anakephalaiosasthai

Double Commands in Mark's Gospel

2012-01-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

Six times in Mark’s Gospel, there are double commands: do this and this. I would like to organize these in a chiastic structure, folding the first in relation to the last, the second with the fifth, and the third with the fourth.

A 1:15 - Repent and believe the Gospel

B 1:25 - Be quiet and come out of him

C 2:9 - Get up, pick up your pallet, and walk

C’ 10:21 - Go and sell, and come, follow me

B’ 11:23 - Be taken up and cast into the sea

A’ 14:38 - Watch and pray

Let’s start from the middle and work out. As you can see, these are not merely double commands, but triple. They are both instances of Jesus speaking to individuals in the midst of conflict. In the first conflict, there is outside resistance to Jesus' authority to say, “Your sins are forgiven.” So instead, he says, “Get up!” In either case, it is obvious that Jesus is able to reach into this person’s life and make a directional different. On the other hand, in C’, Jesus’ words to the rich, young ruler expose an internal conflict that remains unresolved since he is unwilling/unable to deny himself in obedience to Jesus’ command(s).

Our B and B’ references highlight a larger, supernatural conflict. Jesus opposes an evil force in 1:25, and wins. Jesus instructs his disciples in 11:23 that they have access to a power through faith that is more than natural. This theme of beyond-human-ability power is key in Jesus’ ministry, and in the early church. One wonders what has happened to it.

Finally, our A and A’ references are evangelistic and discipleship instructions. If “repent and believe” are essential instructions for the lost, then “watch and pray” are just as essential for the conduct of the saved. In both cases, an epochal change is occurring, and the wise hearer will respond to both commands. Christians who adopt a lifestyle which is not characterized by “watch and pray” behaviors are just simply not preparing themselves for the inevitable conflicts that they will face as followers of Christ in this world (cf the C and C’ references), and will not avail themselves of the power needed for spiritual ministry (as illustrated in the B and B’ references).

2012-01-13T12:32:00.001-05:00

depending on where our heart is, every wilderness can be a garden; every garden a wilderness

Don’t Waste the Wilderness

2012-01-13T10:56:00.003-05:00

We live with the benefits of a great civilization. We enjoy tremendous blessings from national stability and military security; from an economic system that, though damaged, still works; and from technologies that, along with stupefying distractions, bring amazing remedies and conveniences. And we know that all this could change.

“Wilderness” is a big theme in the Bible. Wilderness is the sphere into which the organization and comforts of civilization have not taken hold. The Biblical wilderness is no cultivated and patrolled preserve into which you venture with your best friend along with unused and untested REI gear. No, the wilderness is a testing ground, a place that will bring you to your knees. It is the place over which the curse of God hangs, and in which, if you are to survive, will need to discover something of the mercies of God.

In personal terms, you may be experiencing some aspects of wilderness life. To gain your attention or to accomplish some improvement, God may be resting a heavy hand upon your life. He, in a moment, can remove prosperity and pleasure, health and success. He can instantly bring us to our knees, and make us completely and immediately dependent upon him. All the securities in the world cannot protect us, nor can new technologies deliver us. God scatters us to wilderness experiences so that He can gather us to Himself.

Looking way, way back, Israel must have remembered those years of “wilderness wanderings” as the best of times. No, they were not without their tests and hardships. There were many failures of faith. But the desperate need for God was so real, they could taste it. And I wonder if Jesus, reviewing his earthly ministry, did not look back with fondness on those 40 days in the wilderness. There was the gnawing privation from fasting, and the spiritual battle with that Tempter, Satan. And yet there was the clear and steady reliance on the Word of God in the context of undistracted communion with God. Afterward, there would be the constant press of people, of the business of ministry. The wilderness provided deadly peril, but also genuine blessing.

Don’t waste the wilderness experience into which God may be thrusting you.

"Little is Much," by Downhere

2012-01-11T09:07:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite songs:

What is the measure of a life well lived
If all I can offer seems too small to give
This is a song for the weaker, the poorer
And so-called failures

Little is much when God's in it
And no one can fathom the plans He holds
Little is much when God's in it
He changes the world with the seeds we sow
Little is much, little is much

Who feels tired and under-qualified
Who feels deserted, and hung out to dry
This is a song for the broken, the beat-up
And so-called losers

Consider a Kingdom in the smallest seed
Consider that giants fall to stones and slings
Consider a child in a manger
Consider the story isn't over
What can be done with what you still have

2012-01-05T18:08:00.001-05:00

Excited about starting a series on the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus is presented as the One and Only Hero that we need. This week: Jesus' Front Man, John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8)

The Progression of Faith to Boldness

2011-12-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

Calvin has been a rich read for me during 2011. I’m spending December reading through Calvin’s commentary on Ephesians, and I found a helpful nugget in the middle of his treatment of chapter 3, commenting on verse 12. “Faith produces confidence, which again, in its turn, produces boldness.”

Calvin’s comments force our attention to the problem of a non-growing, non-progressing faith. It is a faith that is moribund and stagnant. Calvin says that “an empty and confused knowledge of Christ must not be mistaken for Faith.” True faith will not allow us to sit still. It drives us forward.

“There are three stages in our progress:"

"First, we believe the promises of God;"

"next, by relying on them, we obtain that confidence which is accompanied by holiness and peace of mind;"
"and, last of all, comes boldness, which enables us to banish fear, and to come with firmness and steadiness into the presence of God.”

We have spent time recently at the close of 2 Peter with the mini-series entitled, “Living in the Light of Promise.” We must know, and then meditate upon, and believe the promises. But God’s Word must also be obeyed. We are not relying on the promises (stage 2) if we are living in disobedience and unholiness. There is no peace, or confidence, for the person living in sin. The life of obedience will result in the fruit of boldness.

We do not live in a bold age when it comes to faith. Yes, men are bold about their accomplishments or agendas, but not, in general, about their faith. The defect must come in lack of progression. We are failing to focus on the promises. Our lives are riddled with sin and shame. When confidence is shaken, boldness is impossible.

Let us repent, and come back to Christ. Let us embrace the Promise that is Jesus, and leave our sins behind. Let us lean on him and learn from him, and walk with him, and step forward in boldness to share the greatness of God and beauty of Christ.

Tebow, and the Sanhedrin

2011-11-29T20:26:00.000-05:00

In the early days of Christianity, it was the disciples of Jesus who carried the torch for Jesus after his ascension. They stood and preached in the biggest arena of Jerusalem, the Temple, and they could not have been clearer about their devotion to Jesus.

Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Denver Broncos, has recently taken flak from several quarters for his outspoken testimony in favor of Jesus. Jake Plummer wishes that he would tone it down. Now, Kurt Warner, a former NFL quarterback and former outspoken witness for Jesus, has advised, "let your actions do your speaking."

I can't help but see the parallel between, on the one hand, Tebow and his quarterback advisers; and on the other hand, the disciples/apostles Peter and John before the Sanhedrin. In Acts 4:17, the Council, in their political wisdom, decided "to warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name." You've got to love the boys' answer: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19–20 NAS95)

Later, recorded in Acts 5, Peter and John are actually jailed for not following the party line. They are miraculously released from jail by an angel, go back to speaking out about Jesus, and then are once again dragged before the media. They complain, "You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching." Peter answers them, and he talks about, ... Jesus. This is how the chapter ends: “after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” (Acts 5:40–42 NAS95)

Here are a few notes for Tim Tebow, and others who would speak publicly of Jesus:

1. you are following in the steps of the apostles. They opened their mouths and spoke of Jesus. They did not merely let their actions do their talking.

2. your words will not ever be met with universal acclaim - and sometimes there may be no one in your favor at all. People's negative reaction to the testimony of Jesus is not the test of its truth or its worth and value.

3. you will probably be met with as much discouragement as encouragement from other Christians.

4. it's likely to get harder. But for followers of Jesus, we have assurance that ultimately, it will get much, much better.

What to Watch Out For (2 Peter 2:10-19)

2011-10-21T08:20:00.000-04:00

False teachers do not always come from afar. They can be home-grown products who catch a whiff of something "better" and run with it. In our passage, a pastiche of verbal splashes of color, they are pictured as being sure of themselves. Better to have teachers who are not so sure of themselves, but sure of God and His Word.

They push an experience of faith that appeals more to the senses than to the mind. We don't deny that the emotions play a role in our worship. And we admit that we are reserved in our emotional expressions. But we believe that the mind should lead the emotions, not the other way around. Worship that appeals to the senses may provide a dash of inspiration, but it is the teaching and training of the mind that will provide long-term direction and discipline for the disciple. Again, this is not intended as any kind of defense of cold and dead religion.

Another characteristic is that these teachers are more taken with greed than with godliness. They are feathering their earthly nests, whether materially, or with popularity and power. They are looking out for themselves. They do not fit the pattern of shepherds who give themselves for the sake of the sheep.

They despise authority. This isn't just old leaders and ways of doing things. They despise spiritual authority. Their new notions and bright ideas are born of the flesh, and they aren't listening to the Spirit who has been speaking through God's Word in Christ's church for a long, long time.

Applications:

We must be trained to discern between flesh and Spirit in our lives and in our church. We need to know the difference.
We must value the practice of humility, and resist the attraction to self-promotion, whether in ourselves, or in others.
We must love the truth, and practice the truth. We must allow the truth to be a flame in our hearts that fires our emotions in all the appropriate ways, whether breaking our hearts or exploding with joy.

Jesus' Death

2011-08-31T13:28:00.001-04:00

Imagine this conversation between two Galileans days after Jesus death:

"Did you hear, Jesus died."

'No, that's too bad. Was he ill?'

"No, no. He didn't just expire. He was killed."

'How terrible! Was it an accident? Did he drown, or did he fall?'

"No, he wasn't killed accidentally. He was killed on purpose."

'You can't be serious! Was it those Romans?'

"Well, yes, .. and no. It actually started with the Jewish leaders. Worse yet, it even involved one his own disciples."

'But how was he killed? Was he assassinated? Was it a riot? How were the Romans involved?'

"The Jewish high priest brought charges against him before Pilate, and he eventually handed him over to be crucified.

'Crucified! Then he wasn't just killed. He was executed.'

"Well, yes, except he was executed voluntarily."

'No one is executed voluntarily. That's why they use soldiers.'

"Ah, but Jesus knew and accepted this death as his life mission. He died for you and me."

'Oh, so his life wasn't taken from him. He gave his life for us.'

"Yes, that's right."

More than Meets the Eye

2011-08-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

A little girl goes to the pottery studio to fashion a bowl for her mother. She forms it with her little hands, and then paints it with childish artistry. After it is fired, she brings it home, wraps it, and presents it as a gift to her mother.

What is the mother to make of this crooked dish, a little bit gaudy and quite a bit ugly? You can be sure that the mother will have a far different view than a brother.

First, she sees not so much the bowl, but the girl. This is her little girl. The mother gave birth to this child. She taught her most of what she knows. The daughter's eye for shapes and colors are gifts that came largely from and through her. One might think that this is a moment to be critical of a dish. Rather, it is a moment rich with appreciation for a daughter.

Second, the mother evaluates the dish not so much for its utility, but for its token or symbolic value. "This is a gift from my daughter. I will keep it so long as I live." Other bowls fill the cupboards. They are used, cracked, and discarded. This bowl will have a far different life, put in a special spot to be handled with care whenever the mother feels the need of a smile.

Third, Mom can say, "it is beautiful" without lying. The beauty of the bowl consists not in its form or function. The beauty consists in that it is a gift, freely and gladly given to a mother, not because she needed it, but because the little girl wanted to respond in a relationship that was initiated and founded, not by the daughter, but by the mother. The gift shows that this is indeed, a real relationship.

And so, when you and I offer our acts of devotion or service to our God, His eye rests not so much on our works, but on us, His children. We are his children solely by virtue of His grace, and He is gladdened by our clumsy participation in a relationship which He Himself has formed.

In Search of a Singular Subject

2011-08-01T15:19:00.000-04:00

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8, NASB)

This is a tough verse. I just don't get the way it is translated. Let's start with the verb, here shown as "render." Nowhere else in the NT it is translated this way. Elsewhere it is translated "appoint" (Lk 12:14), or "put in charge" (Lk 12:42), or, in the case of Jas 3:6; 4:4, it has the sense of "function in this capacity."

So, in the case of 2 Peter 1:8, "these things" (qualities is an interpretive addition) have been appointed. But "these things" is plural, and the verb is singular. It seems that "these things" actually should function, not as the subject of the verb, but as the direct object. "He" appoints these things for you. And who is "He"? It would be our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (1:1) or our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (1:11) that begins and ends this section. He has personally and authoritatively designed and ordered that a fully-supplied faith would have a powerful effect in our lives. It is not unusual to have an un-named subject. It is rather foolish to have an un-known subject. I think that subject is Jesus. Let's give him some credit.

Next, there is no "if" in the text. He appoints these things (the seven qualities in vv. 5-7) for you, to have a powerful and fruitful effect in your lives, with the result that you will have a deep and rich relationship (true knowledge) with him. This is not an "if" or "maybe" verse. It is not hypothetical or mere potential. It is a clear statement that serves as a powerful promise. Christian, this Person will grow on you. Work your faith; use it; develop it. It is a wonderful gift from above. And it will strengthen that heavenly relationship that you have with our risen and ascended Savior.

And, consider making a couple of pencil notes in the margin of your Bible alongside 2 Peter 1:8.

I Was Born with No Brothers

2011-07-15T12:49:00.005-04:00

I've joked several times about the hardship of being born the only boy with three sisters. I never had a brother. But this is not true on a couple of levels.

In my years in fellowship the family at Milford Baptist, I've normally driven cars with quite a few miles on them. There was the Cavalier station wagon that Jane and I bought new, but we made it all the way to 200,000. There was the Trooper that I got cheap after it had been in an accident, and it's younger brother a few years later. Now there's a Jeep with electrical (or, demon) problems. And with all these cars, and more, I found some brothers.

I was rear-ended a few years ago while driving the Cavalier. Matt Kulig towed me (in the dead of night) from St. Johns to Swartz Creek where we used a garage to take my good engine from my bad body and place it in another body that Matt's father (whom I scarcely knew) gave me. Dean Buddingh helped with that project, and these two brothers blessed me with their expertise and many more miles. I could never have worked this out or done this job myself.

The Trooper was 4-wheel drive, so when the clutch had to be replaced, it involved a bit more work, more than I knew. This operation took place in Scott Bower's garage, and Scott provided a lot of expertise, and Bill Grissom a lot of work, in helping me replace the slave cylinder (didn't know I had one) and the clutch.

I loved that red Trooper, except for the failing fuel pump. Ray Prieur lay on the ground with me to drop the gas tank and replace the pump, and then fix it again, and again. He was great, as was Scott, at teaching me to do things and not just doing them for me.

Al Lund loaned me his garage as Ben Busick and I spent a lot of hours taking an engine out of the "newer" Trooper and putting it back together again. Ben was willing to work with me, in spite of his aversion to "strange" vehicles (not Ford) with metric bolts.

We have had a space of time with newer used cars. But as the cars get older, things start to go wrong. At the moment, Ray Robbins is now trying to troubleshoot me through Jeep windows that won't work. It makes for awkward moments when at a toll booth or at the drive-thru window. I deeply appreciate the brotherly kindness shown by all these guys, and others besides

Oh, and Jesus also foundationally and fundamentally came to my aid, not to help me with my cars, but to redeem my life from the pit and give me a new life.

So I guess I have some brothers after all.

What If We Just Did What It Says?

2011-06-16T10:50:00.000-04:00

When things are complicated, they are almost always confusing. Priorities become mere nagging urgencies. Mission becomes a collection of programs. Busyness crowds out reflection. Details take over prayer time. Deadlines erase God-given lifelines.

I would like to suggest that Isaiah 12:3,4 serves as an identity statement and a mission statement for God's rescued people. There have been hard, chastening times (chs 7-10), but God's comfort has returned (12:1). In this flush of relief, salvation and favor, there is a promise (the identity statement), and then instructions (the mission statement).

The promise reads: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (12:3). This phrase embodies my main illustrations for the NT phrase, "out of the faith of Jesus Christ" (e.g., Galatians 3:22, "so that the promise flowing out of the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe."). Rather than seeking to draw the water-for-the-day from the well of the works of the Law, perpetually refreshing life is freely available from the well of faith in the faithful Christ. So long as we seek to gain favor with God by drawing water from the well of the Law, we can enjoy neither joy nor life, just pulling and straining and sweating and lugging that dead weight time and time again. But the divine and perfect Jesus brings a fountain of living waters to us. He is my "well of salvation." "With joy you will draw water" from Christ.

So the promise directs us to Jesus. It is all about knowing him, trusting him, following him. There really is nothing else. This should be neither complicated nor confusing.

So if you know Jesus, what do you do with others who know Jesus (the local church)? There are four phrases in Isaiah 12:4

Give thanks to the Lord
Call upon his name
make known his deeds among the peoples
proclaim that his name is exalted

Each of these implies some kind of verbalization (though "make known" can be done through deeds). Numbers 2 and 4 point to the Lord's (number 1) name, while number 3 refers to his deeds.

Numbers 1 and 2 are things that believers do together. Number 3 is our service and witness. Number 4 is announcing or heralding the greatness of God that must take place in assemblies, in homes, and in the marketplace.

So what if we just did what it says? First, live the promise. Be your identity. Live life with Jesus as the fountain of life. Defer to him; depend on him.

Then, with other believers, obey and fulfill the mission. Spend time giving thanks (1) for the dramatic reversal of God's rescue in our lives. And pray (2). Confess sins; seek God's will and ways; pray for fresh expressions of the life of God in our lives and in the lives of others. Pray for mighty manifestations of His presence and power.

Next, make known his deeds (3) among the nations. The assembly of believers needs to learn together and from each other how to demonstrate the character of God in daily life, in front of neighbors and associates. Our commitments to truth and mercy and forgiveness must reflect God's truth, mercy and forgiveness.

But don't stop there. Our Scripture instruction includes "proclaim that his name is exalted." Boldly state your reason for living, and that for which you would die. Talk about someone instead of yourself, someone more interesting than your kids, and someone more worthy than your lastest purchase or vacation. He should be preached "in" church, and "as" church. This will begin to make sense as we obey the other instructions, and will make little sense if we neglect them.

The Book of Isaiah is called "the gospel of the Old Testament." This verse could be a version of "the Great Commission" of the Old Testament. Or maybe it is just a brief instruction to believers, directing them to just do what it says.

Baptism, and Boldness

2011-06-09T16:43:00.002-04:00

I know that for centuries the church has been divided over baptism battles. As a Baptist, I understand baptism to be the ordinance by which the believer expresses outwardly that which has been worked by the Spirit inwardly. The testimony powerfully pictures both identification with Christ in his crucifixion, burial and resurrection, and also the cleansing associated with forgiveness of sins. Believers' baptism, then, signals to the gathered church that this person is to be accepted as a brother/sister in Christ.

Baptism is a testimony to the Spirit's work. And yet, there are baptized unbelievers. The testimony can be false. So also with the testimony of boldness, though in different cases.

It seems that an evidence of an apostle's authenticity was in his willingness to boldly proclaim the gospel (Acts 9:27,28; 1 Thessalonians 2:2). An apostle's speech was critical to the fulfillment of his role, and the willingness to boldly speak for Christ in the face of dangerous and deadly opposition was an indication that he was fully committed to the cause of Christ, that he was truly Christ's apostle. Yes, there can be bold-speaking charlatans. But few will risk the damage if their soul is not wrapped up in Christ.

So, I've been baptized, but am I a bold proclaimer of the Gospel (not just in the safety of the church service, but in the mixed-up marketplace)? What if authenticity as a Christian were not just evidenced by baptism, but by boldness? Would you or I have convincing testimony that we are truly living under the claim of Christ?

Some would argue that, since the apostolic function has ceased with the completing of the New Testament, ordinary believers should not be challenged to follow the apostolic example. I am a cessationist, I suppose (though I'm not sure the categories will fit forever), but I don't believe that refraining from tongues and healings allows us to ignore all of Paul's example.

I believe that one's testimony of bold proclamation should match his/her testimony of baptism's profession.

Not a Superficial Faith (2 Peter 1:5,6)

2011-06-08T16:10:00.000-04:00

Our faith is to be supplied with knowledge (2 Peter 1:5,6). That is, our faith is pinned at the corners with truthful insights whose implications are being worked out in our lives. A failure to do so leaves us dangerously close to the "fool" of Proverbs - ones who have truth available to them, but who choose to ignore it.

Paul helps us with this subject of an informed faith when he writes 1 Corinthians - to believers who should know better. Several times through the letter he says, "Don't you know?" And they did, but they didn't. They know the words on the page, but the integration into decisions and behaviors had not penetrated. The following three "don't you know's" are illustrations of paper-truths that need to be made heart-truths.

"Don't you know that you (plural) are the temple of the living God?" (1 Cor 3:16). There are probably many applications, but here are two. First, the church, and the local church, is not first of all a human operation, but a divine operation. It is God's plan, God's initiative, God's transformation, God's instruction. As you look through the context of 1 Corinthians 3, notice how many times it says "God's," "God's," "God's." It is not ours. So the search for the perfect pastor/elder/deacon/drummer is not the highest priority. There ought to be a search committee looking for the leading of God's Spirit. And I'm sure that in many churches, there are people banding together to do just that. The church is not primarily about winsome personalities and compelling programs. It is people moved by the Spirit of God for the sake of Christ doing the things that Christians do - praying, serving, sharing Christ.

A second application is that we must stop trashing the church, even (or especially) the local church. Yes, it is indeed a group of bumbling people who would have a hard time finding their way across a bridge. But these idiots (lovingly so called) are God's idiots. And they probably know that they don't "get it" in large degree. I've marked Agur's statement in my Bible: "Surely I am more stupid than any man," (Proverbs 30:2). But still God loves us. He loves His church. We should talk about the church like God does, not failing to tell the truth, but to do so with love and affection.

"Don't you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). While food may not be a big deal, how you treat your body is a big deal, and sexual relationships are a big deal. Let me be quick. If you are single, you should not act as though you were married. No sexual activity. If you are married, you should not act as though you weren't. Be a couple. I should have been this brief when I preached this.

"Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?" (1 Corinthians 9:24). I don't think Paul's point is that he wants to beat out all other Christians. I think he is making the point that he is "all in" in this race, and that we should be as well. There is no such thing as "casual Christianity." To be a believer in Christ means to be a follower of Christ. It means to walk with/by the Spirit. It means to be adopted into a new family, engaged in a new covenant, and being part of a rigorous, sanctifying process that fits us for a new creation. Paul is a competitive Christian. He wants to win. He wants the team to win. He doesn't like it when a team member is distracted and misses an opportunity and let's the team down. Let's get involved.

Scripture is full of truth - many truths, that need to penetrate deep in our lives so that our actions and reactions are transformed. Peter wants your faith to be shaped by a penetrating, transforming knowledge. It will take the rest of your life. There is no time to waste.

Christian Virtue: Letting Paul Explain Peter

2011-05-27T17:25:00.000-04:00

2 Peter 1:5 says that our faith is to be supplied with virtue. We must not have a faith that makes a good profession, but then is betrayed by bad character or bad behavior. A good faith must be clothed with goodness of heart and life.

Paul's letter to the Philippian believers provides instruction on this subject of virtue. Most helpful is the constellation of seven characteristics in Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

The 6th characteristic, "excellence," translates the same Greek word for "virtue in 2 Peter 1:5. The closest companion-term to "excellence" in the list is "worthy of praise." Our professed faith is to be accompanied by a praise-worthy life. Yes, we are all sinners, and we disappoint in so many ways. But Peter would have us exercise diligence in cultivating a life that has this kind of fruit, and not leave our faith fallow, as though it were a bare field.

But aside from this key parallel text that helps us understand the idea of "virtue" in 2 Peter 1:5, there are other references in Philippians that help out as well. A hint of this is provided in the opening verses, where Paul reminds us that God has begun a "good" work in us (1:6). He has planted the seed of Christian virtue in our new lives. That seed must grow, and we are to encourage its growth. Now let's look at some material from each of the first 3 chapters.

Paul prays for the believers in Philippians 1:9-11. The shape of virtue that is sought in this prayer is a discerning love that grows in excellence (different word from 2 Peter 1:5, though similar concept) and is marked by sincerity and blamelessness, not for the sake of this world, but for the sake of the Lord. We hope for and work toward a righteous fruit. There are major aspects of this process for which have little responsibility or capability. There are certain things that only God can do. But we are to develop a taste and sharpen an appreciation, not for base or crude things, but for the kinds of things with which God is pleased, and for the kinds of things that will be fitting on the last day and in the light of God's glory. Paul is praying for a kind of virtue that shines brightest in heaven's light, whether or not it wins much of the world's acclaim.

Humility is a key element in Christian virtue in Philippians 2 (verse 3 and surrounding context). While self-concept and self-confidence are key components in this world's definition of virtue, humility is just as necessary for heaven's definition. Paul uses a most strong support for humility by appealing to the incarnation/passion of Christ, in which he humbled himself. Perfect Christian virtue is found in Christ. Christ was humble. It cannot be missing from the expression of our faith. A proud Christian has a virtue problem.

Finally, I want to emphasize that Christian virtue is different from common virtue. Common character qualities are admirable and desirable. But, outside of Christ, there is often a quest to do good or to be good enough in order to offset the bad that we are or do. This is not Christian. The Gospel (Good News) is that sinners (all of us) may receive and benefit from salvation by faith - not in ourselves, but by faith in Christ, the only truly Faithful One and Righteous One. So the final aspect of virtue in Philippians that I would have you consider is Paul's aspiration in 3:7-11 - knowing Jesus in such a way that we are identified with him; identified with him in such a way that his death and resurrection are actually integrated into our lives. We are bound up with him. His death kills sin and death in us. His life births new, spiritual life in us. All things are from Christ, and for Christ. I am not virtuous because of my virtues. He is my virtue.

Let Those Refuse to Sing...

2011-03-14T14:28:00.000-04:00

The story of the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is one of the Bible's best (Daniel 3). Three young men, exiled far from home, are commanded at the sound of the music to bow to the Babylonian gods. Refusal to do so would result in their death.

In a limited sense, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian empire, had every right to make this demand. He was, after all, the king of the realm. All subjects owed their obedience to him. In this limited view, we understand that what is good for the king is good for the subjects of the king.

Of course, we realize that Nebuchadnezzar was never an ultimate king. He was local, and temporary. Nonetheless, the predicament of the three young men is gripping. Their refusal to bow down is noted, reported, and warned. They are mercifully given a second chance. Their response is inspiring: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Now we come to Christian worship in the local church. God, the Sovereign King, is gathering His people to praise His holy name. And, it is reported that there are some who refuse to sing. They may reply that they do not sing because of lack of voice, or unfamiliarity with the song, or a preference for some other instrument or style. Maybe you are just not in the mood. But these things matter little when God's people is gathered and given opportunity and obligation to render praise to their God.

We are not God's police force. We are glad that you are present. But we are gathered to worship God. The most important person in the room is not you, but God, present by His Spirit. The most important pleasure in the room is not yours, but God's. He is pleased when His people praise.

Isaac Watts, the English hymn writer, wrote the line that is used in the title: "Let those refuse to sing, who never knew our God." If you know Him, sing. If you wish to praise Him, sing. If you want to know Him, sing!"

Chiastic Structure for Haggai 1:12-15

2011-01-24T14:34:00.000-05:00

I wasn't able to show this during the sermon, but (if the indents will show in the post) it might be easier to see how the center of the passage is "I am with you;" how "showed reverence" aligns and interprets "stirred up the spirit;" and how "obeyed" plays itself out in "came and worked."

A. 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of

Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him.

B. And the people showed reverence for the LORD.

C. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke by the commission of the LORD to the people saying, “‘I am with you,’ declares the LORD.”

B' 14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people;

A' and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts,

their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.

New Life Like Fresh Water

2010-12-23T09:57:00.000-05:00

Followers of Christ are baptized into a new community and a new humanity. We still have relationships with many people who are not a part of the new community, and we have many points of contact with the old humanity, so much so it seems we have one foot in the grave. But Christ is Head of the Church, the Firstborn of the New Creation, the Image of the Invisible God where Adam failed. So in being united to Christ, we are part of a new community, the Church, and our identity and destiny is linked to a new humanity that labors not under the sentence of death but rather serves with the promise of eternal life. These thoughts are introduced in Romans 5, and the implications are worked out in Romans 6-8.

There is a neat illustration of this reality in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 47. The picture is of a deepening stream that flows from God's new temple. It is fresh water, and as it flows as a River toward the Sea, this fresh water reaches the salt waters of the sea and makes them fresh. There are at least two points to consider:

First, how deep are we into Christ, the new Temple? Positionally, you are either all-in or not at all. If you are in Christ, you are in Christ. But experientially and submission-ally, are you ankle-deep? Are you merely wading in Christ, or are you all-in?

Second, let me tell you my paint story. A customer met with Jane and they carefully chose just the right color, but then before I could get it on the wall, the customer changed his mind. I went to the paint store to see if they could lighten it, but the paint man said that to lighten it instead of just "gray" it up, you would need to add about half a gallon of white. Now think of the Sea: how much fresh water must enter from a stream into the sea to turn salt water to fresh? It seems there could never be enough. In fact, just a little salt water can spoil a great quantity of fresh water. But this is where the Romans 5 principle is so penetrating: "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." No matter the overwhelming tide of salt water, the freshness of Christ over-whelms salt, and sin.

So, as believers in Christ, we are members of a new community that seems in constant danger of being contaminated by worldliness, and of a new humanity that still makes regular visits to the funeral home. But our fears and senses cannot be allowed to tell us what is true. Rather, Christ is true, and He is the fountain of fresh water that can utterly transform the brine and sin of our world and our selves.

This is a promise with which we can live.

Peace on Earth

2010-12-17T17:40:00.000-05:00

We hear the Christmas refrain, "Peace on earth, and goodwill to men." In the coming of Jesus, there is the promise of Peace, of Shalom, of unity and harmony. And yet we know that Jesus was misunderstood and rejected. He was killed on the cross. And so we ask, "where is the peace?"

We understand that these present conflicts will be followed by eternal peace. Jesus has set the table for future peace by dealing a death blow to the devil, sin, and death. Though fatally injured, they are not yet dead, and so we feel the effects of this unholy trinity, and perhaps more fiercely, as the bull in the ring is more dangerous when injured.

So where do we find peace today? "We have peace with God though our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). Peace is found among Christians, expressed in "same mind,. same love,. same spirit,. same purpose" as they "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:2,5 paraphrased).

The irony is that Christian peace and harmony are hard-fought prizes. To gain peace, Jesus died. To share peace, Christians seek to tell of Christ to those who may not want to hear. To maintain or re-gain peace, believers "speak the truth in love," employing honesty and humility to un-cover and root out buried lusts and lies that interrupt Christian fellowship.

Peace and harmony, heavenly realities, can quickly become twisted to describe earthly travesties. We do not have peace when we do not speak the truth, and we have no harmony when there is not the flow and expression of love. Absence of conflict can just as well be a "cold war" as peace. Failure to confront can be an expression of "I don't care."

There will always be a host of antagonisms and frustrations on earth. There will be none in heaven. In the communities of believers, heaven's outposts on earth, let there be "peace on earth, and goodwill to men."

Give Glory to God!

2010-12-11T20:20:00.000-05:00

Who could argue? Sounds like a good thing. Except when the Pharisees say it to the man blind from birth who now sees (John 9:24), they are saying anything but. Why do I say that? It's all in the echo.

The Gospel according to John is one of sixty-six Bible books that makes up one Book, the Bible. Though written over several centuries by many authors, this one Book is self-interpreting. The only reason for this is because behind and above all human authors is a single Author who is also the Architect of history who directs and discloses according to a single Divine plan.

And so, when we hear a "Give glory to God" echo, we stop and think how one passage reflects on another.

Many centuries ago, Joshua led the people of Israel out of the wilderness into the Promised Land. Moses was left behind; Joshua was the new, prepared and appointed leader. They crossed the Jordan River and marched around the walled city of Jericho. God knocked down those walls, and the Israelites were there to pick up the pieces, every one to be devoted to God. They then hurried up the road to Ai, an un-walled city that looked like easy pickings. They were defeated. In the midst of their wailing, God revealed that their defeat was due to disobedience. Someone had stolen plunder from the Jericho loot. Lots were cast, a tribe was indicated, then a clan, then a family, and there stood Achan.

As Joshua confronts this man, he opens his interrogation with these words: ““My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”” (Joshua 7:19 NAS95) Joshua (the Old Testament name that is rendered as "Jesus" in the New Testament) is assigned to confront the sinner.

But the echo doesn't quite fit, does it? In the Old Testament, God's man confronts the sinner. But in our New Testament passage, it is not the New Testament Joshua who confronts the one regarded as sinner. Rather, he heals him. On the other hand, the Pharisees confront the man with the gloriously changed life, commanding him to glorify God by accusing the God-man of wrong-doing. The Pharisees are seeking to distort the blind man's vision of the God-man who gave him his sight. They are seeking to pit a sinner against his Savior. They are saying "Give glory to God," even as they set themselves against God's Beloved, and as they attempt to make use of the only man within reach who is just now enjoying a wondrous foretaste of God's glory in the forms of restored sight and changed life. At the end of the story, Jesus like Joshua confronts the Pharisees, who now look now seem to fit quite nicely into Achan's shoes. They were seeking to steal what only belongs to God.

The Pharisee-in-me distorts the echo of the purpose and plan of God. Yes, sin must be identified. But God's purpose is to save sinners, and His plan points to Christ. Any activity that aims to keep sinners separated from their Savior must be rejected. Those who would recover a heart of worship would do well to learn from the now-seeing-man, who accepts rejection by men in favor of acceptance by the Son of Man.

Bright Eyes

2010-12-01T12:57:00.004-05:00

“And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me." (Psalm 38:10 NAS95)
I would like to think that my mind rules over my moods. But personal experience argues against this. Our minds are often clouded by the crush of emotions which are reactions to experiences, and there is a mental and spiritual "dimming of the eyes." The psalmist describes this condition. We understand.
Let's be clear. This condition does not imply that the sun has stopped shining or that God has abdicated His throne or that His promises have failed. Rather, there is in us an obstruction that shields us from that light, or a resistance that pushes it away. There is something in our hearts that does not want the light to shine, that does not want the truth to re-form, that does not want the heavenly vision to reign.
Sin will bring about a dimming of the eyes. Suffering can lower one's gaze, so that we see only ourselves. Disappointment and failure can lead us to focus on what is wrong with us, and it can lead to an unwillingness to look up, to look forward. We find ourselves bereft of courage and imagination. Again, let's be clear. My sins are mine. I lower my gaze out of self-consciousness, consumed with my situation. I can really enjoy a little self-pity. This is me. This is my heart. We may indeed be victims, but we are most definitely sinners.
And sinners need to be reminded again and again of the Gospel which refreshes and renews, and which paints a picture of a heavenly future toward which we journey as saints who trust in a God who makes good promises. Yes, suffering and disappointment and rejection and pain are all facts of life. But the Gospel and a heavenly vision brighten my eyes.
Let's give Isaiah 30 a chance to help us with a dash of heavenly hope and vision. The people are off on a wrong foot once again. They are seeking help in all the wrong places. They are looking for someone to trust, someone on whom they can depend. But they don't look up. They veer sideways. In spite of this, God offers a word of hope. Yes, there will be trouble. Good times will be postponed. But God's hope comes shining through, nonetheless.
“The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted.” (Isaiah 30:25–26 NAS95)
There are so many other themes in this section of hope, but notice the light! Every color shines brighter, every detail clearer. What was murky has now become plain, and what was confusing is now obvious. We see the truth about ourselves, and we are cleansed of our deception. We see the truth about God, and He is glorious.
And then we add in some of the other elements noted in Isaiah 30: "weep no longer;" "your Teacher will no longer hide himself;" "He will give you rain;" "rich and plenteous;" "streams running with water;" "songs in the night; gladness of heart." A new day is dawning. It will be bright.
"Lord, give me bright eyes, that is, eyes to see Your brightness."

Re-Framing the Picture

2010-11-23T14:01:00.000-05:00

How we view life will determine how we evaluate our pleasures and our troubles. If the frame is narrow, eliminating all but ourselves or what is close at hand, then every pleasure will be a "got-to-have" and every trouble will be monumental. But if we allow Scripture to help us in re-framing the picture, then God's presence in our view of life will dramatically change our perspective. We won't live because of our pleasures, or die because of our troubles.

Romans 5:1-5 helps us with re-framing the picture. "Having been God-justified through faith (of) Christ, we have peace with God." The text goes on to say that, not only do we have peace, but we also have access to God, and then, that we have reason to rejoice.

We are aware of our immediate troubles, those closest to home. But few of us deeply grasp the seriousness of our trouble with God, a trouble that began long before we were born, and a trouble that will pursue us past death all the way to judgment day. By re-framing the picture to include God and our trouble with God that has now been solved and replaced with peace, our more immediate troubles shrink in perspective. If God has solved this huge problem, then He surely can help me through these other struggles.

We often face disappoint or rejection. Husbands and wives experience the cold shoulder. Parents of teens experience the sullen stare. Employees experience being overlooked and under-appreciated. But (re-frame the picture) God's door is always open. We have access to the throne-room. The King of the Universe is always listening, and He always cares. If I am rejected by every human person I know, I will never be rejected by God, and that makes human rejection bearable.

There are as many different joys as there are persons, it seems. "To each his own," so they say. But many of these pleasures are short-lived, and the fallout is less than pleasurable. God gives us reason to rejoice that looks forward to a world that does not yet exist, and that focuses on a Person that is not me. "We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." And we believe, based on God's promise, that our highest satisfaction will be found in His glory. Moreover, we rejoice in life's troubles, realizing that God is so great and gracious that He can make stinky situations result in sweetness for our souls. And then, we rejoice that God loves us no matter what with a love that is deeper and richer than any other love that we have ever known.

So since the picture has been re-framed, we are not free to draw back to our narrow snapshots of our worlds that are only big enough for our own mug shot. I am not free to view my troubles as the end of the world. I am not free to do illegitimate or immoral things because some person has rejected me. I am not free to be consumed by temporary pleasures, or whine and complain about temporary problems, or to go looking for love in all the wrong places. I can't, because of a view of the world in which God is big and great and gracious, and He changes the way I see things.

Sighing, Throbbing, Failing (Ps 38:9b,10a)

2010-11-20T17:32:00.000-05:00

Sighing is the ouch of a pinched soul. It wants to breathe and expand as a spiritual lung. But there is constriction, whether within, or without. It can be caused by sin and guilt. It can be caused by sadness and sorrow. It can be caused by an obscuring of hope and by present difficulties. It is the soul's effort to relax and rest, but it can't.

Faith rests. It rests in Jesus. It rests in the promises of God and the comfort of the Spirit. A pinched soul is struggling with these things. It has not necessarily abandoned these things. But such things as pain and doubt are running a serious interference.

Romans 8:23 reads: “And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” The pinched soul wants resolution. But it has to wait. Things are not as they should be. So in this mean-time, this cruel time, we wait.

One more thought on this word, addressed to "leaders." Hebrews 13:17 says that leaders of the local body of believers are to do their duty "with joy and not with grief (or sighing). They are instructed not to allow their souls to narrow due to pains and doubts. They must not lose their rest, their trust, their comfort. How could they lead?

A throbbing heart is a heart not-at-home. It is on the road; on the run. A throbbing heart is a hunted heart. It is a hiding heart. Powlison says that some are tempted to "tower," that is, to act as though they are bigger than they are. Others are tempted to "cower," to go into hiding in an attempt to disappear. Both are wrong. Better to have a big God, and to rest safely under His wings, growing and fulfilling service and responsibility under His care.

Jeremiah 14:18 has an interesting rendition of this trading term - "gone roving." The priest and the prophet are either casting about, looking for something to do, or for somewhere to hide. They seem to have lost their vocation. They are unsettled.

The heart's vocation is to center on God, whether you call it waiting or exulting or loving or listening. The vocation of the believer is to believe. Jesus says in John 14:1, "Don't let your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." But the pinched soul is accompanied by a throbbing heart that is more aware of its troubles than its God or her Savior.

Failing strength is the human condition. We are finite, and we fatigue. Except for one thing: our strength is to be in the Lord. Flesh is short-lived, but the Spirit is an inexhaustible and inextinguishable fire. This poor sinner of sighing soul and throbbing heart and flagging strength desperately needs the buoyancy of the Spirit. And He is there; right here, ready to lift and restore. Confess your sins. Bow in the dust, and let Him bear you up, and breathe heavenly air into your soul and supply firmness and solidity to your heart and an impossible strength to your mind and will.

The psalmist is at the cusp of something great. No, not in the next couple of verses, but before long, the light will shine through, and something surprising will happen. Do not give in to the darkness. Do not abandon hope. Take a breath, drop to your knees, and let your requests be made known to God. This is the beginning of rest; this is your home and your strength.

Responsibility

2010-11-18T13:18:00.002-05:00

Responsibility

It is completely appropriate to ask why we do the things that we do. Why do I so often respond with anger? Am I following an influential person's example? Maybe. Am I reacting against some kind of offense or injury? That may be. Is it because I want to be God, to be the center of my world, and therefore I expect all persons and things to bend their will to mine? Ouch.

You see, asking why is not wrong, so long as my explanation does not explain away my own responsibility. If a parent or teacher was a bad example, shame on them. But I am still responsible for my own angry outbursts or sullen attitudes.

Now let's think carefully. There is a distinction between scope of responsibility and depth of responsibility. And we make mistakes with both. I am not responsible for the behavior of bad examples. I am responsible for whether or not I follow those examples. I cannot take responsibility for the actions of others. I must take responsibility for my own actions. That is the scope of responsibility - I am responsible for me, and will be held responsible for me.

That brings us to depth of responsibility. To whom are we responsible? Ultimately, the answer is God, and we have a regular tendency to understate our responsibility to Him. He is our Creator and Redeemer. We owe Him gratefulness and service. We owe Him worship and obedience. Every failure to do so with each element of our being is a breakdown of our responsibility. And we will be held accountable.

This is why the previous article on God-justification is so important. The scope of my responsibility for all of my actions and attitudes is heavy, and all my past failures give me no indication that I will be blameless in the future. But then add in the depth of our responsibility to God, and we find that we have no hope except that God justifies the ungodly.

God-Justified, or still Self-Justifying

2010-11-18T13:14:00.000-05:00

Romans 5:1 says, "having been justified by faith, we have peace with God". There are at least a couple of huge things to note:

1. this justification is a past event for the believer, not an ongoing process. It is done, and we now enjoy the benefits;

2. it is clear that the justifying is not done by us, but rather done for us. Self-justifying would be an ongoing process which would continually endanger "peace with God."

Therefore, efforts at self-justification are out of line. They are not productive, but rather destructive. They may feel good at the moment, but they do not result in "peace with God." They may get us out of trouble with offended parties for a brief time (though not usually), but self-justifications do not work with God. The Puritan, Henry Smith, says that "a sin is two sins when it is defended."

Self-justification takes several forms. It can range from "it wasn't me" to "it wasn't my fault." We often give long lists of extenuating circumstances that explain or excuse our "bad" behavior, as though that makes it somehow less bad. It often involves rationalizing and blaming others. It is a regular refusal to take responsibility for our own sins and failures.
Self-justification is abandoned as we confess our sins, and as we admit that we are sinners. God justifies the ungodly. That's me.
Self-justification is abandoned as we understand the fallen world in which we live and of which we are a part and even a product (Romans 1).
Self-justification is abandoned when we realize that even our religious and moral selves have inconsistencies and hypocrisies, let alone when we go a.w.o.l. and plunge into sin and filth (Romans 2).
Self-justification is abandoned when we listen to ourselves talk, and realize that our words and attitudes are only a reflection of what is going on in our hearts (Romans 3).
Self-justification is abandoned when we realize that our biggest task is not merely developing a skill to get out of trouble, but rather trusting God to do what we cannot do ourselves, justify sinners through the sin-bearing of Jesus on the cross (cf Rom 5:9).

God does not excuse sinners, he justifies them. And so we must not engage in strategies and schemes to excuse ourselves, but rather receive His justification by faith. There really is no excuse for us. But there is peace with God for us.

Does God Speak for No Reason?

2010-11-11T22:15:00.002-05:00

God is the Creator of heaven and earth. This God is the God of the Bible, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only God who matters, because He is the only God who is real, the only God who is. “I Am Who I Am,” He informed Moses.

That means that we owe everything to this God. He lends us life and breath. We are accountable to Him in every dimension. We owe Him gratefulness and glory.

Therefore, when God speaks, all creation should jump. His creation should respond to His voice, and His image-bearers, men and women, are especially designed and obligated to respond, not only by instinct, but with heart and mind and soul and strength, ways in which cows and cats are incapable of responding.

In Amos 3, today’s OT reading, God’s says, “shouldn’t my chosen people be responsive?” The question is rhetorical. The answer is obviously “yes.” But the rhetoric is not finished.

If we are in a partnership (covenant), should not the partners be expected to partner?

If a lion is king of the jungle, do not the inhabitants of the jungle shudder when he roars? And if God is the king of the universe, should we not do likewise?

If you are bright and clever enough to catch a bird, do you think God will have any trouble catching you?

If the fire alarm goes off, do you assume that it goes off for no reason? And do you suppose that if God gives a warning to the world and a warning to His people, that these are meaningless warnings that can simply be tuned out or turned off?

Does God speak for no reason? No. He speaks that His children would hear and respond appropriately. This is not a game.

My Desire

2010-10-20T18:02:00.003-04:00

A fitting title for Psalm 38 is "Psalmist Under Seige." He is surrounded by enemies, and he is beset with his sins.

The psalmist spends a good share of his time describing his condition. It's not pretty, but it is good for us to know. Now what we must believe both internally and effectually is that the same pain that has come upon him will surely come upon us whenever we succumb to the pressures and temptations, whenever we walk the wayward path, whenever we choose to honor sinful flesh instead of holy God.

In earlier posts, I have commented on previous verses. It has been over a month, and I've held off writing on Psalm 38:9, because I find the statement to be so profound, so humbling, and so true.

“Lord, all my desire is before You;” (Psalms 38:9 NAS95)

I would guess that few are so glib as to read this little phrase and think, "Yes, Lord, you know how much I desire all that You desire." It is true that we do have high and holy desires. And God knows all about them. He knows our stated desires; our praise-song professions that we desire Him more than silver or gold. But God also knows about all the other desires as well. He knows not just our professed desires, but our practiced desires; not just our desires in theory, but our desires in practice; not just our intended desires, but also all the things to which we resort in times of weakness and willfulness and fatigue and frustration. "Lord, all my desire is before You."

Our desires are what we want. We do what we desire. I do not desire one thing, and want another, nor do I do things that I don't desire. Romans 7 indicates that we have layers of desire, and I'm not sure if we most often do our deepest desires, or the ones that are closest to the surface. Nonetheless, we still do what we want, what we desire at one level or another. And God knows every one of them.

As I was thinking and preparing to write about this phrase, it was tough to avoid a strong theme with regard to desire. It is not all about my desire. It is much more about God's desire. My problem and yours is not so much that our desires are wrong, but that we don't desire what God desires. That is what makes our wayward desires wrong. Our desires trump God's desires. I'll share just two examples.

“Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house; Then the King will desire your beauty. Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.” (Psalms 45:10–11 NAS95)

This is a royal psalm describing the glories of the King and the privilege of those who serve Him. To apply this verse in New Covenant format, Jesus treasures His church. He loves His bride. He desires sweet fellowship with His disciples. And so, the tragedy is when the church/bride/disciple(s) spurn Jesus' desire so that they might pursue their own interests.

“For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it." (Psalms 132:13–14 NAS95)

God the Father has focused His desire on a place that is all about a Person. Zion does not have an address so much as it has an identity or fulfillment in God Incarnate. God loves and desires the revealing of Himself in His Son. There is nothing more important or valuable than that, for it is in this way that God is glorified.

The Psalmist Under Seige, as well as the struggling pilgrim, find true peace and rest when Jesus becomes the well from which our desires are drawn. We will experience assurance and confidence when we turn away from broken cisterns in favor of living water. God has given us Jesus, and so, in the end, not only are all of our distressing desires known to God, but we find that the one True Desire is before Him as well.

Heavenly Hug

2010-10-06T13:16:00.000-04:00

We watched the recent movie Temple Grandin last Sunday night with our young adult group (I'm not sure why they put up with us, but they do). It is the life story of a girl with autism who fights and grows through the struggles of her condition and ends up making significant contributions in the her fields of interest.

One interesting feature of learning to cope with her condition was her "squeeze machine." She was averse to human touch, even from her mother, but evidently still had the need/desire for some kind of hug. One day, watching the herding of cattle, she saw how an animal was calmed by being confined in a pen that contricted movement, that hugged the cow. Later, in a moment of agitation, she ran to that place in the pen, and begged to be constricted in the same way. She found that it helped.

Temple later constructed her own "squeeze machine" which she used on a regular basis to provide comfort and security. What others enjoyed by way of human touch, she found and enjoyed an alternative.

I have been thinking about Jesus as our "squeeze machine." Colossians 3:3 says, "your life is hidden with Christ in God." Sure, human touch is a blessing. But frankly, human hugs are unavailable to many people much of the time. Are they just out of luck? The natural man's response is then to come up with some alternative, and some of those alternatives turn out to be perverse and destructive.

But fellowship with Jesus is sufficient and satisfying. Listen to this description: "if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion .." (Philippians 2:1). That's pretty good comfort and security. And how about one more: "and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete" (1 John 1:3,4). That would be a heavenly hug.

No Excuses

2010-10-05T16:12:00.002-04:00

God met with Moses from out of the burning bush to assign him an important but difficult mission. Moses had been tending sheep in the wilderness for years. I'm sure there were some difficulties that accompany that kind of work. But God's mission would now push Moses beyond the realm of the uncomfortable to the land of the impossible. And Moses was not sure that he was ready.

Following God is like that. Most of us can figure out how to manage life "on the farm," so to speak. It's when we realize that God wants us to live beyond our chores and love beyond our families that it begins to get difficult. And so, like Moses, we begin to make excuses.

Excuse #1 - Who Am I?

“But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”” (Exodus 3:11 NAS95). This sounds humble at first. "I'm not worthy." "There are others who would be better choices." But once we get past the humble-jumble, we have to realize that God knew to whom He was talking. He had rescued Moses' life from its basket beginning. He had placed Moses for a time in Pharoah's household. He had watched over Moses during those years with the sheep. He knew Moses inside and out. He knows Moses better than Moses knows Moses. And He knows you as well.

It's a little impolite to criticize the tools when they are God's tools, made and designed by God. We are certainly invited to talk to God about our sins, our worries, our fears. But don't tell God that you can't do what He is asking you to do. If He is asking you to be His instrument, He'll provide the strength and the wisdom to get the job done.

Excuse #2 - Who Are You?

“Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”” (Exodus 3:13 NAS95). How is Moses supposed to explain Someone who is unlike anything else in the world to slaves in Egypt? It is as though he is saying, "God, I know who you are. But those people in Egypt don't. How will they follow me if they don't know You?" The truth is, none of us would know God if God hadn't revealed Himself to us. And if God doesn't reveal Himself to someone, then we can't make it happen, no matter what names or words we use.

God had revealed Himself and something about Himself to Moses out of the non-extinguishing bush. An apt image for "I Am Who I Am," God's existence owes nothing to anyone or anything else, and He borrows resources for continuing existence from no one and nothing. He simply is. He is independent, unlike us. And He is perfectly able to make Himself known as He sees fit. The ignorance and unbelief of people around us are no excuse for avoiding God's mission.

Excuse #3 - How Will I Convince Them?

“Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?” (Exodus 4:1 NAS95). Moses is saying, "I don't have the resources I need to do this impossible job." God says, "What is that in your hand?" (v.2). A staff. Just a stinkin' staff, the symbol of Moses exile and boredom for all these years in the wilderness. And God can transform it into a fearsome serpent that Moses can once again handle. "Now put your hand into your bosom." (v.6). And Moses sees God introduce and remove plague right in his own body. And further, Moses was instructed to take some water from the Nile in Egypt and pour it on dry ground, and it would be turned to blood. God was able to actually transform properties and natural laws.

Again, it was not up to Moses to do the convincing. God would do that. Moses was just to obey. There is no debate that the obedience was going to be tough. It would be uncomfortable and seemingly impossible. But the results would be totally up to God. So no excuses.

Excuse #4 - I Regard My Past as Determinative for My Future

“Then Moses said to the LORD, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”” (Exodus 4:10 NAS95). We only know what we've experienced. For many of us, that has been a string of disappointments. We haven't measured up to our own expectations, let alone God's. But while my imagination might be bound by my history, God's plans and purposes are not. The miracle of redemption and forgiveness is that we are set free from our pasts, and God is doing something new in us and through us.

Moses and I should learn from our past experiences. But faith would lead us to obey God and to do His will no matter what. God's mission would lead us beyond ourselves, no excuses.

Grand Praise

2010-10-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

“Let sinners be consumed from the earth And let the wicked be no more.” (Psalms 104:35 NAS95)

Our grand piano at church has a bad string. I believe its the "A" below middle "C." It's amazing how many times that key gets played. One string affects the whole instrument. The piano tuner says that we need to either deaden that string, or replace it.

God's creation is God's piano. The whole instrument is designed to offer a pleasing praise to Him. Each element of the instrument must contribute to that praise. This is that for which the instrument was created. All of creation belongs to God and to Him alone.

Psalm 104 is an amazing exploration into the interplay between God and His creation. He provides and protects. The creation shudders and shivers at His attention. He is both absolute Master of this creation, and He is thoughtful concerning it, and shows amazing goodness toward it.

So at the close of this psalm, when the psalmist says "Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more," he is saying what the piano tuner said of our piano. The offending string needs to be deadened, or replaced. And so will be the elements of creation that refuse to sing praise to God.

Redeeming Samson

2010-09-28T16:46:00.000-04:00

After studying Judges 13-16, one might conclude that a character like Samson is beyond redemption. He does not observe his vows. He repeatedly exposes both his heart and his countrymen to the enemy. He is ruled by his passions, and he thinks mainly of himself. Even his prayers betray a self-centeredness.

And yet, here are some points that I call, "Redeeming Samson:"

1. It seems that Judges 14-15 recite events at the beginning of Samson's 20-year "reign," and that the events of chapter 16 relate events at the end of that 20-year period. We don't know how Samson worshipped or behaved during the intervening period.

If only the two worst moments of the past 20 years of your life were known, what would people think of you? While it is true that Samson may have been always willful and sinful, perhaps we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

2. God had a larger purpose. In Judges 13, God told Samson's mother that Samson would begin to deliver the people from the Philistines. As we read further, we find that it is left to a greater king, David, to finally deliver Israel from this threat. But it may be that God was delaying the Philistine advance through Samson until such a time that this nation could unite and defend against this enemy.

Samson was God's chosen instrument. Maybe he wasn't the best of instruments. But we had better be careful about discounting what God has chosen to use.

3. Samson shows up in the "Hall of Faith," Hebrews 11. He shows up next to Gideon, Barak, and Jephthah, all of whom had less than perfect faith. But it seems that all, including Samson, learned at some point that they must trust Someone other than themselves, and they did so.

4. When in trouble, Samson prayed. Do you? No, his prayers were not perfect. But he prayed. It was the right thing to do.

In the end, we can speak of "Redeeming Samson," not because of anything good in Samson, but because of everything good in God. God justifies the ungodly. Jesus saves sinners. And so, Samson qualifies. He is not beyond redemption.

We often say that Jesus saves us from sin and from Satan. But Samson needed to be saved from himself. In a sense, he was his own worst enemy. Perhaps you and I can relate. And I am glad that Jesus saves sinners from themselves.

Pragmatism and Postmodernism in the Church (excerpted from Strachan and Sweeney, and Guiness)

2010-09-28T13:54:00.000-04:00

With the rise of the financial market and the cultural abandonment of various tenets of a Christian worldview, many of our evangelical churches have shifted from a richly biblical and theological perspective to one driven by pragmatic concerns. Congregations often do not make this shift to spite doctrine; instead, they do it because they think it will bring health and growth. Though they may mean well, a concern for numbers over a concern for personal faith makes it easy for nominalism to creep into the church. When churches concentrate so much on bringing people in, they can lose sight of building people up. That kind of atmosphere can make it easy for people to adopt a half-hearted faith, a Christianity that may be no Christianity at all.

Cultural critic Os Guinness has written persuasively about the pragmatic mindset in the church. He notes that: “The concern, ‘Will it work?’ has long over-shadowed ‘Is it true?’ Theology has given way to technique. Know-whom has faded before know-how. Serving God has subtly been deformed into servicing the self. At its worst, the result is a shift from faith to the ‘faith in faith’ which – along with faith in religion – is a perniciously distinctive American heresy. But even at tis best, pragmatism results in an evangelicalism rich in ingenuity and organization but poor in spirituality and superficial, if not banal, in doctrine. We have become the worldliest Christians in America.” Strachan and Sweeney, in Jonathan Edwards on True Christianity, pp 37-38, quoting Os Guiness, Fit Bodies, Fat Minds: Why Evangelicals Don’t Think and What to Do About It, p. 59

Samson's Revenge (Judges 14-15)

2010-09-21T20:32:00.000-04:00

Hey, Samson, you look exhausted. Why are you so tired?

You would be tired too if you had just killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. But, hee, hee, I made donkeys of them.

That is an amazing feat. But Samson, what drove you to do such a thing?

It was clearly self-preservation. An army of Philistines approached three thousand of my own countrymen and persuaded them to hand me over. They would have killed me.

But Samson, it is an unusual thing for an army to pursue just one man. What made you so "wanted" in their eyes.

I was hiding from them because I had accomplished a great slaughter of their men down in Timnah.

Samson, so much killing! Why did you kill those men?

For good reason! They had burned down the house of my father-in-law with him and my wife inside. They deserved what they received.

Perhaps they did. But why would they burn down that house.

I suppose it was because of the fires set by the foxes tails tied together with torches, 300 hundred in all. What a success! It burned their standing grain and their shocks of grain and their olive groves and their vineyards.

And probably not a few foxes as well. I must say that was a clever and cruel deed. Why did you go to all that trouble.

I wanted to show them that they couldn't treat me lightly. My father-in-law gave my wife away as wife of one of my friends.

Well why would he do such a thing, in light of the family agreement and community celebration and all?

Maybe it was because I left angry and in haste after I had killed thirty men and stolen their garments. I guess he thought that I hated her.

Why were you so angry?

Well, it's a long story, but I lost a bet. I was sure it was a no-lose situation. They could never have figured out the riddle that I proposed. But they threatened my wife with burning if she did not draw the secret out of me. And finally, I gave in.

So Samson, these two chapters of revenge and retaliation all started with a riddle, with a bet?

They deserved it.

So how's that working out for you?

Everything's fine. I think my troubles are over.

(Read Judges 16)

Current State

2010-09-13T21:42:00.002-04:00

“I am benumbed and badly crushed; I groan because of the agitation of my heart.” (Psalms 38:8 NAS95)

They say that in order to move to a desired state, we need to face the reality of today. What is my current state? The Psalmist says, "Uhh, ..."

The truth is, most of the time, you and I don't know our current state, especially when it comes to our desires and our motivations and attitudes and moods. We don't know ourselves very well. Our best moments can turn sour in a moment, and our depressions can sometimes reveal themselves in a sweet dependence on God. What is bad can be good, and what seems good can turn out pretty bad.

In Psalm 38:8, the psalmist uses three words that are bad, or good. The first two key words are passive. Then the psalmist groans because of a third condition, described by "agitation." So we will take them in order. "Benumbed" sounds bad to me. And yet this is the word that describes Jacob when he discovers that Joseph is alive after all those years (Genesis 45:26). He was "stunned." He was in shock, and his system did not know how to respond. But is that bad, or good? Maybe at times not knowing how to respond is a better response. "Badly crushed" sounds really bad. And yet in Psalm 51:17, the word is translated "contrite," describing a repentant heart. And that would be good. It seems that this psalmist is at the end of himself because of his sin. It is a most miserable condition. And it is exactly where he (we) need(s) to be.

These two passive verbs are translated somewhat differently in the LXX, and we find them used together, in the passive, in Genesis 15:13: "God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.'" Our words are "enslaved" and "oppressed." That's got to be bad. And yet God's people were exactly where they needed to be in preparation for the coming redemption/deliverance. (The LXX translators chose the common Greek word for "humbled" to render "oppressed.")

"Agitation" may result from things good or bad. One can be agitated in anticipation, or agitated out of regret. Sure, we would like to be at rest, all relaxed. But both students before the test, one prepared, the other unprepared, may both feel a sense of agitation.

All of this is to say that when we are benumbed and badly crushed and groaning due to agitation, we still may not be able to say a lot about our current state ... other than this: God is still on the throne, and He is at work in the world and in our lives; His sovereign purposes are able to salvage sinners like you and me, and He is even able to use our mess-ups for good; All of life is His laboratory, and though we at times feel like lab rats, He will wisely administer His goodness. This is our current state. Not bad.

Congregational Concern and Cooperation

2010-09-10T11:22:00.003-04:00

The Church of Jesus Christ is called by Paul "the body of Christ." Christ does not have many bodies, only one, but nonetheless, local congregations take on a "body" quality as they strive to recognize the "head"ship of Christ, and as they seek to acknowledge and utilize the giftedness of her people/parts to function joyfully and fruitfully.

There are various forms of church government out there. We are congregational. We understand that those who have believed in Jesus Christ have received the Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit who has been given to be a guiding force in our lives to help us live under the Lordship of Christ. Because we have the Spirit, the people of the church are qualified to lead the church together. Episcopal (bishop) forms of government expect that the bishop is especially equipped to lead. Presbyterian (elder) forms of government expect that the elders are especially equipped to lead. All groups understand that there can be un-spiritual bishops or elders or congregation members. But our understanding of Biblical teaching and theology requires that we strive for a Spirit-led congregation who will then, out of concern and in cooperation, lead.

I suppose that a congregation that does not congregate is a little bit like a student who does not study. But there is more to it than simply getting together. Something should take place as we gather - shared concern and willing cooperation. This is our privilege, and this is our responsibility.

A new form of church government has appeared recently. I'm not sure what it will be called, but it borrows heavily from corporate and executive practices in business. Local churches become franchises, and corporate control is used to ensure a quality experience. The preaching is good, the music is excellent, the crowd is big, and the programs are many. I expect that they are serious about the leading of the Spirit, but the Spirit leads from the top. I am not bold enough to say that this is not Christ's church. But a church of this type is no more yours or mine than Home Depot is my hardware store. They value their customers, but not individually, only in masses.

And so, what kind of church are we? What kind of church do we want to be? My desire is for our church to reflect the beauty of the Gospel, that in God's grace, God saves sinners whom He folds into His family and entrusts with gifts and responsibility to actually be involved first-hand in God's work in the world. We do it, not because we are strong and effective, but rather because we know that God delights to deposit "this treasure" in "jars of clay" (2 Corinthians 4:7) so that in our weakness His strength shines through.

Church renewal will require a renewal of congregational concern and cooperation. No bishop or group of elders or board of directors will dictate this. It happens as the Spirit works in His people, and where concern and cooperation take the forms of prayer and fellowship.

"We've Got Trouble Here!"

2010-09-08T17:04:00.000-04:00

As we raise our children, we celebrate growth and progress. Yet we must admit that much of life is taken up with damage control, dealing with break-downs of one type or another. The psalmist in Psalm 38:3-7 is in the midst of this kind of mess. I am selecting this portion of Psalm 38 since it is enclosed at beginning and end by the words, "there is no soundness in my flesh."

Integrity means "of one piece." The person of integrity is not fractured, but rather is whole. There is not a great distance between what he says and what he does. He does not pretend great success in the midst of prevailing failure. He is real, all the way through. The psalmist's references to "no soundness," "no health," "iniquity," and "wounds" show that he admits to a fragmenting of life.

To his credit, the psalmist is not claiming that everything is great on the outside while he experiences misery on the inside. These words from Isaiah 1:6 may match his confession, perhaps not physically, but mentally, spiritually and emotionally: "From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil." An essential step for each of us is to admit that there are real problems.

Three "because" phrases (vv 3,5) show his understanding of his situation. First, the psalmist knows that he is in trouble "because of God's indignation." "Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger?" Nahum 1:6. Second, he is in trouble "because of my sin." He has done what he has done (or not done), and he cannot change the facts of history. The record has been sealed. Third, he is in trouble "because of my folly." The dumb thing about folly is that we know that we are so foolish we will do the dumb thing again. "Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly" Proverbs 26:11.

When sin gets the best of us, it is like we are drowning in it. Verse 4 speaks of being "overwhelmed," the only negative use of this word in the Old Testament. It feels like we are going under for the last time. This verse speaks of a burdensome-ness to this condition. A bad man makes a rotten mule, unable to bear his load. Verse 5 then describes the sickening side effects: we are offensive to others, and we really cannot stand ourselves.

The last two verses of this section suggested to me several "d" words. When sin's grip is severe, it has far-reaching effects. "Bent" suggests a deranged condition. "Greatly bowed" indicates deep despair. "Mourning" points to a kind of darkness that obscures plain sight. The problem with this condition is that it renders one unable to function properly. Our senses are damaged by this dismal fog of sin and failure. The "burning" of verse 7 suggests disgrace. A dismantling has occurred, so that you are not the person you used to be. This is not progress. It is regress. There will no celebrations for you tonight.

I'm anxious to get out of this section, aren't you? But for each of us in the grip of sin, hoping to find ourselves once again in the grip of grace, this is an essential part of the experience. We need to see ourselves for the sinners that we are, and we need to see our sin for the damage that it does.

Invasive Surgery

2010-09-03T16:01:00.002-04:00

The Bible uses language which leads me to think of God as a surgeon. He uses His "arrows" and "hand" to dig deep into our lives to correct the problems that we can scarcely describe, let alone repair. Listen to the psalmist speak:

“For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, And Your hand has pressed down on me.” (Psalms 38:2 NAS95)

Initially, this seems to us like bad news. We don't take kindly to the prospect of surgery. We warm to it reluctantly. We need to be convinced that it is absolutely necessary, and that we can trust this particular individual to do surgery on our person. This trust is based on some confidence and record of the surgeon's skills, and that he has the resources, tools, environment and support to do the work without complications. And even then, there are few of us who approach surgery without qualms.

Our psalmist who testifies out of the circumstance of divine surgery - he is a sinner. Do I really want to go into surgery when the Surgeon knows that I am a scoundrel? As a sinner, we have violated the Surgeon's prescription and honor. He knows how likely we are to do it again. And he has my life in His hands.

And yet it is this Surgeon alone who loves us enough to make the self-sacrificing investment in our lives. And it is this Surgeon alone who is able to successfully change us from the inside out. This divine action is our only hope. We need His arrows sunk deep into us, and we need His hand pressed down upon us.

Surgical language gets borrowed by those outside the medical community. The military speaks of "surgical strikes." These are lightning quick invasions into enemy territory, and then our soldiers/planes are gone even while the devastating effects are being realized. It might take a while for a population or government to even know who or what caused the damage.

God the Surgeon not only operates on individual lives, but has acted as General as well in orchestrating a surgical strike into the enemy territory of this world by sending His Son into this world. Here is the Old Testament record of God's intent in Christ, using some of the same terms as in Psalm 38:

“He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver.”

(Isaiah 49:2 NAS95)

Most people didn't realize what had happened until Jesus was already returned to heaven. Many still don't get it. But as with God's surgical action in my heart, I see that God's military action in this world was necessary to deal a death blow to the enemy and establish His rule in our crucified Captain and resurrected King, Jesus.

And so for Christians who read Psalm 38 and Isaiah 49, we find that the surgical and military actions of God come together in Christ who rescues the world from death and the devil and changes us from the inside out. Psalms 38:2, and news of divine surgery is not a threat, but a promise. We need His work in our lives. We need it now. "Please Lord, drive your purposeful and powerful surgical instruments deep into me. Hold me back and down and close with Your loving and correcting hand."

Dread-Locked

2010-09-02T11:04:00.003-04:00

The psalmist is having trouble. We can relate. And so he prays:

“O LORD, rebuke me not in Your wrath, And chasten me not in Your burning anger.” (Psalms 38:1 NAS95)

Let's be clear: the psalmist is not asking to avoid rebuke or chastening. He is asking that He be spared the fierceness of God's wrath and burning anger in the process. "Deal with me, but deal with me gently."

These two (Hebrew) words describing God's anger are used in a telling context at the foot of Mt. Sinai when Moses descends only to find God's people sunk in sin. As Moses recounts the scene years later, he describes it this way: “For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the LORD was wrathful against you in order to destroy you” (Deuteronomy 9:19 NAS95). These people were in deep danger. Their sin, and mine, creates an acute problem.

The best cross-reference I have found for God's action of rebuking and chastening is in Jeremiah 2:19: “Your own wickedness will correct you, And your apostasies will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter For you to forsake the LORD your God, And the dread of Me is not in you,” declares the Lord GOD of hosts.” Jeremiah 2 is a classic chapter in describing the loss and peril that attaches to those who walk away from God. Now apply this to your own situation. Think about your sin(s), and then state that first phrase: "Your own wickedness will correct you." That is, the sin that you yourself commit will become the stake that skewers you one day in the future. The commission of sin(s) opens the door for evil and bitterness to flood into your life.

This all stems not just from your attraction to sin, but much more from your aversion to the fullness of who God is. One aspect that you and I purposely neglect is this: that God hates sin. He hated Israel's sin. He hates my sin. He hates your sin. God is terrible in relation to sin, and will unleash His terrors on sin and sinners. Aslan is not a safe lion, and our God is not a safe God. It is good for you and I to know something of the dread of God.

We cannot stop here. The blessed Gospel provides a safe haven from which we, like Daniel's three friends, can feel the fire without being consumed by the flames. Our Savior, Jesus Christ stared deeply into the dread of God and was consumed by it. He bore the penalty of our sin(s) Himself in our place. In Christ, we have relief. In Christ, the psalmist's prayer is answered: God will rebuke and chasten, but not in His wrath and burning anger, not because He has laid aside His wrath, but rather because His wrath has been spent and satisfied in Christ's sacrifice.

As I sit here, hidden in Christ, I now ask that I would not be ignorant or forgetful of the dread of God - that my Father in heaven hates sin with a vengeance, and therefore, so should I. And, if you sit there, apart from Christ, I pray that the dread of God would compel you to come quickly to Christ and find the answer to the psalmist's prayer in Him.

Winners

2010-09-01T22:08:00.002-04:00

It's tough to keep it inside the lines. Even so, there are many who hone the skills and master the court or field. These are the winners, the champions, the heros. But how often do we find that these athletic experts are often miserable outside the arena. Their skills are limited in scope, and their discipline is short-lived. Their muscular forms are betrayed by shrunken souls in need of a faith that strives and perseveres.

Hebrews 12 shows us that the real contest is not confined to a field. The race that is run is not on a track, and one does not retire one Coach as he moves to the next level. The life of faith is lived on all surfaces, and the tests of faith come one after another in many forms that first try the body, then the mind, and the soul, and the heart, and the will. The struggling saint finds no finish line in this life, and celebrations over temporary successes are often more signs of pride than maturity.

So Christian, don't be misled. Your greatest feats may be accomplished on your knees in helplessness rather than with the strength of arms or legs. Your toughest tests will not be in front of a crowd, but instead when no one is looking. Your greatest glory is not praise for self, but rather glory to God, and you find yourself eclipsed in service and suffering.

Lost in Time and Space

2010-08-25T17:03:00.000-04:00

I have a hand-written cross-reference near the opening verses of Ezekiel 1 referring to the baptism of Jesus. Jesus was about 30 years old, and, like Ezekiel, here he was by a river, among "exiles" in the sense that they were still out-of-place in their land (under Roman control) and out-of-joint with God. Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel is asked to act out several of his lessons and sermons. But like Daniel, Ezekiel’s writings take on an apocalyptic, other-worldly character.

For instance, in the opening verses of Ezekiel 1, we find Ezekiel at a particular place at a particular time: 30^th year; 5^th day, 4^th month, by the river. But then something happened that rendered Ezekiel “lost in time and space.” The heavens are opened and he sees visions of God. He is transported in his mind and spirit beyond where his feet are fixed, so that he can see and describe wonderful and amazing things to these poor exiles. We find something similar when Paul is caught up to “the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2) and yet cannot put into words the things that he experiences. John, exiled on the island of Patmos, in a real (terrible) place in a real time (Revelation 1:9,10) is transported by vision to report on scenes from beyond time and place. We struggle with their descriptions, because words fail to portray what we have not yet experienced, and yet it is good for us to puzzle over these things, if only to remind us that this is not all there is.

It is good and gracious of God to take those whose lives are fixed in time and space, and through them to reveal to us “things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2:9). But it is better that God has sent One who was forever beyond time and space, to be born of a woman in a barn, and to die like a criminal on a cross – the eternal Son of God now not lost, but nailed in time and space, so that we who are but sinful creatures can know and worship the One and True and Living God forever.

The Church's View of Discipleship

2010-08-12T09:59:00.000-04:00

Acts 11:26 – and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

not all disciples were known as Christians, but all Christians were disciples

Nominal Christianity (Christianity in name only) is dead.

1. This is true in at least three senses: Christians in name only are really not Christians at all, and so are spiritually dead

2. Our culture has lost patience and respect with this kind of “casual” Christianity, which is betrayed by the shallowness of its beliefs and commitments, and by the absence of life change.

3. It is dead in that it has no spiritual power associated with it. It has institutions and patterns which have created a kind of Christian sub-culture, but it is dead and dying, and such churches are drying up and closing down.

Discipleship Christianity is alive and well

1. These Christians are related primarily to Christ, and secondarily to a local church.

a. It is Christianity; not church-ianity

b. Their Christianity is personal, a real relationship with a living person.

2. These followers of Jesus are consistently seeking how to live Jesus’ life in every arena of their lives.

a. It is not Sabbath or Sunday Christianity; it is everyday

b. Their Christianity is universal, pervasive

3. These disciples accept responsibility for representing Jesus to their families, friends and associates; and they accept the consequences

a. They do not rely on pastors, missionaries, or churches to take care of their Christ-representation

b. Their Christianity is missional, persecutional

The Shape of New Covenant Discipleship

Old Covenant righteousness was law-oriented. Doubtless, there were some, perhaps many, who lived under the OC who had God-given faith and a measure of the Spirit. But righteousness was measured by full compliance with all the Law’s demands. Even Moses, the initial leader under the OC, failed to fully comply.

The blessing of a long, full and fruitful life in the land of promise was tied to compliance. While some complied in part, and were blessed in part, no one fully complied with the detail of the law. No one under the Old Covenant was perfectly faithful. The followers were no better than their leaders.

New Covenant righteousness is not less law-oriented, but goes deeper, and includes full compliance not only with the letter of the Law, but also the thoughts and intents of the heart. Jesus is the Righteous One, the Faithful One, the Only One to fulfill the demands of God’s righteousness.

New Covenant discipleship is not an effort to behave better, but to follow Jesus as fully as possible, to have his character stamped on our hearts, so that we resemble him. NC discipleship is not primarily performance-oriented, and it certainly is not a superficial conformity to a set of rules for appeance’ sake. It is transformational, as the Spirit of promise establishes ownership and control in our lives, including our minds, our affections, and our will.

New Covenant discipleship is representative. As I am fully and completely represented before God by Christ, I in turn seek to fully and completely represent Christ in the world.

New Covenant disciples have:

· A new Captain under a gracious administration

· A new identity and a blood-bought fellowship

· A new mission that cannot be measured in dollars, or numbers, or status

· A new worldview that drastically changes the definitions

Church Renewal: Seeking an Accurate Description

2010-08-12T09:46:00.001-04:00

Notes on our Studies and Discussions:

Our Bible Study in Ephesians 4 has led us to consider the four functional gifts to the Church. We have also used a comparative tool that distinguishes between Missional, Evangelical, and Institutional Churches. These are discussion notes, and have not been fully adopted or implemented by our church family at this time.

Ephesians 4 and the Four Functional Gifts: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor/Teachers

My observations in this area do not relate to our church alone, but rather to American Evangelicalism in general. As a result, it will be all the harder for our local congregation to walk a different, more Biblical path.

A. To be Apostolic means that, as followers of the living Christ, we live changed lives, and we live to see lives changed, fully engaged in an expanding mission of boldly representing Jesus in word and deed.

If we are not Apostolic, then what are we? It seems that we have been embraced by a comfortable Christianity that enjoys relaxing in the arms of our culture. So long as the culture does not become too offensive in its amorality, and so long as Christians do not become too offensive in their faith, we get along just fine. This is clearly not the approach of the Apostles in the Book of Acts. We have traded confronting the unbelieving world with Accommodation, which means "to make oneself at home with".

We must find what it means to be less at home in the world, and more at home with God.

B. To be Prophetic means that the Word of God is the dynamic and powerful instrument of the Spirit of God, being truthfully applied to both public and private issues of contemporary life

If we are not Prophetic, then what are we? It seems that we are Patterned, constrained by both recent tradition, and by recent trends. We are taught to read and interpret Scripture according to these patterns rather than according to the illuminating direction of the Spirit.

We must be more honest in our handling of the Word of God, and be ready to question areas where our lives and church do not fit easily with the words of Scripture. Our attention to Scripture must be accompanied by greater prayerfulness.

C. To be Evangelistic means to intently listen to the questions that unbelievers are asking, and then to honestly present visually and verbally an answer that clearly presents Jesus as "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." We need to understand that evangelism is not just an individual activity, but is also a congregational activity.

If we are not Evangelistic, then what are we? We seem to have an attitude of inferiority and a posture of defensiveness, so that if we are to share the Gospel with anyone, they must find a way to penetrate our walls behind which we hide with the Gospel. Instead of practicing Evangelism, we practice Evasion.

In Live to Tell, Kallenberg says that evangelism is not merely persuading someone to accept certain facts, but rather to invite him/her to enter into a new way of life with a new set of people using a unique language with allegiance to a new Lord. Evangelism then, is a process whereby people are invited to begin a journey of observing, discovering and knowing what Jesus and following Jesus is about. My criticism of Kallenberg is that he adopts the reversed “belonging precedes believing” approach of many experimental churches. Conversion, that “turning from” former saviors and gods, and “turning to” God-in-Christ, is essential for belonging to the Body of Christ. But he makes the point well our evangelism cannot be evasive.

D. To be Pastor/Teacher means to be involved in the care of souls and the equipping of believers to be involved in the cause of Christ as followers of Christ who are growing in their understanding and obedience.

If we are not Tending/Training, then what are we? Actually, this is the area where we do the best. And yet we often are more concerned with caring for people's feelings than caring for people's souls. And we tend to be satisfied to impart Biblical information rather than to train for service and engagement with the world. Pastor/Teacher is easily replaced by People-Pleaser/Therapist.

On Another Front, but related to church change:

Problem terms:

worship - usually referring to Sunday at 11, and sometimes specifically of the song time; and yet worship is to be a lifestyle. We should not use the word "worship" exclusively in relation to praise music or the 11 o'clock service.

service - referring to a gathering of people, but communicating the idea that some person(s) who are active will be "serving" those who are passive. I like the words "congregate", which has the idea of gathering a flock; and "assembly", which means to bring together for a common purpose.

church - usually referring to the building; but the church is the people, and God's house is not made of bricks. We should avoid using the word "church" in relation to the building. So even our sign at the corner of our property that includes the word "church" is somewhat misleading.

member – the New Testament uses the term “member” as those who have been placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. I would like to see us use a different term to denote “partnership” or “fellowship” in the local body of believers instead of the word “membership.” I think that using the Biblical term “member” in an additional way robs it of some of its Biblical force.

community - used both of the community of believers, and the surrounding town(s). We should take care in using the word "community" in two ways, and so probably not in relation to our church family. Of course, most every word has a dual meaning, such as "family" and "body".

Baptist - used to identify our history in this town, and to associate with a particular tradition, with both its strengths and weaknesses. It has a negative heritage of both Arminianism and legalism.

Silly, or Significant?

2010-07-20T19:48:00.005-04:00

There are many details of life that may be important personally, but are not of eternal or ultimate importance. The arrangement of furniture in your living room may be important to you. But aside from some "discussions" between a husband and the wife who wants to re-arrange, it's not worth talking about. Hebrews 9:1-5 mentions that furniture of the Tent of Meeting. It had importance for the Old Covenant community, and there are lessons that are related to these things, especially since God was in charge of the design. But the furniture arrangement has limited significance today, and we are in danger if we read too much into it.

A common trait of religious types is to wax eloquent and creative when it comes to the minute details of such things. We attach great significance to the smallest details in ways that result in mere curiosities. These things are easily remembered, and often repeated. And these curiosities may be of interest to others in our sub-culture. But I am afraid that to others - it is just strange.

For instance, I think of the ring ceremony at weddings. The pastor often says something about the gold and its purity, and the continuous circle and its relation to an enduring relationship. I've heard these things from others, and I've repeated them, because, after all, you're supposed to say something. And you would like to say something profound. But on further reflection, these things may not be profound at all. Might it not be more likely that the wedding ring is gold because cheaper metals make your finger turn green, and it may be round because a square "ring" wouldn't be called a "ring," and because it wouldn't fit your round finger?

When we talk about silly things as though they are significant, then we are in danger of leading people to think that , when we finally mention something significant, we are still rather silly people talking about silly things.

Melchizedek - A Wonderful Combination of Qualities

2010-06-28T16:21:00.002-04:00

Melchizedek, this shadowy figure from the Old Testament (Genesis 14; Psalm 110), and enlarged for our understanding in the New Testament (Hebrews 7), points to a wonderful combination of qualities found in Christ. From the shadow of Melchizedek we move to the substance of Christ.

First of all, he is both King of Righteousness (the meaning of the Hebrew compound melech and zedek) and King of Peace (shalom, or, salem), perhaps related to Jerusalem centuries before it became Israel's capital. But how is it that righteousness and peace meet? The demands of righteousness seem to result, not in peace, but in justice and wrath against all offenders. These words from Psalm 85 beautifully express how this combination of qualities will meet and agree in Christ:

“Lovingkindness and truth have met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed

each other. Truth springs from the earth,

And righteousness looks down

from heaven.”

(Psalms 85:10–11 NAS95)

Second, we find that Melchizedek is both King and Priest. This is unlike Aaron from the tribe of Levi, who was a priest but never a king. And this is unlike David from the tribe of Judah, who was a king but never a priest. But now, pointing ahead to Christ, we find one who as priest can come to our aid in our deepest problems, and as a king fulfill our best dreams.

Finally, we find one whose feet treads the dust of earth even though his first and foremost relationship is with "the Most High God." Yes, Jesus embraced man's humanity. But he is not just like me. He is the second Person of the Godhead. He is both God and Man. I may at times prefer someone who is at my level, but what I need is someone who is not enslaved by my same situation. Jesus, though a friend of sinners, is the eternal Son of God.

When Christ Encounters the Soul

2010-06-03T16:55:00.000-04:00

Let any Christian think of going out into the world with the ultimate loneliness of his spirit for ever vanquished because Christ is with him; of facing life in the assurance that henceforth not for a moment does he walk unaided and alone!

Think of the inner peace it would mean - its effect on frayed nerves and harassed brain and daunted spirit. We are apt in these days to be besieged by life's unbearable enigmas and battered by its frightening responsibilities. We feel like Peter when he climbed down out of the boat to go to Jesus, and found himself caught in the swirl of the angry waves. We tell ourselves it is absurd that we should even attempt to be Christ's witnesses in a world like this and with a nature like our own: for "who is sufficient for these things?" And then, across our hectic fever falls the voice of calm: "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end"; and we know that, whatever happens, He is quite certain to be there. This is the way to peace, and to the consciousness of adequate resources. For it is no weak Christ with whom we have to do, but a Christ of power - stronger than the stress of life, stronger than the tyrant sins that seeks to smash us, stronger in the end than death itself.

A Faith to Proclaim. James S. Stewart. Hodder & Stoughton, London. 1953

What Faithfulness Isn’t

2010-05-27T09:58:00.000-04:00

Jesus is described as “faithful witness” in Revelation 1:5. In Hebrews 3:1, Jesus is called “Apostle” in Hebrews 3:1. I think these two references inform one another. It seems to me that apostles are those who are faithful witnesses, and faithful witnesses are those who are sent on a mission with a message (apostle).

In addition to a correlation of these terms, there is also a strong “faithful” theme in Hebrews 3. And I have been asking, “what does it mean to be faithful?” One way of answering this is to think about what practices do not constitute biblical faithfulness.

Saying the right things without doing the right things is not faithfulness. Our faith is not primarily made of impressions and appearances, nor is it primarily to consist of testimonies and sermons. Faithful living requires regular obedience.

Merely showing up is not faithfulness – we are to “walk in the Spirit,” not merely watch what others are doing in the Spirit. Faithfulness requires our personal engagement.

Just doing the same things over and over, if they are not the right things, is not faithfulness – Every day brings new challenges which must be met today. Patterns of life must meet the challenges of today, and if they do not, then the patterns need to change.

Staying the same, and refusing to change or grow, is not faithfulness – if God has a plan for your growth, often through trial, then we should not expect that yesterday’s lessons learned will solve today’s tests. You and I must go to God again today to learn how to meet today’s tests.

Neglecting today’s opportunities is not faithfulness – God will give you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity today. To waste it is not faithfulness.

I'm sure many others will have many more ideas and phrases that will help us to see "what faithfulness isn't."

Necrosis

2010-05-17T16:38:00.002-04:00

Romans 5:12 says that death spread to all men, and James 1:15 says that sin brings forth death. It is not morbid or negative to address our problem with death. It is on us, and in us, creeping death, a necrosis that works contrary to any principle of life that we presently enjoy and that we like to assume will go on for a good, long time.

Death signals the vanquishing of life. It readily fills the void where life used to be, and moreover, seeks to take over. It involves disintegration of what once used to be united in peace and harmony, and then turns foul as decay sets in. It is not hard to see how death is an apt description not only of biological deterioration, but also of mental, emotional, and relational distress and disintegration. Death shows itself in the breakdown between humans and God, between humans and humans, and between humans and their very own selves.

A most unattractive image presents itself to us. Here we are, redeemed and forgiven. And yet, we still fight the battle with sin and death. It is as though there are remnants of rotting flesh attached to our bodies and our lives, in our minds and on our tongues, stinking up the works and driving out any notion that there might be something good and positive going on. All these remnants of the old life left over from life lived in fellowship with the old, Adamic man are to be nailed to the Cross in the death of Christ. But somehow, we keep stealing back shreds of the sinful self, as though they were or could be beautiful or valuable.

There is a principle of life that must win out, produced by the Spirit as we cling to Christ and as we allow our sin to be firmly nailed to His Cross, released from our hands and our hearts, which now are ready to receive and treasure God's good grace and gifts.

Where Sin Abounded, Grace Did Much More Abound

2010-05-12T16:08:00.002-04:00

The Church, and individual Christians, exist in a State of Grace. That is who we are. It is our (new) birthright. It is our frame of reference. The implications of this are huge. And yet, our response oft times seems invisible. It seems as though the Church and individual Christians, including me, fall out of a State of Grace. I don't mean that we lose our salvation. I mean that we forget our salvation; that we "neglect so great a salvation" (Hebrews 2:3).

There are two implications that have occurred to me. I'm sure there are many more. But in light of the Church's state of grace, we must be 1) gracious and 2) generous. As faith reflects itself in faithfulness, so grace will reflect itself in graciousness. And since grace is free, it must be generous.

What does a gracious and generous church look like? What does a gracious and generous Christian look like? And, perhaps more importantly, how have you seen a lack of graciousness and generosity displayed in my life and yours, in our church and yours? Because the act of responding in faith and graciousness necessarily involves repentance, a turning away from actions and patterns that are marked by bitterness, negativity, judgmentalism and selfishness.

Just as the concept of "the love of God" can be distorted by using it as a weapon against God's wrath or righteousness, so "gracious" might be twisted into meaning that we can make no judgments or distinctions, and "generous" means that we can never say "no." That is a problem. But let's let it be a later problem. Our present problem is that I and the church of which I am a part are not so gracious as God is full of grace, and not generous in an abounding sort of way.

No Man Is An Island

2010-05-04T17:01:00.000-04:00

No man is an island entire of itself; every man

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as

well as any manner of thy friends or of thine

own were; any man's death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne

Associations

Hebrews 2:14-18 challenges us to think about two types of associations. The first of these associations is "accidental." The second is "on purpose." These associations are critical. they are tied to the issues of life and death, and will determine how we will live our lives.

Fellowship of the Damned

Every human participates in the fellowship of humanity. We are all a part of Adam's race, and share in the privileges and liabilities of that race. According to the Biblical record, we can go back to the Flood, and trace lines of ancestry through the three sons of Noah, but before and beyond that, we still have a common father, Adam.

Whatever distinguishes us throughout humanity is not so important as that which unites us. We have become experts at recognizing the differences of race and nation. We tend to gather according to social levels or fragment due to economic development. But we forget that we are largely all the same, part of the fellowship of humanity, hemmed in by human birth and human death, living a little less than a century, leaving a rather light mark on history.

For all of our intelligence evidenced in communication and organization that sets us apart from animal species, we have our obvious liabilities. We are inventive in new forms of foolishness, and are often entrapped in new kinds of addictions. Our best moments are interrupted by disasters and tragedies of our own making, both on a national and a personal scale.

What we have "in common" is our fallen humanity, which stands under condemnation. We may not be as bad as we could be, but we surely are not what we were made to be. We are in constant danger of sinking toward that "lowest common denominator," the worst rather than the best, and we do indeed suffer from "guilt by association." We all are born a part of the fellowship of the damned.

Partnership of the Redeemed

Jesus "partakes" of our humanity intentionally. He enters the world of men on purpose, in order that he might introduce a "new humanity" to a brotherhood of which he is the firstborn.

There is a difference in our passage between "fellowship" and "partnership" (partaking). We have no choice in our fellowship. Jesus did. He became a member of what we are by nature. He saddled himself with the limitations and liabilities of our condition. He purposefully sat at the table of those who were unlike him in so many ways, even though he had become like them in so many other ways.

You and I are summoned/invited to this partnership/membership by faith in Jesus Christ. It is not accidental. It is not inevitable. As Jesus entered into this relationship thoughtfully, so will you, or you won't. But he did.

Likenesses

Jesus became like us in all the necessary ways. And yet he remained unlike us in certain ways as well. He had to eat and sleep and work. But he never sinned. Like, and unlike. He reached deep into humanity through his humble service. He refrained from humanity's crudity and impurity.

For those who are followers of Jesus Christ, we have a pattern to imitate. We reach out to men and women in this world, whether they know Jesus or not, by humble service. But we also refrain from the false worship and pursuits to which the world is addicted, thinking that this is all there is. And because we know Jesus, we know that it is not.

A Church Full Not of Pastors but Priests

2010-04-24T10:19:00.000-04:00

True church renewal will require a change of thinking and attitude about several different issues. We have spoken to a couple of these already. Let's review. The church building is not the church, and therefore we cannot allow a building to be our primary visibility in our community. The people of our community must see Christ, and they will only see Christ in the worship and service of Christians. I do not mean primarily worship and service that take place at the address of the church building. I mean worship and service that take place throughout the week. What happens at the church building should only promote and encourage week-long worship and service. Tragically, we often fall into a kind of thinking that when the worship service and church activities that take place in the church building are concluded, then the worship and service of the people cease. This cannot be.

Also, since not only the Temple has been replaced, but also Temple activities, then we cannot continue to use "sacrifices" as a way to appease God or gain His favor. The wonder of the Gospel is that Christ has completely appeased God, and that, in Christ, we have all the favor of God that we need or could ever want. Our efforts in worship and service are not performed in order to gain forgiveness or favor, but they are instead responses to what God has graciously done for us, and what He has promised to do for us.

Now we need to think about who it is that worships and serves. The Biblical answer is: priests. But the startling revolution that has taken place with Christ is that all followers of Christ are priests. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a priest, and you thus have the privileges and responsibilities of worship and service that were reserved for only Aaron and his sons in the Old Testament. Yes, the specific tasks have changed since there is now no central location and sacrifices are no longer offered. But that does not mean that worship and service have ceased. And you, believer and disciple, are a part of the priesthood.

We have to back up on our thinking about "full-time ministry." In our tradition, we usually think of pastors and missionaries. They are said to be "called" in a special sense, different from the way in which all Christians are called to follow Christ and serve him. One problem. This runs counter to the teaching of the New Testament on the priesthood of all believers. Let me instead say it this way: there is one calling for all Christians. There are different roles in which we may serve. But we are all priests, and "full-time" ministers are no more priests than are you.

One of the problems with this "full-time" phrase is that it implies that all other Christians are "part-time" priests. When would that be? When you are at the church building? That can't be. You are priests every day, and all the time. You are priests when you are with your families, and with your co-workers or fellow students. There is no time of the day when a priest is not a priest, just as there are no activities in which we engage that are not to be characterized by worship and service.

Now there are some particular qualifications for particular roles. Christians who serve as elders and deacons are subject to the character and skill qualifications spelled out in the Pastoral Epistles. But when a person is assigned to a role of pastor/elder, deacon or missionary, they are not all of a sudden elevated to the role of priest. They were priests all along, or else they were not Christians at all.

An implication of this is that pastors/elders, deacons, and missionaries should not be doing your priestly activities for you. When we do so, we are stealing aspects of your privilege and responsibility that are key aspects of your enjoyment of God and of your life that He has graced. The pastor should not pray your prayers for you, do your Bible study for you, worship God or fellowship with believers for you, witness to your neighbors for you, etc. He has a role, to teach God's Word and to provide loving spiritual oversight. But if he in any way inserts himself into your relationship as a priests, he is sinning in his role, and robbing you of your role.

This is a humbling statement for me. I've spent a long time in one place, doing whatever needs to be done. But often, "what needed to be done" needed to be done by a wide range of people, not an individual who desired to be indispensable and appreciated. I recognize that I, many times over, have done the easy thing: doing it myself, rather than leading individuals into the joy of priestly participation. I told you that this church renewal thing would be difficult. I'm afraid that it will be most difficult for me.

The painfully ironic point is that there is a special accountability for those who teach (James 3:1). But when a teacher behaves in a way that contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture (in this case, that all followers of Christ are priests, not just the pastor), then the teacher is actually guilty of false teaching. Perhaps he has not been guilty in what he has said. But we teach more loudly with our actions than with our words.

So, back to you, the priests. How will you worship and serve as a priest today? If I could use a template from the consecration of Aaron and his sons back in Exodus 29, I think we get some good starters to that question. Just remember, we are not re-establishing the old priesthood. But there are some points that carry over.

First, they were washed (Exodus 29:4). When Jesus washed the disciples feet (John 13), he distinguished two washings. Followers of Christ are already fundamentally clean by virtue of their relationship with him, the only, truly Righteous One. We are clean because of His cleanness. But there is also a maintenance washing, the washing of feet. Daily confession of sin and delighting in forgiveness is important preparation for priestly ministry. Again, this does not happen once. We benefit from checking ourselves in the mirror of the character of Christ over and over again.

Second, they were clothed in priestly garments (Exodus 29:5-6). And you must be clothed in Christ. This happens by faith in Christ, that you are covered and completed in him. It is not something that you do for yourself, but it is something that you need to remember and to think about. Note two things. First, being clothed in Christ means that your sins and your faults are covered. They are not invisible, but they are covered. So you need not wait to be perfect in order to serve. Priests are not former sinners. They are forgiven saints who are still sinners. Second, when you present yourself to your world, your are not presenting yourself so much as you are presenting Christ. You are not to win them with your words or your winsome personality, but with Christ and the character of Christ. Yes, this will include gracious words and personal warmth. But it is because you are clothed and covered with Christ.

Third, they were anointed with oil (Exodus 29:7). Priests are all those who make up the Body of Christ, and there are no members of the Body who have not received the Holy Spirit. We are to seek to be filled with this Spirit, to be oiled and greased by Him, that we can accomplish, not our work, but God's. Specifically ask God that He would so guide you by His Spirit that you would say what needs to be said, and that you would refrain from saying what should not be said. Ask the your attitude and your facial expressions would communicate what God wants, not what you feel. And remember, while this anointing was applied only to Aaron and his sons, every believer, young and old, male and female, without regard for race or education level or place in society - all minister by the Spirit as priests.

What a privilege, to live and interact with people as priests of the living God under the Headship of our loving Savior, our High Priest, Jesus Christ, and with the help and protection and enabling of His Spirit, who is with us at all times.

Saints and Sinners

2010-04-24T09:19:00.003-04:00

Both of these have serious problems:

Saints who think they are no longer sinners.

Sinners who think they cannot become saints.

The problem with saints who think they are no longer sinners is that they do not take sin seriously. In most cases, it is their own sin that they do not take seriously. They may in fact take the sins of others very seriously. They may be experts at pointing it out and pontificating on the seriousness of their (other peoples’) sins. But they either will not admit, or completely overlook their own sin. And that is a problem. Because we are all sinners. And one of the worst kind of sinner is the religious type who will not admit to or address their faults. They deserve the label “hypocrite,” and they do damage to the mission and ministry of the church.

The problem with sinners who think they could never be saints is that they do not understand grace sufficiently. They do not believe that God would ever willingly and lovingly involve Himself in a life like theirs. They may think they are beyond the reach of forgiveness, that they are unredeemable. They know that they don’t have the moral resources or will-power to raise themselves to the level of sainthood. But they also have not grasped how grace is purest when it reaches the lowest, and that it is truest when it helps the truly helpless, and that it is noblest when we cannot return the favor, but only receive God’s kindness as a gift.

We are at our best when we, as sinners, accept the gift of being saints. And we are at our best when we as saints do not forget that we are still sinners.

The Weakness of Words; The Power of the Word

2010-04-23T21:10:00.000-04:00

It is no revelation that pastors talk a lot. And having been a pastor for quite a long time, I want to tell you, words are weak. You’ve discovered it yourself. You have tried to tell someone something. And chances are, they would not listen. It seems at times that the more you tell them, the less likely they are to listen.

We must come to the conclusion that our words are weak. We cannot shape the hearts of our hearers, whether friends, foes, or families, merely by our words. They are like water off a duck’s back. They are like darts off a brick wall. It often seems like spitting into the wind, upwind.

This does not mean that we should not speak. The truth should be verbalized by parents and friends and pastors, at the right time, in the right way, with the right attitude. And we will make mistakes. But we must try. Because to withhold the truth is cruel and deadly, even though sharing the truth carries no guarantee that it will be received with either gratefulness or responsiveness.

And a good part of the reason that we go ahead and speak the truth against all odds is because of “the power of the Word.” God is truth, and, as the old “Battle Hymn” says, “His truth is marching on.” Every once in a while, the powerful wind of His word catches the limp sail of our weak words and carries them home, deep into the heart that seemed to be locked against any good influence.

When God wills for His Word to penetrate, there is no defense against it. The water off the ducks back now changes the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Is there a free will? Yes, indeed, set free by God’s powerful Word from the stubbornness of ignorance and resistance, set free to hear and respond and love and live.

Adrift

2010-04-18T09:04:00.002-04:00

Picture living on a great pond, often placid, sometimes stormy. What we know about this pond is that it is bordered by a waterfall. Everyone, eventually, goes over the waterfall. Most people try to avoid the waterfall for as long as possible. Some choose to play precariously on the edge, often paying the price. But as life goes on day by day, one could almost forget that the waterfall exists. Yes, we lose loved ones occasionally, but it happened to them, not to me.

Jesus came to earth, and in a short three years ticked off enough people that they threw him over the waterfall. He came with hopes and promises, and there truly was something deeply different about him. And he did not deserve to be killed. But over he went. and then he came back.

Jesus is forming a brotherhood (and sisters, too). Having defeated death, not just avoiding it, but defeating it, he leads. There is a direction, and there is a discipline to this direction. It can be hard, and painful at times, but he leads the way, our first leader, our Pioneer, upstream, against the flow. He leads us into lives that adamantly insist that this is not all there is. We proclaim that we exist, not for our own glory, but for God's. We refuse to live just for the service of self, but to love and serve others. We fail, often, and then begin again, assured by his forgiveness. We hope for a new creation in which there is no sin, but only righteousness and peace and joy (Romans 14:17) - God's righteousness and God's peace and God's joy, shared with His children through His Son and by His Spirit.

But here we are, back on the pond. And we find ourselves adrift, the very thing the author of Hebrews said not to do: "For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1). He goes on and says in v. 3, "how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" And so here we are, adrift and neglectful. Too many of us are living as though this is all there there is. Too many of us are living for our own glory. Too many of us live primarily to serve ourselves, and we only serve others with the leftovers. Too many of us are trying to prove how good we are, rather than gladly accepting the forgiveness that we need. We are not hoping for a new creation, but are trying to make the best of it in this old creation. The only thing weaker than our fear of the impending waterfall is our hunger for God's righteousness and peace and joy.

But God has spoken in His Son (Hebrews 1:2), and Jesus still speaks. His testimony lives on, even as he speaks the truth because He is the Truth. And so words spoken long ago, in a different culture, in a different language, and in a different context - they are His words, and he speaks the truth to the band of brothers whom he is ferrying through this old creation, past the waterfall, to a new creation. And his testimony is this: "I will put my trust in Him" (Hebrews 2:13; Isaiah 8:17).

Not Another Activity!

2010-04-17T18:17:00.004-04:00

I have written recently about the problem of taking "old temple" sentiments and applying them to church buildings ("The Church's New Address"). So if the old Temple is gone, and if the church building should not be the focal point of the church's identity, then what has happened to old Temple activities? Maybe we just call them "church activities."

First, what were these Temple activities? Certainly the whole sacrificial system was central. But now, Christ offered Himself as the perfect and final sacrifice, so there is no more of that. Pilgrimage was a vital part of Israel's faith. Three times a year people would come from all corners to attend the major festivals in Jerusalem. But again, these have been fulfilled in different ways. Jesus is the Passover lamb. The Holy Spirit was poured on the new-born church at Pentecost following Jesus' ascension. The Feast of Booths may be fulfilled in part by the spread of missionaries carrying the Gospel around the world, and may look forward to the final harvest of God's people leading up to the Last Day. Nonetheless, we are not bound to make pilgrimages. You may certainly visit the "Holy Land" if you wish, and there may be benefit to that, but not in terms of satisfying God's law or expectations. Also, the teaching and study of the Law were common Temple and synagogue activities. Remember Jesus discussing the Law in the Temple as a boy (Luke 2:46,47).

Let's think about this last point for a minute. How does our attention to Scripture change when it is the text for introducing a Person as opposed to delineating God's law? In the Old Covenant, the Law and the Prophets served to lay out God's claim on His people, and His expectations for them. Yes, it is a rich text, composed not only of law code, but also narrative and poetry that convey story and emotion. But now, in the New Covenant, Scripture functions much more as an introduction to a Person, Jesus Christ. Is that distinction being made clear in how we handle Scripture in our church gatherings? After all, in evangelical churches, the preaching of the Bible is the primary activity. Is the activity one of engendering love for Christ as opposed to setting up more and more expectations of what it means to be a "good Christian?" There may be a real problem here.

Let's push farther. Church activities demand and depend on church fixtures. What about the pulpit? There is a great tradition throughout Church history for the place of the pulpit. But we do not know that Jesus ever preached from a pulpit. Nor Paul, or any of the other apostles. Yes, God's Word must be preached and taught. But how it is done must have in view its goal - to know and love and serve Jesus better. Yes, the "whole counsel" of God is needed. But the "whole counsel of God" points to Christ.

Maybe it's the difference between paying close attention to details, and reading between the lines. When I was engaged to my wife, we would trade letters back and forth on a daily basis (this was before texting and email). As I would read these love letters, I was not concerned about the details. But I read between the lines. Details might give me clues as to how I could measure up or meet her expectations. But I was already assured of her love for me. Yes, I wanted (and still want) to please her. But that is different from measuring up or meeting expectations. Reading between the lines is something altogether different. It is getting to know her, imagining her expressions and emotions, even as I read the words. The word serves to build the relationship, not define it.

And in addition to pulpits, I am afraid that our pew alignments and sanctuary setups promote activities that may be more akin to temple activities than the true life of the church.

Acts 2:42 reads as follows: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." This is a description of the new-born church, meeting so that they might know and follow the risen Lord as they are now led by the Spirit. We do not know where they met. It seemed not to matter. We do not know how they were organized or arranged. Even their schedules and calendars were secondary. But one thing is clear. They were not merely going through the motions of old temple activities. The were "devoted" to something new; something that was making a difference; something that they needed and wanted.

I know that Acts 2 was an unusual time. But the church itself is unusual. Heavenly light and power have broken through into the lives of these groups of people, meeting in local assemblies. And they just want to see and experience more. I do not believe that the old Temple activities were characterized by this kind of excitement and expectation. Nor do I find it in most of our church activities. Some things need to change.

Walk in the Light

2010-04-15T21:35:00.001-04:00

Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. (Isaiah 2:5)

The most obvious problem with this statement is that of darkness. Jacob-like people like you and I who have a reputation for deceit and who are self-deceived, find ourselves time and again opting for darkness instead of light. We've been called to the light. We've been exposed to the light. We've been privileged and graced to see the difference between darkness and light. Why choose darkness?

Is it because we forget the light of the Lord? Is there so much darkness around us, that the darkness begins to appear normal, and the light seems like a distant star, real but irrelevant? Or is it because we love the darkness. We love the old pleasures; the old securities; the old fellowships. Have we fallen for the false promises of the near world, because they are so good at making it all look too good to be true? Oh, Esau! We are not better than you, trading away transcendent privileges for instant oatmeal.

The light of the Lord. Is it the light that the Lord gives, or the light that the Lord is? It is probably both, since God is light, and He has purposed to reveal Himself. But let's not run to becoming experts on God's view of things before we pause and view God. He is, in Himself, light. He is holy, of a different order and nature than anything else that we know. Everything truly is darkness compared to Him. And so to walk in the light of the Lord is to begin to understand how God stands in relation to every aspect of my life - my pursuits and my imaginations and my tedious tasks. What is there about any of these that either basks in the light, or hides in the shadows?

But God is also gracious in that He gives light. We can actually exercise a kind of wise discernment that distinguishes between the better vs. the lesser; the valuable vs. cheap; light vs. darkness. We can catch glimpses of glory shining through the shadows, renewing hope that our kids, our hearts, our reactions can actually reflect heaven's light. Or, on the other hand, we can be amazing foolish, and willfully so.

Come, you who have the heart of Jacob and the will of Esau. Come, you sinner, no worse than me. Come think about God for a while. Turn off the TV or shut down the computer, and let the Spirit lift your mind to catch an eternal perspective. Bow and be humbled before a high and holy God who does not find it strange to share Himself with us.

The Church's New Address

2010-04-09T10:51:00.001-04:00

What is your church's address? If you attend church, you will probably tell me a street name where your church building is located. But that is not your church's address.

The Temple in Jerusalem once had an address. But then Jesus came, superseded the temple, endured the following observations, and said this concerning its future:

“And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”” (Luke 21:5–6 NAS95).

And, unlike most people who made up the temple admiration society, I believe Jesus could have added, "and that will be a good thing." Our problem ever since the replacement of the Temple is this: we've consistently been tempted to go back; to recreate what was old as opposed to embracing what is new. No, I'm not in favor of blowing up or bulldozing church buildings. I'm neither a terrorist nor an arsonist. But our identification with church buildings has distorted the New Testament of the church.

God's temple, whether physical or spiritual, is where God meets with His people. That location is now "in Christ," and it takes place as the Spirit of God unites God's people with the risen and ascended Lord in spiritual relationship. To individuals, God says “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NAS95). This reference is singular, indicating that the individual Christian is, in a sense, a temple/meeting place with God. But in a larger sense, collected believers are a temple: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 NAS95). This reference is plural, speaking to the collection of Christians at Corinth, as one chapter of a worldwide collection of believers who make up God's new temple. A tremendous summary of this "new temple" teaching is found in Ephesians 2, where unity and a dynamic energy are emphasized:

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19–22 NAS95).

Another summary, with implications relating to temple activities, is found in 1 Peter 2:

“And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4–5 NAS95).

So your church's address does not contain a street number or zip code. Your church building can be located with that information, but not your church proper; not your church/people; not those who by faith in Christ are united in one body to God through His Spirit. This church is constantly on the move, dynamic and vibrant. They are constantly in dozens of places, serving their Lord and sharing their faith.

Here are some implications:

Never again repeat the church growth mantra that the visibility of the building is critical to success. It is the visibility of Christ that is critical, and God did not design to display Christ in your church building, even if it is a historical cathedral or an architectural wonder.
Don't allow yourself to spend more time and money on the building than you do on those who are and who will be God's people. I am not saying that we should not have a building. God created us with physical bodies, and we need buildings of various types that provide shelter. I am saying, if you spend more dollars and energy on the building than you do on the people, then something needs to change immediately.
God's people cannot be identified primarily by who shows up in your building on any given Sunday. There may be many of God's people who don't honor the building with their presence. Maybe they are somewhere honoring God instead. Further, there are probably people in your building who faithfully wear out pew covers who are not God's people. The Bible certainly gives us serious indicators of who is a child of God. Church attendance is not a serious indicator. Fellowship is. Enduring one my sermons is not. Encouragement and exhortation are essential. But God did not ordain Sundays at 11, at this address, in that building.
Stop asking, "How can we get them to come?" Start asking, "To whom will we go?" We gather, somewhere, for prayer and teaching and fellowship, but we scatter for service and evangelism. If we creatively invite them to our building so that we can serve them and evangelize them, and then if they creatively decline, we cannot say that we've done our best. It is not our church building and location that have failed us. It is we who have failed our Master.

I am thankful for our church building.

But I dislike how it defines us.

I am thankful for the comfort and the convenience of our structure.

But I regret that we expect the building to be a lighthouse for our community, when it ought to be Christians representing Christ.

I am thankful for the simple beauty and functionality of our building.

But I know something is wrong when we are more animated by maintenance issues than by missional concerns.

It's nice to have a location and a schedule.

I hate that we have become so predictable.

From a Glass Half-Empty to Overflowing

2010-03-30T11:39:00.001-04:00

I have the gift of seeing what's wrong with things. It's actually a curse, or part of it. But it's true, there is something wrong with most everything. Why? Because we live in a less-than-perfect world. Let's be honest.

To make things worse, we live in a world filled with self-important people who are dedicated to telling us how wonderful they are, or how wonderful their products are. They populate the most coveted positions of business and politics, areas of influence in educational institutions, and sometimes the house next door. They consistently hide the truth from us about their limitations and shortcomings. I call them liars.
In a less-than-perfect world, it would be good to limit the hyperbole, the exaggeration. It just is not believable. It makes people not want to listen to anyone. Tone it down. Tell the truth, the whole truth. And just so you know, I do the same thing. I often fail see what's wrong in me. I have way too high an opinion of myself.

But the point of this essay is this: there is a Person about whom we can talk concerning whom hyperbole is impossible. There is a Subject of which it would be unthinkable to exaggerate. The Person is Jesus, and the Subject is the Salvation which He introduces.

There is nothing wrong with Jesus. He is perfect. He has never done anything imperfect. He defines perfection. And the salvation that He introduces to this world is complete and perfect, so much so that we cannot imagine it. Our minds, which are less-than-perfect, cannot conceive of such perfection. 1 Corinthians 2:9 quotes loosely from Isaiah 64, and describes "Things which eye has not seen and hear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him."

So here is my confession: the person who can see what is wrong with most everything (other than in himself) does not give nearly enough credit to God for doing everything right. No, not just right. He does all things magnificently, wondrously, and with absolute perfection. We cannot think thoughts too exceedingly high, nor speak words too exceptionally noble, of this God and His Son, Jesus Christ, or of the wonders of His plan and design.

Who is Breaking Your Heart?

2010-03-25T09:59:00.004-04:00

No one? Really? No one at all? Then I'm afraid that you are not involved in ministry.

You may be a busy, productive person. You may be social and friendly and well-connected. But that is not the same as ministry.

You may be part of a church, and you may actually be busy and active in that faith community. But nonetheless, if no one is breaking your heart, I suspect that you are not involved in ministry.

Ministry is defined by loving relationships with sinners for the sake of the Savior. And every time that you truly love a sinner, and you come up against the stubbornness of sin, it breaks your heart. Oh, it will make you mad. And at times you will become self-righteous. But, as you come to your senses, that you remember that you yourself are a sinner as well, it will break your heart.

So if you are doing all sorts of good things, but your heart is not broken, humbly repent of the protective cocoon into which you have crawled. And come on out here, where the sinners are. Love them, for the sake of Christ.

Blessed Trinity

2010-03-18T08:59:00.001-04:00

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
(2 Corinthians 13:14 NAS95)

The subject of the Trinity in Scripture is not so much taught as inferred. As we read through the pages of God’s unfolding drama of redemption, we see the Three Persons of the Trinity in communication and cooperation with one another. Centuries of reflection on the biblical testimony have agreed that these Three Persons are equal, and yet they have differing roles. Here we are, finite persons, our only field of experience being relationships between finite humans, seeking to explain relationships between infinite Persons. Our minds and language are inadequate, but it is nonetheless part of our worship. We are humbled and overwhelmed as we approach this subject.

So it is with humility, and a little embarrassment that I offer this illustration of the Trinity. Think of a paint color chart; a gallon of paint, and a paintbrush.

In the mind of the Father exists the most beautiful color ever conceived. Its beauty is beyond anything we have ever seen. We do not know its name.

The Father was pleased to “show off” this divine color in the context of His creation. He sent the Son, the manifestation of this heavenly beauty, now visible to men, and given a name, Jesus.

But paint in a can is not the intended end result of what God desires. The Spirit now applies this heavenly beauty that has come to earth in substance to the lives of those who have come into relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They are changed and covered, so that they resemble more and more the hue of heaven as opposed to the grimy grayness of earth.

So to know God, know Jesus. And to know Jesus, accept Him, that His Spirit might apply His beauty to your life.

Make No Provision for the Flesh (Romans 13:14)

2010-02-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

Sin doesn’t just reach out and grab us. We set the table for it. In strange and seductive ways, we actually send the invitation. And when sin shows up, we hypocritically cry, “how did it get in?”, and “I sinned against my will!”

Romans 13:11-14 is a summary of practical material that begins at the beginning of chapter 12. Therefore, the phrase “make no provision for the flesh” is linked to the powerful, general thoughts of Romans 12: 1,2: “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice;” and, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12, in turn, reaches back to the teaching of Romans 6, where we are warned about “presenting” our members and “bodies” as instruments of sin. So way back in Romans 6 we find hints that you and I are involved in setting the table for sin, even before we commit the sin.

So go back with me to those closing verses of Romans 13, and let’s look at the context of this phrase. First, in v.11, we find that the need to take a different view and approach to how we live our lives is urgent. Do it now. The opportunities are fewer than ever before. Then Paul introduces the metaphor of day and night, light and darkness. We know what belongs to which. Even children know. Don’t play games here. Don’t get into your “adult” rationalizations and reasonings. You know what is right, and you know what is wrong. What are you willing to bring out in the daylight, for God and your family and your friends to see and know?

Put on the armor of light. Full disclosure. No secrets. No hidden agendas. No furtive plans. No escapism. No covert operations. No pet relationships. The armor of light means that I tell the truth about myself. I am a sinner. I am weak here and here and here. I admire Christ because of this and this and this. I want to devote all my thoughts and imaginations and conversations and passions to Him.

Verse 13 gives us three sets of two: “not in carousing and drunkenness;” “not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality;” “not in strife and jealousy.” The flesh wants an experience (the first duplet). But now, child of the day, your experience is found in Christ, not in the party scene, the speed scene, the amusement scene, the adventure scene. Yes, God graciously gives many experiences in his glorious creation, but all under the experience of knowing and walking with Christ. The flesh also wants a relationship (2nd duplet). It wants to be loved and appreciated, and treated with tenderness and affection. We need to understand and affirm that Jesus is our primary relationship. Yes, God gives other relationships and fellowships. But none are to rival or compete with your primary relationship with Christ. And third, the flesh wants victory (3rd duplet). It wants to get the last word, and to make him/her hurt more than you. It wants to leave a lasting mark that will testify that you are a person with whom to be reckoned. But now you know that Jesus is your victory. And that is why so much of the material between the opening of Romans 12 and the closing of Romans 13 talks in plain and practical detail about how to serve others. Because you do not need to triumph over them. Jesus is your victory.

So, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Don’t send the invitation, and do not set the table. The hunger and craving that you feel, make plans now to fill it with the fellowship of Christ. Expose your secret plans that try to satisfy your soul with the wild experience, or the dangerous relationship, or the vengeful act. Ruthlessly examine your plans. Remove the tools of your duplicity. Recognize what tools of technology have been placed more in service of the flesh than the spirit. Ask about every relationship, whether you are more attracted by and to the flesh than to the mind and soul. And, is it right? Or, does it smell? And if it feels so good to turn over in your mind, or to say, then don’t think it or say it. You are probably thinking and saying things much more for you than for the other.

Get out of the shadows. Live in the light. Put on Christ, the armor of light.

That’s Not My Job

2010-02-04T12:02:00.003-05:00

OK, so it’s a silly little word play. We’re not talking about a task, but a person. But you will get the point.

“that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:1 NAS95)

This verse refers to a man named Job (in the Old Testament, right before Psalms), and it also describes Jesus. I wonder to what extent it would, or could, apply to me.

I did a series some time ago on Jonah and Jesus. I concluded that I was much more like Jonah than Jesus. But this one is different. Job starts out, out of the gate, with very high credentials. I’d like to spend a few moments on each, for my benefit, - maybe for someone else’s as well.

“Blameless” is translated in KJV as “perfect.” It has the sense, not of flawlessness, but rather, of completion. Job was complete in his makeup, and in the dedication of the totality of that makeup, to God.

Job was not half a man. He was not one of those “men without chests” described by C.S. Lewis. He was not one of those “little-souled” men, as Jesus called his disciples on more than one occasion (translated “men of little faith”). Job was not big on talk and little in action. He was not merely a man of good intentions, lacking in follow-through. He was not compartmentalized, so that he could be holy in one corner of his life, and perverse in another.

And Jesus was also blameless, and even more so. No void. No shadows. No secrets. No regrets. He was, and is, complete. As I walk in fellowship with Jesus, I must find the He is not tolerant of tolerated inconsistency. We must identify and attack areas of life that display less than whole-hearted discipleship.

“Upright” means straight. Job knew what he was about, and he was not distracted from that high road. Jesus also knew His mission. And His mission was not merely a task, but a life lived in fellowship with God, and in fulfilling God’s will, no matter what it cost Him personally.

I am easily distracted. I pursue goals that prove not to be worth the time and effort. My latest “great idea” collects tarnish in a hurry. There is a back room full of them. I am also easily discouraged, lacking the fortitude to pursue godly behaviors and pursuits through the gauntlet of difficulties and disciplines needed to accomplish something worthwhile, by God’s grace and enablement. But Job, and Jesus, even more so, walked a straight path of fellowship with God and fulfillment of His will for their lives.

Job feared God. Many of the details of Jobs life are lost in the fog of ancient history. God has given us all the details that we need. But one of the mistakes we often make (I read this recently in Chesterton) is that if it happened a long time ago, then, because of progress, we conclude that it was different for them. In this case, I struggle with people-pleasing, but Job probably didn’t have that problem, because, why would you bother trying to impress primitive men? It must have been easier for Job to fear God than for me. Rubbish. God was large in Job’s mind and heart, and He is far too small in mine. And Jesus, even more so, displayed a rock-solid understanding of God’s size and sovereignty. I have a deep need to read my Bible slowly, and to take what it says about God (and other things) literally, that is, as though it is really true.

Finally, Job turned away from evil. He did not walk in the counsel of the gody, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1). He did not play games with sin, or flirt with temptation. Job was a man who could tell himself “No!” and mean it. And I, and you, must do the same.

So far, this Job isn’t my Job. But I would like him to be. But Jesus, though I fall far short, is indeed my Jesus, because He gave Himself for me in order that I can become like Job, and even more so, like Jesus.

The Spirit and Sexual Sin

2009-12-18T11:08:00.002-05:00

We live in a culture that flaunts sexuality. Unbelievers who come to Christ have likely been stained and affected by these practices, and those who profess faith in Christ are commonly falling into practices that are contrary to our calling in Christ.

On the other hand, we believe that for followers of Christ, the Spirit of God has worked to save and is continuing to work to sanctify. Fellow Christians desire to be used by God in the progressive maturing and perfecting of those who profess Christ and desire to serve Him.

The material in 1 Thessalonians speaks both to the issue of the Spirit in the lives of believers, and the problem of sexual sin. I will try to weave these together.

Biblical Foundation

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 is perhaps the clearest and most direct New Testament passage that calls for sexual purity. Paul places this aspect of the believer’s walk (v.1) in the category of sanctification (3:13; 4:3,4,7), and attributes the power for behavioral change to the Holy Spirit (v.8).

Other references to the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians show that this Spirit powerfully brings radical change of heart and life orientation at conversion (1:5, and evidenced in 1:9,10). This same Spirit is involved in examining a believer’s heart (2:4) and in applying God’s will and Word (2:13) to his/her life. But the purifying influence of this Spirit can also be hindered (5:19) by neglecting/despising the living Word of God in lesson and/or application (5:20), and by tolerating/adopting evil influences.

So we expect that the effective work of the Spirit in the believer’s life will be brought to bear against practices of sexual sin. It will not merely be tolerated or controlled. We expect that the ongoing influence of the Spirit will defeat practices of sexual sin.

As we look at the nature and demands of gospel ministry in 1 Thessalonians 2, we can see how sexual sin, along with other sins, will prohibit a minister from fully giving himself to those to whom he is to minister. He (or she) will be holding back in selfish ways. Sexual sin trains one in self-seeking rather than in self-giving (2:8); sexual sin steals personal and spiritual resources that should be dedicated to ministry (2:13, day and night ministry), including time, energy, enthusiasm and imagination. We conclude that sexual sin is a hindrance to the gospel ministry, just as are Christ-haters (2:16) and Satan himself (2:18).

Practical Application

So given the fact that all of us are sinners, and that it is possible that many of us have incidences of sexual sin in our history, here are some conclusions that I believe are consistent with an expectation that the Spirit intends a sanctifying work in our lives.

We should expect and demand from one another
a) Unflinching honesty concerning sin, and
b) Clear actions taken that are the fruit of repentance.

Honesty Concerning Sin:
• Telling the truth
• Telling the whole truth
• A refusal to minimize the sin
• A refusal to blame
• A refusal to make excuses

The Fruit of Repentance:
• The follower of Christ takes iniative in dealing with sin.

When a person is caught in their sin, as opposed to taking the initiative to deal with their sin, it is nearly impossible to discern the fruit of repentance. This does not mean that a person who is caught in sin is not repentant. It just means that we cannot be sure if they are sorry for their sin, or sorry they were caught. So we desire to see actions that take the initiative in dealing with sin even before it is exposed.

That means that you and I must take initiative with our sins, whether they be sexual sins or some other category. Don’t just cover it up. Don’t try to manage it. Attack it. Take the initiative in battling that behavior in your life.

This does not mean that you are trusting in your own actions in order to accomplish sanctification. No, it is the Spirit who sanctifies. Pray that the Spirit would give victory. But don’t just pray and ask to change after experiencing some failure, expecting that the Spirit will work in spite of your actions and patterns. Make and plan, and work the plan, and improve the plan – but trust in the Spirit to do what only He can do.

• We are to pay careful attention to the underlying cause of our sins (why is/was this temptation to powerful for me?).

There is much material available that helps us to understand what is going on in our hearts that then is manifested in the form of sexual sin.

• There is careful attention paid to the circumstances in which failure may occur, and how to avoid those circumstances. Have any roadblocks been placed to make a return to sin more difficult?

Again, there is much material available to guide us in practical steps that we can take that make sense.

• There has been care in establishing accountability.

• That a plan to deal with the sin is working, and that the individual has not stopped pursuing a plan that is effective.

• The individual has engaged in a walk with Christ which makes it obvious that he/she has a desire to love Christ more than he/she loves the sin.

The goal in all this is that we want to serve Christ with those who are walking with the Spirit. To be engaged in sexual sin, and sins of other sorts, is to walk another path. We are then walking in the flesh, not in the Spirit. A return to the path of walking with the Spirit requires that we be honest about our sins, and that we take clear, concrete actions that would drive a stake through the practice of sin and mortify the flesh.

The Spirit Gives Joy

2009-12-14T15:15:00.003-05:00

The powerful Spirit produces joy. We know this, because for the Thessalonian believers, they experienced joy, not only in favorable circumstances, but also when distressed: “having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,” (1 Thessalonians 1:6 NAS95). The joy did not appear naturally, but rather, supernaturally. From a worldly point of view, there was no cause for joy. But something else was going on in the minds and hearts of these believers. Their eyes were opened to a new estimation of things. The value of the word had become greater than present comforts. The promise of future reward more than compensated for the risk or experience of present loss. What was gained was now more precious that what was lost.

I see a lack of joy in my Christian experience. I also see it in the lives of other believers. We are not persecuted. We do not suffer greatly. We engage in our commitments, and we do our duties. We plod along, and we exhibit faithfulness; but not joyfulness.

Why is this? If I looked only at 1 Thes 1, I might conclude that all we need is a good dose of tribulation to bring out the joy. But that is not what that text is saying. It is not the tribulation that produces the joy, but the Holy Spirit. And so the question has to be asked, “What am I doing to stifle the production of joy by the Holy Spirit?” And so I have gone searching, and find some answers in the following passages in which both the concept of “joy” and “Spirit” occur together.

In Acts 13:52, the Gentiles who had just recently heard the gospel and realized that it was good news, not just for others, but also for people like them, were “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Their excitement and wonder at being accepted and included in God’s gracious plan that brings forgiveness of sins changed their view of all things, producing joy. Life could never again be the same. So much of the world around me is hell-bound. God’s electing grace should be shockingly refreshing. This can be spoiled by a sense of entitlement, as though God, for some reason, owed me a spot on the bus.

Romans 14: 17 says that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Specifically, Paul has just said that a brother for whom Christ has died is more important and more dear to him than eating or not eating. It appears that if one trades out the importance of people for personal liberties or luxuries, then he may very well forego “righteousness and peace and joy.” Joy is experienced as one lives in light of these three facts: God is working His plan; people are highly valuable; and we are preparing for and investing in a drastically better future. Again, I lose joy when the biggest plan in view is what’s for lunch, or who’s doing music, or what’s on TV.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NAS95) We see that the God of hope works in concert with the Spirit of power to produce “joy and peace in believing.” God is doing something strange and contrary to expectation. He is bringing together a people that unites old enemies. And the follower of Christ is challenged to continue in the acceptance of those who are not just like you, and who formerly may have been offensive or disgusting. You behave in this new way because you have been re-visioned, re-vised according to a new creation kind of existence, to which you are fastened by hope. And the joy that is mentioned seems to have in it a sense of adventure and a scent of anticipation. I lose the experience of joy when I focus upon the accomplishment of “old man” objectives as opposed to God’s heavenly purposes in His Son, in His church, and in His world.

In 2 Corinthians 7:13, Paul and Titus are rejoicing in the continuing faith of Corinthians Christians. Yes, life is hard – “conflicts without, fears within” (v.5) – but the fellowship, the comraderie of Christians who are on the same team and running the same race is sustaining, refreshing, and heart-lifting. As we see later in 1 Thessalonians 2:19,20, the fellowship with other believers is critical. If this “band of brothers” loses its sense of direction; if they begin to exist for no good purpose other than to endure – they will lose joy.

So, if it fits, make your own diagnosis. Why joylessness? What is at stake is more than a life lived in dullness and depression. Spiritual joy is linked also to peace and hope and love and fellowship. To be depleted in the area of joy is to be disabled in worship and witness and service.

What Power?

2009-12-01T17:37:00.004-05:00

To what degree have we cast an image of the Spirit that is powerless, since that sits well with our own experience? We howl when we see individuals man-handle the Word and practice some form of eis-egesis (reading their viewpoints into the text) rather than ex-egesis (developing the text's conclusions from out of the text). And we are instantly critical of those who, evilly shaped by the culture around us, make God in our own image, into what we want Him to be, instead of us being re-made in His image, into what He wants us to be. But then, where is the outrage when we conceive of the Holy Spirit apart from the concept of power?

Gordon Fee shows at the end of his chapter on the use of the word "spirit" in his book, "God's Empowering Presence," that there is such a strong, explicit connection between "spirit" and "power" in so many texts, that, even when the word "spirit" is used without the word "power," we must still think about what power is being exercised; and, when the "power" is used without a direct reference to the Spirit, we would do well to think about how the Spirit is involved. The connection is that close. He does not say that every time one word or the other is used, that the author necessarily has the other in mind. He just says that there is a good chance of it.

In my mind, the Spirit is holy. He is active in our sanctification. The Spirit is the Comforter. He provides assurance and a sense of God's presence. The Spirit is a guide. He helps in discernment. He helps in our prayers. But in my experience, the Spirit is not powerful. Oh, I'm sure He can be, and that He has been at some times in some places. But not here and now. Not lately. My eyes have glossed over the strong Biblical evidences of the connection between Spirit and power that do not fit my experience. And I want my experience to conform to this Biblical portrait of God's Spirit whose activity is powerful.

I understand that the Spirit's power is different from the world's conceptions of power. While the world may base their definitions of power on military strength or economic leverage or political clout, the Spirit's power may reveal itself in an enduring faith, and in sacrificial love, and in an other-worldly hope that rejects would-be, easy-access saviors. These examples may seem benign, but even these are surprising and shocking. They are evidences that cannot be explained.

I also understand that the Spirit's power can be experienced just as much in the undertow as in the crashing wave. But in either case, it is still a power that is felt; a power that matters; a power that we must not do without.

Good, Old-Fashioned Bible Study

2009-12-01T17:31:00.003-05:00

In reading Gordon Fee’s “God’s Empowering Presence,” the 2nd chapter is entitled “Preliminary Observations on Usage.” Someone needs to give poor Gordon some assistance on sexy chapter titles, because this one is not going to draw a crowd. It is most definitely not seeker-sensitive. It’s just good, old-fashioned Bible study.

First of all, it is careful study. Fee goes through usage by usage and analyzes both the grammar and logical issues. He charts them out and categorizes them. In so doing, he is able to refute an earlier theory that the use of the article (“the”) in the Greek text denotes a reference to the divine spirit, whereas the absence of the article suggests a reference to the human spirit. No, that doesn’t work. And he carefully shows his work.

We all need to be involved in careful Bible study. There are many aspects of such study, but one is to carefully look at the words that are used, and how the words are used. Yes, there has been a lot of attention given to the “big picture” of the Biblical narrative – some rendition of “creation, fall, redemption, consummation.” But the superstructure rests on the individual pieces of words and arguments. While it is possible to lose sight of the big picture because of an atomistic approach to the Bible, it is also possible to drift along above the text with some kind of Big Picture that does not attend to careful study.

Second, Fee challenges me about letting the Bible speak for itself. As the careful student looks at the words, he also seeks to follow the argument that is being constructed. Of course, grammar provides many of the needed clues. I have found that it is relatively easy to spend hours in studying words and making lists, but much more difficult to trace and describe an argument. And, as in the next point, I need to be very careful not to insert my argument for the author’s. Fee gives a great example of enduring Bible study that arrives at definitions and conclusions, not just data.

It is so easy to come to the text with preconceived notions about what it says before we let it speak. My 3rd note is a caution against demanding that the text answer my questions. An example of this is found in most of the treatments that I have read seeking to state the Bible’s position of divorce and remarriage. One after another of us have pressed Jesus’ statements (and Paul’s, and Moses’) to fit our questions rather than to grasp the point being made in context and letting that material work us over. I must try to listen for the questions that the author is answering. And they most likely are not the questions that I had in my mind when I started the study. I was reminded to come to the text and to listen.

How long has it been since you spent a couple of hours in good, old-fashioned Bible study? Just you and your Bible. Maybe a concordance, but no commentaries or study notes. Just you and your Bible, wrestling with words and arguments, and you asking God what it is He has to say to you today?

Have We Settled?

2009-11-26T00:16:00.001-05:00

“my concern is that in our having his Spirit, we not settle for a watered down understanding that gives more glory to Western rationalism and spiritual anemia than to the living God” (Introduction, p.9) God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul, by Gordon D. Fee. Hendrickson, 1994.

Fee, writing with a sincere concern for the church and with an intense interest in an experience of the life of God as mediated or communicated by the Spirit, confesses for many of us that the working out of our faith is heavy on theological description and low on spiritual experience. If that is the case, it seems that we would be skilled in discerning the right and the wrong, but clumsy in areas of wisdom and gifting and community and witness and prayer. In personal terms, it seems that we would be better in our answers and in detecting errors than in progressing in holiness. In terms of witness, we would be left to rely on argument in our efforts to convince the lost rather than presenting a compelling, living lifestyle that reflects the sweet reality of heaven’s values.

So, have we settled? Have we settled for a kind of Christianity that is dry and unfruitful? Are we more comfortable with a faith that is predictable, though lacking power in its expression? Do we settle for church life that is lacking in love, and weak in obedience?

Let me back off for a moment. Yes, the church with which I am familiar is Western, and rationalistic, and predictable. But there are still many wonderful examples of love and sacrifice and obedience and blessing. But, …

I do not believe that God wants His children, any of us, to settle for less than what He has provided. I am excited about following Fee’s lead through Paul’s epistles as he exegetes and examines what God has said about His empowering presence.

Two Atrocities: A Head with Multiple Bodies; or, A Body with Multiple Heads

2009-09-09T17:37:00.002-04:00

Maybe “atrocity” is too strong a word. But “anomaly” is too weak. And “curiosity” is just sick. And we aren’t talking about something that you might have seen in the old, circus “freak” shows. No, we are talking about seems to happen often in the evangelical church.

A Head with Multiple Bodies

Christ only has one body. We just seem a little confused about who it is. So there are many (and by many, I mean a whole lot) who claim to be that body, and who are pretty sure of all the ones who are not. I’m pretty sure that Christ knows who makes up His body. But in the meantime, in our separations and isolations, we are left either to envision a Head with only our little remnant, which would be a really small, puny body; or to envision an atrocity: Christ with many bodies.

Ephesians 2:14 says “He is our peace.” Verse 15 says that He has made “the both one.” There are not two peoples of God. There is one. There are not two ways to God. It is Jesus. And if we take this theme and run with it, we can safely say that Christ our Head does not have multiple bodies.

If He did, can you imagine what would happen? Several would claim to have direction from their Head, even though each body is clearly not going in the same direction. And it seems, then, as though the Head would almost be forced to favor one body over the others. “Will the real body please stand up?” And the others are left, what, just to dangle?

If Christ our Head had many bodies, then language such as “beloved” (for instance, in Psalm 127:2; Ephesians 5:1) becomes trite. It would be like the young chaser buying Valentine cards for all his girls that say, “I love you will all of my heart.” A shepherd with multiple flocks must necessarily be absent at times. A Good Shepherd may have many, many sheep. But He has only one flock.

A Body with Multiple Heads

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24 NAS95S). In other words, it’s just not going to work. The masters are going to fight. The servant is going to take sides.

But the Body on earth tends to conduct itself as though the Head in heaven is far away (see Ephesians 1:20-23 for the concept of the “Head in heaven”). Therefore, it must adopt other direction for its practical and daily existence. Maybe it is worldly wisdom. Maybe it is church tradition. But the church in the world often replaces heavenly direction with earthly direction, and, in essence, seeks to operate with multiple heads.

But our Head is not far away. Heaven has invaded earth in the coming of the Son, and He has conquered the distance and the divide so that we can have constant fellowship and direction from Him, through His Spirit and Word. So when we opt for substitute headship, we operate according to the flesh, not according to faith. And that produces an atrocity.

We need less meetings and more prayer. We need less talking and more paying attention. We need to be a little less like the adolescent, who, when spoken to, cannot possibly hear, because he is entombed in headphones and distraction. He is, for all practical purposes, dead to the Head.

A local body of believers (see Ephesians 4:15-16 for the Head in relation to individuals in local community) has many heads when they are all going a dozen directions, fed with many varieties of spiritual diet. Let’s say one group is more passionate about the election (or, non-election) of some politician than they have ever been about King Jesus. And let’s say another group is really, really focused on the family. And let’s say another group is all about feeding the hungry. And another comes to church out of loyalty, but they feel much more fed when they listen to Joel Osteen. Wouldn’t this be a body with multiple heads?

Paul one more time uses the “Head” theme in Ephesians 5, when he applies the beauty of the new creation and spiritual living to husbands and wives. They are to live in love and submission with/to one another, even as the local body is to practice love and submission in relation to one another, under the banner of the Love of Christ for His church and submission to Christ has her Lord.

Every time I substitute willfullness and selfishness for submission and love, I am guilty of sin: of separating from Christ, my Head, to follow the impulse of some other Authority. This should never be considered normal. It is an atrocity.

In the Presence of My Enemies

2009-09-08T09:23:00.000-04:00

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;” (Psalms 23:5 NAS95S)

This just doesn’t happen. When you are surrounded by enemies, you do not spread the tablecloth, unfold the napkin, and take a sip of wine. You don’t take a deep breath, clear your mind, and share a joke with your friends.

No, when you are surrounded by enemies, you are on the run. If you eat at all, it’s some hunk of old, half-a-biscuit, that, as you run, are careful not to leave crumbs behind, lest the enemy be able to track you down. There are no refinements; no pleasantries. It’s wilderness and caves and sweat and fear.

The New Testament theology that informs the Old Testament text is this: Christ has defeated the enemy by his resurrection from the dead, and is thus able to provide for his followers safe refuge. He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14) who has given his life for the sheep, and whose work ensures that “no man is able to pluck them from my Father’s hand” (John 10:29).

The theology is sound and assuring. Our practical application is often flawed.

Because God-in-Christ provides us with such security and pleasure, we often begin to draw the conclusion that we really have no surrounding enemies. If the table is so rich, and the fellowship so fine, then we forget the larger context that we live in this world as pilgrims and strangers, even aliens, and that our many enemies, sometimes categorized under the rubric of “the world, the flesh, and the devil,” are still present, and potent, and prowling about.

Of course, we can err in more than one direction. If we have the tendency to explore the ditch on one side of the path, then surely we are capable of excavating the ditch on the other side as well. And so, not only can we forget “the presence of our enemies” and live as though they do not exist, but we can also, in the rush and tumble of life, forget the table, its fare, and its fellowship. Whether it is our nose to the grindstone, or our feet to the fire, we are hurried and pressed, and we forego the restful intimacies that our Savior requests, even commands.

As sheep, we just take what is given to us. If a meal is provided, we eat. And if the shepherd presides over us for our protection, we accept it. But as intelligent people, we forget and neglect. And so, intelligent men and women, consider this prayer for today: “Lord, let me be a lamb today.”

Daily Prayer

2009-07-03T21:41:00.002-04:00

“Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;”
(Psalms 144:1 ESV)

Father,
It is difficult for me to think that Your Son needed training. But then, "he learned obedience" according to Hebrews 5. Those infant hands and fingers had to learn to write, and to work with wood, and to touch lepers, and receive nails. And they will one day lead in final battle.

It is not difficult for me to think that we need training. We need to be trained to think Your thoughts after You. We need to be trained to pray. We need to be trained to practice boldness with grace, and humility without reserve. We need to practice patience, and patiently receive correction, over and over again. Train us well. Drill us. Mold us.

Father, I pray that you would put an end to our training in things that are unprofitable. We all devote our minds and hearts and hands and fingers to things that don't matter, or worse, that do damage. We practice these things. We are being trained negatively, even demonically. Put an end to such training that will bring difficulty and defeat, and replace it with divine training fit for sons of heaven. Amen

Daily Prayer

2009-07-02T17:32:00.002-04:00

“and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.” (John 10:12 ESV)

Father,
I pray that we will have a greater, deeper, more powerful relationship with the Shepherd than with the wolf. We know what the wolf can do to a person. He can bring great damage, and put great distance, at least in terms of fellowship, between the sheep and his Shepherd. I pray that you would protect each one from being snatched by the grip of one more powerful than himself, and so I pray that you would help each to see his spiritual weakness, and to stay close to the Shepherd. And I pray that they would not be scattered - separated from closest relationships with other believers; separated from ministry involvements; separated from spiritual power.

I pray that you would cause each one to love the Shepherd and hate the wolf - to fly to the Shepherd and run from the wolf.

We are told that men are supposed to be strong. Father, we are not. But your Son is. May we find our safety the remainder of this day in Him. Amen

“sons of men” and the Son of Man

2009-06-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

We were born into this world as sons of men. Created by God from the dust of the earth, the first man had a close affinity to the created order. We are a part of this world. We breathe its air and drink its water and find ourselves at home here.

But we were also created with an affinity for the Creator. God Himself breathed into Adam the “breath of life.” He and Eve are “image of God” in a way that distinguishes them from all the rest of the created order.

When Eve and Adam sinned, they placed their relationship with the created order over their relationship with the Creator. They opted for the fruit and the flesh rather than the life of the soul that lives with/from God. And ever since, sons of men naturally live according to the flesh.

“Flesh” in the Bible is characterized by brevity. It withers like the grass and fades like the flower. It lives for the moment, and disregards eternal concerns. That is how the sons of men look at life. That is how they behave.

Think, then, of how the sons of men speak – the nature of their words. Our words are worth little because they are designed to carry the moment at the expense of the eternal. The sons of men do not speak easily in terms of timeless truths, but rather in bytes intended to make an impression, leverage a response, and manipulate the situation for our advantage or comfort.

How different then, is the Son of Man. He steps into this world, like the sons of men, with an affinity to the created order. He was, after all, “born of a woman.” He was part of a culture, speaking their language, and practicing their customs. But, unlike the sons of men, his primary relationship was not with the created order via the flesh, but with the Creator, via the Spirit.

He words show his distinction from the sons of men. He dares to forgive sins, something the sons of men find strange, even offensive. He claims to be Lord of the Sabbath, whereas the calendar and the week rules us. He stands above, as Lord of the created order, whereas we, as sons of men, are captivated by it.

The Son of Man came to deliver the sons of men from their bondage, to restore a proper priority of relationship with God. And the Son of Man will come again, with great power and glory, to speak in judgment with decisiveness and clarity, in perfect righteousness. sons of men can not fathom that kind of clarity from the morass of doubt and relativism in which they operate.

And so, those who call themselves Christians have an important question to answer: will I follow the sons of men, or the Son of Man? We will do one or the other. The two paths do not run the same direction.

Genesys, and Exodys

2009-06-08T21:41:00.002-04:00

Genesys is the name of a health care facility in our area. Cute. But I think they oversell themselves a bit. I am truly thankful for medical science, and for recent breakthroughs and improvements, and I hope for more. I appreciate that hospitals are now competing for customers, and that they are trying hard to put their best foot forward.

But their theology is lacking. And the marketing department is running the show. Don’t worry. They are not alone. It is happening at businesses, and schools, and in churches.

“Genesis” means “beginnings.” The book of Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament of the Bible, starts with the words, “In the beginning, …” It is a book about the beginnings of the created order, spoken into existence by the Word of God. It follows with the story of the beginning of the human race, with God Himself personally and intimately involved in the formation of both male and female. Genesis goes on and tells the story of the beginning of a people through a childless couple, and the beginning of covenant promise and commitment.

I wonder, are there any of these senses in which Genesys thought it was appropriate to co-opt the word, “Genesis?”

Genesis also includes less cheery beginnings. It records graphically the first sin, both silly and stupid. It chronicles the rapid rise of sin into evil, and God’s response in the ‘whelming flood. The book of Genesis also does not whitewash the close-to-home evils of betrayal and envy and bitterness and lies.

I hardly think Genesys wants that kind of association.

And I wonder, is the backside of the hospital call Exodys. If you enter the front door with hopes and promises of all that can be done, what happens when all that can be done isn’t enough? What happens when the cancer wins; when the bleeding can’t be stopped, and when the treatment for one ailment kills you with another?

“Exodus” means “departure.” So, in a sense, Exodys might be a better name than Genesys. Everybody wants just to get out of there and go home. But we all know that there is a more serious departure about which we seldom think, and which does not fit into anyone’s marketing plan.

We are all going to die. We will all make an exit, timely or untimely. The exodus will happen whether we think we are ready or not. Maybe the hospital won’t tell us about the inevitability of death, but someone should. And if we are going to be ready to die, then we need a new beginning, another genesis.

If you want a good Exodus, you need a new Genesis – to be part of a new creation; a member of a new humanity; birthed into a new family; welcomed into covenant community. You need a cure, not for cancer, but for sin, whether sin that is attached to the cosmos, or to the human race, or to you personally.

Genesis and Exodus. They belong together. They should be attended separately.

Red Sea Rescue

2009-04-09T08:17:00.001-04:00

There are numerous applications to God’s saving rescue in the church’s life and the Christian’s life from the account of the Red Sea Rescue of Israel in Exodus 14.

After the plagued power-struggle between God (Moses) and Pharoah, Israel has finally been released to go worship God in the wilderness. But the Egyptians have a change of mind.

“What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”

We forget how the devil desires to rule over us. He enjoys, in a diabolical sort of way, our service to him. And we fail to realize that, apart from Christ, we are always serving the devil. There are only two to serve: Christ, or the devil. And if we are not serving the One, then we are serving the other. So even homes that seem moral and orderly are, unwittingly, serving the devil’s interests, though I do not doubt that, somehow, they also serve God’s general interests in society and culture. The dentist who does not serve Christ serves the devil. He may do fine (painless) work, and he may truly help people in the here-and-now and be a benefit to his community, but the devil has him right where he wants him. He is not serving Christ.

When Israel realizes their predicament, that they are pinned in no-man’s-land between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea, they complain. “Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’”

And so we say to the preacher, “Mind your own business.” And so we say to God’s Word, “This doesn’t apply to me.” And so we say to the Holy Spirit, “Just this once, and I will ask forgiveness.” And so we say to Christ, “I do not account your death on the cross as being of equal value with my personal comfort and happiness.” And so we say to God, “Leave me alone!” Today, we want to serve ourselves, not realizing that, in doing so, we are serving the devil. At least the Israelites better understood their options.

Moses takes the matter to God, and since God already know what He will do (in fact, He already told Moses what He would do), He says, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.”

Just go forward. We think the path is obstructed. But just go forward. We fear our feet getting wet. But just go forward. We fear appearing foolish and stupid. But just go forward. I wonder how often I have lived, stopped in my tracks, waiting for God to move my feet for me, when, what He has promised is to create a path. Just go forward.

The people proceed on dry land through the Red Sea. Walls of water on the right and the left. Drowning Egyptian soldiers behind. Moses and God up ahead. “So the people feared the Lord, and the believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”

Perhaps the greatest rescue that God accomplishes is not in the defeat of the enemy and the creation of a path through the sea, but in the conversion of hard hearts. These stubborn people actually came to fear the Lord and to believe. What a miracle! No, I do not want to discount the other aspects of this deliverance. What power, shown in the most God-glorifying of ways!

We need a Red Sea Rescue today. The Church, and individual Christians, need protection from Satan’s molesting designs. We need deliverance from the sickening attitude that we are better off settling for the temporary security that the enemy provides. We need a push in the back and a kick in the butt to push forward. We need true fear of the Lord, and real faith in a rescuing God and in his servant Jesus.

May today be a “go forward” day.

The Thought of God

2009-04-06T22:44:00.002-04:00

Reflections on “The Thought of God,” by Maurice Roberts. Banner of Truth, 1993. The book takes its title from the first article.

Often times at a funeral home, we will hear the explanation, perhaps to a grandchild, “Grandma is not here. She is gone to heaven. Only her body has been left behind.” Regardless of the sophistication, or lack thereof, of the truth prounounced, it reminds me of the point made powerfully in this reading, “The Thought of God.” When facing trouble, the Christian is really not completely here. He is, or, his attention is, directed to heaven. The problematic visibility does not describe the spiritual reality.

Roberts at one point calls it “intuitive,” at another, “instinctive.” Some men in our church have spoken of it as “our first reflex.” It is what Christians do. They turn to God. Their minds run to God. The are governed by “the thought of God.” In short, Christians pray.

Roberts uses a turn of phrase to communicate a beautiful truth: “godly men are not more ready to raise their minds to God in trouble than he is to hear and help them” (p.4). And this confidence is what makes turning to God an activity in which we can invest significant time and energy. God hears our prayers.

The other quote I choose is from pp. 6,7: “ Panic is the sinful failure to apply our knowledge of God to particular problems.” Could theology be any more practical than this? Does this not apply to issues weighing the mind even today? And, has “the Thought of God” ruled your heart and carried the day?

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)

So Teach Us to Number our Days

2009-03-13T16:24:00.001-04:00

I’ve often heard, and probably said it myself, that we should live each day as though it were our last. Perhaps this would be a word of admonition in line with Ps 90:12
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
But I’m not sure it gets it quite right.

Yes, it is true that we do not know how many days we have here on earth. This may be our last. And certainly, if it were our last, then there are certain things that I would want to say to certain people.

But the other side of this truth is – we may have a great many days left on this earth. And if that is the case, then we should not live each day as though it were our last. If we did, we would only do those things which are most urgent. We would not plan. We would not strategize. We would begin no large projects. We would stretch for no large aspirations.

And so it seems that we have a two-sided lesson here. Our times are in God’s hands. We must be very careful not to leave unfinished business, especially in the sense of unforsaken and unconfessed sin, or in failing to offer forgiveness or seek reconciliation in bruised and broken relationships.

But we must also dare to begin endeavors which may take decades to complete. We must begin friendships that may not mature for years. We must invest in worthy projects much like a farmer would plant seed in the Spring. Do we have a guarantee that we will enjoy the harvest on this earth? No, but there is harvest in heaven even for projects only begun.

Garbage Day

2009-03-04T14:12:00.001-05:00

It may seem silly, but I love garbage day. Just think, you carry your junk to the street, and then it’s gone. The bags are gone. The garage is clean. The trash cans are empty. This has got to be one of the greatest achievements of modern civilization.

If you doubt me, answer this: What would you do with all your trash if no one took it away? Would you burn it? The smoke from everyone’s trash would cover the town. Would you bury it? Frankly, I’m afraid I come up with more trash that I have room to dig. You could shove it down the basement stairs, but that seems short-sighted.

What I really love about garbage day is that it reminds me of forgiveness. “If we confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

This verse doesn’t explain the mechanics of atonement. It just states it as a fact. Forgiveness is possible, and forgiveness is possible. When I address my sin – recognizing my sin as sin, and name it for what it is – then forgiveness is promised. It’s a little like taking garbage to the street. In essence, you are admitting to the public – “I have garbage. Here it is.” And then it’s gone.

Sure, there are questions that need to be answered: What about unconfessed sin? How does God forgive sin and maintain His justice? Doesn’t this arrangement just encourage us to sin all the more? What about the consequences of sin? Are they taken away as well? And there are important answers to those questions.

But it doesn’t take away the delight of garbage day, and the joy of forgiveness day, which, when lived in the light, in fellowship with Jesus, is everyday.

Forty Days in the Wilderness

2009-02-25T12:46:00.001-05:00

Jesus is enjoying the wilderness, not because he’s an outdoors guy, but because he is full of the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit (Lk 4:1,2). The truth is, Jesus would be happy anywhere, full of the Spirit, walking in the pleasure of God. The environment and the hunger are real, but not so real as the reality of God.

The devil shows up in the wilderness. They size one another up. Their minds are worlds apart.

The devil must be puzzled by Jesus. Could this really be the Son of God? Sure, Satan was cast out of heaven for treason against the Most High. So what must the Son of God have done, to be cast as a human, bound by disgusting flesh? At least the devil was still an angel, but here is this Jesus, obviously lower than even angels.

If Jesus were only pretending to be the Son of God, then he would be extremely useful to the alMost High. Satan can always use pretenders, capitalizing on their pride.

But if Jesus is indeed the Son of God, then he must be destroyed. And it shouldn’t be hard, should it, since the devil had already proven that mere men were easily tempted and quickly turned.

Just a little shell game would do the trick. A little catering to the animal impulses. A little show and tell. The offering of a shortcut. The spectacle of a miracle. A seemingly noble way to put God in the service of man, as opposed to man in the service of God. This should be easy.

Jesus looks at the devil. Jesus has been training his mind and heart, his body and will, his emotions and spirit, to be satisfied with God, and with God alone. Whatever appearance the devil has, it finds no appeal in Jesus. His eyes are for God alone. His heart is for God alone. God alone. God alone. For thirty years, and for forty days, this has been his pattern and his life. God alone.

Jesus hears the devil, and knows Satan’s own self-deception, even as he attempts to begin his deceiving work. He observes the devil’s manipulation of the playing field, the re-framing of the rules, the altering of expectations, the reduction of all things important to this single moment in time. And Jesus knows.

He knows because he created this angel of light, now become the prince of darkness. He created his gifts and his abilities. The devil’s aptness for leadership did not arise from the abyss, and the span of his creativity did not evolve. It was given by God, through the handiwork of the Son.

When the devil spoke, he spoke through instruments designed by Jesus himself – instruments that were intended to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.” He created a will that was to bend and bow in constant subservience to the will of God Almighty. And he created an angel with the ability to assist in bringing a redeemed humanity to “the praise of His glory.”

So perhaps Jesus views the devil with sadness. Perhaps with the kind of righteous anger that one feels when one’s Father’s name has been disdained. But certainly Jesus knows that He will defeat this devil.

Alternative Energy

2009-02-10T11:54:00.001-05:00

Christians are called “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). Jesus says “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). John says that this “light was the light of men” (John 1:4). And in all these references, we can contrast the light with darkness. But I want to think of an association of light. Light produces heat. But not just heat. It is energy.

And so Christians operate with an alternative energy. Our energy comes “from above.” Other energies are operative in the world, but they are worldly. They come from below. The energies from below produce pollutions, like malice and envy; like selfishiness and abuse of others. But the energy from above produces things like joy and peace, and love.

The energies from below are part of a “death grid.” They depend on death. And they produce death. The energy from above is in complete contrast. It is a “life grid.” It begins with resurrected life (Romans 1:4), and begets eternal life (Romans 6:23), which is a whole different kind of life than one ever finds in the culture of death.

There is so much talk these days about alternative energy. My illustration makes me sound like a raging liberal. Coal and oil are bad. Sun and wind are good. And I’m not sure that is an appropriate conclusion to draw. It seems that in God’s design for this earth, coal and oil were provided as gifts. I suppose a person could argue that coal and oil are produced in the death and decay of organic materials, and so belong to the “death grid.” But that is another discussion. Let’s not make the illustration the lesson.

The lesson is this: Christians operate on a different plane because they are energized by a different Spirit (I think there is good evidence for a Biblical connection with Spirit as the breath of God, and energy or energizing.) And when I sink to operate according to the spirit of the age, according to the “elemental things” (Galatians 4:3) then, no wonder, I lose the grand experience of joy and peace and love, and I trade off for frustration, disillusionment, and a preoccupation with my own self.

Christian, look up. Feel the warmth of Jesus on your face and in your heart. Praise God for the wind of His Spirit, whether in reminding you of Biblical truth, or conviction of sin, or of a return to thankfulness and grace.

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:13-18 NAS95S)

Journey

2009-01-02T22:29:00.001-05:00

Thinking through Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be), by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. Moody, 2008

In the chapter, “Journey: Are the Pilgrims still making Progress?” the authors discuss the tension between the journey itself, and the destination. They quote a sentiment which is widely accepted, and perhaps especially in the emergent church that “The destination matters little. The journey is the thing” (p.32)

Here’s where it’s fun to blog through a book, not critiquing the book necessarily, but looking for application for oneself. I’m going to talk about a direction that the chapter doesn’t really go. The authors go the direction of “certainty/uncertainty,” and even get around to discussing the emergent handling of homosexuality. I’d rather talk about heaven.

The pendulum still swings, though it is hard to tell when it has reached bottom (to borrow a market term). When I was growing up, we were all going to heaven. Now, we are living the Christian life. When I was growing up, people were living the Christian life on their way to heaven. Now, we are living the Christian life, and heaven will happen eventually. See the difference?

My pastor used to refer to people who were “so heavenly minded they were no earthly good.” I’m not sure I know anyone like that these days. We may now be so earthly minded, we are no heavenly good. And the trends in the American church are further toward friendship with the world, and enmity toward God (James 4).

This is not an us vs. them problem. This is a virus the emergent church caught from the evangelicals, and now the tumors are breaking through the surface. All of us need to catch a hunger for heaven that begins to break the attachments we have to this world.

Let me take a breath and clarify. When I say “heaven,” I don’t mean an escape from God’s creation into something else. No, I understand 2 Peter 3, where he speaks of “waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2Peter 3:13 ESV) I know that God’s creation is good, and that it awaits final redemption, though it will be dragged through the purging wringer in order to ready it for that day. Also, I am not advocating isolationism. We must break with the world even as we love sinners and sacrifice and suffer for them.

Our problem is our attachment to this world, and the current state of things – to its comforts; its prosperities; its entertainments; its coolness; its congratulations. We seem not to believe the following biblical phrases: “the present form of this world is passing away.” (1Corinthians 7:31 ESV); “And the world is passing away along with its desires,” (1John 2:17 ESV). Our journey seems to have lost its destination, and we think we can settle here, comfortably.

I want to affirm the importance of the journey. God uses the journey to prepare us for the destination. Each test; each gift; each trial is used by God to wean us from the world and make us thirsty for Christ. But somehow, we seem to be missing the lessons.

And I also want to affirm the importance of the destination. So let me go back to those intriguing words from 2 Peter: “what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2Peter 3:11-12 ESV).

The American church is way out of balance, and we are veering away from center.

Reading List from 2008

2009-01-01T00:25:00.001-05:00

Here are books that I read in 2008, along with a few random notes.

I started the year with a book edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor: The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World.

I ended the year (today) with The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. What a challenging book, all the way to the end, like his life.

Graham Cole, He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

Books by D.A. Carson - Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns, The Gagging of God (2nd time reading through this 900 pager, Christ and Culture,

The Bruised Reed, by Richard Sibbes. Someone related to Southern Serminary put together a book-of-the-month list for old Puritans. I read most of what he recommended (a couple I had read before). Thomas Boston, Repentance. Flavel, The Mystery of Providence. Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture. Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. Bunyan, Come and Welcome to Jesus. Owen, Mortification of Sin. Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification (I think my favorite of the whole Puritan collection). William Guthrie, The Christian’s Great Interest. Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor

St. Augustine, City of God. I had read this years ago. To think that what he said then is still important now.

Greg Beale, Temple of God (Biblical Theology). I love the books in this series.

Paul Tripp, A Quest for More. A helpful book that I’ve recommended to many, and which I gave to my wife for Christmas. Actually, I gave her my copy for Christmas. I also read Tripp’s How People Change, and Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands

N.T. Wright, The Resurrection fo the Son of God. I finally finished this third volume of his series. Though I don’t follow everything, the guy is brilliant.

Rasenberger, America: 1908. A fascinating look at America 100 years ago.

Erickson and Taylor, eds. Reclaiming the Center

Feiler, Abraham. This guy shows Abraham in relation to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. And I’m not sure he understands any of them.

Guiness, The Call. I’ve read this twice, and still feel like I’m missing the point. It makes me feel thick.

Kistler, ed. Feed my Sheep, a book on preaching. Great chapters.

Harris, Slaves of Christ. This will deal with that triumphal streak in you. Very biblical, and a needed emphasis.

Packer, Dever. In My Place Condemned He Stood. Dense argumentation, but rich.

Paul Stiles, Is the American Dream Killing You? How the Marken Rules our Lives. I read this in the first half of the year. If I had waited to the second half, I probably would have wanted it to say, “how the market ruins our lives.” But it doesn’t, does it? It can’t. It doesn’t have that kind of power.

Mike Fabarez. Preaching that Changes Lives, borrowed from a friend at church. I wonder, now why was he so willing to share this with me?

Alex and Brett Harris, Do Hard Things. I have some blog entries running with a few threads from this book.

Henry Cloud, Integrity. This guy goes deep with the concept. I think he might be “Christian”, based on how he approaches or explains different concepts. But his failure to point to Christ anywhere in the book seems like, well, a lack of integrity.

DeYoung and Kluck. Why We’re Not Emergent. I’m currently blogging through this book, though not very energetically.

Newton, Elders in Congregational Life. A very good, brief treatment of the subject by a Baptist pastor. I liked his careful treatment of Acts 20; Hebrews 13, and 1 Peter 5.

Tim Challies, The Discipline of Spirit Discernment.

Ronny Russel, Can a Church Live Again? This SBC pastor is a “can-do” sort of fellow, and helps give hope and direction to moribund churches. It is not biblical, in that sense that he draws more from experience than from biblical teaching.

Machen, The Gospel in the Modern World. Of all the postmodern stuff out there, this book seemed pretty relevant. The labels change, but the truth stays the same.

Roy Hesson, We Would See Jesus. This old guy just takes the “I Am’s” literally, and helps me to see Jesus.

Timmis and Chester, Total Church. This is fresh, and does not bash traditional church, though what they are doing is anything but. Helpful insights.

Neal Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death. I felt like I should have read this book years ago, but finally got to it this year, and its still relevant.

J. Hudson Taylor. Union and Communion with Christ: Thoughts on Song of Solomon. This was one of my favorites of the year. I know that the pendulum has swung in S of S studies, from Christological, to some kind of marriage manual. But I think I liked the pendulum back the other way.

Bowman and Komoszewski, Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case fot he Deity of Christ. This book was full of Biblical argument, but I found it very warm and encouraging for myself, as it caused the Person of Jesus to grow before my eyes.

Friendship with God

2008-12-30T17:22:00.001-05:00

My buddy Jim spoke at our worship gathering last Sunday. Here are some reflections on his treatment of “friendship with God.”

His text was John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

One thing I liked was how Jim regularly “confused” the phrases “friendship with God” and “friendship with Christ,” as though they were one and the same. And I agree. We cannot have one without the other.

Another point that got me thinking was on the conditional nature of this friendship/relationship. Jim made the point that other relationships that we have with God are not conditional – they just are. But this friendship with God is more responsive on our part. We enter into friendship as we obey. I am wary of a treatment that creates two classes of Christians: those who believe; and those who believe and obey. There have been many versions of this “staged” sanctification in church history, and I believe that all have been shown as flawed.

So is it possible that a true believer refrains from friendship with God? My theological framework argues against it, but I am glad for Jim’s message, and how it makes me wrestle with the issue.

I appreciated the point that Jim made, purposefully, that God is our friend, and that Christ has initiated friendship, even when we seem to withhold it. Our friendship with Him is grounded in His reaching out to us.

This is a subject that demands to be applied. Do I respond in frienship to the Lord? Do I love him? Am I in love with an idea, or with a book, but not with the Person? If so, I am afraid that my greatest danger is not a deficiency in my faith, but an absence of faith altogether.

Jim is a visual guy. It just wouldn’t be the same listening to a recording. And Jim speaks visually. He strives for word pictures, some of which land him in hot water. I’m still struggling with a contemporary greeting of Jesus that includes the words “how’s it hangin’?”

Thank you, Jim, for your ministry. And thank you, Lord, for giving us this verse of Scripture, and an entrance into this level of intimacy with the living God.

Experience

2008-12-02T12:21:00.004-05:00

Thinking through Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be), by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. Moody, 2008

In the Second Introduction, and especially on pp. 27,28, the “ordinary” author refers to “experience” in a few different ways. He seems to be poking fun at the “emergent” quest for creating the optimal “experience” for Christians. This is very much a seeker-sensitive quest as well. It is just that the emergents are tending toward an experience that is less glitzy and production-oriented, and more mystical. But, my goal is not to critique the book, or even the emergents. It is to critique myself and our own church(es). We also have a worship experience.

Jonathan Edwards and others in his age talked about “experimental religion.” He was certainly not talking about a pragmatic approach to church where we keep throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, trying to find what works to make people happy and get more people to come. He was talking about the actual application of spiritual truth to life. I think when he says “experimental,” we would say “practical.” So let me combine these thoughts. What we deeply need is “experimental experience.” That is, the transforming truth incarnated by believers, who are not much like the people they used to be.

But that is not what either “experimental” or “experience” mean in our present situation. We experiment with formats and programs and approaches, trying to create the experience that will prove to be satisfying and rewarding. But here is the point – the experiment is God’s experiment, and we are the lab rats. It is not up to us to combine the chemicals. That is God’s job. The explosive results are not designed by the leadership team, but are to be seen in our lives. And the experience is not really about how we feel, or what we enjoy. The experience is a family of confessing believers who are in the process of being truly transformed, being brought into fellowship with God and with one another in ways that are not always pleasant or pleasurable. The point is not, how do I feel in the car on the way home from church, but, was God glorified?

So where, and how, is God glorified? In the worship of His people. But what does this mean? It involves Scripture, but the presence of a Bible in the lap of every attendee does not, in itself, glorify God. It involves music, but, whether hymn or chorus, piano or guitar, glorifying God can be present or absent with either. It certainly involves people, but a collection of bodies does not make a temple for God’s Spirit, and there can be more glorification taking place with four spiritual old ladies then with four hundred emotionally charged young adults.

Do we truly love God? Is that love exhibited in a sincere hearing of His Word? Does the hearing of His Word result in concrete obedience, in both attitude and action? Is the hold of the world, the flesh, and the devil on our lives being progressively weakened and crucified? Is the name of Christ regularly on our lips, both in private and public? Do our families see the change?

If so, God is being glorified. And His experiment is working out in our experience. And if not, then we ought to try something different.

Gravitational Pull: An Illustratration of Being Converted to True Center

2008-11-25T09:55:00.001-05:00

We all have a point of view. We look out at our world in every direction, and from that location, we are the center. Point of view defines what we mean by “here” and “there.” It is implied in our prepositions, such as “away from” – me, and “toward” – me.

Point of view rules in our relationships. We think of people in terms of how they relate to “me.” He is “my brother,” or “my neighbor.” We come to see people as friends or enemies, depending on how they treat us. We categorize them according to what we ourselves have experienced from them, for instance, “that boy is really mean,” meaning, of course, that that boy is really mean to me.

And so the contruct of our universe places ourselves at the center; we are, indeed, self-centered. And I would like for you to imagine that your universe has a gravitational pull, toward the center, toward yourself. Even the divine is evaluated and defined in terms of your gravitational pull. When we believe, we pull him in; and when we want to be left alone, we shut him out.

But when a person comes to Christ; when the reality and significance of Christ dawns upon him or her (cf. John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1), the Bible describes something that happens in one’s own human, personal experience. He/she experiences conversion, including repentance and faith: a turning from a set of viewpoints and beliefs and behaviors, and a turning toward a Person, Jesus Christ.

This person realizes that he/she is not the center, but Christ is, and that gravitational pull is found, not in me, but in Him. And so we stop praying to ourselves (“do better, do better, do better”). We stop depending upon ourselves (“try harder, try harder, try harder”). We stop doing things merely for ourselves (“I want, I want, I want”). This is conversion.

But then, those who are Christians may be willing to admit, there seems to be a problem in our everyday experience: partial conversion. We worship Christ, but we continue to throw (quite) a few honor-offerings our own way as well. We religously differentiate mankind as either saved or lost, but we still really evaluate people on how they react to us. There seems to be at least as much gravitational pull toward ourselves as there is toward the True Center.

This can’t be good. It is inconsistent. It introduces tremendous dissonance into our lives, between what we say we believe, and how we actually behave. I think this has been called, “hypocrisy,” two-faced, but in terms of gravitational pull, two-poled.

Are you half-converted? Yes, if you are a believer in Christ, both a saint, but still a sinner. A half-believer? No, not in your religious confessions, but yes, in your practical behaviors. And we pray for a full conversion; for a mature faith; for a relief from the tension between Him and me.

We don’t convert ourselves. But we seek a more complete conversion. Having already trusted in the redeeming work of Christ, we seek to open our hearts to the conviction of the Spirit of God, who will lead us into greater, ongoing repentance; and we invite the promising Spirit to grow our faith, to expand our appreciation of Christ, and to blow out the false limits of and contradictions to our honor of Him. We humbly ask God that we might experience a more complete conversion of comprehension: “to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” (Ephesians 3:18 ESV) of His gravitational pull.

On Your Shoulder, or Back?

2008-11-21T13:06:00.003-05:00

Is God on your Shoulder?
- or - do you feel like
God is on your Back?

What a difference of perspective! And yet I am afraid that there are many people who feel like God is constantly on their back, and that it is the job of the church to make sure he stays there. It may very well be why some people avoid church. They don’t want to be reminded how they don’t measure up to God’s high and holy standards.

But there is something missing here, since none of us measure up - correct? Why is it that some people find comfort in God, even though they are not perfect, and other’s feel threatened? It comes down to a certain faith-attitude toward God. When a person truly trusts God, then he/she will have a sense of “God on one’s shoulder.” He is there to provide and to protect; to lead in the right path and the guide our very steps. But when one is not willing to trust God, then he/she will have the sense of running from God, always listening for his advancing footsteps.

Perhaps the big dog illustrations will help. The large gentle creature is as gentle as can be so long as you face him and pet him and enjoy his company. But as soon as you begin to run away, the gentle giant barks and begins his pursuit. Same dog; different posture on the part of the person.

Biblically, we find the invitation to draw near to God. As we do so, we are in a position to enjoy all that God will do for us as a gracious and giving God. But the Bible also uses the phrase in that God will draw near, and in that context, He comes in judgment.

So are you pursuing God, and finding the God on your shoulder to be a source of blessing, or is God pursuing you, and you are running so that you can keep your life to yourself?
SJS, 9/02

Talkers

2008-11-06T16:53:00.001-05:00

Thinking through Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be), by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. Moody, 2008

In the Introduction, p.17, the authors refer to a lot of those in the emergent world as “talkers.” I’d like to work on that theme for a little while.

The emergent preoccupation with “conversation” is, in some ways, a reaction to ways in which conservative evangelicals talk past one another. We tend to state our point of view without listening carefully to either the questions, or to other points of view.

Call it conversation if you want, but I’m not sure that emergent leaders are much better at listening than are their more conservative counterparts. But, in the current environment, to question the conversation is rude, like ending a phone conversation when it was not you who called. So on it goes, and we find that there is much talking, but little is said. The booksellers are making a bundle, but few of the books are worth re-reading, or keeping.

I struggle to find a Biblical basis for this “conversation.” I’m much more comfortable and confident when a speaker says, “Thus says the Lord.” When God said, “Let there be light,” there was not a conversation. And when God said, “Thou shalt not,” again, He wasn’t asking, “what do you think?” God’s speech is to be met with confession, agreement, and obedience. Why all the conversation?

I understand that there can be fruitful interaction in discussing how to apply principles and graces in the grayness of this world. So I do find that conversation is helpful in this regard. But not in trying to reframe the Biblical material in some way that warps historical theology and redefines classic doctrine. In that case, conversation becomes perversity.

So there must be a difference between prophetic proclamation, and applicational conversation. There must be a difference between humble and ready response to the Word, and the sharing of creatively comfortable points of view that divorce the text from the author’s intent. We cannot be just “talkers.”

I cam across a fascinating passage in Ezekiel about prophetic speech, and the people’s contemporary (then, and now) response.

““As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’ And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”” (Ezekiel 33:30-33 ESV)

So I agree with the authors, that much of emergent-ville amounts to swarms of words. And incessant talking only serves to further cheapen words, and lead poor listeners to be even poorer.

But as I said in the first post in this series, my main goal is not to critique the group being critiqued, but to use the book to ask, “what can I learn about myself, and the weaknesses and dangers to which conservative evangelicals are prone?”

As a pastor, I’m a talker. I talk a lot. And I’m sensitive to the fact that people sit and listen to me talk. But I don’t want to be just a “talker.”

• We become mere talkers when we preach our opinions rather than the substance of God’s Word.

• We become mere talkers when we preach doctrine that is unrelated to life; when we dump loads of information without demonstrating its significance and application.

• We become mere talkers when we repeat our Biblical formulations and doctrinal statements by rote, without thinking about how this material is being received.

• We become talkers when we use philosophical or technical language that may impress, but does not lead to understanding. There is a certain kind of understanding that requires the work of God’s Spirit, but there is also a kind of understanding that happens when the speaker is speaking your language.

• We become mere talkers when we refuse to listen carefully to the questions people are asking. Now it is true that, at times, people ask the less pertinent question. And there is then the responsibility and opportunity to direct people to the better, more telling question. But all of this requires listening.

Self-Critical

2008-10-29T16:52:00.004-04:00

Thinking through Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be), by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. Moody, 2008

First of all, this is not properly a book review. For a thoughtful review, please go to here - where Tim Challies authors a review of this book.

What I would like to do as I blog through this book, is to look for aspects in the emergent movement, discussed and critiqued by the authors, that should give “submerged” evangelicals (ch 1) pause. Why is it that this movement has “emerged?” Have there been things about the “old” evangelicals that are so stubborn and stupid, that some from a younger generation have been compelled to go start something “new?” I’m not sure that the answer is all that easy. Points of frustration with what is old have likely merged with points of curiosity that appeal to the young; and points of contextualization that may be theologically astute may have intermingled with points of compromise that are Biblically weak, or worse.

But what can we gain from this? What can we learn?

In the Introduction by David Wells, we are challenged with being self-critical. And here are six suggestions about which traditional, conservative evangelicalism may be justifiably self-critical:

1. We tend to be too rational; and not sufficiently engaged emotionally. We simply do not display the kinds of deep emotion described in the Bible, particularly in the Psalms, but by Paul as well. Both joy and tears are terribly subdued, or absent. Something is wrong when, due to the entrance of grace into one’s life, and discovery of the greatness of things divine, we are not often overwhelmed by a sense of joy and wonder. And something is also wrong when we lose sensitivity to sin, whether in our own lives, or the terrible evils of the world. God is not unmoved by these things, but strangely, we are.

2. I believe that two key indicators of spiritual vitality are prayer and witness. In that case, we are in trouble. It is like saying, “Other than the fact that his heart is not beating, and he is not breathing, everything seems just fine.” Whether or not emergents provide a solution, they have heard a couple of generations of evangelicals talk about the absolute importance of prayer and witness, but have witnessed their absence.

3. The Cross is more old news than good news. The old hymn says, “To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true.” But meditation on the Cross requires thoughtfulness – more than merely trotting out phrases made into cliches. Verbalizing a subconscious ditty about the Cross is not remaining true.

4. A religion that becomes routine must necessarily deal with small subjects. We’ve made our doctrines of God and sin manageable. And in order to be grasped by the wonder of grace, we must certainly realize that sin is anything but manageable. And any reading of Scripture with brains turned on will be instantly shocked by the unmanageability of God.

5. We, in our comforts, securities, and prosperities, have adopted a local, present-world orientation. “How’s it going for you?” We rarely think of heaven outside of funerals, and we generally ponder the wider world in terms of threats to security or opportunities for commerce.

6. We are beset by little-changed lives. The pursuit of holiness has been replaced by the pursuit of many other things. We are taught to affirm ourselves, and we assume that if we are satisfied, then God must be satisfied as well. This is tantamount to resisting the Spirit, and we seem content, having claimed the benefits of justification, to avoid sanctification altogether.

Now I understand that these are sweeping condemntations, and that none of these are universal. There are wonderful exceptions to each and every point. But if that is what they are, exceptions, then that would mean that the above points are the rule. I pray for the kind of renewal in local churches where the rule, not the exception, would be a revitalization of deep, heart-felt worship that expresses itself in prayer and witness – that digs deep into the Cross, and regularly experiences wonder and awe at being “loved to death” by Christ – and that then is seized by hope, and driven by love.

I wonder if, lacking these things, some from a younger generation have gone off to seek something better.