A Church Full Not of Pastors but Priests

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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. 
4. 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

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?

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

“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)

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

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

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

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?

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

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?

“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

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

“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

“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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)