God entrusts us with the Gospel.
That gives us strength. Our identity must be linked to that trust and that good news and not what we have done before this moment. Our identity is a 'right now' identity.
If you read this next passage carefully you will see that Paul is not accusing people or justifying Himself. He is talking about the power of being entrusted with God's divine message for mankind.
"Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Timothy 1:8-17 ESV
The law was given for those who have an identity outside of faith but notice how Paul numbers himself inside that circle before he encountered the good news and then talks about grace overflowing toward him to give him a new identity that he embraced.
'Jesus came to save sinners.' is the trustworthy saying that is entrusted to us. A sinner is someone whose identity is outside of God and his Gospel.
Who am I? I am someone who God trusts with a precious message.
Grace overrides our worthiness or worthlessness. It overrides our state and status. Gender isn't an issue. Age, race or nationality are overshadowed by the trust.
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." - 2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV
If you want to experientially escape the corruption that is in this world then evangelize the world.
A mailman is entrusted with our mail. His function is deliver our mail. He doesn't hold onto it forever.
We are given the Gospel to give it away. God trusts us to give it away. It isn't a demand. We don't strive or beat ourselves up. We just have a certain focus and we find that we will see miracles happen when we live this way. If we are passive about what we have been entrusted with then we will be influenced by the desires that caused us to have our former identities. God will always see us as who He has made us to be but our light will be under a bushel as we blend in to the world we live in. We will get caught in desires and cycles of confession where we sin and confess it again and again until we take on that sin as our identity and disqualify ourselves.
We have been given the grace message. That is our identity. We are sent ones like Jesus was a sent one before the cross. He was sent to Earth to save sinners and we are sent into the world to tell people about the grace gift that He came to give. Yesterday has no power over that. With knocking knees we open our mouths and suddenly the rut that we were in disappears. The words coming out of our mouth to give to someone else deliver us as we say them.
Do you have to go tell people? Are you less if don't go? The message is that 'Jesus came to save sinners.' You don't have to do anything. He has done it. He is the focus not us. God isn't going to think less of us or more of us. That is the message God places into our hands and commissions us to bring to the world.
Who are you? You are someone who God trusts with a precious message. You are precious and important. No one touches the circle of people in your life the way you do. What you have is needed.
--
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Monday, August 8, 2016
The God Of Endurance And Encouragement
Let's not underestimate the power of encouragement. The right words at the right time mean so much when they are personal and wise.
I think if God appeared to us this morning and spoke to us like we speak to each other He would encourage us and build us up.
"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 15:5-6 ESV
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
If you started something with the intention of glorifying God then please don't quit. If you love some wholesome thing then don't stop. Don't let years go by and then say later, 'Why did I stop?' don't live with regrets that you didn't do what was set before you to do.
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4 ESV
It is my conviction that when we delight in God He puts desires in our heart and then gives those things to us... but none of these things happen in a vacuum. God uses people in His process.
I have a goal this week.
I am going to look for ways to encourage people. I am going to pray that God would open my eyes to who needs a word of encouragement and how to say it creatively so it will be received. My goal is to do that to as many people as possible. I want to use all the tools in my tool belt. Humor, wisdom, inquisitiveness, simplicity... whatever it takes.
I'm also going to keep putting one step in front of the other in the things I love. How can I tell others not to quit if I have quit on what I love?
"...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:20b ESV
God is with us. He isn't leaving. He is for us.
Even if it is just one little thing scheduled everyday.
Don't quit.
--
I think if God appeared to us this morning and spoke to us like we speak to each other He would encourage us and build us up.
"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 15:5-6 ESV
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
If you started something with the intention of glorifying God then please don't quit. If you love some wholesome thing then don't stop. Don't let years go by and then say later, 'Why did I stop?' don't live with regrets that you didn't do what was set before you to do.
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4 ESV
It is my conviction that when we delight in God He puts desires in our heart and then gives those things to us... but none of these things happen in a vacuum. God uses people in His process.
I have a goal this week.
I am going to look for ways to encourage people. I am going to pray that God would open my eyes to who needs a word of encouragement and how to say it creatively so it will be received. My goal is to do that to as many people as possible. I want to use all the tools in my tool belt. Humor, wisdom, inquisitiveness, simplicity... whatever it takes.
I'm also going to keep putting one step in front of the other in the things I love. How can I tell others not to quit if I have quit on what I love?
"...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:20b ESV
God is with us. He isn't leaving. He is for us.
Even if it is just one little thing scheduled everyday.
Don't quit.
--
Friday, August 5, 2016
Bridging The Breaking Mechanism
Just a few thoughts about racism.
"Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him," - Luke 8:1 ESV
"Now the whole earth had one language and the same words... Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.'... And the LORD said, 'Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.' So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth." - Genesis 11:1, 4, 6-9 ESV
God saw something about fallen men. They had a desire to make 'a name for themselves' and He knew that if He confused their languages that it would act as a breaking mechanism for their ambition. People would gravitate towards other people that understood them. In those language groups the desire to 'make a name for themselves' would continue. If Babel would have gone on unhindered humanity would have built a huge unstable structure that would eventually topple and kill the all or most of the people involved.
In contrast... Jesus went to all the villages and spoke to all the people he could reach. He didn't go to those that spoke his language only. He had good news and was not trying to make a name for himself or His group. Jesus sought to pass through walls without destroying culture.
Recently someone in a group brought up the question, 'What language do you think we will speak in Heaven? Will we have one language?
Of course I don't know that answer because the scriptures don't specifically say but I do see these passages.
"For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory." - Isaiah 66:18 KJV
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;" - Revelation 7:9 KJV
I think we will have the opportunity to speak and understand all of them. I think God wants to make us larger not smaller.
Let go to every village we can and learn to communicate. Hatred only cuts us off from knowing and appreciating the beauty of what God has done. Having good new motivates us to go. Making a name for ourselves motivates isolation.
--
"Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him," - Luke 8:1 ESV
"Now the whole earth had one language and the same words... Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.'... And the LORD said, 'Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.' So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth." - Genesis 11:1, 4, 6-9 ESV
God saw something about fallen men. They had a desire to make 'a name for themselves' and He knew that if He confused their languages that it would act as a breaking mechanism for their ambition. People would gravitate towards other people that understood them. In those language groups the desire to 'make a name for themselves' would continue. If Babel would have gone on unhindered humanity would have built a huge unstable structure that would eventually topple and kill the all or most of the people involved.
In contrast... Jesus went to all the villages and spoke to all the people he could reach. He didn't go to those that spoke his language only. He had good news and was not trying to make a name for himself or His group. Jesus sought to pass through walls without destroying culture.
Recently someone in a group brought up the question, 'What language do you think we will speak in Heaven? Will we have one language?
Of course I don't know that answer because the scriptures don't specifically say but I do see these passages.
"For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory." - Isaiah 66:18 KJV
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;" - Revelation 7:9 KJV
I think we will have the opportunity to speak and understand all of them. I think God wants to make us larger not smaller.
Let go to every village we can and learn to communicate. Hatred only cuts us off from knowing and appreciating the beauty of what God has done. Having good new motivates us to go. Making a name for ourselves motivates isolation.
--
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Ontological Perfections - Part 2
This morning I am still thinking about 'God Proofs' and apologetics. Christian apologetics is basically explaining and 'arguing for' the faith. It can be confrontational but for the most part it deals with a deep connected understanding of God's nature and man's history.
Here is a wonderful passage.
"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 ESV
Man wants to experience God and He also wants to understand God. These are two different extremes. Blessing is felt. Glory is know or seen. But God dwells in a realm higher than the rational and experiential. He touches those realms also but He is holy and holiness is set apart from everything that is common. We can see His signature in nature but ultimately we can't find Him there. Theologians can think wonderful thoughts but be lacking in Spirit.
Isn't it wonderful to be around people who are truly alive?
The Lord is Spirit and the Spirit is Lord. True apologetics reveals who God Is. His living perfections. One theologian I read yesterday used the term 'great-making property' and I really liked that. Grace has that quality doesn't it. God treating man with the favor that he gives His perfect self sacrificing Son. God has perfect love and He also has perfect hatred. He is merciful and yet His judgement are perfectly right. He is alive in every sense.
The cross is the ultimate apologetic tool. He reveals great mysteries through the cross. Perfect love is revealed. This love is great and makes others great.
We can talk to people and explain truth and that is needed. We can also say, 'God has blessed my life. Knowing Him has been profitable for me.' and that is also true but as believers we go beyond all that to the person who is wonderful. Glory is revealed in a face that recognizes and desires us.
God is gracious. Don't we want to know this gracious person? Some don't. That is a mystery.
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV
Life gets hard and often doesn't make sense. Perhaps you have noticed that also?
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." - Colossians 3:16 ESV
A good apologetic allows this to happen. Even in the hard times. God's perfections remain untarnished because they are eternal.
--
Here is a wonderful passage.
"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 ESV
Man wants to experience God and He also wants to understand God. These are two different extremes. Blessing is felt. Glory is know or seen. But God dwells in a realm higher than the rational and experiential. He touches those realms also but He is holy and holiness is set apart from everything that is common. We can see His signature in nature but ultimately we can't find Him there. Theologians can think wonderful thoughts but be lacking in Spirit.
Isn't it wonderful to be around people who are truly alive?
The Lord is Spirit and the Spirit is Lord. True apologetics reveals who God Is. His living perfections. One theologian I read yesterday used the term 'great-making property' and I really liked that. Grace has that quality doesn't it. God treating man with the favor that he gives His perfect self sacrificing Son. God has perfect love and He also has perfect hatred. He is merciful and yet His judgement are perfectly right. He is alive in every sense.
The cross is the ultimate apologetic tool. He reveals great mysteries through the cross. Perfect love is revealed. This love is great and makes others great.
We can talk to people and explain truth and that is needed. We can also say, 'God has blessed my life. Knowing Him has been profitable for me.' and that is also true but as believers we go beyond all that to the person who is wonderful. Glory is revealed in a face that recognizes and desires us.
God is gracious. Don't we want to know this gracious person? Some don't. That is a mystery.
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV
Life gets hard and often doesn't make sense. Perhaps you have noticed that also?
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." - Colossians 3:16 ESV
A good apologetic allows this to happen. Even in the hard times. God's perfections remain untarnished because they are eternal.
--
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Ontological Perfections - Part 1
I was up at 3am with one word on my mind. 'Ontological'
As you can imagine It's not a word I often think of. I might not have enough time to go into the whole concept. It is a 'God Proof' word. The 'Ontological Argument' is a proof of God's existence that uses man's ability to think as a proof instead empirical evidence. I am no philosopher but here is the basic idea.
A am a little Greek boy who believes in Zeus. I believe he has all power over my life. He can have children just by thinking about it. He can change himself into an old man and fool me. He can change me into an animal or throw me into eternal torment at his whim.
All power is a 'perfection'. As a little Greek boy I can hold this perfection in my mind. A perfection is an ultimate idea. It is a great-making property. As a little boy I can only jump from here to there but I can conceive of someone who is not limited as I am. I think Zeus can jump where ever he wants to jump. There is nothing higher or greater possible than that.
Zeus is imperfect in other ways though. He gets angry. He doesn't know everything. He does love even half as well as some of the mothers in my village. He is impatient with mortals.
Then there is another child in the village who talks to me about his idea of perfect knowledge. His God knows everything. My little world suddenly gets larger and smaller at the same time.
The 'Ontological Argument' states that if we as limited human being can conceive of beings that have perfections then there must be a being that exists who is an embodiment of these perfections.
We aren't priests living in monasteries. We live in a world full of fictions. Science fiction. Horror. Fantasy. Worlds have been created by us that only existed in the mind and have been given a platform in the movie theater but they are not perfect worlds. Our characters are not perfect characters.
The Christian God is a God of all perfections. He is holy, eternal and can do everything that can be done. He loves and knows all that can be known.
If broken limited beings can conceive of such things imperfectly then He must exist and be better than we think.
Knowing He exists is a first step. Logic can't connect us to Him. Jesus is the one who connects us to Him.
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " - John 14:6 ESV
Father we ponder Your perfections today. You are the ultimate of everything. Thank you for noticing us. Thank You for loving us perfectly. Illuminate our minds today. Your word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. Guide us we ask. Thank You God.
--
As you can imagine It's not a word I often think of. I might not have enough time to go into the whole concept. It is a 'God Proof' word. The 'Ontological Argument' is a proof of God's existence that uses man's ability to think as a proof instead empirical evidence. I am no philosopher but here is the basic idea.
A am a little Greek boy who believes in Zeus. I believe he has all power over my life. He can have children just by thinking about it. He can change himself into an old man and fool me. He can change me into an animal or throw me into eternal torment at his whim.
All power is a 'perfection'. As a little Greek boy I can hold this perfection in my mind. A perfection is an ultimate idea. It is a great-making property. As a little boy I can only jump from here to there but I can conceive of someone who is not limited as I am. I think Zeus can jump where ever he wants to jump. There is nothing higher or greater possible than that.
Zeus is imperfect in other ways though. He gets angry. He doesn't know everything. He does love even half as well as some of the mothers in my village. He is impatient with mortals.
Then there is another child in the village who talks to me about his idea of perfect knowledge. His God knows everything. My little world suddenly gets larger and smaller at the same time.
The 'Ontological Argument' states that if we as limited human being can conceive of beings that have perfections then there must be a being that exists who is an embodiment of these perfections.
We aren't priests living in monasteries. We live in a world full of fictions. Science fiction. Horror. Fantasy. Worlds have been created by us that only existed in the mind and have been given a platform in the movie theater but they are not perfect worlds. Our characters are not perfect characters.
The Christian God is a God of all perfections. He is holy, eternal and can do everything that can be done. He loves and knows all that can be known.
If broken limited beings can conceive of such things imperfectly then He must exist and be better than we think.
Knowing He exists is a first step. Logic can't connect us to Him. Jesus is the one who connects us to Him.
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " - John 14:6 ESV
Father we ponder Your perfections today. You are the ultimate of everything. Thank you for noticing us. Thank You for loving us perfectly. Illuminate our minds today. Your word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. Guide us we ask. Thank You God.
--
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
A Metaphor / We And One
A METAPHOR
"And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam..." - 1 Samuel 17:7a KJV
This is a metaphor. If I know nothing about a weaver's beam the sentence is meaningless. 'Weaver's beam' might as well be 'Fubdwd Polulvue' if I have never seem or heard of such a thing. I know less then I did because now a gap has opened.
Our mind stumbles. Our mental picture has a spear in it but we only know that some piece of knowledge is missing about the spear. The sentence made us dumber. If 'Weaver's Beam' is never defined we have a closed circle... a mystery with no end... a cliff hanger with no resolution.
Math is a universal language. Simple math can be explained with rocks. Metaphors are relational. The words need definitions or else the concepts fall flat. God is far beyond math. He made math. Math is baby talk compared to what He wants to explain to us.
God is like Jesus and Jesus is like God. The cross is like grace and grace is like the cross.
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. ... For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." - John 1:14, 17 KJV
If Jesus isn't defined we can't know God. No math will bring us there. God is lost to us without understanding who Jesus Is.
If what Jesus has done means nothing then we are cut off from understanding the first thing about God. But if we do know Jesus then we know the most vital things about God. A relationship is established on this common understanding. We become alive.
Without Jesus all we have is death because it is all we understand.
--------------
WE AND ONE
"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.'
Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' " - John 3:1-3 ESV
Nicodemus said, 'We know... '
Who is the 'we' that Nicodemus is speaking of? Is it a group present for the conversation? Is it a group of scholars who he represents? He isn't saying 'you and I' know. We refers to a group somewhere.
Then Jesus narrows it down to, 'unless one is'
A 'we' has political power but vision is singular.
"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.' " - John 3:5 ESV
Entrance is also singular. The 'we' does not enter. We enter one by one.
Let's watch the singular and plural references in the next passage.
"Jesus answered him, 'Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." - John 3:10-15 ESV
Wow. Jesus has the 'we' of the Trinity and He shines light on this man's religion that has been spoon fed to Nicodemus by a group.
""For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." - John 3:16-18 ESV
One of the greatest and most known passages in the scriptures. One God gave one Son so that each person out of the full group that comprises all of humanity might believe and be saved.
'We' isn't going to save anyone. You must be born again. Salvation isn't skimmed from a collection of cultural ideas. Salvation is one person who is washed by a triune God because he or she believes that one Father sent one Son to die everyone's death.
"And the people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.' So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.' " - Numbers 21:7-8 ESV
Moses made a brass serpent in a time of great crisis. Each person had a choice. Israel was stuck in a herd mentality. Don't we see that around us today? People say 'we believe this' but then the next day the 'we' shifts.
God makes it simple. Where will you look? Only you can enter in. No group on Earth can go for you. Each one sees and enters individually.
--
"And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam..." - 1 Samuel 17:7a KJV
This is a metaphor. If I know nothing about a weaver's beam the sentence is meaningless. 'Weaver's beam' might as well be 'Fubdwd Polulvue' if I have never seem or heard of such a thing. I know less then I did because now a gap has opened.
Our mind stumbles. Our mental picture has a spear in it but we only know that some piece of knowledge is missing about the spear. The sentence made us dumber. If 'Weaver's Beam' is never defined we have a closed circle... a mystery with no end... a cliff hanger with no resolution.
Math is a universal language. Simple math can be explained with rocks. Metaphors are relational. The words need definitions or else the concepts fall flat. God is far beyond math. He made math. Math is baby talk compared to what He wants to explain to us.
God is like Jesus and Jesus is like God. The cross is like grace and grace is like the cross.
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. ... For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." - John 1:14, 17 KJV
If Jesus isn't defined we can't know God. No math will bring us there. God is lost to us without understanding who Jesus Is.
If what Jesus has done means nothing then we are cut off from understanding the first thing about God. But if we do know Jesus then we know the most vital things about God. A relationship is established on this common understanding. We become alive.
Without Jesus all we have is death because it is all we understand.
--------------
WE AND ONE
"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.'
Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' " - John 3:1-3 ESV
Nicodemus said, 'We know... '
Who is the 'we' that Nicodemus is speaking of? Is it a group present for the conversation? Is it a group of scholars who he represents? He isn't saying 'you and I' know. We refers to a group somewhere.
Then Jesus narrows it down to, 'unless one is'
A 'we' has political power but vision is singular.
"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.' " - John 3:5 ESV
Entrance is also singular. The 'we' does not enter. We enter one by one.
Let's watch the singular and plural references in the next passage.
"Jesus answered him, 'Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." - John 3:10-15 ESV
Wow. Jesus has the 'we' of the Trinity and He shines light on this man's religion that has been spoon fed to Nicodemus by a group.
""For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." - John 3:16-18 ESV
One of the greatest and most known passages in the scriptures. One God gave one Son so that each person out of the full group that comprises all of humanity might believe and be saved.
'We' isn't going to save anyone. You must be born again. Salvation isn't skimmed from a collection of cultural ideas. Salvation is one person who is washed by a triune God because he or she believes that one Father sent one Son to die everyone's death.
"And the people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.' So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.' " - Numbers 21:7-8 ESV
Moses made a brass serpent in a time of great crisis. Each person had a choice. Israel was stuck in a herd mentality. Don't we see that around us today? People say 'we believe this' but then the next day the 'we' shifts.
God makes it simple. Where will you look? Only you can enter in. No group on Earth can go for you. Each one sees and enters individually.
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Monday, August 1, 2016
In Damascus
This morning I am reading Acts 9 and thinking about Saul and Ananias.
Ananias was a believer who lived in Damascus and Saul was on his way to the city to persecute believers. If this were a story, it is a historical account and not a story, but if it were Saul would be the bad guy and Ananias would be the good guy. Saul is the hunter and Ananias is the hunted person. But the Bible describes two men.
"But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.' " - Acts 9:1-6 ESV
God converts Paul and dazzles him to the point where he is blind and send him into the city were he was going to hunt people down.
"Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' And the Lord said to him, 'Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' " - Acts 9:10-16 ESV
The first 'suffering' is going to be that the people he came to hunt are going to be the people that God uses to heal the blindness.
I like how Ananias is not dazzled like Paul was dazzled. God had to say Saul's name twice but with Ananias it is an easy conversation. There is quick recognition. Ananias had to lose his life to obey. Ananias was not aware of the extent of Saul's conversion. He could have been walking into a trap.
"So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, 'He is the Son of God.' " - Acts 9:17-20 ESV
Brother Saul?? What a faith statement that was!
In this account Damascus represents the 'place where Christians are' and Jesus sent Saul right into this place to get a witness of grace and healing. Saul hated these people and I don't think that mindset was instantly dazzled out of him. Damascus was a place where Ananias could find Saul and where Saul could be fed and baptized. Saul met a sent one who didn't go because of hate. Ananias risked his life because of God's love to give a grace gift.
Damascus is the Church, the bible study, the outreach group or the youth camp. A young child may go there feeling like an outcast but then they are dazzled, healed and fed.
Damascus is a place where interaction happens. Prayers are answered there. Provision is found there by interesting avenues.
I love that all of this sharpens Saul and turns him into Paul. Paul has a clear message. Paul focuses on the deity of Christ and the grace of God.
Let's meet in Damascus.
Perhaps we pray and stay home but the answer for our issue isn't going to be found there. The answer is in the fellowship. Paul was the hunter but Ananias found Paul in a place where he could be found.
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Ananias was a believer who lived in Damascus and Saul was on his way to the city to persecute believers. If this were a story, it is a historical account and not a story, but if it were Saul would be the bad guy and Ananias would be the good guy. Saul is the hunter and Ananias is the hunted person. But the Bible describes two men.
"But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.' " - Acts 9:1-6 ESV
God converts Paul and dazzles him to the point where he is blind and send him into the city were he was going to hunt people down.
"Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' And the Lord said to him, 'Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' " - Acts 9:10-16 ESV
The first 'suffering' is going to be that the people he came to hunt are going to be the people that God uses to heal the blindness.
I like how Ananias is not dazzled like Paul was dazzled. God had to say Saul's name twice but with Ananias it is an easy conversation. There is quick recognition. Ananias had to lose his life to obey. Ananias was not aware of the extent of Saul's conversion. He could have been walking into a trap.
"So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, 'He is the Son of God.' " - Acts 9:17-20 ESV
Brother Saul?? What a faith statement that was!
In this account Damascus represents the 'place where Christians are' and Jesus sent Saul right into this place to get a witness of grace and healing. Saul hated these people and I don't think that mindset was instantly dazzled out of him. Damascus was a place where Ananias could find Saul and where Saul could be fed and baptized. Saul met a sent one who didn't go because of hate. Ananias risked his life because of God's love to give a grace gift.
Damascus is the Church, the bible study, the outreach group or the youth camp. A young child may go there feeling like an outcast but then they are dazzled, healed and fed.
Damascus is a place where interaction happens. Prayers are answered there. Provision is found there by interesting avenues.
I love that all of this sharpens Saul and turns him into Paul. Paul has a clear message. Paul focuses on the deity of Christ and the grace of God.
Let's meet in Damascus.
Perhaps we pray and stay home but the answer for our issue isn't going to be found there. The answer is in the fellowship. Paul was the hunter but Ananias found Paul in a place where he could be found.
--
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