Studying 1 Peter 2 for REAL Men of Genius tonight and got rocked by the following:
Freedom is not release from bondage to a state of autonomy, but release from bondage to become a slave of God. Only in God's joyful slavery is there true freedom.--Peter H. Davids
The counter-intuitiveness of the Gospel is striking. In this country in particular, we understand our freedom as our rights, our independence, our autonomy.
The Gospel tells us that this is indeed the palest form of freedom. For true freedom is found in bondage to Christ.
Galatians 5:1
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday Meanderings on Church and Leadership XIII
My young adult group at church has just kicked off a study for the summer on David Platt's book, "Radical".
There is certainly a tension between Jesus' version of discipleship and our American version of discipleship. This book is about that.
The phrase that is sticking with me from this first chapter is 'the cost of non-discipleship'.
Time and time again in the Gospels, Jesus refers to the cost of discipleship.
It's high. Read Luke 14:25-33. It causes you to
hate your family.
hate your own life.
carry a cross.
count the cost.
For many in our churches, the cost of discipleship is that it makes you spend an hour or two on your precious Sunday morning at a building, paying God His dues. For some, the cost of discipleship is when the church is behind financially, we put in a few extra bucks.
The cost of discipleship is more than that. It demands my very life. My affections, my relationships, my time, my money, my ambitions, dreams, hopes, everything.
But if Jesus is who he says he is and rejecting Him does what He says it does, then the Cost of Non-discipleship is even higher.
If you don't lose your life in small consistent ways now. You will lose your life in drastic, irreversible ways later.
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30.
What has to die in you today?
There is certainly a tension between Jesus' version of discipleship and our American version of discipleship. This book is about that.
The phrase that is sticking with me from this first chapter is 'the cost of non-discipleship'.
Time and time again in the Gospels, Jesus refers to the cost of discipleship.
It's high. Read Luke 14:25-33. It causes you to
hate your family.
hate your own life.
carry a cross.
count the cost.
For many in our churches, the cost of discipleship is that it makes you spend an hour or two on your precious Sunday morning at a building, paying God His dues. For some, the cost of discipleship is when the church is behind financially, we put in a few extra bucks.
The cost of discipleship is more than that. It demands my very life. My affections, my relationships, my time, my money, my ambitions, dreams, hopes, everything.
But if Jesus is who he says he is and rejecting Him does what He says it does, then the Cost of Non-discipleship is even higher.
If you don't lose your life in small consistent ways now. You will lose your life in drastic, irreversible ways later.
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30.
What has to die in you today?
Friday, May 27, 2011
The James Challenge Chapter Five
"Do not grumble against one another so that you won't be judged."
Every Church has one. Generally, everyone connected to the church knows who the Chair of it is. It's the Back to Egypt Committee. They gripe and grumble and moan that things aren't good. They say it was better when they were back in Egypt. They say it was better when Moses wasn't their leader. They say it was better when...
James reminds us at the close of this book to recall some of the key themes. He recalls chapter three and says you're either giving life with your words or your taking it away. He reminds us that endurance is central to sanctification.
I was for whatever reason, feeling discouraged, negative and a little beaten up last week. Then I woke up one morning midweek and just felt the Holy Spirit nudging at me about the word 'Hope'. If I'm not careful, I can join that Back to Egypt Committee and God just convicted me that the resurrection is bigger than that. It's bigger than the frustrating meeting. Bigger than the wilderness experience that sometimes a ministry or a leader goes through. It's bigger than our preferences. It's bigger than our conflicts, our agendas, our discontent, our negativity, our bitterness.
So if I don't get my way, if people don't get on board with my idea, if I disagree with a direction of those God has put in authority over me,etc...two options...pull up a chair on the oft-largest committee in the church and grumble (which guarantees you will be judged)...or come at it with hope...come at it with resurrection lenses. Because in resurrection, the worst thing is never the last thing.
Congrats if you made it through the five chapters of James! It's been a good week of Bible Study for me personally and I hope for you too!
Every Church has one. Generally, everyone connected to the church knows who the Chair of it is. It's the Back to Egypt Committee. They gripe and grumble and moan that things aren't good. They say it was better when they were back in Egypt. They say it was better when Moses wasn't their leader. They say it was better when...
James reminds us at the close of this book to recall some of the key themes. He recalls chapter three and says you're either giving life with your words or your taking it away. He reminds us that endurance is central to sanctification.
I was for whatever reason, feeling discouraged, negative and a little beaten up last week. Then I woke up one morning midweek and just felt the Holy Spirit nudging at me about the word 'Hope'. If I'm not careful, I can join that Back to Egypt Committee and God just convicted me that the resurrection is bigger than that. It's bigger than the frustrating meeting. Bigger than the wilderness experience that sometimes a ministry or a leader goes through. It's bigger than our preferences. It's bigger than our conflicts, our agendas, our discontent, our negativity, our bitterness.
So if I don't get my way, if people don't get on board with my idea, if I disagree with a direction of those God has put in authority over me,etc...two options...pull up a chair on the oft-largest committee in the church and grumble (which guarantees you will be judged)...or come at it with hope...come at it with resurrection lenses. Because in resurrection, the worst thing is never the last thing.
Congrats if you made it through the five chapters of James! It's been a good week of Bible Study for me personally and I hope for you too!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The James Challenge Chapter Four
Anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.
If you're like me, you tend to understand sin as the things that we do in defiance of God's authority and righteous way. I hate enemies. I covet the grass that is greener in another's life. I murder. I lust. I lie. I deceive. I ________.
But ultimately that is barely the beginning of following Christ. In one sense, yes, God wants to turn our affections away from the sinful ways, acts of disobedience, the defiance of our hearts. But He is at the same time desiring that we be turning toward Him.
It's not enough to avoid the things that God tells us to avoid. He wants us to follow His promptings. Its not just "Don't do this" but also "Do this". And when we experience those promptings and delay or disregard obedience to them, we are in the same boat as those who do the sinful things.
So when we read about being ministers of reconciliation and don't actually go work out the issues we have with the person, we're sinning. When we feel God nudging us to give the money we've been saving up for our kid's college fund away to the cause of Christ, we're sinning. When we're gifted to serve in youth ministry and don't offer to use our giftedness to serve, we're sinning.
Missing the mark is more than just doing the bad things God says to avoid. It is every time we are out of step with the grace and presence of the Holy Spirit.
So...how's the walk?
If you're like me, you tend to understand sin as the things that we do in defiance of God's authority and righteous way. I hate enemies. I covet the grass that is greener in another's life. I murder. I lust. I lie. I deceive. I ________.
But ultimately that is barely the beginning of following Christ. In one sense, yes, God wants to turn our affections away from the sinful ways, acts of disobedience, the defiance of our hearts. But He is at the same time desiring that we be turning toward Him.
It's not enough to avoid the things that God tells us to avoid. He wants us to follow His promptings. Its not just "Don't do this" but also "Do this". And when we experience those promptings and delay or disregard obedience to them, we are in the same boat as those who do the sinful things.
So when we read about being ministers of reconciliation and don't actually go work out the issues we have with the person, we're sinning. When we feel God nudging us to give the money we've been saving up for our kid's college fund away to the cause of Christ, we're sinning. When we're gifted to serve in youth ministry and don't offer to use our giftedness to serve, we're sinning.
Missing the mark is more than just doing the bad things God says to avoid. It is every time we are out of step with the grace and presence of the Holy Spirit.
So...how's the walk?
Radical
I am excited (and a little nervous) to lead this study with the EDGE Young Adults this summer.
Starts June 5...11 a.m.
Starts June 5...11 a.m.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The James Challenge Chapter Three
James 3 is the classic text about speaking life rather death, breathing heaven rather than hell by what we say and how we say it. When something is 'set on fire by hell', we should probably slow down and tread gently.
Your words matter. If they aren't life-giving, they are hellish.
So when you rip apart your boss or your pastor. When you jab at your spouse. When you tear down your kid. When sarcasm belittles those who converse with. When your words are the level of quality, intelligence and couth of The Hangover 2 (a.k.a. a bunch of perverted filth and trash that could have been written by me when I was a childish 7th grader), when you gossip about the latest drama in your school or workplace...(Have I covered us all yet?!)...It is hell, not heaven we are bringing.
And God is not ok with that.
It is interesting that the remedy to the taming of the tongue comes at the end of chapter three...it begins with wisdom. And I remember a guy preaching on the topic of fear one time...and the verse "The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" was used.
So Fearing God leads to wisdom. Wisdom leads to gentleness. Gentleness and purity and mercy and peace and impartiality and non-hypocritical living...they all are rooted in wisdom. And wisdom is rooted in fearing God.
So...if I am wreckless or hellish in my speaking, it is predominantly a God-fearing problem. So...how are you fearing God these days?
Your words matter. If they aren't life-giving, they are hellish.
So when you rip apart your boss or your pastor. When you jab at your spouse. When you tear down your kid. When sarcasm belittles those who converse with. When your words are the level of quality, intelligence and couth of The Hangover 2 (a.k.a. a bunch of perverted filth and trash that could have been written by me when I was a childish 7th grader), when you gossip about the latest drama in your school or workplace...(Have I covered us all yet?!)...It is hell, not heaven we are bringing.
And God is not ok with that.
It is interesting that the remedy to the taming of the tongue comes at the end of chapter three...it begins with wisdom. And I remember a guy preaching on the topic of fear one time...and the verse "The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" was used.
So Fearing God leads to wisdom. Wisdom leads to gentleness. Gentleness and purity and mercy and peace and impartiality and non-hypocritical living...they all are rooted in wisdom. And wisdom is rooted in fearing God.
So...if I am wreckless or hellish in my speaking, it is predominantly a God-fearing problem. So...how are you fearing God these days?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The James Challenge Chapter Two
Couple socks to the stomach today.
I have been going with Shaina to our Centering Classes which are where we get our check ups with the midwife, and spend a couple hours with other people who are due right around the same time we are.
There are people in there that I naturally am inclined to. I find them more interesting, sometimes I find them less annoying than others in the class. So I gravitate toward conversation with them, toward engaging life with them. And when the others speak up, I find myself tuning them out or getting agitated.
The same can be said in the context of the gospel. There are some that I will readily connect with, share my faith with and engage the gospel with...maybe we get along well, have similar interests, etc. But there are some who have quirks or personalities that I just dislike and so I disengage.
So I pick up James 2 today and the first verse says "My brothers, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?"
Do I really believe? Because if I believe that Jesus is indeed the remedy for sin, hell and brokeness, then my disengagement is hypocrisy. The gospel is meant for every one to encounter and if I am responsible for withholding that opportunity, it is reprehensible.
Which goes to the second jab from James 2. If I really believe...and that belief does nothing to impact the way I live, then I am dead. Not dying...dead. Hypocritical faith is not faith at all. If our orthodoxy (right belief and worship) does not impact our orthopraxy (right living) then it is irrelevant...irrelevant to my life...and others will deem it irrelevant to their lives and to the world as well.
Stop painting an impotent god for the world to see. Either participate actively in the sanctification of your life and the working out of your salvation, or stop claiming association with a God who doesn't work with dead things.
Ouch.
I have been going with Shaina to our Centering Classes which are where we get our check ups with the midwife, and spend a couple hours with other people who are due right around the same time we are.
There are people in there that I naturally am inclined to. I find them more interesting, sometimes I find them less annoying than others in the class. So I gravitate toward conversation with them, toward engaging life with them. And when the others speak up, I find myself tuning them out or getting agitated.
The same can be said in the context of the gospel. There are some that I will readily connect with, share my faith with and engage the gospel with...maybe we get along well, have similar interests, etc. But there are some who have quirks or personalities that I just dislike and so I disengage.
So I pick up James 2 today and the first verse says "My brothers, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?"
Do I really believe? Because if I believe that Jesus is indeed the remedy for sin, hell and brokeness, then my disengagement is hypocrisy. The gospel is meant for every one to encounter and if I am responsible for withholding that opportunity, it is reprehensible.
Which goes to the second jab from James 2. If I really believe...and that belief does nothing to impact the way I live, then I am dead. Not dying...dead. Hypocritical faith is not faith at all. If our orthodoxy (right belief and worship) does not impact our orthopraxy (right living) then it is irrelevant...irrelevant to my life...and others will deem it irrelevant to their lives and to the world as well.
Stop painting an impotent god for the world to see. Either participate actively in the sanctification of your life and the working out of your salvation, or stop claiming association with a God who doesn't work with dead things.
Ouch.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The James Challenge Chapter One
This week, our church was invited to dive into the book of James, a chapter a day, Monday through Friday to ask God to restore relevance and hunger for His Word. You're invited to join us. I will be blogging this week on some ways that God is connecting each chapter with my heart. Feel free to add your own insights!
James 1
ENDURANCE.
"Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
Trials that lead to endurance lead to maturity. Ultimately that is a primary aim of the follower of Jesus...to grow more and more in Christ-likeness throughout their lifetime.
So here's how we fail. We experience adversity, difficulty and trial and it derails our faith. I know I experienced this when my dad died. I was ticked off at God for not hearing my prayers to make his dead heart beat again and it took me to a place of distance from God and bitterness to Him...and I would still be there if He didn't draw me back to Him. Alot of people don't responding to God's drawing during adversity...They check out...despise God and live out their days in some hollow form of what they could have or should have been...bitter...alienated...indifferent.
When our faith is derailed in times of adversity our growth is stunted.
Without my dad's passing, God would never have taken me to deeper waters, where He revealed to me that His desire was to make my own dead heart beat again, in the rhythms of his grace. Trials that are endured will take you to deeper waters with Christ...I know this is true...but I'm not ready to count it as Joy to encounter the trials!
James 1
ENDURANCE.
"Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
Trials that lead to endurance lead to maturity. Ultimately that is a primary aim of the follower of Jesus...to grow more and more in Christ-likeness throughout their lifetime.
So here's how we fail. We experience adversity, difficulty and trial and it derails our faith. I know I experienced this when my dad died. I was ticked off at God for not hearing my prayers to make his dead heart beat again and it took me to a place of distance from God and bitterness to Him...and I would still be there if He didn't draw me back to Him. Alot of people don't responding to God's drawing during adversity...They check out...despise God and live out their days in some hollow form of what they could have or should have been...bitter...alienated...indifferent.
When our faith is derailed in times of adversity our growth is stunted.
Without my dad's passing, God would never have taken me to deeper waters, where He revealed to me that His desire was to make my own dead heart beat again, in the rhythms of his grace. Trials that are endured will take you to deeper waters with Christ...I know this is true...but I'm not ready to count it as Joy to encounter the trials!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
What are you called to?
Workin' through this in my quiet time this week. Found Peter saying 'to this you have been called' a lot in his first epistle. So here is some study on the five uses of calling in 1 Peter.
TO WHAT ARE WE ‘CALLED’?
1. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE HOLY
Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct (1:15)
-God has called us to be set apart. So we need to live as those set apart. Distinctness matters. Uniqueness is necessary. Set apart means that the status quo is not our status quo.
2. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE UNIQUE
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (2:9)
-God’s people are called from a former way of life to a new way of life. This starts with new birth. If anyone should get this, its Peter. Peter talks about new birth (1:3, 2:2) as one who has experienced it himself. Darkness is the previous
way. Light is the new way. And the light proclaims the new way.
3. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE HUMBLE
If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. (2:20-21)
-Peter is speaking to slaves here, but there is a universality to his message as well. Self-motivated, self-actualized justice or retribution is not your concern. Honor is. It is much like MLK’s philosophy in the Civil Rights Movement. Let them hit you, beat you, strike you, but do not respond in kind. Instead let their revelation come from your peculiar retaliation. Humility. Grace. Love. Jesus modeled it. Now ‘Go and do likewise.’
4. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE A BLESSING TO THOSE YOU DON’T LIKE
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. (3:9)
-Retributive Blessing. Dude cuts you off in the express 10 items or less grocery check out line with 40 items to your 3? Get over yourself and buy his groceries. Again, self-demanded, self-realized justice is not your concern. Being Christ is. Church hurt your feelings or wound you? Boss slight you or belittle you? Normal response? Wound back! Quit! Jab and belittle them behind their back! Christ response? Bless the hell out of ‘em. I don’t mean fake good when they are around. I mean do something irrationally sacrificial for them. Even if it leads to you suffering and not getting justice for yourself…bless the hell out of ‘em.
5. YOU ARE CALLED TO GOD’S GLORY
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. (5:10)
-There is a lot in 1 Peter about suffering being the Christ-follower’s path. And likewise, that suffering being linked irrefutably to the glory of God. You are called to His glory. And when you live a life that is called to holiness, called to humility, called to blessing others and called to God’s glory, listen to what Jesus promises to do: Restore you. Support you. Strengthen you. Establish you.
He did it in the life of Peter and he wants to do it in you too. Friend, It is time to answer the call.
TO WHAT ARE WE ‘CALLED’?
1. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE HOLY
Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct (1:15)
-God has called us to be set apart. So we need to live as those set apart. Distinctness matters. Uniqueness is necessary. Set apart means that the status quo is not our status quo.
2. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE UNIQUE
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (2:9)
-God’s people are called from a former way of life to a new way of life. This starts with new birth. If anyone should get this, its Peter. Peter talks about new birth (1:3, 2:2) as one who has experienced it himself. Darkness is the previous
way. Light is the new way. And the light proclaims the new way.
3. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE HUMBLE
If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. (2:20-21)
-Peter is speaking to slaves here, but there is a universality to his message as well. Self-motivated, self-actualized justice or retribution is not your concern. Honor is. It is much like MLK’s philosophy in the Civil Rights Movement. Let them hit you, beat you, strike you, but do not respond in kind. Instead let their revelation come from your peculiar retaliation. Humility. Grace. Love. Jesus modeled it. Now ‘Go and do likewise.’
4. YOU ARE CALLED TO BE A BLESSING TO THOSE YOU DON’T LIKE
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. (3:9)
-Retributive Blessing. Dude cuts you off in the express 10 items or less grocery check out line with 40 items to your 3? Get over yourself and buy his groceries. Again, self-demanded, self-realized justice is not your concern. Being Christ is. Church hurt your feelings or wound you? Boss slight you or belittle you? Normal response? Wound back! Quit! Jab and belittle them behind their back! Christ response? Bless the hell out of ‘em. I don’t mean fake good when they are around. I mean do something irrationally sacrificial for them. Even if it leads to you suffering and not getting justice for yourself…bless the hell out of ‘em.
5. YOU ARE CALLED TO GOD’S GLORY
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. (5:10)
-There is a lot in 1 Peter about suffering being the Christ-follower’s path. And likewise, that suffering being linked irrefutably to the glory of God. You are called to His glory. And when you live a life that is called to holiness, called to humility, called to blessing others and called to God’s glory, listen to what Jesus promises to do: Restore you. Support you. Strengthen you. Establish you.
He did it in the life of Peter and he wants to do it in you too. Friend, It is time to answer the call.
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Older Brother In Me
Easter brings out something weird in me.
I love Easter. It is the single most important day in human history. I love to sing the classics like 'Up From the Grave' and also sing newer songs like Phil Wickham's 'True Love'.
But something creeps up in me when I see the place packed with people. Something in me sees the droves of people who weren't there the week before...weren't there to go to the depths of darkness on Good Friday...and that won't likely be there next Sunday...or any other until December.
Its OBS...Older Brother Syndrome. If you read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, it is easy to see how OBS comes about. I go to church every week. I sit in multiple services every week. I tithe every week. I serve in the church every week. And Easter comes, the crescendo of the faith, the climax of Christianity, the moment of all moments, and I have to share it with them? The ones who I presume are not really following Jesus? The ones who don't give of their gifts or their time or their wallets to enhance the Kingdom of God? Seriously what kind of deal is that? I labor all year and when I finally get to the moment I've been waiting for, I have to share it with the notorious C & E'ers? They squander the inheritance that God has given them and yet they are welcomed to the party?
OBS is not of God...and the words I need whispered in my ear in this self-righteous, self-absorbed moment, are "Everything I have is yours."
When I see that God is not holding out on me, my eyes change and I see pews of people, just like me, desperate (knowingly or unknowingly) for God to lavish more of his grace and love in our lives.
We are all works in progress...it's just that those with OBS have a lot further to go than they might think.
Christ is Risen. And that changes everything.
I love Easter. It is the single most important day in human history. I love to sing the classics like 'Up From the Grave' and also sing newer songs like Phil Wickham's 'True Love'.
But something creeps up in me when I see the place packed with people. Something in me sees the droves of people who weren't there the week before...weren't there to go to the depths of darkness on Good Friday...and that won't likely be there next Sunday...or any other until December.
Its OBS...Older Brother Syndrome. If you read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, it is easy to see how OBS comes about. I go to church every week. I sit in multiple services every week. I tithe every week. I serve in the church every week. And Easter comes, the crescendo of the faith, the climax of Christianity, the moment of all moments, and I have to share it with them? The ones who I presume are not really following Jesus? The ones who don't give of their gifts or their time or their wallets to enhance the Kingdom of God? Seriously what kind of deal is that? I labor all year and when I finally get to the moment I've been waiting for, I have to share it with the notorious C & E'ers? They squander the inheritance that God has given them and yet they are welcomed to the party?
OBS is not of God...and the words I need whispered in my ear in this self-righteous, self-absorbed moment, are "Everything I have is yours."
When I see that God is not holding out on me, my eyes change and I see pews of people, just like me, desperate (knowingly or unknowingly) for God to lavish more of his grace and love in our lives.
We are all works in progress...it's just that those with OBS have a lot further to go than they might think.
Christ is Risen. And that changes everything.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Lesson on Leadership
Chances are, you're not Moses. Forgive me for stating the seemingly obvious, but it needs to be said. No, you're not likely to lead the people out of captivity to the cusp of a New Beginning, but you're also not likely the local leader of a local people (a local Moses). Very few are called to this ministry and it can be at times fulfilling and at times exasperating.
No. You're probably not Moses...but many of you are called to be Aarons and Hurs.
8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a reminder in a book and recite it in the hearing of Joshua: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called it, The Lord is my banner.
To be a good Aaron or Hur is to intercede constantly for your leader...To cheer him on when he is going for it and stepping out in faith (while also keeping him grounded that if there is success it's probably in spite of his efforts)...But it is also to step in when the battle is raging fiercest and provide support and encouragement and strength when the leader begins to falter.
If you're called to be an Aaron or a Hur and you don't have a Moses you are advocating for (a.k.a. if you grumble more about going back to Egypt than you trust God and trust/pray for the leadership above you), then you might want to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
And if you're a Moses without an Aaron or a Hur, you will struggle all the more to finish the race well.
No. You're probably not Moses...but many of you are called to be Aarons and Hurs.
8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a reminder in a book and recite it in the hearing of Joshua: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called it, The Lord is my banner.
To be a good Aaron or Hur is to intercede constantly for your leader...To cheer him on when he is going for it and stepping out in faith (while also keeping him grounded that if there is success it's probably in spite of his efforts)...But it is also to step in when the battle is raging fiercest and provide support and encouragement and strength when the leader begins to falter.
If you're called to be an Aaron or a Hur and you don't have a Moses you are advocating for (a.k.a. if you grumble more about going back to Egypt than you trust God and trust/pray for the leadership above you), then you might want to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
And if you're a Moses without an Aaron or a Hur, you will struggle all the more to finish the race well.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Daniel Fast Day Thirteen
Philippians 2:
5 Let the same mind be in you that wasa in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Remember yesterday...sacrifice and humility begin by taking your eyes off of yourself and looking to bless, serve, and help others.
v. 5 "Your attitude" is how other translations put it...not LIKE Jesus' Not CLOSE TO Jesus'...THE SAME AS JESUS' (What's that like you might ask?)
v.6 Didn't exploit or grasp for power or authority. (But that's so un-American!?)
v.7-8 Emptied Himself...All the power Jesus had over Creation, over others, He relinquished for the cross. He chose to get low.
He took on Human Form (Low)
He became a slave (Lower)
He became obedient to death (Lower Still)
Even death on a cross (Lowest)
Every time we jockey for position, favor and recognition we seek to elevate ourselves. But our minds (and attitudes) need flipped. What does it mean to follow Jesus? It means to empty yourself...to become like the Eucharist...broken and poured out for the world...not for your own fame...but for HIS.
We are entering the final week of the fast and the prayer from the beginning day of this thing was John 3:30...He must increase BUT I must decrease. Let that be true over this last week. Get low.
5 Let the same mind be in you that wasa in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Remember yesterday...sacrifice and humility begin by taking your eyes off of yourself and looking to bless, serve, and help others.
v. 5 "Your attitude" is how other translations put it...not LIKE Jesus' Not CLOSE TO Jesus'...THE SAME AS JESUS' (What's that like you might ask?)
v.6 Didn't exploit or grasp for power or authority. (But that's so un-American!?)
v.7-8 Emptied Himself...All the power Jesus had over Creation, over others, He relinquished for the cross. He chose to get low.
He took on Human Form (Low)
He became a slave (Lower)
He became obedient to death (Lower Still)
Even death on a cross (Lowest)
Every time we jockey for position, favor and recognition we seek to elevate ourselves. But our minds (and attitudes) need flipped. What does it mean to follow Jesus? It means to empty yourself...to become like the Eucharist...broken and poured out for the world...not for your own fame...but for HIS.
We are entering the final week of the fast and the prayer from the beginning day of this thing was John 3:30...He must increase BUT I must decrease. Let that be true over this last week. Get low.
Friday, January 7, 2011
passion 2011 John Piper
There is so much stirring in me from the Passion Conference. But the talk by John Piper is at the forefront...
What is at the bottom of your joy? In other words...if you get an A on an exam and it makes you happy...someone asks you "Why does that make you happy?" and you give an answer (could be any number of answers)...Then someone asks well why does that make you happy? And you continue to answer this line of questioning until you get to the bottom of your joy. If, when you arrive at the bottom of your joy, you are there, you're participating in idolatry of the worst kind.
Those who are born again make the switch from themselves at the bottom of their joy, to God, the supreme joy giver.
God makes much of us so that we will in turn make much of Him...if we've only embraced the first part of this truth, we are not born again and Hell is pressing in.
God loves you. And he wants you to feel loved. You are precious to Him. God says you are so precious that He will not let your preciousness become your god. God should be our God. And our God alone.
-------
The crazy thing is that even when we sometimes go through the motions of being a Christ follower, we put ourselves at the bottom of our joy.
I can read the Bible and if it is to make me feel better or to know more or to comfort me, etc...its borderline idolatrous.
Many of us believe in Jesus because he offers us a way out of hell and we are scared of going there...if that is your motivation...you are at the bottom of your joy...God is not a means to an end...but the end in and of Himself!
The most terrifying verse in all the Bible is the one where Jesus responds to those who healed and prophesied in His name and did all sorts of miracles and Jesus said, "Away from me, I never knew you."
It's not enough to have association, belief, or cognitive ascent to God/Jesus. We must be born again and reorient our lives so that all He does in and for us is done so that we make much of Him.
WHAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR JOY?
What is at the bottom of your joy? In other words...if you get an A on an exam and it makes you happy...someone asks you "Why does that make you happy?" and you give an answer (could be any number of answers)...Then someone asks well why does that make you happy? And you continue to answer this line of questioning until you get to the bottom of your joy. If, when you arrive at the bottom of your joy, you are there, you're participating in idolatry of the worst kind.
Those who are born again make the switch from themselves at the bottom of their joy, to God, the supreme joy giver.
God makes much of us so that we will in turn make much of Him...if we've only embraced the first part of this truth, we are not born again and Hell is pressing in.
God loves you. And he wants you to feel loved. You are precious to Him. God says you are so precious that He will not let your preciousness become your god. God should be our God. And our God alone.
-------
The crazy thing is that even when we sometimes go through the motions of being a Christ follower, we put ourselves at the bottom of our joy.
I can read the Bible and if it is to make me feel better or to know more or to comfort me, etc...its borderline idolatrous.
Many of us believe in Jesus because he offers us a way out of hell and we are scared of going there...if that is your motivation...you are at the bottom of your joy...God is not a means to an end...but the end in and of Himself!
The most terrifying verse in all the Bible is the one where Jesus responds to those who healed and prophesied in His name and did all sorts of miracles and Jesus said, "Away from me, I never knew you."
It's not enough to have association, belief, or cognitive ascent to God/Jesus. We must be born again and reorient our lives so that all He does in and for us is done so that we make much of Him.
WHAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR JOY?
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Mission Impossible
"When God wants to accomplish an impossible task, He takes an impossible person and crushes him." Chuck Swindoll
Either this stirs your heart with passion and zeal...
Or it makes you tremble in fear.
Maybe even more startling?
The reason we don't dream impossible dreams is because our God is too small or our gods are too big.
Don't trade living for an eternal narrative for something trivial and momentary.
We are looking at Christmas through the prophet Isaiah this year...Isaiah believed in the bigger narrative...and he did things like walk around naked to illustrate to Israel their shortcomings.
Either this stirs your heart with passion and zeal...
Or it makes you tremble in fear.
Maybe even more startling?
The reason we don't dream impossible dreams is because our God is too small or our gods are too big.
Don't trade living for an eternal narrative for something trivial and momentary.
We are looking at Christmas through the prophet Isaiah this year...Isaiah believed in the bigger narrative...and he did things like walk around naked to illustrate to Israel their shortcomings.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Genesis
I'm writing curriculum for our lifeWorth Groups for January. We are wrapping up John in the next week or two and then in 2011 we will tackle Genesis. My day today is completely devoted to getting sections of this done. In honor of that and to give me some inspiration 1980's pump up music, I'm rockin' out to this song...by former Genesis band member, Phil Collins. This concert would've been sweet to see live. So pick up your Bible, grab a cup of tea, crank the volume and rock out.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Dr. Hawk and the OT
On Saturday we hosted Dr. Dan Hawk for a leadership seminar on the Old Testament. He had the lovely challenge of unpacking a foundation for the Hebrew Scriptures in about an hour and a half. He did fantastic. Here are just a couple of nuggets that I took away from the talk.
God's ultimate goal since the fall in Genesis 3 (and the continued rebellion since) is restoration...Shalom is the ultimate end and shalom is almost untranslatable into an English context. Dr. Hawk's attempt at defining it: "Everything as it was created to be."
The Western Christian tradition ends the Hebrew Bible with Malachi...who leaves the tension of one named messiah that is yet to come. The Jewish scriptures ends with 2 Chronicles with the goal to evoke remembrance from the Israelites that their God is bringing them out of Babylon and into the Promised Land.
We understand Jesus as fully Divine and fully human. We would do well to understand the Bible in the same way. It is fully Divine in that it is God inspired. It is fully human in that humans wrote the text with their own aims toward a specific audience.
The Hebrew Bible is not first and foremost about LAW...but about RELATIONSHIP. The Law was given to enhance relationship.
Man was not given dominion over creation...that's poorly translated...Humanity was given management and stewardship over creation.
It was a rich day. And I love the Bible. If you are looking to start an in depth study of the OT, join us in January for our lifeWorth Groups as we begin a study of Genesis!
God's ultimate goal since the fall in Genesis 3 (and the continued rebellion since) is restoration...Shalom is the ultimate end and shalom is almost untranslatable into an English context. Dr. Hawk's attempt at defining it: "Everything as it was created to be."
The Western Christian tradition ends the Hebrew Bible with Malachi...who leaves the tension of one named messiah that is yet to come. The Jewish scriptures ends with 2 Chronicles with the goal to evoke remembrance from the Israelites that their God is bringing them out of Babylon and into the Promised Land.
We understand Jesus as fully Divine and fully human. We would do well to understand the Bible in the same way. It is fully Divine in that it is God inspired. It is fully human in that humans wrote the text with their own aims toward a specific audience.
The Hebrew Bible is not first and foremost about LAW...but about RELATIONSHIP. The Law was given to enhance relationship.
Man was not given dominion over creation...that's poorly translated...Humanity was given management and stewardship over creation.
It was a rich day. And I love the Bible. If you are looking to start an in depth study of the OT, join us in January for our lifeWorth Groups as we begin a study of Genesis!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
John 15
So our lifeWorth Groups have been in John this semester. I taught on John 15 over the weekend and did a miserable job. Ever know what you want to communicate, but just can't seem to articulate it?
But God's Word is living and active. John 15 talks about the Vine and the Branches. The whole point seems to be about fruit. If you're not bearing fruit its not going to end well for you. If you're bearing a little bit of fruit, you need pruned so you can bear more fruit. And the ultimate goal is to bear much, lasting fruit.
But that is not the point of the passage. Its the product of the passage. John 15:4"Abide in me as I abide in you." This is the point. The word abide has this connotation of making one's home in a place. I took my dog Shadow on a walk down by the canal on Friday and I just simply prayed 'Make your home in me.' While I'm walking, while I'm working, while I'm golfing, while I'm sleeping, while I'm on a hot date with my wife, while I'm vacuuming...make your home in me.
The reason we don't see fruit in our day to day lives is because we try to compartmentalize God into a 30 minute devotional time or an hour worship service. These are really important things, but the communion with the triune God does not stop when we close our Bible. It does not stop at the benediction. Jesus says abide in me...apart from me you can do nothing.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being 'good for nothing'.
Where does God need to be welcomed home in your life?
But God's Word is living and active. John 15 talks about the Vine and the Branches. The whole point seems to be about fruit. If you're not bearing fruit its not going to end well for you. If you're bearing a little bit of fruit, you need pruned so you can bear more fruit. And the ultimate goal is to bear much, lasting fruit.
But that is not the point of the passage. Its the product of the passage. John 15:4"Abide in me as I abide in you." This is the point. The word abide has this connotation of making one's home in a place. I took my dog Shadow on a walk down by the canal on Friday and I just simply prayed 'Make your home in me.' While I'm walking, while I'm working, while I'm golfing, while I'm sleeping, while I'm on a hot date with my wife, while I'm vacuuming...make your home in me.
The reason we don't see fruit in our day to day lives is because we try to compartmentalize God into a 30 minute devotional time or an hour worship service. These are really important things, but the communion with the triune God does not stop when we close our Bible. It does not stop at the benediction. Jesus says abide in me...apart from me you can do nothing.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being 'good for nothing'.
Where does God need to be welcomed home in your life?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
When God Breathes
Got to preach it today out of Ezekiel 37.
Here's some thoughts/reflections:
Sometimes less is more. In each of the services, the amount of music used was less than typical. But each piece of music was intentional and I had multiple people comment about the overall flow and power of the entire service.
The Word of God speaks for itself...I loved how Ezekiel 29, Jeremiah 52, and so on and so forth told the story and fate of Israel. Ezekiel 37 is one of the coolest passages and it is impossible to give it justice.
Sometimes we need a kick in our buts...we have so many cop outs, excuses and justifications for delaying obedience and that is not an okay thing.
Studying when and where God has breathed throughout the Bible is eye opening. And it is crazy to know that He is not done breathing.
God wants us to know that in the midst of exile and pain, He is right there and He desires to do a new thing and bring the deadest of dead fully alive.
Preaching 3 services is exhausting. Shaina and I were up at 5:15...and that is why I'm heading to bed now...bed and a day off tomorrow. Thank you Jesus.
Here's some thoughts/reflections:
Sometimes less is more. In each of the services, the amount of music used was less than typical. But each piece of music was intentional and I had multiple people comment about the overall flow and power of the entire service.
The Word of God speaks for itself...I loved how Ezekiel 29, Jeremiah 52, and so on and so forth told the story and fate of Israel. Ezekiel 37 is one of the coolest passages and it is impossible to give it justice.
Sometimes we need a kick in our buts...we have so many cop outs, excuses and justifications for delaying obedience and that is not an okay thing.
Studying when and where God has breathed throughout the Bible is eye opening. And it is crazy to know that He is not done breathing.
God wants us to know that in the midst of exile and pain, He is right there and He desires to do a new thing and bring the deadest of dead fully alive.
Preaching 3 services is exhausting. Shaina and I were up at 5:15...and that is why I'm heading to bed now...bed and a day off tomorrow. Thank you Jesus.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Sacred Echos
Ok...so the more I've followed God, the more I've seen the truth of this principle enacted. Time and time again, God reenforces something He wants me to get in my life by making a scripture or a theme show up in multiple places in quick succession. The skeptic (also known in these cases as the fool) will say that it is nothing more than mere coincidence.
It happened again this week. REAL Men of Genius, the young adult men's study I teach in the summers has been digging into 1 & 2 Timothy this summer. On Monday, we were in 2 Timothy chapter 1. There are 18 verses in this chapter. We could of focuse on any number of them...and we did, but the one that God led us to end on was verse 7..."For God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power, love and self control." It was a really enriching time.
It's now Thursday. I sat down to go through my Sunday School lesson that I will be teaching this Sunday out of Mark Batterson's "Chase the Goose". It has been a great study and I highly recommend it if you feel trapped in where your life/faith are going. So I answer the questions on the Cage of Fear and get to the last section and lo and behold there's 2 Timothy 2:7 being quoted and then is in the reflection section at the end of the chapter as the week's memory verse!
There are 31,103 verses in the Bible. The fact that this one verse gets plucked out in two different settings is remarkable. It doesn't stop there. We started Chase the Goose and I felt like we needed to spend two weeks on one of the chapters...so we did. We've been going a chapter a week in REAL Men...so the 7th meeting for the men's group and the 6th session of chase the goose aligned themselves to get this verse across.
So the only thing left to examine is whether God's sacred echo will spurn obedience from His hearer.
Has His echo ever been clear to you?
It happened again this week. REAL Men of Genius, the young adult men's study I teach in the summers has been digging into 1 & 2 Timothy this summer. On Monday, we were in 2 Timothy chapter 1. There are 18 verses in this chapter. We could of focuse on any number of them...and we did, but the one that God led us to end on was verse 7..."For God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power, love and self control." It was a really enriching time.
It's now Thursday. I sat down to go through my Sunday School lesson that I will be teaching this Sunday out of Mark Batterson's "Chase the Goose". It has been a great study and I highly recommend it if you feel trapped in where your life/faith are going. So I answer the questions on the Cage of Fear and get to the last section and lo and behold there's 2 Timothy 2:7 being quoted and then is in the reflection section at the end of the chapter as the week's memory verse!
There are 31,103 verses in the Bible. The fact that this one verse gets plucked out in two different settings is remarkable. It doesn't stop there. We started Chase the Goose and I felt like we needed to spend two weeks on one of the chapters...so we did. We've been going a chapter a week in REAL Men...so the 7th meeting for the men's group and the 6th session of chase the goose aligned themselves to get this verse across.
So the only thing left to examine is whether God's sacred echo will spurn obedience from His hearer.
Has His echo ever been clear to you?
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