Tag: Scriptures

Judge? Not Quite

John 3:11–21; John 12:44–50

There is an ongoing tension in being a follower of Jesus. The first is that Jesus came to save the world so that no one would perish.

On the other hand, without a doubt, there is some sort of division of those who have died into those who will be ushered into the throne room, and those that will not.

For Christians, we have an understanding that knowing Jesus as our savior is a great thing. Some hard things go along with it. Some of them are hard because our fallen human nature wants to do them.

Often, though, the harder part is what the world wants us to do.

The first thing is that the world does not wish to be judged. Even Jesus says that he is not the judge. Yet later in the Scriptures, he is. How do we discern that?

Jesus was not the judge while he walked the earth as the Messiah. Jesus was to bring the good news and the light. People would choose the light or the dark.

It is after it is all over that Jesus, as God, becomes judge. Even that isn’t so much condemnation, but the discernment of the heart of the person standing there. We may be “waiting” for judgment, yet Jesus is really looking at our hearts and peeling away the layers that we hide even from ourselves.

It is their own hearts when confronted at the end by God’s words, that will judge them. There might be a silver lining in that though.

We are often our harshest critics. Like those who asked, “when did we serve you,” there will be those who will be wondering exactly that.

Of course, there will be those that say, “we did serve you,” and will be condemned by their own hearts that they served for themselves not out of love.

This is hard. We want the easy way. We want to know that our friends and family who don’t know Jesus will be with us.

This also how we know that God loves us. He gave a way to come to him. He left the way open for us the leave him (no matter how much it breaks his heart).

※Prayer※

Lord, help us to not give up on those we love that don’t know you. Amen.

※Questions※

1) How does one improve one’s Christian walk without judgment?

2) How does work in comparison with discernment?

3) How do you evaluate your Christian walk?

2020 07 10
The Sent

Jeremiah 1:4–10; Matthew 9:35–10:1; Romans 15:14–19

When confronted by a calling on our lives, often anything but, “yes,” will cross our lips first. This doesn’t mean, “yes” doesn’t come later. If you’re reading this, in some way you’ve already said, “yes.”

The question then is, what’s next? That’s often an uncomfortable, life-changing, or even dangerous question to ask. Will you be told to cross the globe, or to go next door?

The revered prophet Jeremiah didn’t say “yes” to God, at first. We read the Scriptures and assume it was immediate, but it’s also quite possible that God took a few days. We don’t know.

We can see from others’ lives though that God works on hearts for days, months, and even years. God nudges, cajoles, encourages, sends others to talk sense into us.

God basically informs Jeremiah that his arguments are groundless. God had already set Jeremiah as a prophet. Jeremiah only had to be faithful. That is a big only, by the way.

Jeremiah believed he was unqualified for the duty. He was probably right, from a human perspective. God’s perspective was different.

In many respects, prophets were “sent ones”. They were sent to the people of Israel by God.

Shortly after the birth of the church, the 11 disciples (and later Paul) were called Apostles. Apostle just so happens to mean, “sent one”.

Jesus had the 11 for up to 3 years. They weren’t prepared for what it meant to follow Jesus (especially after the crucifixion). They certainly would have said, “Us lead a religious organization?”

We look at the Disciples/Apostles as uniquely called and qualified people. In many respects, they were. They had unique callings, for sure.

Yet, today the entire church is filled with apostles. We’re not talking the Apostles (as the specially defined ones), but apostles…the universally “sent” ones.

Some might use the word “missionaries.” The issue is that “missionaries” are often consciously and unconsciously presumed/assumed to be the apostles (sent ones) to other countries.

Most are not called to another country, and maybe not even another state. They are called and are being sent into coffee shops, restaurants, laundromats, and every other workplace.

The apostles—the sent ones—are you.

There continues to be a presumption that missionaries, pastors, and other “called” people are the ones to reach the world. Were that the case, then why did the Holy Spirit fall on more than just the 11 (original) + 1 (Matthias, added later)?

Pastors are called specifically to equip the apostles to reach the world. The church (as a whole) is having to rediscover that. We, as Christians, need to not just assent to it. We need to embrace it.

Paul encourages the Romans with the words that they are equipped! So are you!

Does that mean that the equipping stops? Of course not. There is just the reality that no one, not even pastors, will be perfectly equipped for every situation and person.

If you believe that you are unequipped, seek help! Yet, be aware that just because you believe that you are unequipped that God won’t still use you, or that (more importantly) it excuses you from your calling.

※Prayer※

Lord, may we acknowledge the call you have made upon our lives, and share the self-sacrificing love that you give. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What keeps you from sharing about Jesus?

2) Which is scarier, sharing the gospel with someone 15,000 miles away, or the unbeliever next door?

3) Why do you think the church, pastors, and everyone else often believe it is the “professional’s” responsibility to share about Jesus?

2020 07 09
Time Alone

Matthew 14:1–23

Jesus‘ cousin and herald was dead. He was murdered. Why was he murdered? He called the powerful to account.

Herod’s marriage to Herodias had some issues. Herod had visited Herodias while she was still married to Herod’s brother, Philip. They decided they like each other, so they decided to be married.

However, Herodias didn’t want to share the house with Herod’s current wife who wisely read the writing on the wall and fled to her father‘s house. As a historical aside, this created bad feelings and ultimately led to the military defeat of Herod, eventual downfall and exile.

So, Herod wasn’t really divorced or a widower. His brother was still alive. Yet Herod married his brother’s wife. The only time in Jewish law that was appropriate was when the brother had died with no son.

John the Baptist condemned it. Herod, probably more to please Herodias than anything, put John in jail. Herodias wasn’t satisfied, and we read the rest of the story.

Jesus’ first response wasn’t to call Herod to account. Jesus made no public declaration at all. How different than our current age.

Jesus’ first response was to withdraw. Just like the rest of us at times, Jesus was not going to just move on. It is easy to infer that Jesus needed time to grieve and spend time with God the Father, even though the Scriptures do not give a full explanation.

Not that it’s bad to step away and grieve. It’s healthy, and there is a Jewish practice that goes with that (something that the church needs to approach).

Even more so for Jesus, John was his herald, his baptizer, his cousin, and probably the one person that Jesus felt a spiritual kinship due to their tied-together callings.

What happened next is sad, but we see it today. A famous person has a bad (or good) event, and people clamor around them. Famous people today have PR people deliver a statement that often asks for personal and private space to grieve. How sad that it isn’t given automatically.

Jesus may have intended such, but then see how he loved them. Jesus set aside his needs for others.

However, there are a couple of pieces that need to be addressed. First, the amount of time spent was actually minimal. It also had an end. Then once the people were satisfied, he sent the disciples away, the people away, and he had time between himself and God.

Often the focus is that Jesus set his needs aside for others. He did. Jesus also still made sure his needs were met.

In times of trial and trouble, such as caring for family that are ill, it is easy to set one’s needs aside. In the end, that breaks us unnecessarily. Not only are we hurt, but often we hurt others as our internal limits are broken.

We are not machines that can go and go. Honestly, machines can’t either. Machines need maintenance. So do we. Make sure that you are finding time for yourself and finding time for God. This is not a waste of time. It is what makes the rest of the time sustainable.

※Prayer※

Jesus, as we live in a high-performance culture, help us to keep the vital rhythm of care for ourselves and fellowship with you. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What practices do you have to “maintain” yourself? Do you have any that involve doing nothing?

2) Have you ever experience relief of anguish or pain because you were distracted by other needs? What happened to the anguish or pain?

2020 07 04
Following Further

Acts 18:24–19:5; 1 Corinthians 3:5–15; 1 Corinthians 3:18–23 (read online ⧉)

Continuing from yesterday, Peter and Paul were, and remain, worthy examples to follow. In particular, it is their faithful following of Jesus Christ and their wrestling with the faith for themselves and others.

Not too long into things, however, already following fell into camps. Peter and Paul were the “original” camps and later, that of Apollos. The separation of camps was certainly not the intent of Peter, Paul, or Apollos.

The primary concern of the Corinthians was Paul and Apollos. Paul did note that Peter (Cephas) was tied into this as well. One can imagine that the 3 camps were broken into apparently ideological categories: old/Apostolic guard (Peter), Jewish guard (Apollos), Gentile/revolutionary guard (Paul).

Was this really the case for these 3 men? Neither the Scriptures nor Church histories provide any evidence of it. This was something that likely started with relationships and attraction.

We see this today, as people will follow a particular pastor. If that pastor moves on, so do they. We also often seen this camp development as a precursor to church family splits.

People will settle into camps over many issues: political party, environment, race, taxation, “freedoms”, immigration, world events, and so on. People will often find and focus on more that divides, rather than unites.

In this environment of being divided and then further subdivided, and then divided again, followers of Jesus should buck the trend and figure out how to unite. Currently, we are on the same path as the rest of the world in that regard and that does not.

We also know from the Scriptures and Church history that the early leaders did not all agree on everything at all times. Yet, their paramount allegiance was to Jesus Christ.

One could dismiss their agreement on the reality that they were oppressed or at least strongly opposed. If that’s the case, perhaps instead of greater freedom, we should pray for further difficulty (dark humor).

It wasn’t easy to stay unified. It also isn’t as if they were unified on everything. They were being unified over Jesus, which is all we can really ask of one another. That isn’t happening today.

As we always look for and at those who are one step ahead of us, we must still keep our eyes upon Jesus. The person we follow may turn away, and if we blindly follow, we too will walk away from Jesus. Keeping our eyes upon Jesus will help keep us going toward him, and not away.

※Prayer※

Jesus, while we look at others to help us in our Christian walk, help us to keep our eyes on you. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Which people are you watching or following right now? How do they lead you to Jesus?

2) Is Jesus (not “being Christian”) your lens when looking at and listening to others?

3) How do you converse generously in love, grace, and mercy with others whose understanding of following Jesus is different than yours?

2020 06 30
A Little Prophesying

Deuteronomy 13:1–5; Deuteronomy 18:20–22; Jeremiah 28:1–9

Doomsday prophets are certainly a thing. There are a lot of them, and of varying kinds: epidemiologist (disease), environment, morality, political, sexuality, education, freedom, financial, and so on and on.

Doom sells. Doomsayers may also be helpful to guide us toward some sort of preparation or change. At this point, however, there are so many doomsayers that there are only two logical conclusions: we’re doomed or they’re wrong. That is really the two paths regardless of which or all the “dooms”.

What is interesting about “prophesying” in the Scriptures is that not all prophesying is alike. Some prophesying is more akin to teaching, lecturing, discipling. That generally would fall under church categories as preaching, pastoring, and life groups.

Other prophesying is more like visions, dreams, and euphoric states. This is what we, as a tradition (versus language), understand as foretelling or forewarning that is spiritually driven, and is our default interpretation when reading the word in the Scriptures.

The struggle is discerning whether the prophecy or “prophetic word” is from God, from other spiritual forces, or is it of self appearing to be “spiritual”. Especially (but not exclusively) with the internet, there are plenty of videos, blog posts, web sites all claiming some sort of divine connection.

Sadly, there is no way to tag “fake prophesy”. That takes wisdom, discernment, and positive Christian relationships.

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, strengthen your discerning gift in us. Father God, help us to look through your word so that we can see when someone is using your word falsely. Jesus, help us to keep in mind that you told us that there would be many false prophets before your return. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Have you had someone deliver a prophecy or “prophetic word” to/about you? How about as part of a public declaration (with or without you being the focus)?

2) What are you actively doing to protect yourself from false prophesy or “prophetic word”?

2020 06 28
Who Makes You

Romans 9:14–33 (read online ⧉)

A vignette from a family life…

“It’s your fault,” said the child.

“How so,” asked the parent.

“You knew, and you didn’t stop me,” responded the child.

“Except I warned you before,” the parent replied.

“So, what,” retorted the child. “What’s that got to do with stopping me?”

Or, a different vignette…

“It’s your fault.”
“You were warned.”
“You made me so mad, though, that I wasn’t thinking, and I did it. So, it’s your fault.”

Paul’s use of Old/First Testament imagery causes many modern people to struggle with these verses. In the Wesley/Arminian tradition, these words are a particular struggle, as they appear to not to be free will, a core belief in the tradition.

However, what we miss is the rhetorical questioning that is going on in the Greek. A rhetorically adequate translation would be more along the lines of, “Yes, while God can make you, that does not make it God’s fault that you still chose your path.” One theologian argues, with some decent reasoning, that even when God hardens hearts (sometimes called judicial hardening), it’s not that the hearts weren’t already hardened. It is that God firms their already stubborn and ungodly hearts so that their immediate action will result in the display of God’s glory.

In other words, God helps them be more firmly where they have already decided to be. Their decision was made first.

Now, unlike some other Christian traditions, this is not a one-way road. God is in the redemption business! Even when God hardens the heart for one action, there is often a redemptive action waiting in the wings. It is here that a person will choose to continue to harden their own heart or not.

The potter and the clay? An analogy, not a description. This passage, too, is often confused as that Israel (and thus the rest of us) are lifeless clay. Paul asks, what if? Paul is not concluding that God made some people for wrath and some are not.

God did not make us that way. Just as the passage of the Potter’s House, Paul is not saying that God did it so that people are separated from God. God made is so people choose to be separated from God.

This, too, is hard. For those of us who know God, and have a saving relationship with God, it is beyond our comprehension that people would choose anything other than God. Be grateful that you have chosen.

Paul’s ultimate conclusion is that God set out works for the people of Israel to do. They believe that is was the works (the tasks) they did to fulfill the Law that made them righteous. This was all while the lesson of Abraham was right there in the Scriptures…following and choosing God through faith.

※Prayer※

Gracious God, we thank you that we have been gifted the freedom to choose you in love. May you shape our hearts and guide our lives that we can help others also choose you. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Do you think you have ever experienced a time when God “hardened” your heart? Why or why not?

2) Why do you think people believe that God designs people and plans for people to be inflicted by God’s wrath?

3) What is the hardest thing to realize and feel about knowing that you have to daily choose God?

2020 06 22
Will You Follow

Matthew 8:5–13; Matthew 8:18–23; 1 Corinthians 12:12–28 (read online ⧉)

Amazingly…no, really…amazingly…people aren’t perfect.

Leaders are people. Therefore, leaders aren’t perfect.

Yet, when we look at our leaders, whether they are political, corporate, or church leaders, we often expect perfection. Political leaders are the most afflicted with this. It often takes only one mistake (or even just a difference in perspective) and a political leader’s career is over. Corporations are somewhat more resilient in that regard, yet with the increasing weight of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, even corporations are behaving in such a way.

While, mercifully, a lot more grace is shown in church circles, a leader’s failures can tank everything. This is not to say that criminal or unChristian behavior should be allowed, just that the Scriptures do have a way to deal with that.

The ultimate danger, though, becomes both fear of failure and fear to try something new. This is often lived out with the infamous phrase, “we’ve never done it that way before.”

There are several kinds of leaders out there. There are two big ones in the church. One of the big leader types is the manager/maintainer. This is the person that seeks to maintain the status quo. Often portrayed negatively, they are often the ones that keep people from going off the rails.

There are the visionary leaders. These are the people that break things, all for the right reasons (hopefully), but breaking hurts, because often it is things we’ve (unknowingly) setup as idols that get broken.

There are 3 other character traits, though, that deeply affect the culture of the church, leaders, and even of our lives. First is the follower. Most of us follow at least somewhat, and followers are for tomorrow. For now, let’s talk about rebels and mavericks. This was great insight provided by Larry Walkemeyer.

Often the church views the mavericks and the rebels as the same. On the surface, that may well be true. It certainly would seem to fit with the things they often break.

However, the rebel (such as the family leaders from yesterday’s readings) is in it to achieve something for themselves, almost always at a cost to others, and importantly will neither report nor submit to authority. For the church, whose Savior submitted unto death, a lack of submission is often a sign of spiritual immaturity.

The maverick, on the other hand, is there to achieve something, and it might even be gratifying. However, if the cost is others, then they are open to correction. Mavericks also, despite their independent and solo tendencies, will submit to authority. The church needs a lot more mavericks. However, mavericks, oddly enough, need to put themselves within a framework so that there are limits and responsibilities. However, as their spiritual maturity deepens, the limits are removed, and they can shake the world.

Lastly, though, is the part where there are two problems. Those in authority often like neither rebels (which is understandable) or mavericks. Thus they limit the catalyst for change. In addition, leaders also must be able to admit that they were wrong regularly and openly, and church culture doesn’t like that much, let alone the leaders. Thus the mavericks are turned into rebels by those who dislike challenge and/or change.

Church and Christian leadership starts with submission to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father (not necessarily in that order). Without that submission, one of the biggest points is missed.

※Prayer※

Oh, God, you have called us to be humble, and we often fail at that. You call us to yield our will to yours, and we often fail at that. You love us despite our failings, and for that, we give you praise. As we walk through this life with our fellow Christians, help us to submit to you and to one another in love. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Have you ever seen a “rebel” leader? What was the context? What was the result?

2) Have you ever seen a “maverick” leader? What was the context? What was the result?

3) Why is perfection the enemy of leadership? How does that apply to our lives?

2020 06 11
3 is 1 and 1 is 3

Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 28:16–20; 1 Peter 1:1–2 (read online ⧉)

This is one of those odd “Liturgical” Sundays in the Christian year. It set aside to specifically observe the creedal declaration of and faith in the Trinity. We have Sundays set aside for Advent, Lent, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost. These are event-based. It’s not that they don’t have doctrinal pieces in them; their beginning is based upon an event.

There is an additional oddity, especially for people who call the Bible the Word of God…Trinity appears nowhere, at least not as an explicit term. That’s also what makes this Sunday interesting. A foundational theological basis for orthodox Christianity is not found explicitly in the Bible, yet is one of the key doctrines upon which orthodoxy is defined (i.e., Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses being non-Trinitarian believers).

One of the biggest things that the Trinity teaches us by its very example is that not everything can be explained by science or even a sound rationalization of the faith. The Trinity can only be believed (ultimately) by faith. The concept that God (the Father) is God, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God, while, God (the Father) is neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit, Jesus is neither the Holy Spirit nor God (the Father), and the Holy Spirit is not God (the Father) nor Jesus (An aside: even writing that sentence, which is a simplified excerpt of the Athanasian Creed, hurt my head a bit).

The beauty of the Trinity is that by the above (for example), we are automatically brought into the realm of knowing that we can not fully understand God. Which is good. When we think we fully understand God, we are in deep danger of having made our own god who is not God.

While the Trinity does not expressly as a word in the Scriptures, that does not mean it is not present. We need to start with the beginning, though. God is one. One of the biggest dangers with the Trinity is that the confusion that we are talking about 3 gods, rather than 1 God.

In the Gospels, Matthew has the 2 best almost explicit statements regarding the Trinity. With Jesus’ baptism, Jesus is baptized, “laid upon” by the Holy Spirit, and blessed (and proclaimed) by God (the Father). All 3 persons of the Trinity are present and noted as being present (rather than in other places where they can be assumed to be present).

In many respects, however, it is Jesus’ Commission of the Disciples (now Apostles) to baptize in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that there is an expression of the doctrine and persons of the Trinity (yet, still no word “Trinity”).

While this is so, there is something critically important in Peter’s letter. Peter all but declares the Trinity in his opening. There are several reasons this is important. First, it’s Peter. His place as one of Jesus’ core disciples, and his place as commissioned leader of the church (by Jesus) makes his words critically important to our understanding of the church.

Before the “doctrine” was declared, before the Athanasian Creed was written, before the understood writing of the Gospels, Peter brought the Trinity to the church.

In lieu of prayer or questions, and in honor of the tradition in more “liturgical” churches to speak it on Trinity Sunday, below is the Athanasian Creed.
※Athanasian Creed※

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic[1] Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit.

The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord.

And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. Likewise also the Holy Spirit is of the Father, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other, none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world; perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; one; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; one altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

2020 06 07