Tag: holiness

And Now We Worship
Psalm 142; Amos 9:11–15; Luke 7:31–35

As mentioned previously, Amos’ prophetic mission was to the Israelites, the nation of the 10 tribes that separated from Judah and Benjamin. As part of the “rebellion” the leader of the Israelites, Jeroboam, made 2 golden calves for local worship to protect his “kingship” from reverting to Judah and Jerusalem should the people of Israel choose to faithfully worship at the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26–33). He was quite successful.

As the Temple had remained in Jerusalem, and the false worship at Bethel (gold calf), it seems strange to mentions the “tent of David”. The original Tent of Meeting was replaced by the Temple. The Temple in Jerusalem wasn’t destroyed. The temple of false worship in Bethel would fall in a few years due to an earthquake. The people of Israel no longer claimed David as one of their own (1 Kings 12:16–17).

The best way to explain this is to understand the underlying message of Amos: false worship was separating the people of Israel permanently (by their actions, not God’s) from God. True/pure/heartfelt worship would reunite the people of Israel with God. In other words, the false temple won’t help you (and the implication that even the Temple in Jerusalem wouldn’t). Only being someone “after” God’s own heart would restore things as they ought to be. The message to the Israelites was, be David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

However, no matter how we slice it or define it, we will often worship that which isn’t God, thinking that it will bring us closer to God. Quite often it is behavior. And, while certain behaviors (repentance, love of God, worship of God) will, we all too often confuse which behaviors.

Take Jesus’ words as shared by Luke. John the Baptist and Jesus the Prophet (yes, the Messiah, but for this point, we’ll leave it as prophet) didn’t fit into idealized behaviors that were expected. John wore uncomfortable clothing (a type worn by ascetics as a form of penance or self-denial), and ate “cakes” of dried honey and locusts (yum?). They said he had a demon. John the Baptist, for the record, was unique in his ministry, not his “taste” in clothing and food.

The same people that questioned John the Baptist’s sanity, purity, and holiness, used a completely different measurement tool for Jesus. Jesus dared to drink a lot (whether it was high alcohol or not was never the argument of his contemporaries), eat a lot (he was probably a popular guest), and spend time with the less socially advantaged.

Bluntly, these almost word-for-word statements have been used by far too many Evangelicals (even the demon-one) against Christians of other traditions (and sometimes even within). Far too many worship (yes, worship) forms of worship and obedience far more than they worship God.

There is, of course, a slippery slope. That, too, is an issue worth pointing out. If everything is allowed, then the holiness and righteousness of God are impinged upon. The freedom to do “whatever” is also often worshiped and causes its own troubles (Romans 5:20–6:14).

Who, what, how we worship are all critical considerations for our lives of faith. We just need to be careful that which we call unrighteous (or otherwise inappropriate) worship is not because of the way we see it, rather than how God sees it.

※Reflection※
- What does worshiping as a person after God’s own heart look like? How might it be different than your current practices? How might it be the same?
- Why do we often overcomplicate the worship of God? What kind of actions have you experienced that have hampered your worship of God? Have those same actions been a vital part of another’s worship experience?
- How does the worship in our hearts work with or against the worship of our actions (i.e., body)?
※Prayer※

Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen. [Ephesians 3:20–21]
2021-07-14
Seriously
Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:16–26; 2 Corinthians 10:7–11

The Christian understanding of God is one of love, forgiveness, and grace. These are often the primary characteristics on which we focus. If we are honest, it’s because, with such a God, a lot of pressure is off of us. There are many, however, who claim these same three characteristics are God’s and yet talk only about God’s judgment, anger, and destruction. Today’s passages would seem to have that same division.

In today’s verses, the opening words to Jeremiah are brutal. “Don’t pray…or plead for them…” First, this tells us about Jeremiah. Jeremiah prayed. Jeremiah hurt for the people and the relationship with God that they had lost.

One could say that God’s words were unloving, except perhaps we have the wrong focus. What if God’s focus (in the opening verse, at least) wasn’t really the Israelites, but Jeremiah. Like a parent or grandparent long praying for the salvation of a child or grandchild, perhaps that was Jeremiah (God did tell him to not pray). Perhaps Jeremiah was deeply upset (he was often called the Weeping Prophet), and God wanted him to let go.

There is also the high possibility that God knew that the hearts of the Israelites would not be repentant before the time of reckoning. If this is indeed the case, the heart of “don’t pray” would have been, “release your burden, for it is not yours to bear.” That would be compassion in the face of holiness.

In some ways, Jeremiah is as Paul states, “The Lord gave us that authority to build you up and not to destroy you.” Jeremiah certainly didn’t want the power to destroy the Israelites. He wanted to build them up so that they returned to God.

This is where the hard reality of the Scriptures hits us, and we don’t like it…at all. We say that we don’t like this God of “meanness” and try to cover up what we think is “wrong” with language that God loves everyone.

Oh, God does. Without question, God loves all of Creation, even these broken and dysfunctional parts called humans. There does, though, come a point where it all has to end.

We don’t like this point. We don’t like the thought of lost loved ones not knowing God at the end. GOOD! We’re not supposed to like it! Perhaps, just perhaps, that God is showing us that it is a serious matter (even deadly), and we ought to be serious about it, too.

※Reflection※
- What were your initial thoughts about God when reading Jeremiah? How about Jeremiah? The Israelites?
- What lessons can you learn from God’s words and actions?
- What lessons did you learn from Jeremiah’s words and actions?
- What lessons did you learn from the Israelites?
※Prayer※

Lord, loving you is often easy, but your love for us and our betterment is often beyond our understanding. Guide us in your ways. Amen.
2021-07-02
Passed The Gates
Psalm 88; Leviticus 15:19–31; 2 Corinthians 9:1–5

I have long felt this passage in Leviticus to be unfair to women. No, not because of certain cultural influences of today. Perhaps it was the era I grew up in, or because my mom worked as a school teacher. Or in conjunction with that, my dad was a single father who cleaned and cooked great food. Or, as a child, being one of the few with divorced parents (as I grew up, I was no longer alone in that, sadly). Either way, I’ve tended to view men and women as equal, while we are yet neither wired nor designed the same.

It still seems reasonable to tie this passage back to the Fall and the difficulties of childbirth as part of the curse (Genesis 3:16). With menstruation being part of the process of childbirth, along with the “shedding” of blood, or in particular, the consumption of blood (Deuteronomy 12:23–24), as blood is life (ancient understanding). It still seems unfair to our modern mind, but this way we can grasp some of the why.

The last piece of the why is in verse 31, the separation of the Israelites from their uncleanness (part of life after the Fall) from the holiness of being God’s people and the holiness of God’s dwelling (whether Tabernacle or Temple).

Many people question such a God. The reality though is that if you were ritually clean all the time, would you be in God’s dwelling the entire time? Probably not. So, people who argue on this, don’t realize what they’re arguing for. They’re arguing to get into God’s dwelling!

Whether believer or not, we appear to unconsciously recognize that there is something dirty about humanity. We also seem to have an unconscious understanding that this isn’t right (right versus fair). God’s grace that goes before (prevenient grace) gives all of humanity the ability to recognize this.

So, while we theologically understand that things aren’t right (due to fallen humanity). We also understand that because of that, humanity is “dirty” insofar as being not holy. We also know that is not the end.

Wesleyan-Holiness theology understands that God’s grace walks the road before us (prevenient grace). This means we (as in all of humanity) are able to know (at least in our souls) that despite our not holiness and despite the mar of sin, God has made a way for us to be not just at the dwelling place (tabernacle, temple, or church for today), but to fully live in the presence of God all the days of our lives and beyond.

※Reflection※
- Do you ever think that you are too dirty for God? Do you ever think that about others?
- How do you “cleanse” your spirit when you get “dirty”?
- Do you perform regular spiritual checks with others for both yourself and them?
※Prayer※

Lord, thank you for your grace that gives us the standing to be in your presence despite what we may have done.
2021-06-29
Knowing Limits
Psalm 88; Leviticus 21:1–15; 2 Corinthians 8:16–24

What is your limit? Or, perhaps, who is your limit? Republicans? Democrats? Communists? Libertarians? Capitalists? Roman Catholics? The homeless? The hungry? A different skin color? A different nationality? A different religion? Neighbors? Friends? Family? Children? Spouse?

Relations and relationships are some of the biggest variables in human existence. One child may sacrifice everything to take care of their parent. Another child may do nothing at all. The driver of the car in front of you may give money to a panhandler, and you may not (a description, not a judgment).

For early and non-Western cultures, the family was a critical relationship. Not having a family was risky. The family was what defined and supported you. Unless that is, you were the High Priest of Israel.

Commentators come to different conclusions about what was meant by leaving the temple. Some commentators interpret verse 12 as only apply when family died to keep them safe from defilement. Other commentators propose that the High Priest never left, though none of those commentators could figure out ultimately how that worked.

Regardless, the COVID-era gave us an idea of the kind of sacrifice required by the High Priest. People lost loved ones they could never visit. Loved ones died and funerals and memorial services didn’t happen. Many people were angry, sad, and hurting for they lost the opportunity for closure. A taste of the High Priest’s sacrifice for us all.

It may be a stretch, but there is a similarity between the passage of Leviticus and 2 Corinthians; doing right in the eyes of God.

Paul definitely was concerned about “doing right” in the eyes of others. It was, though, secondary to doing right in the eyes of God. What is the point of being right in the eyes of men, if you will be wrong in the eyes of God? Of course, one has to be careful about that.

In our era, a person such as the High Priest would be looked down upon for abandoning his family to serve God in such a way. Granted, our understanding of things has somewhat changed, both in regards to family, priests, and ritual holiness. If we were to meet such a man today, we would probably think there was something wrong with him.

※Reflection※
- Where have you found conflict in your life in pursuing God’s glory versus the acclaim of man?
- Have you experienced what you thought was following God’s plan and then discovered it was not?
※Prayer※

Lord, help us to know your will. Holy Spirit, guide us to learn the right things before you and our fellow humanity. Amen.
2021-06-28
Aiming to Change
Psalm 30; Lamentations 2:1–12; 2 Corinthians 8:1–7

The implication of today’s reading in Lamentations is that this came suddenly, or that all the preparations were annihilated. The sad reality is that sometimes things that came “suddenly” were actually quite predictable. God sent multiple prophets. Before the Israelites even entered the Promised Land, Moses had warned them. It shouldn’t have been a surprise.

We can look around us and see plenty of people who follow this same pattern. Whether they make bad relationship decisions, money decisions, career decisions, education decisions, or something else, they continue to make the same mistake and wonder what went wrong.

God wasn’t upset with the Israelites for making mistakes or even wandering away, except that they continued to do it until it became the lifestyle.

God knows that we all will make mistakes. That’s part of the current human condition. That wasn’t supposed to be, but we chose (and choose) to go our own way.

We are embraced, loved, adopted, and reconciled as we are. We aren’t supposed to stay that way. The world understands this Truth. If you were to actually visit a physical bookstore (yes, they still exist) or look at the slate of newly published books, the biggest movers and often the greatest number of published titles are all “self-help”. The world knows that we are to improve and grow. We are not to stay the same.

Despite that, when the Scriptures (or the faithful Jesus-following community) call us to account to change, we push back. We say, “no” or “God made me this way.” And before you think (too late, I’m sure) that “they” should know that too (“they” being whomever many progressive or conservative Christians oppose), it isn’t about “them” or “they”, it is about us.

Paul calls on the Corinthians to be “the best” in regard to faith, speech, knowledge, commitment (there’s a really hard one these days), and love (okay, maybe this one’s harder). The best. Not okay. Not good. Not satisfactory. The best.

We don’t start out as “the best”. As individuals, we may never be “the best” at any or all. Collectively, as the church, we have the potential to be “the best” at them all, but only if we are willing to be changed and work in partnership with the Holy Spirit and our fellow believers.

※Reflection※
- What struck you about the passage in Lamentations? Do you see yourself or your circumstances anywhere?
- What areas of your life have you had the greatest struggle surrendering to Jesus? What areas of your life do you think need the greatest amount of change to be in line with the character and nature of Jesus Christ?
- “The best” is a high mark. Why should we aim at a mark we probably will never hit? How do we keep from being discouraged when we miss?
※Prayer※

As we seek to do your will, may we be transformed. As we pursue holiness, may we not be discouraged. As we fail and err, may we recognized that it is you who picks us back up. Amen.
2021-06-25
Choosing the Fruit
Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; Genesis 3:14–24; Hebrews 2:5–9

There is something odd about the story in the Garden of Eden, and it isn’t the Fall (though that is central to our faith). The story in the Garden of Eden revolves around loving obedience/respect of God (that was a failure) and two trees.

The apple (usually red) is the fruit to represent the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Not being a red apple fan, it can be hard for me to see the attraction (as Eve was attracted to it). It really wasn’t an apple, maybe. We don’t know what it was.

Based upon what was provided in the story of the Fall, neither Adam nor Eve had experienced death or evil. Therefore, even their concepts of life and good were not very deep. Describing a beautiful sight to a person born blind, or beautiful sound to a person born deaf is kind of like trying to explain, good, evil, or eternal life to people who have no experience.

What did the fruit of the Tree of Life have? Some people have created imagery that show that the Tree of Life also produces apples. That similarity is interesting but peculiar.

It is the fruit of the trees, though, that show something about God. Some say that God put the trees as a test for humanity. It might be better to think of them as aspects of God in material form. As Christians, we talk about eternal life as the ultimate gift of following Jesus Christ. Eternal life was originally just a fruit. As Christians (and definitely as Nazarenes/Wesleyans/Methodists/etc), we talk about holiness and believe in it. To be holy, one must know what evil is…perhaps.

This, of course, will immediately cause many to shake or tremble, for by that logic, if God is holy (which God is), God must know evil. The fruit of the trees shows that. Knowing what evil is does not mean one is evil.

The fruits are a foreshadow of what is to come for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We will receive the “fruit” that remains in the Garden and will know what evil is so that we know what truly Holiness is.

※Reflection※
- How does knowing evil help you know what holiness is?
- Why is knowing holiness important?
- As you think of yourself on the spectrum of 1 (Holy) to 10 (Evil), where are you?
※Prayer※

God, you have made us lower than you and yet love us so much. Help us to know what evil is that we will instead know what it means to seek you. Amen.
2021-06-10
Inside Fruit
Psalm 115; Exodus 28:29–38; Philippians 1:3–11

The Holy Spirit as gift can often lead us to wonder if the Israelites ever had the Holy Spirit or spiritual gifts of any sort. The answer is some did and some didn’t. The Urim and Thummim were used by the high priest to make decisions regarding the will of God. They were devices of some sort. Some think similar to coins that you tossed. Yep, so-called chance items.

In the Scriptures, they aren’t even mentioned as being used until…the return from exile. It wasn’t until Ezra and Nehemiah were working with the priests that the Scriptures mentioned the Urim and Thummim actually being used. Does this mean they weren’t used? Probably not by those in a prophetic role. It makes sense, as those in a prophetic role moved by the power of the Holy Spirit.

One of the other oddities of the priestly uniform is the flower ornament with the engraving of “Holy to the Lord.” The Church of the Nazarene has a similar saying on its seal, “Holiness unto the Lord.” This seal (whether the Israelite or the Nazarene) is to remind us (or the people) that we are sealed to God (which means something different to Israelites and to Christians). In both situations, it is God who calls us to holiness and it is God who declares us holy and sanctified (set apart) for God’s work.

As the Psalmist says, it is all to bring glory to God. The Lord remembers his people. Those that honor and trust the Lord will receive blessings.

And when Paul writes to the Philippians, he observes that they are being blessed as God continues working on them from the inside out. Paul knows that God will continue this good work.

God does the good work through all those who follow God, as long as they are receptive to it. Paul says, “…sincere and blameless…,” and our sincerity in regard to being changed is crucial to our being transformed into being more like Christ. Paul continues on with being filled with the fruit of righteousness. Note that it isn’t producing fruit, but being filled with it. It is an odd turn of phrasing, but it is a reframing of being transformed, just a different image to convey the same message.

Fruit can also be filling and sweet. So, perhaps Paul is implying that the sweetness of God’s righteousness can fill us spiritually, keeping us from succumbing to temptations. For if we truly filled, then we will not hunger. If it is sweet, we will not be tempted by those things that seem sweet at the beginning but are truly only bitter fruit.

※Reflection※
- Why do you think the fruit of righteousness is internal, rather than external such as we expect with spiritual gifts?
- How might internal versus external fruit affect our lives differently?
- How might our internal and external fruit affect the lives of others differently?
※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, shape us from the inside out to be more like Jesus. Amen.
2021-05-17
Open Invite
Acts 8:26–40; Psalm 22:25–31; 1 John 4:7–21; John 15:1–8

In many respects, the story of the Ethiopian is one of my favorites. It, along with the Samaritan woman, reflects the love and grace of God.

Yesterday, in Amos 9:7, Cushite was used as a disparaging term toward the Israelites infidelity to God. A Cushite is what the Old Testament calls…an Ethiopian. So, the people group used to disparage the Israelites…can have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Then there is another issue. The Ethiopian was a eunuch. Per the Law, a eunuch was not permitted in the Temple. Granted, tradition had redefined things a bit.

One thing often disappears in this is the reality that one cannot reproduce biologically when one is a eunuch. However, as a Christian one still produces children…spiritual ones (think Paul and Timothy).

The Ethiopian was already on the spiritual journey, for he was going to worship at the Temple. It means that he was a worshiping as a Jew. He was, then, almost there.

The Ethiopian is symbolic of just how outside of God’s “family” a person can be, and still be called into relationship. We could dismiss the so-called minor issues of the Ethiopian, however, the Law helped to define what was holy for the Jews.

So, this isn’t a minor thing. Instead, it shows that while God is holy and separate, God still makes a way for those whose hearts are open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. That’s pretty open. God’s grace is wide open.

※Reflection※
- Have you ever felt so separated from God, that God would never take you back?
- How would you explain this grace to a person who does not understand holiness?
※Prayer※

Jesus, you are the reason for this grace that we have been given. Thank you for what you did for us on the cross. Amen.
2021-05-02
Go and (p)Reach
Psalm 4; Luke 24:36b-48; Acts 3:12-19; 1 John 3:1-7

The disciples are still struggling with the Resurrection. You’d think they’d have accustomed themselves to Jesus being alive, but they were obviously still struggling. As part of this last appearance, Jesus explained the Scriptures and His place in them. This is not the first time he did this after the Resurrection.

This time, though, it comes with a command, to preach the Resurrection and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sin. This mission doesn’t start immediately. It has to wait until the heavenly power comes (the Holy Spirit at Pentecost).

Waiting in Jerusalem, however, does not mean being inactive. Peter’s healing of the lame man (Acts 3:1-10) opened the door (so to speak) to begin the mission. Peter tells his listeners what it is all about, “But this is how God fulfilled what he foretold through all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. Change your hearts and lives! Turn back to God so that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:18-19, CEB)Much later, John wrote that we have hope in Jesus as we (progressively) purify ourselves (so as to become more Christ-like). This reflects the changing of hearts that Jesus and Peter made known.

Jesus’ and Peter’s declarations could also be restated as it is in Matthew 28:19–20, “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you…” [CEB]While the passage in Matthew could be interpreted as only applying to the disciples, the passage from Luke cannot be (without serious contortions). The changed heart is also consistent across the Scriptures.

We are all called to tell the world about Jesus, sin, redemption, and the place of changed hearts in all of that. In the current culture, we are having to learn how to do this well. Sadly, we are in the midst of getting rid of the baggage that we’ve been carrying, and that is painfully difficult. So much so, that most of us no longer have effective tools or methods to reach (and “preach to”) others.

In all likelihood, the Western Church will have to relearn how to live in a true and deep community. We have all become accustomed to the shallow community of the Western Church, not the Christian fellowship as described in the Scriptures.

This does not excuse any of us from looking for opportunities to talk about the grace of Jesus Christ and the change in our hearts. Perhaps, rather than excuse it, it should drive us more.

※Reflection※
- Are you doing anything that resembles telling the world about Jesus in the way Jesus talks about in Luke?
  - If you are, it going?
  - If you aren’t, why not?
- In regard to telling the world, is it your responsibility or someone else’?
※Prayer※

Almighty God, you gave your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and an example of godly living: Give us grace thankfully to receive his inestimable benefits, and daily to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Third Sunday of Easter Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]
2021-04-18
Poison Pills
Psalm 70; Isaiah 50:4–9a; Hebrews 12:1–3; John 13:21–32

Taking insults is hard. Taking insults in today’s culture is reality…especially on social media. It’s not just social media, though, not by far. It is pervasive.

Isaiah faced plenty of insults. He was spat upon. People physically pulled the hair from his beard (Ouch!). He did not hide from them. Yes, we attribute these descriptions (rightly) to Jesus. They are also Isaiah. They aren’t descriptive of many Christians.

Even among Christians, the willingness (sometimes, it seems, eagerness) to verbally rip another person into shreds is appalling. The willingness to question another’s faith-based upon what you think the other person believes all too often means that a Christian has put themself in the place of God. Even Jesus avoided that while on earth. If we’re Christ-followers, we should probably do the same.

The writer of Hebrews talks about the sin that trips us up. Truthfully, much of the slander, belittling, and (well) judging falls under the simplified “don’t gossip” in regards to the Ten Commandments. It’s sinful. Before you state something about another, perhaps there out to be a litmus test that you put before God.

I’ve been party/witness to far too many statements from fellow Christians that really don’t pass my litmus test of Godly truth (and I hold my litmus test lightly). I wish taking the red or blue pill would fix the problem (an allusion to both the movie the Matrix, and the Democrat/Republican color-coding). Maybe a purple pill will fix it (purple alluding to Christ’s royalty as king).

There is no quick pill. It’s a long walk together toward the holiness and purity that is in Christ Jesus. That’s the endurance part of the run.

We will have to endure the shame for not choosing a political party first, and instead choosing Christ. Most Christians when given the choice between their political ideology and Christ will say, “Christ”, but live differently. Instead of living for Christ and eschewing politics, we choose our politics and try to shove God in the ballot box.

We condemn Judas Iscariot for selling Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. We’ve probably sold Jesus out for a seat at the political table. Insults? You’re not a Christian if you voted for or supported __________! That’s not just judging, that is betraying Jesus.

Judas Iscariot, despite all his faults and betrayal, seems to have been a friend of Jesus. I have a hard time understanding that, too. He wasn’t one of the close ones, but that he remained for 3 years? We condemn Judas (understandably), but Jesus loved him. For that, we should be grateful.

If Jesus could love someone who betrayed him, that means he loves us, too. Jesus loves us despite our dabbling with worldly powers. Jesus loves us when we hurt fellow Christians. Jesus loves us when we drive others from his presence. Jesus loves us every time we betray him.

※Reflection※
- Why is demeaning or belittling of other Christians bordering on a betrayal of Jesus?
- Why do we allow our politics to come between us and Jesus, and between us and other Christians?
- How can we be mutual witnesses to Jesus when our politics and even worldviews are different?
※Prayer※

Assist us mercifully with your grace, Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts by which you have promised us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Holy Tuesday Collect, Book of Common Prayer 2019]
2021-03-31