Mark 3: 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers [11] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
***
Of course Jesus loved his mother and his brothers, but he also had a radical commitment to live in brotherhood with all mankind. I'm sure this was hard at times. When he hung on the cross and asked Peter to take his place as son to his mother, Mary, I'm sure there was intense emotional anguish. Was it worth it? For those of us who have been fortunate to experience the safety and love of a healthy family, it is hard to imagine giving it up for anything. But God calls us to lay this down, at the proper time, in order to open our families to the rest of the world. In order to do this I have to be willing to live a fairly transparent life, not always having to have it all together. But the the front doors of our homes are the side doors to the church. And conversely, the disconnected church goer has the opportunity to become reconnected to the body through home groups and intentional hospitality.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
The Blood of the Lamb
Matthew 27:24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; [10] see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged [11] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
***
Long before this day, during the time of the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt, God delivered them through a sacrifice of firstborn children. Anyone who had the blood of the lamb on their doorpost was saved from the plague and their children were spared. Here we see that God is again delivering his people by putting his own firstborn to death. The people, not knowing what they are doing, ask for Jesus' blood to be on them and their children. What an amazing fulfilment of the passover! Later, on the cross, Jesus prays for them, saying that they don't know what they are doing. Contrast this with Pilate, who seems to know what he is doing and wash himself of the guilt. In both cases, Jesus is the only one entitled to grant forgiveness. He is innocent and yet held accountable for sin. This answers the ancient word given by God in Genesis 9:
5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,by man shall his blood be shed,for God made man in his own image. There is an ancient rule of justice knit into the fabric of the world and Jesus had to die in order to "reckon" for our sin because the wages of sin is death. So now we are like the Israelites who have just been told by Pharaoh that we may leave Egypt. There is still a desert ahead before we get to Canaan, but the Promised Land is still promised, and our Deliverer is leading the way.
***
Long before this day, during the time of the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt, God delivered them through a sacrifice of firstborn children. Anyone who had the blood of the lamb on their doorpost was saved from the plague and their children were spared. Here we see that God is again delivering his people by putting his own firstborn to death. The people, not knowing what they are doing, ask for Jesus' blood to be on them and their children. What an amazing fulfilment of the passover! Later, on the cross, Jesus prays for them, saying that they don't know what they are doing. Contrast this with Pilate, who seems to know what he is doing and wash himself of the guilt. In both cases, Jesus is the only one entitled to grant forgiveness. He is innocent and yet held accountable for sin. This answers the ancient word given by God in Genesis 9:
5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,by man shall his blood be shed,for God made man in his own image. There is an ancient rule of justice knit into the fabric of the world and Jesus had to die in order to "reckon" for our sin because the wages of sin is death. So now we are like the Israelites who have just been told by Pharaoh that we may leave Egypt. There is still a desert ahead before we get to Canaan, but the Promised Land is still promised, and our Deliverer is leading the way.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Humility
II Chronicles 7:12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.
***
God doesn't ask us to come to him with everything perfect already. He just asks us to humble ourselves and come as we are. I have often thought that humility is much closer to courage than to weakness. In humility, we recognize our weaknesses and ask for help. This requires courage. How much easier would it be to hide our sin and shame? It can be so difficult and dangerous to confess sin! The Kingdom of God is a safe place for us...but not for our sin. When we confess our sin in the Kingdom of God, it is put to death, but we are made new. God says that if we, who are called by his name, humble ourselves and seek his face, he will heal our land. What does this mean right now and here? Does this promise apply to our local community and our generation? I am praying to God right now and believing that he will bless this community and this generation with His Love. I want to see everyone come to know what a great and loving God he is. I want to worship him with abandon this year. I want to be a better man this year because of the Holy Spirit's fruit in my life. If you were like Solomon and God said you could ask for anything, what would you ask for?
***
God doesn't ask us to come to him with everything perfect already. He just asks us to humble ourselves and come as we are. I have often thought that humility is much closer to courage than to weakness. In humility, we recognize our weaknesses and ask for help. This requires courage. How much easier would it be to hide our sin and shame? It can be so difficult and dangerous to confess sin! The Kingdom of God is a safe place for us...but not for our sin. When we confess our sin in the Kingdom of God, it is put to death, but we are made new. God says that if we, who are called by his name, humble ourselves and seek his face, he will heal our land. What does this mean right now and here? Does this promise apply to our local community and our generation? I am praying to God right now and believing that he will bless this community and this generation with His Love. I want to see everyone come to know what a great and loving God he is. I want to worship him with abandon this year. I want to be a better man this year because of the Holy Spirit's fruit in my life. If you were like Solomon and God said you could ask for anything, what would you ask for?
Friday, July 18, 2008
Kyrie Eleison, Lord Have Mercy
Matthew 20:29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, [11] have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
***
Kyrie Eleison, which means, "Lord, have mercy" is a cry that God will not deny. His heart of love for those who hurt is ready and willing to respond. Why did he heal these two but not others? How did he have the power to heal and yet allow people to get sick in the first place? The question is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to answer. The problem of pain is not simple, especially within the context of an innocent person's life. But I imagine that things must get much harder before they get better [notice I didn't say before they get easier]. I imagine that God allows suffering to work on us in two ways. If it is not part of our punishment, and not specifically a test, then it could be the simple fall-out from sin in out communities. But if we bear up under the suffering, trusting in the God who bore crucifixion for us, we can grow through it. And if the suffering is unjust, he will set things right eventually. Why not now? Why not right away? I believe he has a good reason even though it often feels as though he could not possibly. We will see, won't we?
***
Kyrie Eleison, which means, "Lord, have mercy" is a cry that God will not deny. His heart of love for those who hurt is ready and willing to respond. Why did he heal these two but not others? How did he have the power to heal and yet allow people to get sick in the first place? The question is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to answer. The problem of pain is not simple, especially within the context of an innocent person's life. But I imagine that things must get much harder before they get better [notice I didn't say before they get easier]. I imagine that God allows suffering to work on us in two ways. If it is not part of our punishment, and not specifically a test, then it could be the simple fall-out from sin in out communities. But if we bear up under the suffering, trusting in the God who bore crucifixion for us, we can grow through it. And if the suffering is unjust, he will set things right eventually. Why not now? Why not right away? I believe he has a good reason even though it often feels as though he could not possibly. We will see, won't we?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Childlikeness and Childishness
Matthew 19:13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.
***
Luke 7:31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
***
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
***
I had a college English Professor once who make a point I will never forget. He taught us that there is a big difference between child-likeness and childishness. The different senses are captured in the above mentioned verses. Jesus says that we must become like children, having faith like them and drawing close to Jesus in the same way, intuitively, humbly, trusting in His love. But we all know that children can be rascals. Jesus described his generation as a bunch of big babies, trying to manipulate him to do things that they wanted. He said, in effect, that they were being childish. Paul addresses the child-adult paradigm by explaining that he has given up "childish ways" but he still admits that life is pretty mysterious, as if looking into a dim mirror. In effect, he is humbling himself so that he rests on child-like faith.
***
Luke 7:31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
***
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
***
I had a college English Professor once who make a point I will never forget. He taught us that there is a big difference between child-likeness and childishness. The different senses are captured in the above mentioned verses. Jesus says that we must become like children, having faith like them and drawing close to Jesus in the same way, intuitively, humbly, trusting in His love. But we all know that children can be rascals. Jesus described his generation as a bunch of big babies, trying to manipulate him to do things that they wanted. He said, in effect, that they were being childish. Paul addresses the child-adult paradigm by explaining that he has given up "childish ways" but he still admits that life is pretty mysterious, as if looking into a dim mirror. In effect, he is humbling himself so that he rests on child-like faith.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Faith Like Jesus
Matthew 17:14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, [15] and it [16] came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. [17] 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” [18]
***
I wonder if Jesus' faith was related to his righteousness. Faith seems to me to be related to what one knows. Righteousness is related to what one does. The two are of course inseperable, faith and works, orthodoxy and orthopraxy, right thinking and right action. The temptation with this passage is of course to convince ourselves that a mere mustering of the thought of the mountain in motion might be enough. Jesus lived a sinless life. I think there is power in that. I am not saying that his grace isn't great enough to make our faith powerful, but it seems reasonable to me that God would be more willing to work with people who were doing the stuff of Christ on a regular basis. So goal #1 is to walk in his footsteps and not become legalistic. Then, believing and obeying, we should ask for the great big things that would bless God.
***
I wonder if Jesus' faith was related to his righteousness. Faith seems to me to be related to what one knows. Righteousness is related to what one does. The two are of course inseperable, faith and works, orthodoxy and orthopraxy, right thinking and right action. The temptation with this passage is of course to convince ourselves that a mere mustering of the thought of the mountain in motion might be enough. Jesus lived a sinless life. I think there is power in that. I am not saying that his grace isn't great enough to make our faith powerful, but it seems reasonable to me that God would be more willing to work with people who were doing the stuff of Christ on a regular basis. So goal #1 is to walk in his footsteps and not become legalistic. Then, believing and obeying, we should ask for the great big things that would bless God.
Monday, July 14, 2008
I am a Dog
Matthew 15:21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. [11]
***
I have really had a hard time with this account of Jesus. It seems as though his love for the chosen people, Israel, is greater than his love for us "dogs". In this account it would seem that they are his children and we, the gentiles, are an afterthought. Surely this can't be the same Jesus that died for the whole world? Why would the man who welcomed little children, touched social pariahs and ate with sinners treat this woman this way? Was it because the Canaanites had been treating the Jews like dogs? Was it because this woman had treated someone in her life like a dog? In other words, was Jesus disciplining her for something, or testing her, kind of like with the rich young ruler or others who had baggage? I hope so because I cannot conceive of Jesus actually viewing this woman as less than human. And yet, when I read the passage it opens up all kinds of insecurity in me, fears that God might not love me or want me. Where does this come from? Is this fear justified? The Psalms tell us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. But that is only the beginning. As we get to know God, we learn his love, because perfect love casts out fear. So is my insecurity about this passage related to an insufficient knowledge of God's love? I think yes. And I bear witness to this, that as I have wrestled with this passage and with God, like Jacob, seeking his blessing, He has taught me these two things. He loves me too much to let me go through this life without growing, and in order for anything to grow, it must be intentionally and skillfully broken down. I am a dog and God's love will make me a man.
***
I have really had a hard time with this account of Jesus. It seems as though his love for the chosen people, Israel, is greater than his love for us "dogs". In this account it would seem that they are his children and we, the gentiles, are an afterthought. Surely this can't be the same Jesus that died for the whole world? Why would the man who welcomed little children, touched social pariahs and ate with sinners treat this woman this way? Was it because the Canaanites had been treating the Jews like dogs? Was it because this woman had treated someone in her life like a dog? In other words, was Jesus disciplining her for something, or testing her, kind of like with the rich young ruler or others who had baggage? I hope so because I cannot conceive of Jesus actually viewing this woman as less than human. And yet, when I read the passage it opens up all kinds of insecurity in me, fears that God might not love me or want me. Where does this come from? Is this fear justified? The Psalms tell us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. But that is only the beginning. As we get to know God, we learn his love, because perfect love casts out fear. So is my insecurity about this passage related to an insufficient knowledge of God's love? I think yes. And I bear witness to this, that as I have wrestled with this passage and with God, like Jacob, seeking his blessing, He has taught me these two things. He loves me too much to let me go through this life without growing, and in order for anything to grow, it must be intentionally and skillfully broken down. I am a dog and God's love will make me a man.
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