Devotion.al

Tag: righteousness

  • 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 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 . In other words, it was by their (, performed in compliance with the law) actions that saved them. It was no longer Jesus Christ.

    Often that is the trap of . Somehow, people changed good suggestions, then turned them into rules, then made them an article of . 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 others 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 hear 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 love. 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, , 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 learn from each other. In so doing, they can show the world that opposites can work 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?

  • Being and Becoming the Bridge

    Isaiah 30:18–26, Isaiah 61:10–11, 1 Corinthians 3:5–11, 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

    We are the bridge between the past and the future, with one foot in the past and one foot in the future.

    The past of was gone, a faded memory. Perhaps to some it was just an old tale that was from the crazy aunt. David and Solomon? Sure. Whatever you say, Auntie.

    Into hearts that resided in darkness, Isaiah spoke and . People who felt oppressed were promised the freedom of planting crops and harvesting them on their own behalf, not under the rule of foreigners. Not only that, Isaiah told them that they would turn their backs on their treasured idols. They were being told that the little gods that had protected them would be thrown away. That’s crazy!

    Isaiah later talks about the earth and garden producing as they should, because God has provided salvation and blessed them. Not their idols. The of God’s blossoming in the hearts of people who had abandoned their God who had chosen them to bear his .

    Death to life. During this series of devotions, we haven’t spoken much on Lent, but with this last devotion for the series it seems appropriate. Lent comes from Old English and German, meaning spring. Spring comes at the of Winter (the land almost “dead”, but waiting to come alive). Just like the Jews, who were in their “Winter”, so are we before our salvation.

    Paul and Apollos worked on ground that wasn’t yet “alive”. Yet, they planted the faith and watered it. Eventually, new growth in dead ground came alive and blossomed. While others were fighting over who they followed (Paul, Apollos, or others), these coworkers in Christ looked ahead to see a crop that God empowered them to see, even if they did not see it now.

    Our bridge from death to life and from past to future is the legacy of our faith. Paul proclaims it best, “…as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” The past and future. While we remember and the past, we must look to the future of ourselves, our family, our , our faith, and the world.

    1) What do you think the future of this church should look like? What can you do to help that vision come to pass?

    2) Often, we are blinded to our vision of the future, and thus tear down the future visions of others. What can you and we do to embrace the visions of others for the future?

    3) Paul’s concluding statement covers both past and future. How can Paul’s conclusion empower and educate your vision and how to make it come to pass?

  • Long Roads Together

    Genesis 22:1–18, Isaiah 45:11–17, Matthew 4:1–11

    Genesis has many passages in it that Christians, Jews, and non-believers stumble over. Often it is our own pride, and sometimes it is us looking back upon those “backward and ignorant” people, with all our knowledge and obviously “better” culture. This passage in Genesis (22:1–18) is often one of the hard ones, as God calls upon Abraham to sacrifice his only son of his wife Sarah. This appears problematic as God later condemns such sacrifice. It is to result in the penalty. Yet, God still calls for it. The easy answer is that God was “just” Abraham. God already knew that a ram would be provided. If so, to us it is a cruel test. To Abraham and the cultures around him, it was still cruel, but it was part of god worship (note, not God worship). We also have to understand that Isaac was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham regarding descendants. God requested that Abraham kill the very legacy (so it seemed) that God had promised.

    The harder answer, but perhaps more Christian answer is that Abraham was foreshadowing God the Father. God made a request of Abraham, the God the Father would completely fulfill generations later. God would sacrifice the Son for all of humanity. God’s only Son. The Son, part of the , would be born as man, so that mankind would become the legacy intended if had not come. As Isaiah speaks from God, stirred up. The holy city (a place of relationship with God) rebuilt. The exiles (those separated from God) set free, but not by money or exchange of goods. Then Isaiah says that Israel will be saved by God. The only true savior is God. With God being the savior, is eternal. God becomes incarnate. God is with us (Emmanuel).

    Even as God with us, Jesus walks our road. The temptations that Jesus faced in the desert are common to mankind (survival, security, pride/). Since Jesus walked with us and Jesus is God, humanity and God became united in a way that Abraham could never have imagined, and Isaiah couldn’t fully comprehend. Even we really cannot fully comprehend it, and we (through the church) have had a long time to figure it out.

    1) During his temptations, Jesus says, “Man must not live on bread alone but on every that comes from the mouth of God,” quoted Deuteronomy 8:3. If Jesus is the word (John 1:1–3), and Jesus is the bread, how does that cause you to rethink Jesus’ answer?

    2) God called on Abraham to sacrifice his legacy. How can God on us to sacrifice our legacy for an even greater legacy?

    3) How can we discern when God is asking us to sacrifice our legacy, versus calling on us to sacrifice our pride?

  • Disappointment Not Punishment

    Psalm 34, Job 1:1–10, 1 John 4:7–21

    There is something in the Old Testament that remains unresolved. The Psalmist declares that the wicked will not be remembered and the will be. This is a common theme. Yet, when we look at scripture, and we look at the world around us, we rightfully question that. So, what is going on? Perhaps we ought to question who is doing the remembering. Both Old and New Testaments are testaments of God to humanity. In other words, humanity is the object of the story (the Bible), God is. Scripture tells the story of the imperfect revealing the , , , , , ,…love of God. Humanity is just the target of all of that. Since we tell the stories, we confuse being the tellers of the story with being the subject of the story.

    There is another tension in both Old and New Testament: of God. The psalmist talks about teaching the fear of God to people. How does that match with this loving God we tell people about? First, of course, is our language. That is the start of the problem. There is also an automatic opposition to the fear. Fear is bad. Except when it is not. When driving to work, one cannot be overcome by fear (you’ll never leave the driveway). Yet, defensive driving (a form of fear) is very wise when driving with all the other people that are obviously not as good of drivers as you are.

    The opening verses of Job tell us that fear from the perspective of Scripture may not match our own. We read that Job makes sacrifices on behalf of his children, for he fears they might have sinned. In support of Job, God (proudly) declares that Job fears him (God). What? How about the insight from Satan (how’s that for weird), that of course Job fears God, for God has protected him and blessed him with property and . Fear? Well, fear must not mean…fear.

    Our last insight comes from 1 John, with fear and love being polar opposites. And this is that final insight. Bad fear, the fear that we should not have toward God, is the fear of punishment. Which leaves us with good fear, which is having the right perspective of God. God is almighty. God is love. Right fear is the fear that we are not in fellowship with God, but God so loves us that he pours out his grace and mercy upon us, so that we need not fear punishment, but are devastated by God’s disappointment.

    1) What about God do you fear?

    2) What about people do you fear?

    3) Why does true love cast out (bad) fear?

    FD) When you think of God, which is a stronger emotion: fear or love? Why?

  • Transformational Inheritance

    In the Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary (11th Ed), (1) a legacy is a of personal money or personal property, (2) something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor.

    What a dry way to kill a legacy.

    Abraham had plenty of personal property and wealth. He was successful from a material point of view. As we say today, though, you can’t take it with you. Stuff can only be given to or taken by . Abraham was old and was looking at who would get his stuff. As he had no children, It was going to be a servant. While we often overlook this brief mention of Eliezer, this is a good example of someone preparing for the without him in it. The small business owner that is a wise steward, will make preparations for the company after they are gone, especially for their employees and family members who are dependent upon the business. Abraham was looking out for his people and their families.

    God then makes a promise to Abraham that Abraham will have a son to inherit Abraham’s wealth. Well, that’s the way Abraham took it. Then God took it up a notch and said that Abraham’s descendants would number like the stars in the sky. Then God said that there was this huge swath of land that Abraham’s descendants would get, too. While the wealth, property, and land were all good, it was Abraham’s faith (counted as ) that was the true legacy. Faith was the true inheritance.

    Through the wealth, property, and land, Abraham and his descendants prospered, fell into ruin, returned, prospered, fell, returned…and so on. Throughout it all, Abraham’s faith is what made it through all of it. Abraham’s faith was the legacy that he passed on, that he didn’t even for.

    Generations later, an infant boy was born in the City of David. This infant boy had 2 parents who were out of their element (so to ) before he was born. These 2 parents were inheritors of Abraham’s legacy, and they experienced its fulfillment in a way unimaginable at that point.

    In his letter, Paul tells the Galatians (non-Jewish people, like most of us) that they (thus, us) are also inheritors to this legacy of Abraham. To play off of Paul’s words, the original inheritance that Abraham was concerned for was in regards to stuff, land, and the family “name”. This is more along the lines of the child (or slave) who is in bondage to their immediate gratification (the stuff). The true inheritance is one of faith and with God, the Father, that we receive through the gift of the Son, Christ. It is through the power and working of the that we are transformed from child (bound by the world) to inheritor (free in faith).

    1. Elsewhere, Paul writes about childish things. What are some “childish” things that preoccupy your mind, , and soul?
    2. The “world” is often concerned about the stuff, and we, too, may fall into that trap. It is good stewardship (according to Scripture) to have an inheritance for your grandchildren. What kind of inheritance do you want to leave?
    3. What is the difference, if any, between inheritance and legacy?

    KD) What is one thing that you want people to remember about you?

  • Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Psalm 25:1-10, Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-36

    “…for you are the God of my salvation…” Psalm 51:5

    “In those days and at that time, I will cause a Righteous Branch to sprout up for David, and he will administer justice and in the land.
    Jeremiah 33:15

    “…they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with and great glory.”
    Luke 21:27

    . It’s a big word for how small it looks. The Psalmist knows God is the source of his salvation, despite current circumstances. God’s words to Jeremiah provide for a hope that Jeremiah can guess he will not see, but they are still hope for the Israelites.

    Christmas is about hope. It is about Emmanuel, which means God with us. It is about God sending the Son down to us. Advent, however, is not just about Christmas, and the singular time that God became man. Advent also looks forward to the next time God returns…at the of the story.

    Advent, therefore, is about both the hope fulfilled for both Israelites and the of the world, and it is about the hope to come when returns. Hope is to desire with of obtainment or fulfillment. Hope was fulfilled when Jesus was born in a manger. We obtained hope through his on the cross and his . Then there is the expectation of the of Jesus…more hope!

    1/KD) Why is hope important?

    2) Why do we easily think of the hope of Christmas, but not of the hope of Jesus’ return?

    3/KD) What is your hope this Christmas?

    4/KD) What is your hope a year from now?