
1 Sam 5:1-7:17 | PS 106:13-31 | Prov 14:32-33 | John 6:1-21
Only God knows the true scorecard. Only He knows the names on the list who get to spend eternity with Him in heaven as opposed to spending eternity without Him in hell. In the days prior to Jesus’ sacrifice one could not approach God except through the mediator, the high priest. Now all can approach God, but only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). He is our only security. He is our only hope. Nothing, I mean nothing else, permits this. There have been very religious people throughout the ages who missed out on the true relationship. They looked like they were heaven bound. They might have been revered by the masses. Pagans worshipped at their pagan altars thinking they were heard. The Jewish people had and still have deeply religious people who do all the right religious rites and practices, but during the days of their Messiah, Jesus, as now they miss their only hope. Sadly, many who would call themselves Christian now also miss the mark. Feeling their good deeds, their pious demeanor, their religious practices past and present will surely earn them heaven. But heaven is not earned. It is a gift. It is grace. Only Jesus has the power to bestow this gift. He is the only gate, the only road, the only Shepherd, the only way.
We read in 1 Samuel 5:4-5, 11, “And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day… So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.” Sadly, they realized the power of God, but missed Him completely, attributing it to the ark. We read of the response of the Israelites when the ark returned in 6:13, “Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.” They wrongly placed their Hope and trust in the ark, to which we see Samuel redirect them in 7:3, “Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
Having addressed the pagans and the Jewish people, we should not miss those that followed Jesus during His earthly ministry, as we read in John 6:15, “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” This seems harmless enough, but Jesus knew all men, this being after the feeding of the 5000, the people cared less about a true relationship and more about the miracles. This day, any reading this who have not yet done so, please don’t delay. Place your full trust, meaning place all of your weight, all of your hopes on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t add to it, for grace and works don’t go together. His offer still stands, no matter what you have done or are doing. Only Him. No other way.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: