The theme of this title comes from the King James Version, which is what I began reading and memorizing from in my early walk with Christ.
Luke 18:1 (KJV)
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
A more modern rendition of the passage is from the New Living Translation:
Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)
1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’
4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,
5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
A further reading of the context tells us that Luke makes three stories about faith, and how prayer and faith are connected - so read the larger context!
There is something in this parable that is oddly strange. How does an indifferent court official and a persistent widow suppose to encourage us to pray? And to persevere (not faint) regardless? Doesn't he disgust and doesn't she make you envision a nagging woman? Well, Yes.
But the secret in the parable is recognizing that Jesus loved to use outlandish pictures to make people stop and think...and that is exactly what happens here.
Fainting is another way of saying "give up". We lose heart, get discouraged and simply want to succumb to the inevitable disappointment of nothing is ever going to change.
Let's be honest, almost all of us have had times when we've prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and then come to the place where we simply stop praying. Why? Perhaps we feel like God knows what we want so why keep saying it again...or perhaps its because every time we pray it reminds us that we don't have what we want, and it becomes something inside of us that feels undesirable.
I know I have a number of things I've prayed for - for years! Sometimes I've seen answers of prayer come long after I quit praying for something. Sometimes I've continued to pray, but very intermittently.
Being real, it's not easy to maintain a posture of continual prayer when we want something to happen so badly.
Healing?
Marriage?
Sickness, disease?
Job, Finances?
Relationships?
Church?
Political issues?
and on and on we go.
The point of the parable is NOT that the way of prayer is to naggingly beg God. Jesus says it this way:
Luke 18:6-8 (NIV)
6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.
7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
It's that realization that if an unjust person can give justice, HOW MUCH MORE will God the Father bring about what is good and gracious. We are not nameless widows; but "chosen ones" and therefore his beloved children.
A.W. Tozer says: "JUST, when used of God is a name we give to the way God is, nothing more, and when God acts Justly, He is....simply acting like himself."
C. Samuel Storms poses some relevant questions in his book Reaching God's Ear that we can use to evaluate our prayer lives.
•Do we repeat a request because we think that the quality of a prayer is dependent on the quantity of words?
•Do we repeat a request because we think that God is ignorant and needs to be informed, or if not ignorant at least he is unconcerned and therefore needs to be aroused?
•Do we repeat our prayers because we believe that God is unwilling to answer and we must prevail upon him, somehow transforming a hard-hearted God into a compassionate and loving one?
•Do we repeat a petition because we think that God will be swayed in his decision by our putting on a show of zeal and piety, as if God cannot see through the thin veil of hypocrisy?
I hope not. We persist in praying...we don't faint... precisely because we believe God is good, gracious, and just, and that we are reminding ourselves of that everytime we come to Him with our need.
Jesus ends with the words: "when the son of Man returns, how many will he find...with faith?" We live in the not yet, longing for the return of Jesus.
This kind of prayer is not only the evidence of faith, but the means of building faith until his return.
It might be that we have to face our discouragements and our disappointments as part of the problem that we address to the Father in prayer.
SO...what do we need to "begin praying about all over again"?
Peace
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
New Adam, New Creation
I'm teaching this Sunday from Luke 4, specifically from the first part of the chapter on the Temptation by the Devil of Jesus in the wilderness.
My problem is one of what to say, what not to say about that.
One of the things I've spent time thinking about, but don't think I'll have the time to explore is this idea of what the Temptation scene means in itself. In other words, not just the specifics of the temptations themselves - which are important - but what the purpose of Luke was in the importance of this event in and of itself.
This leads me to the fact that the first Adam failed in trusting God and saw humanity's seed permanently corrupted by the sin nature.
Here's some notes I began to write but I know I'll never get to...
My problem is one of what to say, what not to say about that.
One of the things I've spent time thinking about, but don't think I'll have the time to explore is this idea of what the Temptation scene means in itself. In other words, not just the specifics of the temptations themselves - which are important - but what the purpose of Luke was in the importance of this event in and of itself.
This leads me to the fact that the first Adam failed in trusting God and saw humanity's seed permanently corrupted by the sin nature.
Here's some notes I began to write but I know I'll never get to...
Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT)
15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.
16 But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.
16 But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
WHY WAS THE TREE CALLED THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD
AND EVIL?
WHY NOT THE TREE OF POWER?
OR THE TREE OF MONEY, OR FAME, OR PRETENDING TO BE GOD-LIKE?
DON’T YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE?
DON'T WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOOD, AND WHAT IS EVIL IF WE HAVE IT?
Genesis 3:1-5 (NLT)
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.
3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.
5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.
3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.
5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
AND HERE IS SATAN'S TEMPTING WORDS:
“LOOK AT THAT TREE”
“WHAT’S WRONG HERE?...THAT IS A GOOD TREE…GOOD FRUIT”
“IS GOD SO THREATENED BY THE IDEA THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO
HAVE YOUR OWN OPINIONS, YOUR OWN IDEAS THAT HE FORBIDS YOU TO HAVE THAT…?”
“CAN’T YOU MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND AS TO WHAT IS GOOD AND
EVIL?” “YOU CAN JUDGE, KNOW WHAT YOU
BELIEVE
“YOU CAN STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT BEST WHEN YOU TAKE CONTROL OF
YOUR OWN LIFE, DETERMINE YOUR OWN VALUES, BE KING OF YOUR OWN DOMAIN!!!!!”
“GO AHEAD…IT’S YOUR WILL THAT IS NEEEDING TO BE DONE, NOT
HIS”
AND, THE TEMPTATION IS SIMPLY THIS:
- WE DEFINE WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT,
- WE DEFINE WHAT IS GOOD FOR US,
- WE DEFINE LIFE AS WE WANT TO
I'VE HEARD IT, PROBABLY AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER THOUGHT IT MYSELF: “NOBODY IS GOING TO TELL ME HOW TO LIVE…” THE PROBLEM IS,
THAT IS FALSE…THE PROBLEM WITH THAT BELIEF IS THAT IT IS NOT TRUE…
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe…”
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe…”
Ephesians 2:1-3 (NLT)
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature…”
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature…”
WHEN A PERSON BELIEVES THAT THEY CAN DEFINE LIFE ON THEIR
OWN TERMS, THEY ARE SUCCUMBING TO THE VERY THING THAT CONTROLS THEM.
I’VE SEEN PEOPLE WHO TAKE EVIL AND MAKE IT SOMETHING GOOD.
ONCE TALKING WITH A GUY DEALING WITH PORNOGRAPHY, HE TOLD ME
THAT IT STOPS HIM FROM GOING OUT TO LOOKING FOR SEX WITH WOMEN…WOW!
HE IS TWISTING THE EVIL AND MAKING IT OUT TO BE THAT IT IS
GOOD.
THE INTERNAL ASPECT OF THE FALL IS THAT WE SKEW GOD
ACCORDING TO WHAT FITS US. WE DON’T NOTICE HOW ARBITRARY AND HOW OUR CULTURE INFLUENCES
US.
NOW LET’S THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS TEMPTATION ACCOUNT OF LUKE
THEN IS ALL ABOUT…
Satan offered opportunities to Jesus where Jesus could have
possibly done great practical things for the world.
He could have demonstrated himself as the Messiah, giving
himself religious power.
He could have taken control over all the governments of the
world and have the perfect human government.
He could have used his power to heal and deliver people
without going to the Cross.
LISTEN TO PAUL IN ROMANS:
Romans 5:12 (NLT)
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Romans 5:17-19 (NLT)
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
WHAT’S HE SAYING?
JESUS, IS THE LAST ADAM, WHO IS UNDOING THE CURSE, AND
MAKING A NEW HUMANITY WHOSE IDENTITY IS OF GOD!
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 (NLT)
14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
When we “live in Adam”, we are basically deciding that we
can decide for ourselves what the best options are in a situation.
Life in Christ doesn’t remove the fact that we have to make
our own choices in life.
Rather, living in Christ makes it clear that we must seek
God’s ways and wisdom on the choices we make.
THE KINGDOM BRINGS US TO A PLACE WHERE GOD CHANGES THE FOCUS
OF LIFE.
OUR SEXUALITY, OUR MONEY/POSSESSIONS, OUR RELATIONSHIPS, OUR
FELLOWSHIP, THE WAY WE WORK, THE WAY WE LIVE IN OUR CULTURE…IT IS ALL FRAMED BY
THIS NEW LIFE IN THE KINGDOM.
so…that’s where we must decide…every day, who’s kingdom rule
are we going to be under?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Following
Last week I walked outside of the YMCA where I get some exercise and noticed something that put a smile on my face. There was a line of about 20 children, probably all 5 and under, grabbing onto a rope, 10 or so on either side, and an adult in the front (and one behind) saying, "Come on, keep up, follow me." I smiled as I watched this "duck waddling" group of children all keep in step as they held on to the rope and kept walking.
What is it about following that seems so child like? Scriptures, and especially the Gospels where Jesus talked a lot about it, speak a lot on following.
Mark 1:16-18 (NIV)
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
Luke 5:27-28 (NASB)
27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me."
28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.
These two examples seem easy to digest. What we must remember is that they didn't know Jesus, and didn't know what we know about what would happen when they chose to follow him. AND, once someone chose to "follow", it didn't get easier:
Luke 9:23 (NIV)
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Or how about this series of incidents immediately following in Luke 9...
Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Interestingly, Jesus never said, "Believe my arguments". He said, "Follow me".
I remember years ago a teacher say, "If you can talk someone into the Kingdom of God, someone else can talk them out of it."
We're not called to argue people into believing in God, we're told to follow Jesus' way, follow Jesus, and in following, learn from him to live in such a way that this following is real.
It's that position of being a learner, an apprentice. There we hear the words of a teacher... "Ok, listen, follow my thoughts, do what I do here..., do it your own way, but learn how to do this...".
We follow because there is wisdom, experience, knowledge, and even safety in doing so.
Jesus tells a story of people building houses. Some houses are built foolishly, on sand foundations that shift and move and can't stand up to the storms of life. Some houses are built wisely on a firm foundation and when storms come they survive because they were built soundly.
Each person is building something...each of us are "house builders". Each of our houses will go through storms, tests, trials, character building things disguised as gut wrenching "why?"...
It is not the lack of storms that identifies our following. We cannot choose what will come our way. All we can do, say is, "Lord please help me to stay close to you, because I trust you, and I want to follow you."
What is it about following that seems so child like? Scriptures, and especially the Gospels where Jesus talked a lot about it, speak a lot on following.
Mark 1:16-18 (NIV)
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
Luke 5:27-28 (NASB)
27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me."
28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.
These two examples seem easy to digest. What we must remember is that they didn't know Jesus, and didn't know what we know about what would happen when they chose to follow him. AND, once someone chose to "follow", it didn't get easier:
Luke 9:23 (NIV)
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Or how about this series of incidents immediately following in Luke 9...
Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Interestingly, Jesus never said, "Believe my arguments". He said, "Follow me".
I remember years ago a teacher say, "If you can talk someone into the Kingdom of God, someone else can talk them out of it."
We're not called to argue people into believing in God, we're told to follow Jesus' way, follow Jesus, and in following, learn from him to live in such a way that this following is real.
It's that position of being a learner, an apprentice. There we hear the words of a teacher... "Ok, listen, follow my thoughts, do what I do here..., do it your own way, but learn how to do this...".
We follow because there is wisdom, experience, knowledge, and even safety in doing so.
Jesus tells a story of people building houses. Some houses are built foolishly, on sand foundations that shift and move and can't stand up to the storms of life. Some houses are built wisely on a firm foundation and when storms come they survive because they were built soundly.
Each person is building something...each of us are "house builders". Each of our houses will go through storms, tests, trials, character building things disguised as gut wrenching "why?"...
It is not the lack of storms that identifies our following. We cannot choose what will come our way. All we can do, say is, "Lord please help me to stay close to you, because I trust you, and I want to follow you."
Friday, January 27, 2012
A Monk in Each of Us
This Sunday our Church fellowship will celebrate Communion. I love Communion because it is such a mysterious attraction of my seeking fellowship in worship with God. That sense of fellowship, the presence of God, the real person present and in worship, prayer, taking bread and cup a connection is made in body, soul and spirit...I love that.
I've always been fascinated by the lifestyle of a Monk. I think it's the unhurried, reflective, seemingly quieter lifestyle that appeals to me. Perhaps also its the "daily rhythms" of life that help preserve a sense of order and balance in terms of both "doing" and "being".
That's the key thing, our "doing" vs. our "being". It was in Genesis that we're reminded:
Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Our first identity is a stamp of God upon us. We're image bearers, "Adams" which is pronounced "AH, "DOM"...the ONES - male and female - created by God for communion, fellowship, the pure joy of creation.
When we're "doing" only, we're probably going to miss "being". We're not machines that "get things done" - even for God. We're connected to God in image...we bear the image of God...the character of love, joy, peace on all levels of existence.
Maybe the reason the Monastics learned to stop and "re-center" what they were doing on God was so that they wouldn't be tempted to think that what they were doing was eternal, but temporal, but that something was eternal, and therefore far more important than what they were doing.
We are physical beings, and also spiritual beings... Romans 8:14-16 (NIV)
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
That "Abba" means "Daddy". There's something inside of each of us that wants to cry out to God as "Daddy". And we should.
I've always been fascinated by the lifestyle of a Monk. I think it's the unhurried, reflective, seemingly quieter lifestyle that appeals to me. Perhaps also its the "daily rhythms" of life that help preserve a sense of order and balance in terms of both "doing" and "being".
That's the key thing, our "doing" vs. our "being". It was in Genesis that we're reminded:
Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Our first identity is a stamp of God upon us. We're image bearers, "Adams" which is pronounced "AH, "DOM"...the ONES - male and female - created by God for communion, fellowship, the pure joy of creation.
When we're "doing" only, we're probably going to miss "being". We're not machines that "get things done" - even for God. We're connected to God in image...we bear the image of God...the character of love, joy, peace on all levels of existence.
Maybe the reason the Monastics learned to stop and "re-center" what they were doing on God was so that they wouldn't be tempted to think that what they were doing was eternal, but temporal, but that something was eternal, and therefore far more important than what they were doing.
We are physical beings, and also spiritual beings... Romans 8:14-16 (NIV)
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
That "Abba" means "Daddy". There's something inside of each of us that wants to cry out to God as "Daddy". And we should.
Think about it...how do we come to this place of relating to God personally.
1. There's talking AT God - "Come Lord Jesus be our guest and let this food to us be blessed...."
2. There's talking TO God - "Our Father who are in heaven, holy is your name, let you Kingdom come, let your will be done...."
3. There's listening TO God - How? Where? Does this really happen? We do it in relationships all of the time, so why not with God.
4. There's being WITH God - the fact is, that scripture is replete with people who fellowshiped, worshiped and discovered the presence of God.
This is where we come back to the Monastics. There's a little bit of being a "Monk" in all of us. We simply desire the relationship quality more than anything else...we're made for that and our hearts will always be restless when we're trying to fill it with something different than him.
We don't have to put on scratchy robes, memorize prayers, chants, even live in a cloistered setting to practice a life of continual relationship with God. Stopping during the day at repeated intervals to just say "thank you Lord for being with me, I love you Lord, and I'm listening if there's something you want to say to me" is a good beginning point in this journey of communion.
John 15:15 (NIV)
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
This is God's gift to each of us...the opportunity to break free from "doing" to "being".
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
ALL IS GRACE
A Catholic Priest who became a monastic, and also an alcoholic; who after going through recovery began to write on the love of God. Through his book, Abba's Child, I was set free of the thought that my performance and efforts were what caused God to love me. When I read "The Ragamuffin Gospel" I was undone. No Protestant who should believe in grace through faith quite captured the heart of the gospel as he did.
Brennan learned all of this in both serving and in recovery.
It all started for him very early. In February 1956, while Brennan was meditating on the Stations of the Cross, a powerful experience of the personal love of Jesus Christ sealed God's call on his life. "At that moment, the entire Christian life became for me an intimate, heartfelt relationship with Jesus."
In the late 1960's he journeyed to Spain and lived in a monastic order serving the poor in a rural village. During that time he lived for six months alone, in a cave, practicing the solitary and contemplative prayer life of the desert fathers. During his retreat in this cave, he was powerfully convicted by the revelation of God's love in sending his Son to be crucified. One mid-winter's night he heard from the Lord:
"For love of you I left my Father's side. I came to you who ran from me, who fled me, who did not want to hear my name. For love for you I was covered in spit, punched and beaten, and fixed to the wood of the cross."
Later Brennan who say of that event, "those words are burned into my life. That night, I learned what a wise old Franciscan told me the day I joined the Order - 'Once you come to know the love of Jesus Christ, nothing else in the world will seem as beautiful or desirable."
I wanted to blog on him because his writings are so simply profound. A new book has come out and I am anxious to read it and recommend it to you also: "All is Grace" is a memoir on his Ragamuffin life.
There is a powerful video of this is on You Tube. You can find it at:
As you watch this, realize just essential his message is not only for a lost and dying world; but also for us as individuals who believe and love poorly.
Peace
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Selective Spirituality
1 Samuel 15:13-23 (NIV)
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"
15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
16 "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied.
17 Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.
18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.'
19 Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?"
20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.
21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
I don't like this story...it bothers me on multiple levels. It strikes me at the core of my own faith, service to God (or at least attempted service), and this area of obedience. See, like most Christians I have times of "selectivity" in listening and obeying. I wished I could say it were not so, but I know the truth, so I'll be honest about it.
The question is "why"? Why do we fall into this syndrome of selective spirituality?
Part of the answer is that we're simply not perfect beings. The Psalmist says something very comforting to us:
Psalm 103:13-14 (NIV)
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
He knows we are dust. He knows us!
The question then becomes, "Do we know ourselves?"
First of all, we are made in the image of God...all of us, every human being. We are not merely robots that respond to commands instantly; nor are we non-thinking, non-choosing machines. We are people whom God has deposited various components of who we are.
We are physical beings
We are emotional beings
We are social beings
We are intellectual beings
We are spiritual beings.
God has put within us the ability to make choices on a number of different levels - often in combination within us.
This selectivity is understood on one level - we're human.
But on another level this selectivity shows that we've not paid attention to all that God has deposited within us.
Point blank...I say I trust, but that trust must not be on principles, or commands, or ideas; but that trust must be in a Person.
When you trust the Person - God - you don't have to live selectively, you can choose Him each time.
Saul doesn't have to be within us.
We can stop rationalizing, stop arguing, stop compromising the very person we trust in.
We can put our faith into the practical area of choice, and say "I'd rather do what I know is right before you God, because I know you are truth."
Peace
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"
15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
16 "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied.
17 Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.
18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.'
19 Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?"
20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.
21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
I don't like this story...it bothers me on multiple levels. It strikes me at the core of my own faith, service to God (or at least attempted service), and this area of obedience. See, like most Christians I have times of "selectivity" in listening and obeying. I wished I could say it were not so, but I know the truth, so I'll be honest about it.
The question is "why"? Why do we fall into this syndrome of selective spirituality?
Part of the answer is that we're simply not perfect beings. The Psalmist says something very comforting to us:
Psalm 103:13-14 (NIV)
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
He knows we are dust. He knows us!
The question then becomes, "Do we know ourselves?"
First of all, we are made in the image of God...all of us, every human being. We are not merely robots that respond to commands instantly; nor are we non-thinking, non-choosing machines. We are people whom God has deposited various components of who we are.
We are physical beings
We are emotional beings
We are social beings
We are intellectual beings
We are spiritual beings.
God has put within us the ability to make choices on a number of different levels - often in combination within us.
This selectivity is understood on one level - we're human.
But on another level this selectivity shows that we've not paid attention to all that God has deposited within us.
Point blank...I say I trust, but that trust must not be on principles, or commands, or ideas; but that trust must be in a Person.
When you trust the Person - God - you don't have to live selectively, you can choose Him each time.
Saul doesn't have to be within us.
We can stop rationalizing, stop arguing, stop compromising the very person we trust in.
We can put our faith into the practical area of choice, and say "I'd rather do what I know is right before you God, because I know you are truth."
Peace
Friday, January 13, 2012
Fully Human
Luke 2:52 (NIV)
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
The word for stature is helikia, a word that implies maturity...growth in more than physical ways. It implies formation of character, principles, values that serve to guide a person in living.
In a recent message surrounding this passage I mentioned that for some Jesus' growing up was not equal to our own - he was God. But that is the fateful error (sorry to say, but heresy) of those who refused to believe Jesus was fully human, as well as fully divine. In other words, we must not diminish his humanity in order to understand all that he is.
Being "fully human" is not just a way of describing Jesus; it is also an objective for each of our own lives.
Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God has made us in his image - that includes our physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual,and social dimensions. Interestingly, scripture says that God has no physical form - he is a Spirit, not a physical body - thus we are told not to make a physical representation of him in the form of an idol.
So, our image-bearing is more those aspects of the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and social dimensions.
To be fully human is to know that God has made us with these. To pay attention to those aspects of our being is simply "watching over our soul".
Jesus said, "... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
The word for stature is helikia, a word that implies maturity...growth in more than physical ways. It implies formation of character, principles, values that serve to guide a person in living.
In a recent message surrounding this passage I mentioned that for some Jesus' growing up was not equal to our own - he was God. But that is the fateful error (sorry to say, but heresy) of those who refused to believe Jesus was fully human, as well as fully divine. In other words, we must not diminish his humanity in order to understand all that he is.
Being "fully human" is not just a way of describing Jesus; it is also an objective for each of our own lives.
Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God has made us in his image - that includes our physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual,and social dimensions. Interestingly, scripture says that God has no physical form - he is a Spirit, not a physical body - thus we are told not to make a physical representation of him in the form of an idol.
So, our image-bearing is more those aspects of the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and social dimensions.
To be fully human is to know that God has made us with these. To pay attention to those aspects of our being is simply "watching over our soul".
Jesus said, "... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)
I am a man, a husband, a father, a pastor, a professor, among many things. Yet my identity is mainly as a follower of Jesus, a disciple - "a learner" - which is what discipleship means. I am learning how to live my life the way the Jesus would live my life if he were me. God has been faithful to me for my 62 years to develop and "grow" me.
OH, there is so much more to go; but this one thing I do, I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus has taken hold of me (that's Paul's words - Phil 3:12).
Fully Human...that's God's gift to us.
Peace
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
In just one week the Winter/Spring semester begins for me at Christian Life College - Madison. I am a Pastor in both my passion and my sense of God's calling. That is what I do most of the time. The other part of my time is to have the privilege to teach a college class and enjoy the academic side of Spirituality.
I don't think a lot of people think about their faith often enough. We're told that the greatest commandment is "to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, your soul, your mind." It certainly seems important to think with our mind. In a classroom I often ask questions...seeking to get students to think and personalize the material.
This next Semester's class is a course on "Development and Growth"...how do we as Christians grow and develop in soul, spirit, and mind?
One aspect of this course is to dive into some material in a book - Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, written by Peter Scazzero. He has some really helpful things to say about how we do, or do not, grow-up in emotionally healthy ways, and he has a lot of experience - he almost quit his faith and his ministry because of his own lack of emotional health.
My own experience in this is similar. There came a time in the late 1990's that I almost quit. Almost quit ministry, almost quit the church, almost quit on just about everything. I was discouraged, burnt out, and fed up.
The truth is that we live in a society where being a member of a church has proved to be of little help when it comes to marriage, divorces, friendships, parenting, sexuality, singleness, addictions, depression, etc... The truth is that Christians have about the same percentages as the general population when it comes to all of these areas. Which is one reason why some people QUIT. They grow up in church, but when it comes to their experiences they feel frustrated by the lack of progress...and when people don't quit, they stay but without the passion, staying passive for years.
SOMETHING is missing, somethings not right, and that deep gnawing feeling is right where many find themselves.
There are no end of suggested solutions, and I've tried them all:
What is true about us is that we resemble an Iceberg...what people see is the 10% we project, and the real US is the 90% below the surface.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
A Yoke is a two-animal collar. It meant they pulled together. They were a team and together they could do what neither of them could do alone. The weariness and burden-bearing that would be singular is changed into something that felt quite restful.
What's interesting is that in Israel during Jesus' day, the farming with Oxen was usually done so that one experienced Ox worked with a younger one, so that the younger one grew up understanding what it was suppose to do.
Jesus says, hook yourself up with me. I'll help you get "un-wearied", "un-burdened", you'll find that it is more "rest" than work.
I'm going to blog some more on this as my semester goes along...but I thought you'd might to start "thinking" with me also.
Peace
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
In just one week the Winter/Spring semester begins for me at Christian Life College - Madison. I am a Pastor in both my passion and my sense of God's calling. That is what I do most of the time. The other part of my time is to have the privilege to teach a college class and enjoy the academic side of Spirituality.
I don't think a lot of people think about their faith often enough. We're told that the greatest commandment is "to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, your soul, your mind." It certainly seems important to think with our mind. In a classroom I often ask questions...seeking to get students to think and personalize the material.
This next Semester's class is a course on "Development and Growth"...how do we as Christians grow and develop in soul, spirit, and mind?
One aspect of this course is to dive into some material in a book - Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, written by Peter Scazzero. He has some really helpful things to say about how we do, or do not, grow-up in emotionally healthy ways, and he has a lot of experience - he almost quit his faith and his ministry because of his own lack of emotional health.
My own experience in this is similar. There came a time in the late 1990's that I almost quit. Almost quit ministry, almost quit the church, almost quit on just about everything. I was discouraged, burnt out, and fed up.
The truth is that we live in a society where being a member of a church has proved to be of little help when it comes to marriage, divorces, friendships, parenting, sexuality, singleness, addictions, depression, etc... The truth is that Christians have about the same percentages as the general population when it comes to all of these areas. Which is one reason why some people QUIT. They grow up in church, but when it comes to their experiences they feel frustrated by the lack of progress...and when people don't quit, they stay but without the passion, staying passive for years.
SOMETHING is missing, somethings not right, and that deep gnawing feeling is right where many find themselves.
There are no end of suggested solutions, and I've tried them all:
- More Bible Study
- More Community Programs
- This is Spiritual Warfare
- Healing Prayer
- Worship
- Mission/Serving
- Need to get hold of God's grace more
What is true about us is that we resemble an Iceberg...what people see is the 10% we project, and the real US is the 90% below the surface.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
A Yoke is a two-animal collar. It meant they pulled together. They were a team and together they could do what neither of them could do alone. The weariness and burden-bearing that would be singular is changed into something that felt quite restful.
What's interesting is that in Israel during Jesus' day, the farming with Oxen was usually done so that one experienced Ox worked with a younger one, so that the younger one grew up understanding what it was suppose to do.
Jesus says, hook yourself up with me. I'll help you get "un-wearied", "un-burdened", you'll find that it is more "rest" than work.
I'm going to blog some more on this as my semester goes along...but I thought you'd might to start "thinking" with me also.
Peace
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
What about "IF" faith?
Yesterday I mused on the idea of "High Faith". The words faith and high don't necessarily ring a bell; but I wanted to think out loud about how we approach faith, or don't approach it on a daily basis. Most of us who believe in Christ struggle with the daily aspect of walking out faithfully the faith we affirm on Sunday. It's easy to be a Sunday Christian. I can say, act, do the right things in the company of my believing friends; it's Monday thru Saturday that my faith leaves me perplexed.
Think about these two accounts.
Mark 9:2-9 (NIV)
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
No matter what we experience that is good, we all have to come down the mountain. Life is not lived on the mountain, but down on the earth. What we'd like to do is build an altar on the mountain top and stay there...who doesn't want the "high"? Yet Jesus brought them down...to where life was not filled with dazzling white, and visions, and clouds that amaze; but rather to where "stuff" happens.
Later in that passage...just 5 verses later, and obviously as they re-enter the world from the mountain top:
Mark 9:14-24 (NIV)
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Faith is essential, and at times quite elusive. Nine times in the gospels Jesus says, "Your faith has healed you." Not all were believing Jews. A Roman Centurion soldier, a Cannaanite woman are two of those he speaks these words to.
Peter, James, and John go "up" on the mountain and see the amazing. Then they go down and see the typical. What is in between?
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
In the midst of the high, coming down is a dose of reality. None of this glory is to be noted until after he has died and been risen.
There will be a crucifixion and then a resurrection, and then the other side...you can speak about it then. Not today. Today we enter the world without that glory.
They go down and meet frustrated people.
The disciples are frustrated.
Arguing, failing to solve the problem, no healing, unbelieving...that is normal.
"O Unbelieving generation, How long...?" Jesus says. You can sense his own exasperation. The disciples hang around Jesus all of the time.
They've seen him pray; and they've seen him heal.
Why can't we do it? They are looking down, humbled and feeling like failures.
The father is frustrated. He doesn't want an argument, he wants his son to get healed.
The boy is frustrated. He is the one who has the seizures.
There's nothing more frustrating than to be a parent and watch a child go through something like that.
Yet, this has demonic roots to it. That makes us feel uncomfortable. Who would diagnose a demon today? Jesus did.
He asks, "how long has this been going on?"
"A long time - from childhood - he's almost died -
"IF" you can do something.
IF faith is comfortable faith.
IF is not mountain top faith... it is everyday, normal life.
"IF?" Jesus says, "IF?"...
It's a challenge isn't it? What do you believe in? What are you counting on?
"Everything is possible to those who believe..."
He doesn't make a promise that everything will happen the way we want it to because of faith.
Hope is sometimes framed by "IF" faith.
Jesus, I believe, but I doubt; I hope, but I fear; I pray, and I waver; I ask, and I worry;
I believe...please help me with my unbelief.
I understand the IF prayers and faith.
Since most of us spend little time with the tiny book of Jude, let me quote from it to end this:
Jude 1:21-22 (NIV)
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt.
Peace
Think about these two accounts.
Mark 9:2-9 (NIV)
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
No matter what we experience that is good, we all have to come down the mountain. Life is not lived on the mountain, but down on the earth. What we'd like to do is build an altar on the mountain top and stay there...who doesn't want the "high"? Yet Jesus brought them down...to where life was not filled with dazzling white, and visions, and clouds that amaze; but rather to where "stuff" happens.
Later in that passage...just 5 verses later, and obviously as they re-enter the world from the mountain top:
Mark 9:14-24 (NIV)
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Faith is essential, and at times quite elusive. Nine times in the gospels Jesus says, "Your faith has healed you." Not all were believing Jews. A Roman Centurion soldier, a Cannaanite woman are two of those he speaks these words to.
Peter, James, and John go "up" on the mountain and see the amazing. Then they go down and see the typical. What is in between?
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
In the midst of the high, coming down is a dose of reality. None of this glory is to be noted until after he has died and been risen.
There will be a crucifixion and then a resurrection, and then the other side...you can speak about it then. Not today. Today we enter the world without that glory.
They go down and meet frustrated people.
The disciples are frustrated.
Arguing, failing to solve the problem, no healing, unbelieving...that is normal.
"O Unbelieving generation, How long...?" Jesus says. You can sense his own exasperation. The disciples hang around Jesus all of the time.
They've seen him pray; and they've seen him heal.
Why can't we do it? They are looking down, humbled and feeling like failures.
The father is frustrated. He doesn't want an argument, he wants his son to get healed.
The boy is frustrated. He is the one who has the seizures.
There's nothing more frustrating than to be a parent and watch a child go through something like that.
Yet, this has demonic roots to it. That makes us feel uncomfortable. Who would diagnose a demon today? Jesus did.
He asks, "how long has this been going on?"
"A long time - from childhood - he's almost died -
"IF" you can do something.
IF faith is comfortable faith.
IF is not mountain top faith... it is everyday, normal life.
"IF?" Jesus says, "IF?"...
It's a challenge isn't it? What do you believe in? What are you counting on?
"Everything is possible to those who believe..."
He doesn't make a promise that everything will happen the way we want it to because of faith.
Hope is sometimes framed by "IF" faith.
Jesus, I believe, but I doubt; I hope, but I fear; I pray, and I waver; I ask, and I worry;
I believe...please help me with my unbelief.
I understand the IF prayers and faith.
Since most of us spend little time with the tiny book of Jude, let me quote from it to end this:
Jude 1:21-22 (NIV)
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt.
Peace
Sunday, January 8, 2012
"High" Faith
Faith is a footbridge that you don't know will hold you up over the chasm until you're forced to walk out onto it. (NICHOLAS WOLTERSTORFF)
So much of our journey with God involves "choosing" to trust in someone other than our own selves. In his book, Faith and Doubt, John Ortberg talks about the way in which faith really works. He has this chapter that begins with the idea of "Mountains" and with that jumps into the theme of "height" as a metaphor.
Altars in ancient times were built in "high places".
Sacrifices were made in Israel by "high priests".
Today we speak of "high ideals" and "high achievements" and politicians who run for "high office".
When someone is a snob, arrogant, we tell them to get off their "high horse".
When someone gets addicted to drugs they get a "high", and when they seek to get off their addiction they seek a "higher power".
Heights attract us in ways that go beyond simple statements.
About six weeks ago I did a wedding at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. They were only the foothills and not the mountain tops and it was still awe inspiring.
Heights humble us because they speak to our smallness.
One of God's most important designations is "The Most High" which means he is over "all" things. God most high...someone who cannot be controlled, managed or defined by our own terms.
Some have called faith a "leap". As if it's not reasonable, not measured, without regard for common sense. Yet it isn't that at all. Faith is like putting on glasses. We need glasses for vision correction. We simply see, but not clearly. Yet faith is more than that, it's also passion and commitment. In faith we say I'm willing to make a commitment (say my wife in marriage) that goes way beyond "knowing", "predicting" what is going to occur.
Faith is a commitment.
Faith is a passion.
During Worship this morning I remembered the story of the French philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pasca. He was - is - one of the most brilliant person who ever lived. Yet he struggled with depression, was unhappy with life. Then one day it all changed. His demeanor changed almost over night, and his family and friends wondered how it all could happen so suddenly. What had happened was that he an encounter with God. Interestingly, he never spoke about it to anyone. In fact, no one would have known it occurred if it hadn't been for an accidental discovery after he died. His nephew and a servant were taking care of his affairs, including what to do with his clothing. They discovered a piece of paper sewn into his coat. It turned out to be a crumbled piece of faded paper. It was nine years old by that time, and yet it recorded what happened. These were the words he wrote that night:
Not the God of the philosophers and of the learned.
Certitude. Certitude.
Feeling. Joy. Peace.
GOD of Jesus Christ …
Forgetfulness of the world and of everything, except GOD.
Grandeur of the human soul.
Joy, Joy, Joy, tears of joy …4
Ortberg, John (2008-09-02). Faith and Doubt (p. 70). Zondervan
Faith is like that...mysterious, passionate, wonder-filled, and yet it is exactly what makes life real.
Peace
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Epiphany - A Day Late!
Epiphany was January 6th, and I'm a day late, but was traveling yesterday, so forgive me for not getting this on time.
We’ve come to the end of the 12 days of
Christmas. Epiphany is the appearance of
the Wise Men, the Magi, who came from the East to find the “King, born of the
Jews”.
Each of the days between
Christmas and Epiphany celebrated an aspect of our faith. And now, the twelfth day arrived.
“On the Twelfth Day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me:
Twelve Drummers Drumming”
What did it stand for?
The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed:
1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of
heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He
was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4)
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He
descended into hell. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into
heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to
judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy
catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11)
the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.
There you have it...twelve days for twelve significant aspects of our faith.
There are certain advantages to knowing these 12 aspects
of our faith.
Most Christians know Jesus – the Partridge who is willing to die for it’s children.
Most Christians know Jesus – the Partridge who is willing to die for it’s children.
And, they know there are two Testaments (Covenants) in
the Old and the New. (Two Turtledoves)
Three Essential Christ-like character: Faith, Hope Love
(three French Hens)
Four Gospels (Four Colly Birds)
Five Books of Moses (Five Golden Rings)
Six days of Creation (Six Geese-a-laying)
Seven Gifts of the Spirit (Seven Swans-a-Swimming)
Eight Beatitudes Jesus Spoke (Eights maids-a-milking)
Nine Fruit of the Spirit (Nine Ladies Dancing)
Ten Commandments from God (Ten Lords-a-leaping)
Eleven Faithful Disciples (Eleven Pipers Piping)
And NOW,
Twelve Doctrinal Statements in the Apostle’s Creed
(Twelve Drummers Drumming)
The key is, can you/I say what each of them are from
memory? What if we took the time to
actually memorize what each of them were?
Some are easy (the first 5 I think), and some will take some work (six
thru 12), but they are worth it.
Thanks for journeying with me through these twelve days.
Peace
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Days 8,9,10,&11
OK, so the 12 days of Christmas is getting a bit accelerated. I'm off for a couple of days and want to get ahead...planning on making a final blog on the 12th day.
By the way, Shakespeare wrote "Twelfth Night". The twelfth night is January 5, which is one of the days I'm gone, so I'll lean a bit towards that now.
The origin and counting of the 12 days is not universally held in the church. Western churches count after Christmas and the 12th day is Jan. 6th.
The 12th day is celebrated as the day the Magi - the wise men - from the East arrived to present their gifts to the baby Jesus. Here is the passage that records that in the New Living Translation:
Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)
1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.
4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.
8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The event that concludes with the Magi's bowing before the child is referred to as Epiphany.
The song we've been remembering is based on a series of images/symbols, all which stand for an aspect of the faith:
By the way, Shakespeare wrote "Twelfth Night". The twelfth night is January 5, which is one of the days I'm gone, so I'll lean a bit towards that now.
The origin and counting of the 12 days is not universally held in the church. Western churches count after Christmas and the 12th day is Jan. 6th.
The 12th day is celebrated as the day the Magi - the wise men - from the East arrived to present their gifts to the baby Jesus. Here is the passage that records that in the New Living Translation:
Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)
1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.
4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.
8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The event that concludes with the Magi's bowing before the child is referred to as Epiphany.
The song we've been remembering is based on a series of images/symbols, all which stand for an aspect of the faith:
On the first day of Christmas,
My true love (God) gave to me
A Partridge in a Pear tree (Jesus)
On the second day...
Two Turtle doves (Old and New Testaments)
Three French Hens (Faith, Hope, and Love)
Four Colly Birds (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Five Golden Rings (The Pentateuch)
Six Geese-a-laying (Six days of Creation)
Seven Swans-a-swimming (Seven fold Spirit)
And, now 8, 9, 10, and 11
Eight Maids-a-Milking - There are 8 Beatitudes Jesus spoke
Matthew 5:3-10 (NIV)
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Nine Ladies Dancing - There are Nine Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Ten Lords-a-leaping - There are 10 Commandments God gave Moses
Exodus 20:3-17 (NIV)
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol...
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God...
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother...
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house...
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol...
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God...
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother...
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house...
your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Eleven Pipers Piping - There were 11 Apostles who stayed true to Christ
Luke 6:13-16 (NIV)
13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, (and Judas Iscariot, the 12th was a traitor.)
13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, (and Judas Iscariot, the 12th was a traitor.)
You got to admit..it's a clever way to teach any kind of Catechism!
Peace
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Days 6 & 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas
The weekend is upon us...and thus, 2012. Happy New Year to you all.
I spent the day launching my daughter, Lindsay, her husband Pete, and my twin grandchildren, Raewyn and Theo as they are flying back to England - their home. It's been a bit sad to say goodbye and yet we have some really good memories and stories from their vacation back home here.
This weekend is days 6 & 7 of the 12 days of Christmas.
The 12 days are thought to begin on Christmas day and end on the fift or sixth of January - the day of Epiphany, which is the celebration of the appearance of the wise men and their gifts to Jesus.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
six geese-a-laying...
In England, where the song originated, a goose was a traditional Christmas meal. I made one once, and because it was a wild goose it was given a thumbs down by my family. Yet Geese were important because they were domesticated so that not only did they lay eggs to provide a constant source of food, but they also were raised as a delicacy to eat.
Symbolically, the six geese represented the six days of creation, when God "laid" the foundation for creation, and thus "feeds" the earth.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
seven swans a swimming...
Swans are considered to be graceful, beautiful birds...even given as gifts in old England when this song was probably composed.
So what did the authors have in mind?
Isaiah 11:1-2 (NIV)
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--
The scripture says there are seven aspects of the ministry of Jesus:
1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Power
5. Knowledge
6. Fear of the Lord
7. The Spirit of the Lord rests on Him
I spent the day launching my daughter, Lindsay, her husband Pete, and my twin grandchildren, Raewyn and Theo as they are flying back to England - their home. It's been a bit sad to say goodbye and yet we have some really good memories and stories from their vacation back home here.
This weekend is days 6 & 7 of the 12 days of Christmas.
The 12 days are thought to begin on Christmas day and end on the fift or sixth of January - the day of Epiphany, which is the celebration of the appearance of the wise men and their gifts to Jesus.
my true love gave to me,
six geese-a-laying...
In England, where the song originated, a goose was a traditional Christmas meal. I made one once, and because it was a wild goose it was given a thumbs down by my family. Yet Geese were important because they were domesticated so that not only did they lay eggs to provide a constant source of food, but they also were raised as a delicacy to eat.
Symbolically, the six geese represented the six days of creation, when God "laid" the foundation for creation, and thus "feeds" the earth.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
seven swans a swimming...
Swans are considered to be graceful, beautiful birds...even given as gifts in old England when this song was probably composed.
So what did the authors have in mind?
Isaiah 11:1-2 (NIV)
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--
The scripture says there are seven aspects of the ministry of Jesus:
1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Power
5. Knowledge
6. Fear of the Lord
7. The Spirit of the Lord rests on Him
Friday, December 30, 2011
Day 5 - Golden Rings??
The 12 days of Christmas occur between Christmas Day and Jan. 6 - Epiphany - the event that commemorates the visit of the wise men (Magi) and the gifts they gave Jesus.
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A Partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day - two turtledoves
On the third day - three french hens
On the fourth day - four colly birds (see yesterday's blog)
And now today...
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me,
Five Gold Rings!
Finally something other than a bird! Right?
Unfortunately No, it's still a bird.
The writer/composer had in mind the ring necked pheasant that was highly prized for both it's beauty and taste!
The song is usually sung as "five golden rings" instead of the correct words: "five gold rings"
So, what did they have in mind that this was to represent for children to learn?
The Five Gold Rings represent the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Bible, the books of Moses - which serve as a record of God's character and his desire for a nation who's identity is set in Him. Think about all that relates to knowing these books as representing the character of God.
Deuteronomy 4:5-9 (NIV)
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me..
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations...
...what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV)
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
John 1:17 (NIV)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:19-24 (NIV)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
In Christ Jesus we have the law embodied in all of God's grace and truth...two essential ways to approach what God says.
Peace
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A Partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day - two turtledoves
On the third day - three french hens
On the fourth day - four colly birds (see yesterday's blog)
And now today...
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me,
Finally something other than a bird! Right?
Unfortunately No, it's still a bird.
The writer/composer had in mind the ring necked pheasant that was highly prized for both it's beauty and taste!
The song is usually sung as "five golden rings" instead of the correct words: "five gold rings"
So, what did they have in mind that this was to represent for children to learn?
The Five Gold Rings represent the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Bible, the books of Moses - which serve as a record of God's character and his desire for a nation who's identity is set in Him. Think about all that relates to knowing these books as representing the character of God.
Deuteronomy 4:5-9 (NIV)
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me..
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations...
...what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV)
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
John 1:17 (NIV)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:19-24 (NIV)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
In Christ Jesus we have the law embodied in all of God's grace and truth...two essential ways to approach what God says.
Peace
Thursday, December 29, 2011
12 days of Christmas - Day 4
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
four calling birds,
three french hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
2 Timothy 3:10, 14-17 (NIV)
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,...
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The song "The Twelve days of Christmas" employs symbols that help children remember the various aspects of their faith. Over the last three days I mentioned the three french hens as the essentials of faith, hope and love; two turtledoves as the two covenants of the Old and New Testaments; and a partridge in a pear tree as Jesus Christ. My true love is God and of course, "me" is, well, you and me!
Today:
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me,
Four Calling birds...
This part of the song actually needs some explanation; as it is not simply "calling" birds, but rather from the old English - "colly" birds. Now, what are "Colly" birds?
Colly means black as coal and a "colliery" was a coal mine with connected buildings. Colly became the name for black birds.
OK, so why give "colly birds"?
The old school/children's song: "Sing a song of sixpence" talks about "blackbirds baked in a pie". One of the things I learned in my many travels to England, and especially the Cornwall area is that miners couldn't rely on their lunches being kept free of the coal dust and dirt, so they "tucked" their food inside of "pasties"...dough that was stuffed with potatoes, other vegetables, then baked. The miners took the pasties to their work and at lunch time they took the pasties apart, literally throwing away the outside to get at the inside, safe goodies.
SO...four colly birds represents the real food inside the outside.
In the case of the Twelve days of Christmas, the thing to learn about four colly birds is that there are four witnesses to the life of Christ - the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
On the fourth day of Christmas, God gave us this to remind us of some of the things that Christ Jesus did in walking this earth. It wasn't all, as John reminds us.
John 20:30-31 (NIV)
30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
four calling birds,three french hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
,
2 Timothy 3:10, 14-17 (NIV)
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,...
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The song "The Twelve days of Christmas" employs symbols that help children remember the various aspects of their faith. Over the last three days I mentioned the three french hens as the essentials of faith, hope and love; two turtledoves as the two covenants of the Old and New Testaments; and a partridge in a pear tree as Jesus Christ. My true love is God and of course, "me" is, well, you and me!
Today:
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me,
Four Calling birds...
This part of the song actually needs some explanation; as it is not simply "calling" birds, but rather from the old English - "colly" birds. Now, what are "Colly" birds?
Colly means black as coal and a "colliery" was a coal mine with connected buildings. Colly became the name for black birds.
OK, so why give "colly birds"?
The old school/children's song: "Sing a song of sixpence" talks about "blackbirds baked in a pie". One of the things I learned in my many travels to England, and especially the Cornwall area is that miners couldn't rely on their lunches being kept free of the coal dust and dirt, so they "tucked" their food inside of "pasties"...dough that was stuffed with potatoes, other vegetables, then baked. The miners took the pasties to their work and at lunch time they took the pasties apart, literally throwing away the outside to get at the inside, safe goodies.
SO...four colly birds represents the real food inside the outside.
In the case of the Twelve days of Christmas, the thing to learn about four colly birds is that there are four witnesses to the life of Christ - the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
On the fourth day of Christmas, God gave us this to remind us of some of the things that Christ Jesus did in walking this earth. It wasn't all, as John reminds us.
John 20:30-31 (NIV)
30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
12 Days of Christmas - Day 3
The 12 days of Christmas serve as a type of "veiled Catechism" during a time of religious persecution. The song we sing is full of symbols.
Today we're looking at Three French Hens.
On the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Three French Hens,
Two Turtle Doves,
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
We already noted that the True Love is God.
The Partridge is Jesus because of his willingness to be a sacrifice.
The two turtle doves represent the covenants of the Old and the New Testaments
NOW...a Partridge in a pear tree?
The key is the three part of the French Hens.
It represents the virtues of the Gospel: Faith, Hope and Love.
Faith is the "substance", the real thing so to speak, of what we believe.
Hope sustains us in times when things don't seem well.
Love is the crowning of all virtues and when first applied to our relationship to God, it should spill over into our relationship with all others.
1
Corinthians 13:4-13 (NRSV)
4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part;
10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part;
10 but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Day two of the 12 Days of Christmas
Luke 2:21-24 (NLT)
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.”
24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons {doves}.”
I've been reading the 19th century English pastor and theologian, J.C. Ryle and his expository notes on the Gospel of Luke. As I preach my way through this Gospel I find some of these older works to be of invaluable worth in my own thinking, meditating, even praying through scripture.
Ryle makes the point that Mary and Joseph's sacrifice was the act of a poor couple. Leviticus had prescribed an animal sacrifice for a circumcision, unless the couple was poor - then they could offer two pigeons...doves. God did not send his son into a world with privilege. Instead he was born in a poor family, where hard work and scraping to keep things together still did not get you ahead.
The 12 days of Christmas mark the period of time between Christmas and Epiphany (see yesterday's blog if you want more information on this). The song says of this second day:
On
the second day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me:
Two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
The 2nd day of Christmas is God’s gift of the Two turtle doves. I have to admit, from early boyhood the idea of a turtle and a dove brought weird images to my mind. I wasn’t sure whether the song was saying the true love gave a turtle or a dove, but it was confusing to try to put the two together.
Why two turtledoves?
Some have suggested it is a way of reminding children that these were symbols of the sacrifice that Mary brought in lieu of the lamb.
In the Jordan valley a similar species, the palm dove, or Egyptian turtledove, is still common today.
The nature of turtle doves is that they pair for life - a poetic type and symbol of God’s covenanted love. The dove appears in the language of Old Testament Poetry to describe the love that never dies.
Song of Songs 2:10-14 (NRSV)
10 My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;
11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
It could be that the symbol of the two doves is the giving of God’s covenanted word in both Testaments - the Old and New. The two show his faithful love that is fulfilled - even as two partridges stay together for life. There are two completed aspects of God’s covenant that both point to Jesus – The Old Testament gives us the background for Jesus’ coming in the redemptive work of God through repentance and sacrifice. The New Testament shows the completed work of Christ and the direction of God’s work in redemption through the Kingdom of God.
Two turtle doves…God’s faithful love from eternity to eternity.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.”
24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons {doves}.”
I've been reading the 19th century English pastor and theologian, J.C. Ryle and his expository notes on the Gospel of Luke. As I preach my way through this Gospel I find some of these older works to be of invaluable worth in my own thinking, meditating, even praying through scripture.
Ryle makes the point that Mary and Joseph's sacrifice was the act of a poor couple. Leviticus had prescribed an animal sacrifice for a circumcision, unless the couple was poor - then they could offer two pigeons...doves. God did not send his son into a world with privilege. Instead he was born in a poor family, where hard work and scraping to keep things together still did not get you ahead.
The 12 days of Christmas mark the period of time between Christmas and Epiphany (see yesterday's blog if you want more information on this). The song says of this second day:
My true love gave to me:
Two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree.
The 2nd day of Christmas is God’s gift of the Two turtle doves. I have to admit, from early boyhood the idea of a turtle and a dove brought weird images to my mind. I wasn’t sure whether the song was saying the true love gave a turtle or a dove, but it was confusing to try to put the two together.
Why two turtledoves?
Some have suggested it is a way of reminding children that these were symbols of the sacrifice that Mary brought in lieu of the lamb.
In the Jordan valley a similar species, the palm dove, or Egyptian turtledove, is still common today.
The nature of turtle doves is that they pair for life - a poetic type and symbol of God’s covenanted love. The dove appears in the language of Old Testament Poetry to describe the love that never dies.
Song of Songs 2:10-14 (NRSV)
10 My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;
11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
It could be that the symbol of the two doves is the giving of God’s covenanted word in both Testaments - the Old and New. The two show his faithful love that is fulfilled - even as two partridges stay together for life. There are two completed aspects of God’s covenant that both point to Jesus – The Old Testament gives us the background for Jesus’ coming in the redemptive work of God through repentance and sacrifice. The New Testament shows the completed work of Christ and the direction of God’s work in redemption through the Kingdom of God.
Two turtle doves…God’s faithful love from eternity to eternity.
Monday, December 26, 2011
The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 1
1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
Depending upon where you live, this is either the first day of shopping sales and returning presents, or, it is the beginning of a new series of celebration days. Of course, to my English friends today is "Boxing Day" - a day that has it's traditions in Victorian England when the servants and their families received gifts (presumably in the boxes) because they would have had to serve their master's families on Christmas day.
For me, today is the first day of the 12 days of Christmas. Made famous by the Christmas song of the same name, it has a tradition that goes back approximately 500 years. Since most of us are not part of liturgical churches little of this is known, or adhered to.
These 12 days occur between Christmas and January 6th - which is Epiphany. Epiphany is from the Greek word that means "appearance". Epiphany is marked on the calendar as the date the Magi came, seeking the baby born who was 'King of the Jews'. In some traditions - notably Eastern Orthodoxy - because the Wise Men came bearing gifts, January 6 is considered to be Christmas day!
Interestingly the song named after the "12 days of Christmas" is not just a cute song (or in some people's consideration, nonsense). This song has its roots in the 17th century when some parts of the church were under assault. The song is considered to be a device for teaching truths - a sort of catechism done by song. The "true love" is God, and "Me" is the believer.
So...
Why a Partridge in a pear tree? The Partridge is a bird that will feign injury to protect its young and in some cases sacrifice its own life for the sake of its young.
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
Depending upon where you live, this is either the first day of shopping sales and returning presents, or, it is the beginning of a new series of celebration days. Of course, to my English friends today is "Boxing Day" - a day that has it's traditions in Victorian England when the servants and their families received gifts (presumably in the boxes) because they would have had to serve their master's families on Christmas day.
For me, today is the first day of the 12 days of Christmas. Made famous by the Christmas song of the same name, it has a tradition that goes back approximately 500 years. Since most of us are not part of liturgical churches little of this is known, or adhered to.
These 12 days occur between Christmas and January 6th - which is Epiphany. Epiphany is from the Greek word that means "appearance". Epiphany is marked on the calendar as the date the Magi came, seeking the baby born who was 'King of the Jews'. In some traditions - notably Eastern Orthodoxy - because the Wise Men came bearing gifts, January 6 is considered to be Christmas day!
Interestingly the song named after the "12 days of Christmas" is not just a cute song (or in some people's consideration, nonsense). This song has its roots in the 17th century when some parts of the church were under assault. The song is considered to be a device for teaching truths - a sort of catechism done by song. The "true love" is God, and "Me" is the believer.
So...
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Why a Partridge in a pear tree? The Partridge is a bird that will feign injury to protect its young and in some cases sacrifice its own life for the sake of its young.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Christmas Peace
Christmas Peace!
Luke 19:38 (NIV) 38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
Acts 10:34-36 (NIV)
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism
35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Romans 5:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
Christmas is a message of Peace between God and Mankind. "God so loved the world..." and it's because of Jesus' birth that peace between God and Mankind can occur. Also, it's because of Jesus that we can have peace between each other.
For most of our lives we have not had much experience with peace. The world lives in conflict and in my lifetime our nation has fought in war after war seeking to establish peace - but it still is elusive.
When I think of families on Christmas day being together I cannot help but think of families who are not together because their sons and daughters are gone to war. Our military is thousands of miles away from home, and somehow "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" seems appropriate.
It is sometimes hard to believe that God will establish peace upon the earth through Jesus Christ - but I believe he will.
With Christmas Day upon us, let me tell you a story of a famous Christmas carol.
Back in 1864, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow heard bells from a church steeple ringing on Christmas day. It was the time of the Civil War. He had lost his wife in a tragic accident in 1861, and almost lost his son in 1863, who was shot through the shoulder while fighting in one of the Civil War battles.
That Christmas he heard the bells ringing, and something inside of him happened. Rather than the cynicism and doubt of what the war was doing to his family, and country; instead something stirred within him that caused him to pause and reflect.
He sat down and composed this carol that reflected on Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace. It was a statement on his part that though evil from mankind continue, the truth is that God HAS done something to bring peace upon the earth.
He sat down and composed this carol that reflected on Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace. It was a statement on his part that though evil from mankind continue, the truth is that God HAS done something to bring peace upon the earth.
"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
I awoke this morning to the idea that I would ask each of you to join me in praying Jesus' prayer:
"Lord, let your Kingdom come, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Believe...Believe...Believe...Merry Christmas
Christmas Eve
As I write this, Christmas Eve has begun. But, like so many people around the world the beginning is actually on the evening of the day. Tonight we will gather in simplicity - hymns and carols of Christmas. We'll tell the story all over again in scripture and song. It never tires me to hear it anew.
When Zechariah and Elizabeth birthed John, who was to be the forerunner of Jesus - 30 years down the road - Zechariah's tongue was loosened and he spoke for the first time in almost a year about what God was showing him in the birth of his son.
Luke 1:68-69 (NIV)
68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
The horn was a symbol of God's calling the people. The shofar was a ram's horn and was used to call them to seasons of worship and celebration. John was going to be that horn that called the nation to God doing something in their midst. Later in that same prophecy, he said:
Luke 1:76-79 (NRSV)
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
I love the words of this:
There is a legend in Northern Canada that at midnight on Christmas Eve, the spirit of peace hovers over everything - the cattle, wild animals, all fall to their knees in worship. Stories like that are part of a bigger picture - the need to say something is happening that none of us can believe on our own.
William Shakespeare wrote about Christmas Eve and this peace:
When Zechariah and Elizabeth birthed John, who was to be the forerunner of Jesus - 30 years down the road - Zechariah's tongue was loosened and he spoke for the first time in almost a year about what God was showing him in the birth of his son.
Luke 1:68-69 (NIV)
68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
The horn was a symbol of God's calling the people. The shofar was a ram's horn and was used to call them to seasons of worship and celebration. John was going to be that horn that called the nation to God doing something in their midst. Later in that same prophecy, he said:
Luke 1:76-79 (NRSV)
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
I love the words of this:
- knowledge of salvation..
- forgiveness of sins...
- tender mercy of God...
- light to those sitting in darkness...
- the dawn from on high breaks upon us...
- to guide to the way of peace...
There is a legend in Northern Canada that at midnight on Christmas Eve, the spirit of peace hovers over everything - the cattle, wild animals, all fall to their knees in worship. Stories like that are part of a bigger picture - the need to say something is happening that none of us can believe on our own.
William Shakespeare wrote about Christmas Eve and this peace:
"Some say that whenever that season comes
Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated
The bird of dawn sings all night long;
They say that no spirit can walk abroad;
No planet strikes,
No fairy takes,
No(thing) has power to charm,
So hallowed and gracious is this time."
Zechariah speaks in his prayer at the birth of his son John words that echo that same spirit of Christmas eve:
"The dawn from on high will break upon us..."
In a few hours I will gather with my family of faith at New Life and we'll sing the songs, read the scripture and once again say "thank you God for this wonder full gift".
Peace to you and your household, and your family of faith
Friday, December 23, 2011
Merry and Joy in Christmas
John 3:16-17 (NIV)
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The Bible is full of the word "Joy", but only once is the word "merry" translated, and it's not good. Jesus said the word in a parable that was meant to rebuke a man's desire to get Jesus to side with him in a dispute about material wealth.
Luke 12:13-21 (NIV)
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.
17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
The greek word for merry is "euphraino" which if you look closely you'll see the word "euphoria". To the person who thinks life is a series of accumulations of material things, Jesus says, "Watch out, Be on guard...life doesn't consist of the abundance of possessions."
That isn't what most of us want to hear on Christmas.
We wish each other a "Merry Christmas", and by that we mean have a great time celebrating Christmas - gift giving, food, drink, carols and all.
WHY?
Because Christmas is Merry. It is euphoric. God has come down and He is with us.
There is no reason for Christmas apart from Emmanuel. Joy has come to the earth.
We give gifts because God has given us a gift - free, and without asking for one in return.
We feast because Jesus is the bread of life.
We light candles because Jesus is the light of the world.
We sing carols because Heavenly hosts sing God's praises in fields at night.
We revel in God...look what he has done.
AND, most of all, we say "thank you Lord" because you came to reverse the curse. There is no place for condemnation - there is only reunion when as prodigal sons and daughters we come home to the Abba Father.
He came to restore relationship
He came to undo the fall.
He came to tell us we are all sons and daughters of God.
He came to tell us that we are all meant to be something far beyond what we could ever imagine.
Acts 2:28 (NIV)
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
Merry, Joy, Peace
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The Bible is full of the word "Joy", but only once is the word "merry" translated, and it's not good. Jesus said the word in a parable that was meant to rebuke a man's desire to get Jesus to side with him in a dispute about material wealth.
Luke 12:13-21 (NIV)
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.
17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
The greek word for merry is "euphraino" which if you look closely you'll see the word "euphoria". To the person who thinks life is a series of accumulations of material things, Jesus says, "Watch out, Be on guard...life doesn't consist of the abundance of possessions."
That isn't what most of us want to hear on Christmas.
We wish each other a "Merry Christmas", and by that we mean have a great time celebrating Christmas - gift giving, food, drink, carols and all.
WHY?
Because Christmas is Merry. It is euphoric. God has come down and He is with us.
There is no reason for Christmas apart from Emmanuel. Joy has come to the earth.
We give gifts because God has given us a gift - free, and without asking for one in return.
We feast because Jesus is the bread of life.
We light candles because Jesus is the light of the world.
We sing carols because Heavenly hosts sing God's praises in fields at night.
We revel in God...look what he has done.
AND, most of all, we say "thank you Lord" because you came to reverse the curse. There is no place for condemnation - there is only reunion when as prodigal sons and daughters we come home to the Abba Father.
He came to restore relationship
He came to undo the fall.
He came to tell us we are all sons and daughters of God.
He came to tell us that we are all meant to be something far beyond what we could ever imagine.
Acts 2:28 (NIV)
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
Merry, Joy, Peace
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