Devotion.al

Tag: Gentiles

  • The Right Signs

    Deuteronomy 10:12–22, Romans 2:25–29, 1 Corinthians 7:17–24

    Circumcision has long been a sign of being Jewish. For many years, it was used to identify Jewish males and hold it against them. In Deuteronomy (Moses’ farewell address), Moses speaks of the circumcision of the . Moses defined circumcision as being fully devoted to God. There is a warning here that could easily be ignored, don’t rely on actions being evidence of your relationship with God.

    ‘s struggle with the Jewish converts is that they often brought “the Law” with them. As Christianity had come through Judaism, there would be many well-meaning believing Gentiles (non-Jews) who would look to the Jews for regarding the right steps to take. The Jews would default to the way they were raised, the Law. Adult Gentile converts were looking to be circumcised so that they would be in the right. Paul wanted them to realized that circumcision was never the point.

    The same thing that Moses was trying to get through the Israelites heads (and hearts) was the same thing that Paul was still fighting, and trying to prevent the Gentiles from following the same path. He was pretty desperate on behalf of his spiritual children and grandchildren.

    Whether it was Rome or Corinth, the “battle” raged on. Minus slavery, we were called to remain as we were (e.g., if Jewish be Jewish, if Gentile remain Gentile) as when God called us. It was not our blood, our skin, our nationality, our wealth that saved us but trusting God.

    1) The often falls into the same pattern of circumcision. The world does, too. Have you judged ‘ or your based upon tattoos, smoking, drinking, or the lack of them, or something else? How about the they came from, or the language they ?

    2) Why do we have to always be on guard against actions rather than ?

    3) Why do we often trust actions rather than faith?

  • Ruling Tradition

    Psalm 79, Romans 15:1–13, 1 Corinthians 8:1–13, Galatians 2:11–15

    Yesterday we talked about rules. Today we’re going to talk about rules.
    One of the first rules of is to build up one another. We have all done this well. We have all done this horribly. Another rule is to live in harmony with each other. Yet another is to accept one another. These rules are incredibly important when we (see Thursday’s, 23 May, devotional). Doing all of these well is hard, and it is well doing.

    One thing that always ends up with some kind of tension is and misunderstanding. When discusses food offered to idols, his is it’s fine, since they aren’t real idols anyways. The meat was sold at a discount since it was “used” at pagan temples to “feed” their gods. Paul was saying it was food. He was supporting the practice, except that there were new or struggling or misunderstanding members of the who saw the buying and eating of this meat as participating in and agreeing with . Paul didn’t agree with them, yet still instructed the more mature believers to avoid the cheap food so that those struggling wouldn’t succumb to the old ways.

    Paul is not shy in taking on fellow leaders, like Peter, who quickly yield to tribal (i.e., Jewish) pressure to not be contaminated by Gentiles. What makes this even more interesting in regards to tradition, it was Peter who led the charge against it. Even the leaders fall back into old habits.

    1) What is the difference between traditions and rules?

    2) How do they function differently in your ? How about your faith life?

    3) How do we confuse rules and traditions with our faith?

  • Frameworks and Consequences

    Acts 10:9–35, Acts 15:5–34, Romans 14:13-23

    Rules are everywhere, aren’t they? Rules are a good thing. Often rules us the to for we have a pretty good idea what will do (assuming they know the rules). This is true in examples such as driving. We know (we ) what the other person will do, as they should have learned (and been tested) the same rules.
    Rules are often also put into place to better level the playing field. These rules are often disliked, not because the concept is bad, but because the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

    Another set of very important rules are those for leaders or in other responsible positions. People, for example, who are in charge of educating, children, and should all follow rules, so that everyone knows what their obligations are. Often, sadly, the rules are put into place after someone else has done something wrong, so the “good” folks don’t like to be treated like the bad ones. That is the whole rotten apple ruins it for everyone concept.

    Peter was schooled on the rules. In this case, these rules were put into place for the Israelites (then Jews) to follow. The problem was that God wasn’t just calling the Jews. The official reach had expanded. The rules that Peter lived by had outlived their usefulness, and now were a barrier to the world.

    After his and experience with the Gentiles, he then had to remind his fellow Jews (whom he had previously told this story to) that they couldn’t live up to the rules either. They certainly had a quick revision of “the rules”.
    Yet, even in Rome (the “home” of the Gentiles) the rules were still an issue and were a hindrance to the and the hearts of its people. Rules are a framework of behavior. They should not crush spirits, or seek to destroy lives. Yet, the consequences of breaking the rules are not the same as the rules themselves. Consequences are the result of our choices, yet we often blame the rules.

    1) When have you found rules to be helpful at work, at home, at church?

    2) When have you found rules to be more crushing of , rather than a framework of guidance/protection?

    3) When do you find rules to be a problem? Have you ever analyzed your to the rules to see if it is your pride or the effect of the rule that you are reacting to?

  • Among Crowds

    Psalm 26, Matthew 21:42–46, Acts 13:43–52

    Crowds are a powerful thing. They can be a source of powerful . In the current age, people are helping to launch products they want by putting some of their into it. By doing so, people go around the big companies that controlled how new things came to market. Yes, there have been massive failures. There have also been fantastic successes. On the other hand, crowds often like unrestrained monsters, attacking people, destroying property, killing, looting.

    What motivates a crowd is the most interesting, as it will vary person to person. For example, there were people who just followed . There were people who followed Jesus because other people followed Jesus. Then there were those who sought to control Jesus (including making him their king). There there were those who were jealous of his innate popularity in comparison to the false fawning they experienced due to their positions in Jewish society.

    and Barnabas also drew crowds. Through their words they drew Jews and to Jesus. Yet, there were those who were jealous of the crowds and stirred up trouble forcing them to leave.
    This is still going on today. The draw of social media has been that it is where everything is happening. The problem is that it is where everything is happening. People are becoming fatigued with it all, yet are now so conditioned to live with it.

    Then there are all the “happening” places. Even churches and their leaders succumb to the crowd-. Churches and leaders look to see what the “popular” churches and leaders are doing and often try to copy them. However, just like going along with the crowd, what is good for the crowd may not be good for you. The flip side of that is what is good for you may not be good for the crowd, or at least many in it.

    1) How do see yourself when looking at who appear more successful or happy than you?

    2) Why are crowds a bad barometer for choosing the right path? Why are crowds a good barometer for choosing the right path?

    3) Whether we acknowledge it or not, we watch the crowds. What is the right way to to and view the crowds?

  • Let Them Loose

    Psalm 105:1-22, Romans 1:18–32, Ezekiel 20:39–44

    They were given over. God let them loose. Whether it was the Israelites or , God let them loose.

    The world is a very bad place. People hate. People steal. People lie. All sorts of things and behaviors are just wrong. God let it be.

    When writes to the Romans there is obviously an echo of God’s words to the Israelites (via Ezekiel). “Okay. Have it your way. There is an open offer of the good , just come with me.”

    In our current culture, there is a heightened to Romans 1:26—27. However, the True and harsh reality is that this is only a piece of the puzzle. It only a square on the twisted and -filled quilt that makes up humanity. Look at all the other issues. Are you guilty of none of these?

    Yet, despite being freed to do wrong (to ourselves, , and God), there is still an open door. Even when God tells the Israelites, “fine, go,” there is something more. They—not bulls, not goats, not sheep, not lamps, not doves, not wheat, not wine, not —will be God’s pleasing aroma. So much of the sacrificial system had “pleasing aroma” attached to it that this is not insignificant.

    The Israelites would one day to God in , even though they willingly walked away. God calls each of us, too, the same way.

    1) Why did God let people go do what they wanted?

    2) Most parents would not willingly allow their children to go astray. Why do you think God appears to? Does God really willingly allow this?

    3) In general, is poorly misunderstood and poorly used. How do you see that reality around you?

  • Not Always Better

    Deuteronomy 9:1–9:7, Psalm 36, Romans 5:20–6:11

    You have been trouble from the beginning of this! Moses’ long good-bye (all of Deuteronomy) is a summary of God, God’s message, God’s calling, and Israel’s past, current, and . It’s not pretty.

    We can often look at the Israelites and question their memory, wisdom, or sanity. How do they keep making the same basic mistakes? Of course, we really get the Cliff Notes or Spark Notes version. A quick summary of the highlights, 40 years of highlights. If you could only write the highlights of your life, you could make it short, too. Plus, you would write about you, and some close family, and maybe some large events. This summary of the Israelites journey from Egypt to the threshold of the Promised Land (for the 2nd time) is for a populace that many times larger than the City of Marysville. If we took only our highlights, or perhaps lowlights, our story may sound similar. Moses is driving home a point. Don’t take God’s blessing for granted, and don’t ruin the inheritance of God.

    Much of the story of the Israelites’ travels from Egypt to the Promised Land is about hearts that were not continually grateful (and therefore humble). They had food they barely worked for (Mana). They were (generally) protected from enemies. Their clothes and sandals didn’t wear out. They had plenty of herds. They had plundered Egypt. They became comfortable with what they had and felt they should get more. They looked back at an idealized and false view of Egypt and threatened to to Egypt if they didn’t get what they wanted. They certainly weren’t . They were definitely stubborn. They were receiving the result of God’s to people long dead. God was .

    Even in Moses’ time, the truth of Paul’s words still rings loudly, “…where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.” (Romans 5:21) Throughout the journey, God’s grace was abundant. While the Israelites didn’t think this way, apparently there were that wanted to sin more (or thought they should) so that God’s grace would be even larger. Paul’s head may have not been in his hands in disbelief, but nevertheless, his disbelief comes through his writing. Of course, we should seek to sin more! That’s what we were saved from! Why would we go back to that life? Oh, wait, that sounds familiar. The Israelites wanted to go back to “that life.” Somehow, the slavery that they left (the law and sin) was somehow better than the Promised Land (grace and blessing).

    That is, however, the problem with many of the sins we struggle with. It seems “better” to live that way. It seems “better” to the world. It seems “better” to those around us. It must be better than.

    1) Why do we often return to the bad stuff (habits, behaviors, thoughts) that Jesus has been and is working out of us?

    2) Why does our of the way we used to live still pull us back?

    3) The Israelites left harsh conditions. Why would they choose slavery over ? When have you done the same?

    FD) What is grace?

  • Decisions and Struggles

    Jeremiah 11:15–16, Isaiah 52:1–12, Galatians 4:12–20

    We cannot avoid the reality that the world as it stands opposes the Good News, while at the same time yearning for it. People try to avoid the reality that the is opposed, and try to “be at peace” with the world. On the other hand, there are those who are so obsessed with “the opposition” that they either spend the majority of their efforts and energy opposing, or huddle behind the “four walls” of their church, family, and/or larger “tribe”. Part of what makes the Christian walk so difficult and why it requires constant reorientation, is that we are to walk between these two extremes.

    The two verses in Jeremiah recall that the people of Israel have wandered far away from their God, and have turn rituals of life into empty actions. They were set apart and planted to be a symbol. They became spiritually diseased, and the only thing that could cleanse the disease was fire…a cleansing fire. Yet, instead of changing their ways they kept to the old.

    Isaiah’s to Zion/Jerusalem is for it to “wake up” out of the and disgrace that it has found itself in. It is time to throw off the old clothes and the contaminated ways. It is time to put on new clothes and new ways. yourselves.

    The old bad non-life-giving ways have a way of coming back. Jeremiah and Isaiah opposed them. Generations later, Paul had to fight them again. Now it was not just the old Jewish ways that he had to confront (like Jeremiah and Isaiah), it was also the ways of the Gentiles that had to be opposed.

    Paul is makes two very important points. The first is there are people that are trying to put themselves above others (mostly Paul, but they would have also been putting themselves above the elders) to control and try to change what is . They also appear to be doing it for personal of or pride. Not good reasons to change who one respects.

    The other important point is that Paul speaks of them being his children, that he is again going through the childbearing pains, trying to restore them to where they were in their beliefs. Christ has to be formed in them (again). This would be what we would call backsliding. Paul was now separated by distance, and was doubly pained that he couldn’t be there in person.

    Christian formation should always forward, but sometimes, due to culture, family, habits, we go backwards. It sometime seems we have to start all over again. If it has been a really hard fight, we could succumb to despair.

    • 1) American individualism, especially prevalent in the Western parts of the United States, almost convinces people to find their own way in a vacuum. What happens when we make decisions in isolation?
    • 2) Spiritual decisions made in isolation along with cultural influences can endanger our spiritual lives. What do you do to help immunize yourself in that area?
    • 3) Most often, our biggest spiritual battles will be in areas that we have always struggled with. What are you doing to strengthen yourself in those areas, and finding ?
    • FD) Do you have, or ever had, a favorite article of clothing, a shirt, or accessory? Have you ever not wanted to wash it, because it might get hurt? What happens when it gets really yucky? Then what? Your sometimes needs some cleaning, too? What do you do to clean it?

  • Worthy Scraps

    Mark 7:24–30, Psalm 2, Isaiah 26:1–6, Genesis 17:1–7

    It’s been over a month since . Within the time frame of the “year”, we are halfway through the “season” of Epiphany. As a brief reminder, Epiphany is the observation day of the Wise Men coming to . It is a reminder that while Jesus was Jewish, his salvific work and kingship were for the (non-Jews), too.

    It is also a not-so-subtle jab at the Jewish religious leaders that they missed the coming of the king. While Jesus made it clear that the emphasis of his time on earth was for the salvation of and preaching the of God to the Jews, it was supposed to be only the beginning.

    While Jesus emphasized the Jews, it was not that he was exclusionary. There is the Samaritan woman (almost worse than a normal Gentile to the Jews) at the well. There is also the Roman Centurion. Then there is today’s story of the Syrian Mother seeking the welfare of her daughter.

    In Jesus’ initial response to the woman, note the emphasis on the “children”. Children is definitely a reference to Jews that have had a seat at the table of God since Abraham. In other words, Jesus tells the woman to until the Jews are “fed”.

    The allusion to feeding on God is interesting, too. We could be offended at the appearance of Jesus calling the woman a dog, yet it would be a culturally relevant way for a Jew to refer to her (it doesn’t make it appropriate in our day and age). It is also an accurate of the gap between the woman’s heritage and that of the Jews.

    It does seem to be a test in some way. Jesus didn’t say no. In a way, Jesus was asking her what the most appropriate thing was, which makes her response even more amazing.

    She does not dispute that Jesus is Jewish, and thus his priority is the Jews. It was entirely appropriate that she acknowledged and respected his avowed mission. Again, Jesus didn’t say no.

    This mother took “the scraps” that Jesus tossed her, and gave a beautiful response.

    Think about small children. When they eat, they are not the tidiest of eaters. Food ends up on the floor. Sometimes by accident, sometimes by being tossed. Small children often do not fully grasp the concept of food and its , just as the Jews were missing the beauty of God’s word incarnate.

    The mother saw the worth of Jesus (food) and lunged for the crumbs that children ignored. Jesus healed her daughter. Just like the Centurion’s servant, the daughter was healed at a distance. The faith and trust of the Gentiles (the outsiders) exceeded the faith of the Jews (insiders).

    • 1) While many Christians identify with the Gentiles and outsiders, it isn’t always the case. Are you able to see where you might be more like an insider rather than an outsider?
    • 2) What does the word epiphany mean to you? How does that meaning apply to the Wise Men? How does that apply to your Christian walk?
    • 3) Food is an important part of the story. What are some different ways food can be used to tell a story of faith?
    • FD) We can become blind to the we have (like the Jews were blind to Jesus). What blessings do you need to today?