Devotion.al

Tag: learn

  • Magic Targets

    2 Peter 1:16–21, 2 Timothy 4:1–8

    Yesterday, we read about mediums, sorcerers, et al., and that they were bad mostly because of the tendency toward the self. The problem with the way this is portrayed is what seems to be an apparent conflict between scriptural admonitions and the world.

    One of the easiest targets for this over the years has been the Harry Potter series. The story about an outcast becoming a hero is very attractive to many people. Yet, many well-meaning Christians warned (and continue to warn) that the series was steeped in occult and black magic.

    On the other hand, those same people would insist that everyone see/read Narnia series and The Lord of the Rings series. The Narnia series was by Anglican C.S. Lewis, and he was deliberate in developing the series through a Christological lens. Roman Catholic J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings series. Both series written by devout (and vaunted) Christians were steeped on otherworldly lore…and magic.

    What are we to take away from this, then? Be discerning about both what you read/watch, including Christians. Legends and myths are useful to teach and Biblical lessons from a different perspective. J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and even J.K. Rowling (author of the Harry Potter series) tell wonderful, inventive, and disturbing (i.e., looking in the mirror) books about humanity.

    Can people take them too far? Absolutely! This is where we tie back to ‘s and Peter’s words. If the myths pull us away from Christ and the of the , then they are to be avoided. The primary myths that Paul and Peter were dealing with were Roman pagan gods (now studied by even conservative colleges as part of their liberal arts programs) and the Jewish Laws that Jesus opposed. Yes, Narnia, Middle-Earth, and even Hogwarts can be used to teach about Jesus. Again, one must be careful in doing so.

    1) What do you think is an American (or your home national) ? Why is it a myth? What is its power?

    2) What do you think is a myth? Why is it a myth? What is its power?

    3) What do you think is a church myth? Why is it a myth? What is its power?

  • Evaluating Value

    John 8:2–12, 2 Corinthians 5:10–15

    Before we go any further, this story in John is an odd one. It does not show up in the earliest manuscripts that we currently have, however, the story does show up soon (time-wise) after the earliest manuscript. What is also unusual (in comparison to stories) is that it doesn’t show up in exactly the same places. The very early attested to the accuracy of the story, as do most scholars. However, because of its appearance later, there is probably a note in your bible about it. Again, this does not put the story in dispute.

    The story is interesting, as many people have put their own spin on what was writing in the dirt. Could it have been a line? Was it a list of sins the men committed? Maybe it was as simple as, “ God; love others.” Many creative sermons have been delivered over what was in the dirt, but not written in the Scriptures. The real question is judgment. Based on the context (setting Jesus up) and the lack of a male participant (who should have been stoned, too), there was no following the Law in or . Even literally the law wasn’t followed (again, the lack of the man).

    The Law, or the law (as in US jurisprudence) can be judged insofar as being evaluated and found regarding the preponderance of evidence as guilty or innocent of the charge. That is not the judgment in this instance. It is a judgment of value. This woman was judged to be less valued for she was a woman and an adulteress. The man involved was skipped over. Why was one granted mercy and (presumptive), while another was not?

    Paul reminds us that we all will stand before the throne. Yes, if we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we will be spared the judgment. However, what if we stood before the throne and experienced the entirety of the emotional, spiritual, and of our sins (including what we have caused others). This would not be out of a desire to inflict pain, but for us to Truly understand the grace and mercy given to us.

    1) Have you ever judged and/or condemned a person, then found out you were wrong? What was that like? Did you make amends? If not, why not?

    2) We may be quick to judge the sins of others. What should we learn from the lesson of Jesus?

    3) Paul speaks of the “fear of God”. How should that affect our views of judging others?

  • Family Issues Galore

    Genesis 29:21–30:24, Genesis 35:16–20

    Jacob’s (as we read yesterday) were already a mess. His Uncle Laban did not help relational stability by setting up his own daughters to have discord in their marriage.

    The consequence is that sister wives fought over their husband. They also used their -women as bargaining chips. From our , what occurred with Jacob’s wives, their servants, and the resultant sons is crazy. We can reasonably condemn Jacob for allowing this. At the same time, sons were the “greatest” wealth. He would do what was necessary to make sure of that. However, his is deeply in question.

    1) What do you think the relationships between the brothers would have been like? How would the relationships between the four mothers impacted the brothers’ relationships between each other and their parents?

    2) Blended families bring in the traumas of more than 2 families, and often create more trauma on top of it. What can the do to help in that? Do you know blended families? How do you related to them?

    3) Our modern concept of the “nuclear” family would seem to be in sharp contract to Jacob’s family. What are both positive and negative lessons we can from these families?

  • Being Someone for Someone

    Daniel 5:1–31, Isaiah 6:1–10

    Belshazzar didn’t from the stories of Nebuchadnezzer.

    Yesterday, we read about how Nebuchadnezzer didn’t really seem to learn the lessons that were in front of his face. On the other hand, there seem to have been a few things that he respected, one of them being the things from God’s . It is very interesting to recognize that. As the story of the unfolds, we learn that Nebuchadnezzer had an itemized inventory of the items from the temple. In his own (wrong) way he honored the God of the people he had captured.

    Belshazzar learned nothing, and understood nothing. Nor, does it seem, that he cared. Some scholars have declared the story of Belshazzar to be a fictional tale due to a couple of issues. The first is being King. He wasn’t. His was by sitting in the royal seat, but his father was not a descendant of Nebuchadnezzer. Except, melek [meh·lek] is also used as royal. Belshazzar was also the guy-in-charge when dad left. So, “King” perhaps not, but Belshazzar’s behavior does remind me of an unruly spoiled child who threw a party when the parents were out. Another poke at the story, is that Nebuchadnezzer was called Belshazzar’s father. Yet, if you read other parts of the Old Testament, this isn’t necessarily a genetic parent statement, but a statement of a lineage of . Regardless, though, Belshazzar messed up, and a big disembodied hand came and wrote on the wall.

    Belshazzar is not unique to the world, or to scripture. Far too many people dismiss God, because they cannot perceive God, they think. Instead, like Belshazzar and his courtiers, they gods of metals, whether it be homes, cars, gold, phones, computers, etc.
    Isaiah provides the counterpoint to such. While he had a mystical experience, his was already pre-oriented to God. Visions such as he had could be understood because of that. On the other hand, people who turn away from God have an experience and no transformation.

    1) There are plenty of people like Belshazzar in the world. Will you be a Daniel to them?

    2) There are plenty of people like Belshazzar in the world. Will you be Isaiah for them?

    3) There are plenty of people like Belshazzar in the world. Will you be to them?

  • Pedestals

    Daniel 4:28–37, John 6:25-35

    Nebuchadnezzar is an interesting study in faith, belief, unbelief, wrong belief, and pride. Nebuchadnezzar had been confronted by God’s might, majesty, and multiple times during his reign. One would have thought that he might have learned something. However, Nebuchadnezzar seemed to have to multiple times. As Nebuchadnezzar’s story ends at the of chapter 4, it would be nice to conclude that Nebuchadnezzar learned. However, the Bible doesn’t say, and history (including even the history in Daniel) would imply that he didn’t.
    Nebuchadnezzar was in the middle of a culture with many Gods. As much as he was in power, he would have still had to consider the faith of the populace. Turning over their would not have gone well, and would have likely caused unrest. Other jealous and powerful people would have leveraged the unrest and potentially created a rebellion.

    We can see similar tensions in our own . It has only been in the last few years that politicians feel that it is culturally acceptable to not say they are a . While there is a balance of power in our system, it wasn’t that long ago that politicians either toed the “Christian” line (of at least saying they were Christian) or did not succeed (by and large).

    Often in Nebuchadnezzar’s era, kings were what were perceived has making the country flourish, be bountiful, and be powerful. They were put on pedestals they hadn’t earned. Often they become proud. God made sure that Nebuchadnezzar’s pride took a hit.

    Sometimes God-fearing people get put on a pedestal, too. In this passage in John, has to correct the people that it was God the who gave the manna, not Moses. Imagine that! People had become confused enough that they thought a man completed and of God (and for 40 years, at that).

    From what we know about Moses, he would not have accepted any part of God’s . He often took a reconciling role between God and the people. By the time of Jesus, Moses had become a great mythical godlike super-man. Moses would not have been pleased.

    1) Why do we have a tendency to esteem people beyond their roles and capabilities (i.e., put on a pedestal)?

    2) How does putting a person on a pedestal endanger that person?

    3) How does putting a person on a pedestal endanger our personal and spiritual growth?

  • Checkmarks and Tasks

    Galatians 2:15–3:6, Philippians 1:20–26,

    The church in Galatia was struggling. Someone was pouring bad ideas and thoughts into them, causing them to walk away from the faith that Paul had taught them. The funny thing is that many of them probably didn’t know that they were being drawn away. It is easy, step-by-step, to be drawn away. The Galatians were being influenced to follow the path of works righteousness. In other words, it was by their (, performed in compliance with the law) actions that saved them. It was no longer Christ.

    Often that is the trap of . Somehow, people changed good suggestions, then turned them into rules, then made them an article of salvation. In other words, they had escaped the bondage of the world, then went right back to it.
    How many people that heard this letter (the letters were usually read publicly) and shook in anger? How DARE Paul speak to us in that way? How many shook in disbelief, amazed and saddened that they had surrendered their freedom.

    Last week, Rachel Held Evans died at the of 37. She was a progressive Christian that challenged many evangelicals. She made many very angry, so angry one could say they cursed her. Others thought on her words, trusted her heart, and listened. That doesn’t mean she changed many minds. While that may have been her intent, it was the fact that she caused evangelicals to question and converse that made the biggest difference. Of course, there will always be those who become more rigid when challenged. There will also be those who become more grace filled when challenged, as they the heart and pain of others. Evans like many other progressives find their calling in challenging their perception of the status quo, and the church should be grateful.

    Not that Evans is Paul, but that we are challenged to think. Our faith isn’t one of checkmarks and tasks (salvation by works), it is one of relationship and . Paul was happy to be alive on Earth because he saw it as his duty to challenge and encourage the church to be the church. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wants to remain (rather than go home to Jesus) because he is watching them in their faith.

    1) Growth and challenge. Why is it that when we are challenged, we grow? How how you see in work, life, and faith?

    2) The church often resists being challenged, yet hindsight of history shows us that is where growth occurs. Why do we fight being challenged, especially if we know we will likely grow as a result?

    3) Progressive and Conservative Christianity both need to from each other. In so doing, they can show the world that opposites can work together for the common good. Thinking of your friends and , how can you be one that learns from others and show that as the way to live?

  • Communal Sacrifice

    Exodus 12:1–20, Nehemiah 8:1–18, Psalm 133

    The Exodus story, specifically the first Passover, always comes up around . Which makes perfect sense, as Holy Week revolves around Passover, along with the seemingly obvious linking of Jesus being the ultimate Passover lamb (i.e., the sacrifice needed for Passover). All the Israelites were going to sacrifice a lamb for a household. This was a large communal thing. One could (and did) ignore it at their peril.

    Communal is something done or shared in a community, such as a . An action done by everyone creates a powerful effect. In the US, we’ve forgotten a lot of communal activities, much of this having to do with our culture of independence. We miss a lot. It is why communal celebrations such as Communion and are so important to the of the church. There is something also very powerful—and community building—in sharing a meal .

    “If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat.” (Exodus 12:4)

    There are 2 important observations in this verse. The first is how important and sacred this sacrifice is. Sacrifices mentioned later do not have this built-in focus on not wasting the sacrifice; just properly disposing of it. This one mentions not wasting it as part of the sacrifice itself. It is to be part of the consideration when choosing the lamb to be sacrificed. There is a shared burden for neighbors to make sure that each other has enough, but not too much.

    The second observation is that by setting this boundary, extra emphasis is added to the communal nature of this specific sacrifice. This sacrifice and celebratory observation of Passover is not to be done in isolation.
    Isolation—the notwithstanding—allows us to not from others, not to be in community with others, and not others. When the Israelites from exile, we read (Nehemiah 8:1-18) that the Israelites learned, mourned, and celebrated in community. Upon learning that there was supposed to be another festival—the Festival of Booths—they gather together (community) and celebrated it. Our celebrations, our learning, our mourning are (generally) more powerful in community, rather than in isolation. Fellowship and unity grow. Yet, we still tend toward isolation.

    Psalm 133 sums it up:

    How good and pleasant it is
    when brothers live together in harmony!
    It is like fine oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
    running down Aaron’s beard
    onto his robes.
    It is like the dew of Hermon
    falling on the mountains of Zion.
    For there the Lord has appointed the —
    life forevermore.

    1) Do you find yourself tending more toward isolation rather than community? Why?

    2) If you are an introvert, how will you allow yourself to be drawn and actively seek community? If you are an extrovert, how can allow and encourage people to join the community without overwhelming them?

    3) What other communal rituals (including secular ones) can you think of? What power do they have in people’s lives, and why?

  • Good At The End

    Proverbs 19:16-25, Jeremiah 24:1-10

    Wisdom is all around us. It’s on our phones. Just Google. True wisdom starts with God. That is the premise of Proverbs. How is such wisdom gained? There are a number of ways.

    The best (and easiest) is to from others (Proverbs 19:20). Proverbs is one of the wisdom storehouses in Scripture. One of the thing that puzzles and frustrates people when trying to read Proverbs straight through is that it seems to contradict itself. Often as we read Proverbs, we can find to riddles we didn’t know we had. Yet, too often we ignore this valuable book.

    However, sadly, wisdom is often learned another way…the hard way. You could never apply that to anyone you know, right? Certainly not yourself? Let’s be honest with ourselves, often we learn through (Proverbs 19:25).

    The Israelites were in pain. They were in trouble. Jeremiah’s vision is very interesting. There were a lot of good figs! Those good figs got stuck in a mess with the bad figs, that the bad figs started! Or did the bad figs really start it alone? Often, all it takes is a good person to allow the bad person to have their way, and all is lost. At least that is the . It is not God’s.

    There is good at the . God uses the trouble to clean up some of the bad fruit so that the people who will be less inclined to turn their hearts away.

    1) When has God used your mistakes to teach you? How have you tried to share those lessons with others?

    2) Often wisdom comes from unusual or even uncomfortable sources. Can you think of a time recently when you dismissed the wisdom of others because they weren’t like you?

    3) God’s redemptive plan is always at work. There is no time too late to turn to God on this side of the of . Whose salvation are you praying for? If no one, then it’s time to add at least one to the list.