My blog is moving

I know it is a hassle, but I am moving my blog over to wordpress.  It is just a lot easier to do certain things over there like linking to multimedia, etc.  Anyway, Starting July 1, 2010 all my posting will occur at the new blog http://hopeinchristchurch.wordpress.com/ .

I hope this doesn't totally inconvenience you.  I imported the whole site over there so if you want to find anything you can find it all there.  Hope you enjoy.

Where's Jesus? The Building of the Ark (Genesis 6)

In Genesis 6, the sinfulness of humanity has reached a zenith. God is angry at this blatant sin and is intent on bringing judgment to bear.  While we don't think of it this way very often, God's judgment is an expression of his love for the chosen people.  It is his way of ensuring their safety and continued propagation in the world without fear of sin becoming rampant.

As I have reflected on the story, it seems that Noah is a type of Christ.  He is the one who finds favor in the eyes of God (Genesis 6:8) just as Jesus grew in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).  Noah builds the ark, which is the means by which God saves he and his family, and Noah is the one who ensures that all the occupants are aboard the ark before judgment comes (Genesis 6:14, 20-21).  This is like Christ who erects our salvation by his holy and righteous life, imparting to us a covering which will allow us to float through God's judgment and come our unscathed on the other side.  Jesus is the righteous man and he is the one with whom God establishes and inaugurates the new covenant so that we may live.   And ultimately he is the one who does everything just as the lord commands him, for he says, "Not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).

I am going to quote now from another author and his thoughts on the Noah story,

Today we call ‘pitch’ tar. The Hebrew word for ‘pitch’ is ‘kaphar’ and it is used seventy times in the Bible to mean atonement as it relates to blood sacrifice. The one exception is here in Genesis where it refers to the substance which covers the ark inside-and-out. In order to better understand the definition, my pastor likes to break-down the word ‘atonement’ into its basic components: at-one-ment, as in ‘being one with God’. By Christ’s shed blood we are in such harmony with God.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8-9 (See Note)

People of God, we must crawl into the ark of faith and be shut within it by God himself, who not only seeks our best, but provides the means by which salvation is possible and secure from all the wrath of God which will be poured out again at the end of time.  Praise God for the testimony of Christ in the Old Testament so that we have hope for our future and the promises contained in the New Testament.

For those wanting to explore these thoughts and others, I refer you here.

Note: http://compassiondave.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/noah’s-ark-and-jesus-christ/

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q34

Q.34. Why do you call him “our Lord”? 

A. Because – not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood – he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own.

Monday

Lord is a title used to address someone of power and authority.  In the Middle Ages it was used to address barons and some knights.  A lord is someone who has the right to rule over another.  This is a great place to start this week.  Jesus is our Lord because he has every right to rule over the world he created, sustains and preserves.  He is in charge, even the demons recognize it. Read Mark 5:1-13

Where's Jesus? Genealogy to Noah (Genesis 5)

In one of my previous posts, I wrote about my struggle with genealogies, and here I am again in Genesis 5:1-32.  This time looking at a list of names that begins with God, proceeds to Adam and concludes with Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  Along the way, these 32 verses catalog 11 generations and 13 individuals and nestled right in the middle at number seven is Enoch the man who

walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. (Genesis 5:24)

This really is an amazing passage for the list of names begins with God, reminding us that all of life originates in God Almighty and we know from John 1 that Jesus is the one who was intimately involved in the creation of the world.  In fact it is his world.  Let us hold fast to this truth.  Then it progresses through the normal cycle of raising children and dying, which exists in our world, but which was not part of the original creation and instead found its way into the world through our sin (Genesis 2:17).

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q33

Q.33. Why is he called God’s “only Son” when we also are God’s children?

A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God.  We, however, are adopted children of God – adopted by grace through Christ.

Monday

While a man can adopt many children in addition to his biological child, the biological child is unique among them all.  This child carries his DNA and is literally like him.  This doesn’t mean the other children are loved less, or not his children, but they are different.  In the same way, Jesus is God’s natural Son.  Hebrews 1 tells us Jesus carries God’s DNA. Read Hebrews 1:1-5.

Who gave us partial birth abortion?

For those following the Kagan interviews for Supreme Court.  Here is an interesting piece on her role in crafting language for Partial birth abortion that went against the American College Obstetrics and Gynecologies original recommendations.  Read about it here.

Where's Jesus? Cain, Abel and others (Genesis 4)

Murder is bad, and fratricide is a horrific form of murder for it reveals so many ugly things about a family - disfunction, hatred, poor parenting, bad relationships, jealousy, etc.  All these are part of what leads a person to kill his or her brother.  The sheer violence recorded in the Bible is amazing, after only 3 chapters, God's Word tells us of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain and then it goes on to record the heart of one of Cain's progeny.  Where is Jesus in a story like this?


Cain and Abel represent two types of people.  There are those who worship God right and those who worship God by their own ideas of what is right.  The Word tells us,

The Reformer's Hermeneutic (Way of Interpretation)

Here is a great 3 page article on why we should read the Bible with an eye to see Jesus in all the stories of the Old Testament.

The Replay of 6/27/2010

It's Tuesday and here is a replay of the service on Sunday.  We had an hour dedicated to praying 6 locations around the world.  Here is an overview of the 6:

Tunisia (Africa) - a former Christian stronghold in the 1-3 century, now this area is predominantly Muslim.  Pray for God to bring the Gospel back to this country and its neighbors and to strengthen the few believers here with boldness and courage to stand up and proclaim Christ, even under penalty of death.

Christian groups and the future of the campus

Yesterday an interesting Supreme court ruling occurred.  You can read about it here.  In the ruling, the court determined that public schools can deny funding to groups who aren't open to anyone with any ideology or persuasion as members or office bearers.  Sounds great right?  Maybe and maybe not.  Essentially what the court just did is to say that the religion of America is secular pluralism and that any group wanting to have money from the government must hold to a secular pluralist perspective, or forfeit the right to have funding.  Seems to me this could go a long way to kill the faith based initiatives of the white house.

While the court did not grant the schools the right to keep exclusive groups off campus, they did deny them the use of funding common to many groups, like photocopies, free rentals, etc...The good is that this will force Christian groups to put their own money where their belief are; the bad, it is a blatant violation of the constitutions separation of church and state, for the government has just enshrined a particular worldview and hence a state church has been born.

For the official Supreme Court ruling, go here.

Scripture Memorization Songs

Mark Ruiter sent me these websites he found.  It is great.  There is one site related to Memorizing sections of Galatians and Ephesians.  At another, there are 4 free songs to download but they give you a feel for the kind of work that can be done with music and the actual text of the Bible.  The singer/songwriter uses the ESV version.  I love this.  I bought one of the CD's.  I hope you will find this music encouraging and uplifting.

Get the 4 free songs here.

See the CD's here.

You can download the Galatians and Ephesians songs here.  Just a note, the song title needs to be clicked on to hear and download the song.  The scripture reference just brings that actual bible text up.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q32

Q.32. But why are you called a Christian?

A. Because by faith I am a member of Christ and so I share in his anointing.  I am anointed to confess his name, to present myself to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and afterward to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity.

Monday

Last week we learned that Christ means anointed. Therefore, a Christian is an anointed one, or one who is set apart for God’s work and service.  But can any follower of Jesus truly call himself or herself a Christian?  Certainly, the disciples in Antioch used this term.  Read Acts 11:26.  These men and women were assured that they were not just following Jesus, but that they were anointed by God to serve his purposes in the world just as Jesus did.  Be encouraged that this is true of you as well.

How the love of stuff destroyed America

A friend of mine at the church sent this article over on the economy and particularly how we got to where we are.  It traces the roots of the generations through the 60's, 70's, 80's and into the present to show how one bad decision after another has snowballed because greed and the love of money, or as Augustine translated in his City of God, the love of acquisitiveness is the root of all evil.  I hope you enjoy.

Where's Jesus? The Fall of Man (Genesis 3)

A fruit tree, bad choices, and talking serpents are what most of us remember from Genesis 3, but there is so much more to this passage than just the surface details.  These 24 verses contain wonderful references to Christ which we must never forget.  I once told a student of mine, "If you understand the first 3 chapters of Genesis and the last 3 chapters of Revelation then you will have understood the gospel, everything else is the details." I still believe that is true, let me explain:

The Replay

Welcome to a new weekly post (I hope) related to Sunday's message.  As a quick way of getting us to keep thinking on God's word as it was delivered in Sunday's sermon.  Here is a recap of our sermon on Galatians 5:22-23:

1. We live in a world that exhibits and uplifts anger, rage, abuse, etc.  Where do you see these kinds of actions at work around you and in your life?
2. God promises to bear the fruit of His Spirit in our lives.  That Fruit is centered in Love and Love is a description of Christ and his sacrifice for us.  Therefore, patience, kindness and goodness are facets of love.  How do these three qualities expand upon or enhance your understanding of God's love for you?
3. Patience and Kindness are God's way of leading us to repentance.  How can you practice patience and kindness in order to lead others to repentance?
4. Goodness is all that God is and does - his salvation, his life, even his anger and judgment are good for they are a way of loving his chosen people and ensuring that they are safe for all time.  We, God's people, can train our minds to focus on his goodness by immersing ourselves in the Scriptures.  Do you spend as much time reading the word and thinking on Christ and his love as you do on taking in the messages that the popular media wants you to absorb?  If not, how can you seek to change what you dwell upon in your mind?  Remember, our transformation begins in our mind's.  
5. Finally, there were three challenges issued to do one act of patience, kindness and goodness to those who you desire to be in relationship with and who also need to hear the gospel of Christ proclaimed in both word and deed.  Go forth this week and live your faith.

Good Books to Read

I finally found the list of great books that I have been working through.  You can find the full booklet here and print it off as I have, it has a short paragraph or two on each entry to inform the reader about what the book covers.  Or you can see the TOC below.  Many of these books can be found for free online at a variety of sites, but the Christian Classics Ethereal Library has proved fruitful for me.

Patience, Kindness and Goodness (Galatians 5:22-23 Part III)

In a world of road rage, sexual abuse, animal cruelty and other dark and evil things; in a world that thrives on knowing about the latest tragedies and has an insatiable appetite for other “news worthy” things that show human misery and suffering; in a world that has lost the basic civil understandings of respect and service, what do patience, kindness and goodness have to say?

We must remember that these three words are but different facets of the one fruit of the Spirit, which is love.  Patience is a way of loving, as is kindness and goodness.  You can’t practice one without the other; all of them are interrelated.  It is impossible to grow in peace and not grow in patience, to grow in kindness and not grow in gentleness, to grow in faithfulness and not to grow in self-control.  Each of these aspects of love builds upon all the others.  That is why there is but one fruit, with many facets.

A world like ours desperately needs people who are growing in love and exhibiting the various aspects of love.  A world like ours full of violence, anger and cruelty needs people indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit who live out patience, kindness and goodness.  Lets look at each of these.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q31

Q.31. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning anointed?

A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us.

Monday

A man walks into a room and is crowned the King of a nation.  Another walks into a church and is pronounced a reverend. A third has a star pinned on his chest and becomes a sheriff.  Each of these is an act of ordination.  Ordination is the setting apart of someone for a specific purpose.  In each of these scenarios the public recognizes the authority the person has been granted and the ordinand accepts certain responsibilities in return for the authority and title received. 

God set Jesus apart to be the savior of the world, and in exchange for this responsibility, he received authority to rule.  This doesn’t mean there was a time Jesus had no authority, for he is uncreated and fully divine.  (This is the trouble with language.) Rather, this kind of language serves to illustrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of all our poor attempts to model his authority and responsibility in human acts of ordination.  Read Hebrews 1:8-9.

Motives for managing our families well

Here are more notes from Richard Baxter on what should motivate us to manage our families well and train them up in Christ.
1. When we govern our families well, this is a major part of God's government of the world.  If families are controlled, reverent and trained in godliness, then we are participating in God's plan for the world.
2. An ungoverned, ungodly family is a powerful means to the damnation of all the members of it." In a godly family there are continual motivations and inducements to live as Christ and love as God loves, while in an ungoverned family, no such models, motivations or inducements exist.
3. A well governed family creates safety and ease and pleasure for its members.  This is because sin is being nipped in the bud and love is being nurtured.
4. A well governed family prepares its members for  a well governed church.  This allows ministers to continue to train up the people of God and move them from milk to true food, as well as preparing the way for spiritual discipline and admonition as needed.

Family prayer Times

Should families pray together?  Of course, we answer, but why?  Simply stated, because all churches ought to pray to God and praise him and

a Christian family is a church...a society of Christians gathered for the worshipping and serving of God (Baxter. p83).

This is the call of the family, to gather and worship and serve God in life by discipling new and young believers, modeling Christian living and faith, praising God for his answers to pray and requesting of him the necessities of life.  This is our call as Christians generically and as churches corporately.  Maybe the lack of church prayer stems from a lack of family prayer and a misuderstanding of the nature and purpose of family.

Families don't exist to make us feel good, though that is a by product of true family.  And Families don't exist to meet our needs, thought this too happens.  Rather families exist to glorify God - and glorifying God happens through worship and service, of which prayer is a part.  Let us, as families, commit to praying and teaching our members how to pray that God may be glorified in the present and future generations.

Cultivating Love, Joy and Peace in a world that manufactures Markets, desire and tolerance (Galatians 5:22 Part 2)

We live in consumer-oriented world.  Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Consumer to Consumer.  All we need to do is look at the world to realize that everything is a commodity that can be bought or sold or traded.  And that means that everyone is trying to create a desire in everyone else to buy his or her product.  Whether it is eBay, or television, the circular ad or the Internet pop-up the world is “for sale”.

So what does the fruit of the Spirit say to a world intent on marketing anything and everything to us?  It says, “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).   This morning we are going to focus on the first three items in Paul’s list: Love, joy and peace.  But before we get there let’s review a few points from the last two weeks.  Two weeks ago, my sermon focused on the fact that as believers in Christ, we have been set free to love and serve each other.  The contrast painted between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit is one of love and service versus pride and selfishness.  And last week looked at what we desire?  Do we really want Christ formed in us for the Fruit of the Spirit are the character qualities of Jesus?  Do these sermons bear upon a world intent on manufacturing markets and the desire for them?  Absolutely, for today’s passage reminds us the Fruit of the spirit IS…  Is means present, is relates to the present reality not the past or the future, but the present reality.  The Fruit of the Spirit has bearing on life now in this world and under these situations.

What then does love say to manufactured markets and what does joy say to manufactured desire and what does peace say to manufactured tolerance? 

Is American Education going the way of Nazi Germany?

I have been reflecting on my elementary education recently, particularly my vastly inadequate understanding of American History and why our public school system failed to teach me the truth.  For example, I was taught that the Founders of the United States of America were not Christians but deists.  As I look back, no proof was ever given for such statements, but then again neither were the original documents ever opened to me for examination.  I never read the Constitution, although I did get the first amendment.  I never read the Articles of Confederation, or any of the primary source documents related to the revolution.  I was not shown the state constitutions which made explicit reference to God the Father and Faith in Jesus Christ as conditions for serving in the government.  Yes, these conditions were considered legal even after the ratification of the Constitution for the states reserved unto themselves all the rights not expressly stated in the Constitution.  I was told the Civil War was fought over slavery when in fact it was fought over state's rights.  Why were so many things left out?  Was it purposeful or accidental?  

Where's Jesus? The Creation Story (Genesis 1-2)

How many battles have been fought over the opening chapters of Genesis.  Creation, evolution, intelligent design, the nature of "days"- each of these and countless others have been battled over in culture and in the church.  I do not want to downplay these arguments, for there are many things at stake on both sides of the debates, but I would like to refocus our eyes today, by asking the same question, which I am so fond of, "Where is Jesus in the Creation narrative?"

It is my firm belief that answering such a question will clarify many of the above questions as either "important" or "irrelevant." The Scriptures begin with these words,

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

Old Books to Read

Today at church I was asked to list off some of the old books I would recommend for Christians to read.  So here is my list of great old and older books:

1. Augustine's Confessions
2. Luther's 95 Theses
3. John Owen's The Death of Death
4. Richard Baxter's The Godly Home
5. Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Cost of Discipleship
6. John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress
7. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life (Catholic)
8. George Müller's Autobiography
9. Joseph Alleine's Alarm to the Unconverted
10. Ursinus' Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism

Here is my first shot, I will add more later.

For those wanting a list of great books and articles from the past, visit this site.


Here are a few more I recommend:

1. Brother Lawrence's Practicing His Presence 
2. for authors that aren't quite so old, but still very worth the read, try CS Lewis, Henri Nouwen,

On Managing Your Family

Men, here are some words of advice from an 18th century preacher:

1. Teach your family that your fatherly authority comes from God and that God establishes all authorities both in the home and in society.
2. Fear God greatly and allow that fear and reverence to affect every action and instruction you give.
3. Do not lose your authority by failing to use your authority.
4. Study God's word to learn how to lead, where to go, what to avoid, etc.
5. Understand the temperaments of your family members and deal with each accordingly, not with all the same.
6. Let love manage your life so that your family desires to obey
7. Obey God first.  They wont obey you if they see you disobeying God.
8. Make the enjoyment of God the ultimate end of all you do.
9. Ensure God's authority is maintained more carefully than your own.
10. Love the souls of your family.
11. Don't work them to death, practice moderation.

These have been modified or simplified from Baxter's list in "The Godly Home."  

On missionary dating

We have all heard this before:

I know they will be converted.  God can call them if he will;  if i just love them and share God with them we can marry and he or she will become a believer later.

Listen to Richard Baxter's response over 300 years ago,

"First, then, it seems because you love an ungodly person, you will be easily turned to be ungodly.  If so, you are not much better already.  If love will not draw you to their mind to be ungodly, why should you thing love will draw them to your mind to be godly?  Are you stronger in grace than they are in sin?  Second, if you know well what grace is and what a sinful, unrenewed soul is, you would not think it so easy a matter to convert a soul.  Why are so few converted if it is so easy a thing?  You cannot make yourselves better by adding higher degrees to the grace you have; much less can you make others better by giving them the grace that they do not have.  Third, it is true that God is able to convert them when he will; and it is true that for aught I know it may be done.  What of it?  Will you, in so weighty a case, take up with a mere possibility?  God can make a beggar rich, and for aught you know the contrary, he will do it; and yet you will not, therefore, marry a beggar; nor will you marry a leper because God can heal him.  Why then should you marry an ungodly person because God can convert him?  See it done first, if you love your peace and safety." p44-45

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q30

Q.30. Do those who look for their salvation and security in saints, in themselves, or elsewhere really believe in the only savior Jesus?

A. No.  Although they boast of being his, by their deeds they deny the only savior and deliverer, Jesus.  Either Jesus is not a perfect savior, or those who in true faith accept this savior have in him all they need for their salvation.

Monday

Have you ever been asked to do something only to find out that the person who asked you went ahead and did it himself or herself or asked someone else because they didn’t think you could actually do the project?  This is what question 30 is getting at, either we believe Jesus capable of all he promised, or we don’t and so we look for someone or thing else to aid him.  Our actions display our true beliefs for the entire world to see.  In Galatians, Paul wrote to believers who were trusting in their works to save them.  Read his response in Galatians 5:2-4.

On Choosing a Spouse

I promised to share more gems from Baxter's The Godly Family.  Here is one for all the singles to consider, and for the parents to pass on to their children:

If you fear God, your chief end in marriage will be to have one who will be a helper to your soul and further you in the way to heaven. p42

Going on Baxter gives some advice in evaluating potential prospects,

1. "Judge them by their love...If they love the Word and the servants and worship of God and love a holy life and hate the contrary, you may embrace such, though their knowledge is small and abilities weak.  But is they have no love to these and live a common, careless, sensual life, you may avoid them as ungodly."p43-44
2. Be able to identify why you love them.  "To say you love but that you do not know why is more beseeming children or the insane than those who are soberly entering upon a change of life of so great importance to them.  A blind love that makes you think a person excellent and amiable who, in the eyes of the wisest who are impartial, is nothing so or that make you overvalue the person whom you fancy who in the eyes of others is next to contemptible - this is but the index and evidence of your folly." p 39-40
3. Pay attention to their nature and disposition.  Make sure you can stand it.  Are they easy to please?  Can they match wits and intellect with you?  Are they humble?  Can they be quiet?  Will they speak?  Each of these is important.

If Christians were to pay attention to these guidelines from the 1700's, marriages would have such a better foundation and success rate.  particularly #1, for if one hates being around god's people, or says they love the Bible but refuses to ever read it with you and pray with you, this is a sure sign to be concerned.

Where's Jesus? Joseph reassures his brothers (Genesis 50:15-28)

As we come to the last of Genesis, we encounter the final conversation between Joseph and his brothers now that death has taken jacob from them.  I can imagine their fear must have been high.  "Dad is dead, now what is Joseph going to do to us for selling him?" Words like this must have plagued their minds, they plague mine when I know I have wronged someone and the stop I see holding back the vengenance has been removed.  


I love Joseph's response for it echoes Jesus in so many ways, 

“But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50:19–21)

Like Joseph brothers who intended harm, the Christian in his pre-regenerate state hates Christ, mocks him, sins against him and even crucifies him and for all these things we come to the cross and cry out for mercy, and in response, God gives us not just mercy, but he saves us and provides for us and our children.  This is covenant, this is grace, this is mercy and radical forgiveness.  This is a picture of the gospel.  Now let us go and live out the example of Joseph to those who have wronged us and let us use words to draw the wonderful parallels between our actions and the actions of Christ.  To God be the glory!

[For those wondering where the Where's Jesus post will go next, I plan on returning to Genesis 1 and picking up the first 28 chapters which I skipped when I started this particular series of entries.  Tune in next week for Genesis 1 - Where's Jesus?]

Reflections on Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning

I completed Wilson's Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning a few moments ago.  By and large, I enjoyed the book however I don't agree with everything Wilson wrote.  Then again, I don't agree with everything anyone writes, I guess that makes me human and an induvidualist - a true product of the American West.  And that is one of Wilson's main arguments in the book, education has duped us in to thinking we are really thinking when in fact we are just parroting out the same things that others believe, just like I think I am unique, but when everyone is unique, unique is just another name for "the same."

Grief or Repentance

There is an eternal difference between regret and repentance.  Regret feels bad about past sins.  Repentance turns away from past sins. Most of us are content with regret.  We just want to feel bad for awhile, have a good cry, enjoy the cathartic experience, bewail our sin and how selfish/stupid/sorry we are.  But we don’t really want to change.  We don’t really want to live different than we have been.  - Kevin DeYoung

What do you want? (Gal. 5:22-23 Part 1 of 4)

Gal. 5:22-23 Part I: What do you want?

In his book Fruit of the Spirit, Stephen Winward reminds his readers of a question Jesus once asked a blind man: What do you want me to do for you?  (Mk 10:51).   This question is a powerful question to reflect on so I thought all of us would be wise to contemplate this morning.  Please take your bulletin and with a pen or pencil scratch your answers down to my version: “What 3 things do you want more than anything else in the world?”

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q29

Q.29. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus” meaning “savior”?

A. Because he saves us from our sins.  Salvation cannot be found in anyone else; it is futile to look for any salvation elsewhere.

Monday

How many dogs have you known named “Spot” or cats named “Socks?  We can probably all think of at many, and frequently these animals received their names because of some distinguishing marks on their bodies.  They were the embodiment of their names.  The same is true of Jesus.  Read Matthew 1:21.  When the angel came and named the baby that Mary was to bear, he named him Jesus because he would embody that name.  He would save people from their sins.  Consider all the things that Jesus has saved you from.

What awaits us after death?

I received this from a friend.

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to 

Leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.' 

Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.' 

'You don't know?  You're, a Christian man,  And don't know what's on the other side?' 

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; 

On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. 

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 'Did you notice my dog? 

He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened,  he sprang in without fear.  I know little of what is on the other side of death, But I do know one thing....I know my Master is there and that is enough.'

This is a great way for us to explain death to our children, of course as they grow they will have more questions and while we can't answer all of the questions about the afterlife, there are a few things that we do know about heaven.  Read this Scripture for a primer on the topic: Revelation 21:22-22:5

Requirements for Baby sitters exceed that of teachers?

"One of the great ironies among modern evangelicals is the fact that many have higher and stricter standards for their children's baby-sitter than they do for their children's teachers. Is a baby-sitter needed?  She should be a Christian, and a reliable one.  She should be known to the family, or highly recommended by someone who is.  And for what task?  To keep Johnny safe and dry until bedtime and then to tuck him in.

But five years later, Johnny comes home from his first day of school.  He bursts in the front door, full of news.  His parents ask all kinds of questions.  And one of them is:  'Who is your teacher, Johnny?'  The parents don't know the teacher's name.  They don't know if the teacher is an atheist or a Southern Baptist.  They don't know is he is a socialist or a conservative Republican. They don't know if she is a lesbian or straight.  And what is the teacher's task?  Her task is to help them shape the way the child thinks about the world.  Does God exist?  If He exists, is His existence relevant to the classroom?  And what is the nature of man?  what is the purpose of society?  How did many get here?  Where should he go?  How should he conduct himself on the way?  None of these questions can be answered without certain worldview assumptions, and the parents in this example do not even know whether they share the worldview of their child's teacher."

from Douglas Wilson, Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, pg 57.

Christian Education and Parenting

"Just being around godly people is insufficient...some of the most tragic stories in the Bible concern parental failure."  (Wilson, Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, pg. 72)

These words, present a challenging view to most modern parenting and most Christian approaches to education.  Somehow we took the epitaph, "Bad company corrupts good people" and inverted it to say, "Good company creates good people.  As parents we often think that our children will catch the faith by being around us, other church going believers, and by attending a Christian school.

Where's Jesus? Jacob's Death (Genesis 49:29-50:14)

The death of Jacob and the subsequent funeral procession recorded in Genesis 49:29-50:14 make for an interesting story.  There are three phases to the pericope.  First Jacob gives some final instructions before leaving this world (Genesis 49:29-33), second Joseph begins the mourning process which takes 40 and 70 days respectively, and third, Jacob's sons obey their father's final instructions.

We don't often look for Jesus in the midst of burials and funerals as protestants, but he is there.  Here are my thoughts:

1. Just as Jacob gave final instructions before leaving this world, so Jesus gave his church final words before leaving.  Matthew 28:18-20 records these as,  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Similar words are recorded in Mark 16:15-18 and Acts 1:8-10.  Jesus death, resurrection and ascension were not the end, but the beginning of a journey that would take his family, the church, to the Promised Land, just as jacob's death reunited the family in Canaan for a brief period.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q28

Q.28. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us?

A. We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from his love.  All creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved.

Monday

Everyone experiences difficulties and hardships.  Not long ago an investment of mine went very sour.  I lost money and in the midst of praying and asking God, “Why?”, these words kept coming to my mind: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.” Job spoke them after suffering great loss.  They are sobering words, but they are also comforting.  They allow us to meet difficult times knowing that God is still in control and that God’s plans and purposes for creation are not being violated but upheld.  Read Job 1:1-21 and gain an appreciation for Job’s words in the light of his great difficulty.

Free to Love and Serve - Galatians 5:13-26

Imagine with me a Palm tree.  The tall trunk wrapped in diamond scales.  The top bulging like a growth out of which shoots out the fronds, waving in the breeze.  Nestled between the leaves like a baby in her mother’s arms are the green coconuts.  They lie there invitingly calling to passers-by come drink my milk, and eat my flesh.  Let them nourish you and sustain you. Now what would you say if instead of coconuts, there were grapes, or olives, or heaven forbid brussel sprouts nestled in its leaves?

Wouldn’t you exclaim, ludicrous, outrageous, and absolutely uncanny.  That is not how it is to be, that is unnatural, unfathomable and completely backwards.  James 3:12 paints just such a picture, “My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”  These words create an image that is unfathomable in the minds of the hearers.  It tells us of things that should not be, things that are impossible like a man sprouting wings like a bird and flying or a fish reciting Shakespeare or a an elk walking about on 2 feet. 

These incongruencies are expressed in our passage this morning as well.  Galatians 5:13-26 paints an extended picture of the Christian life and those things that are inconsistent with it. 

Where's Jesus? Jacob blesses his sons (Genesis 49:1-28)

After blessing his grandsons, Jacob moves on to blessing his sons.  He takes them in order from Reuben to Benjamin.  Along the way he recounts the sins of his first three sons and essentially excludes them from leadership in the covenant people for self-exaltation and violence, but then he comes to Judah and this is where we get a glimpse of Jesus.  He is the one Jacob prophesies,

"The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his..."(Genesis 49:10)

This is Jesus, the psalmist prophesies later about him,

"The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One...'I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill...Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.  You will rule them..." (Psalm 2:2, 6, 8-9a)

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q27

Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?


A. Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty - all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.

Monday
Providence could be simply defined as the protective care of God, or stated another way, God's rule throughout history.  There are some who believe that God is like an architect of a ship.  He designed the ship and saw it through construction, but the day it was finished and set into the sea, he withdrew and had no further interactions with the vessel.  Rather it was handed over to the captain to rule and govern as he saw fit.  But this is not so because God is concerned about his world.  Furthermore, he is so powerful that nothing came to exist without his word, and therefore nothing can continue to exist without his word.  he must preserve his creation, or it will cease to exist.  Read Hebrews 1:3.

Supreme Court says America practices "ceremonial Deism"

Ever wondered how "in God we trust" stays on our money or "one nation, under God" stays in the pledge of allegiance.  Well, Lincoln Steed, editor of Liberty Magazine has a great editorial on this and it turns out the Supreme Court considers it "ceremonial Deism".  Basically they are saying "dead religion"so it has no bearing on where we are or where we are going.  It is neutered.  How do you like that description of "religion?"

You can read about the 2 cases where the Court issued these rulings here.
I encourage you to read the editorial here.

How do we conceive of Worship?

I just finished reading an article by J.I. Packer entitled, The Puritan Approach to Worship.  It sparked a number of thoughts and questions in my mind that I want to share for your reflection and edification:

1. There are two approaches to worship in the Christian church: Liturgical study and "the lifting of one's eyes from man and his mistakes to contemplate God and his glory.  Are these two approaches at odds with one another?  Which do you resonate with more?  Are there other approaches?
2. How are the Scriptures to be used in Christian worship?  Luther advocated to allow traditional/secular things that were not contrary to Scripture but appeared helpful to the congregation, while Calvin admitted nothing that the Word of God did not directly prescribe.  Essentially the question can be boiled down to this: Does the Bible prescribe or proscribe how worship should occur?  Does it dictate or suggest?  Which rule do you lean to?  Why?

Where's Jesus? The blessing of Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 48)

As Jacob is dying, a remarkable thing happens, he blesses Joseph's children and considers them his own.  As we will see next week, Jacob continues this blessing to his own children and then he dies.  So,  in his days on the earth, as he stood at death's doorstep, Jacob passed on the blessing of God to others. These are sweet words,

"Your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine" (Genesis 48:5a).

This is a remarkable statement for at least two reasons:

1. Joseph's children are given a sort of primacy that they don't deserve in comparison with the other natural born sons of Jacob.
2. They are not full Israelites, at least not genetically.  If you recall, they are 1/2 Egyptian and 1/2 Hebrew (Genesis 41:45), yet they are considered full members of the family and inheritors of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

McLaren and Liberation Theology

A friend pointed me to this article.  it is a great article on the dangers that some in the emergent church are propagating, with specific reference to Brian McLaren.  If you are interested in some of the current trajectories of the emergent church, you may enjoy this article alot.

Find it here.

Christ has set us free (Galatians 5;1-12)

When a man finishes his obligation to society and is released from jail.  He walks out a free man.  Arguably he was living within the bounds of the law when he was in jail.  He may have lived a very moral life, more moral than many people on the outside – free from drugs, alcohol; free from the ability to harm others or be harmed.  But was he free?  No, external constraints upon a person don’t make him free, living with walls and bars and external rule pushed upon him is the opposite of freedom, it is coercion.  But if that man, walks out of jail changed on the inside and never again acts poorly, not because of fear of returning to jail, not because the law says it is wrong, but because he is truly a new person who loves his neighbor as himself (Luke 10:27c).  Would you consider him to be free?  Absolutely.  In fact, he is probably more free than many of the people who have never been to jail, but who obey the law out of fear of reprisal and not out of a love of others.

When Paul says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1), what is he saying?  What are we free from and what are we freed to? 

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q26

Q.26. What do you believe when you say, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth”?

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, who still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence, is my god and Father because of Christ his Son. 

I trust him so much that I do not doubt he will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and he will turn to my good whatever adversity he send me in this sad world.

He is able to do this because he is almighty God; he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father.

Monday

When most of us think of creation, we immediately think of the Genesis story and the first seven days that are recorded.  But there are many Scriptures that speak of God as the creator.  Read Psalm 33:6-9.  In this Psalm, God’s power is extolled as the one who created the world, but not like we create things.  Human beings are more in the assembly process, we take the things we see and arrange them into new configuration so that we can use them.  We are like children sitting down with a tub of Legos® and making a car or a plane or a spaceship.  But God is remarkably different, he didn’t sit down with already existing materials, he created the materials.  He spoke and the elements of our physical and spiritual world came into existence.  Nothing existed and then it all existed, not just in elemental form but in completed array.  There is nothing like it that we can compare in our physical world.  God is wholly different from us and that is why we must worship him.  Read Acts 14:15-18.

What the Death of Christ accomplished

When Christ died,

"The Father and his Son intended by the death of Christ to redeem, purge, sanctify, purify, deliver from death, Satan, the curse of the law, to quit of all sin, to make righteousness in Chrst, to bring nigh unto God, all those for whom he died...therefore, Christ died for all and only those in and towards whom all these things recounted are effected..." (The Death of Death, pg 99)

Below are a few Scriptures which support Owen's claim.  Many more can be found by reading the Scriptures:

• Redeem - Galatians 4:4-5, Titus 2:12-14
• Purge - Hebrews 9:12, 14; 
• Sanctify - Hebrews 1:3
• Purify - Titus 2:14
• Deliver from death - John 10:28, 2 Timothy 1:10, Romans 5:6-10
• Deliver from Satan - Romans 16:20
• Deliver from the curse of the law - Galatians 3:13
• Quit all sin - Hebrews 9:26, Revelation 5:9-10
• Make righteousness in Christ - Romans 3:21-22
• Bring unto God - Ephesians 2:13-16

Where's Jesus? The Land belongs to Pharaoh and the Priests are free (Genesis 47:13-31)

As we come to the last few chapters of Genesis we are beginning to see the conclusion to the Joseph stories and Jesus continues to remain a central figure in these narratives as we have seen him portrayed in the others stories as well.  For those new to this series of posts, my basic understanding is that all Scripture points to Christ and testifies to who he is and what he will do for his people.  Jesus testified about this particular way of reading the Scriptures in John 5:39 where he said, 

"You diligently study the scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about me,"

A few months ago I started asking the question, "Where is Jesus in this story?"  I had been reading in Genesis and so I just started there, half way through the book.  The question has proved very fruitful for my  devotional life and my approach to the Scriptures and I hope to continue on this path at the beginning of Genesis when I finish and then throughout other books of the Bible as well.


So today we have the story of Joseph and how he brings all the land under Pharaoh's control, except the land of the priests.  The famine has been in full swing and the people are unable to provide for themselves any longer, their money has all been used up, they have exchanged their livestock for grain as well.  Now all that remains is their land and their bodies, which they gladly exchange for food to live by.  In fact it is this verse which I would like to quote and explore more fully.

"Why should we perish before your eyes - we and our land as well?  Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.  Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate." (Genesis 47:19)

Is this not the cry of every believer at some point in their life.  We struggle to make ends meet and we struggle to find food that will nourish our souls and finally we come to the one who has all the resources in the universe.  We come and so often we beg for what will nourish our souls, for Jesus has said, 

"my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink." (John 6:55)

 We are willing to become slaves in order to eat this food and find peace against the storms and difficulties of life.  And in fact that is the bargain that Jesus is willing to make with each and every one of us, your life in exchange for mine, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39), bondage to me in exchange for release from bondage to death and the world.  


But there is another interesting group of people in this passage and that is the priests of Pharaoh.  Their land isn't confiscated because Pharaoh supplies them with all that they need in order to be free from the struggles of life.  The Word tells us, 

"they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them.  That is why they did not sell their land." (Genesis 47:22b)

Now an interesting thing happens in conversion.  When we come to God begging for life, he grants us salvation but he also changes our status to that of priests and we become beneficiaries of his goodness and not slaves without any rights.  For we are told by the apostle Peter,

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1Peter 2:9)

In fact, Jesus calls us brothers and not slaves at all, 

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

We become the heirs of all that the master has and owns.  We become his people, full of his blessings, able to serve in gratitude instead of out of duty. We are blessed.  This is the gift we find in coming to the Lord and seeking his salvation, we find life and life abundantly.  May you be encouraged for the land belongs to God and you are free priests in the land.  

On Theological illiteracy

"Our theological currency has been debased.  Our minds have been conditioned to think of the Cross as a redemption which does less than redeem, and of Christ as a Saviour who does less than save, and of God's love as a weak affection which cannot keep anyone from hell without help, and of faith as the human help which God needs for this purpose.  As a result, we are no longer free either to believe the biblical gospel or to preach it.  We cannot believe it, because our thoughts are caught in the toils of synergism.  We are haunted by the Arminian idea that if faith and unbelief are to be responsible acts, they must be independent acts; hence we are not free to believe that we are saved entirely by divine grace through a faith which is itself God's gift and flows to us from Calvary.  Instead, we involve ourselves in a bewildering kind of double-think about salvation, telling ourselves one moment that it all depends on god and next moment that it all depends on us.  the resultant mental muddle deprives God of much of the glory that we should give Him as author and finisher of salvation, and ourselves of much of the comfort we might draw from knowing that God is for us."

John Owen has a wonderful way of presenting things clearly.  And this was written in the 1700's.
From The Death of Death, pg. 13-14.

Are the prophetic books relevant today?

Frequently we pass over the prophetic books in search of more uplifting messages. This is even more true of the prophecies contained in the minor prophets, but while preparing for a sermon series later this year on Micah, I ran across this quotation that I wanted to share,

"prophecy is the Eternal's word and so continues to endure and live forever...our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles often cited the OT by using the present tense: "says" rather than "said." They reinforced its present relevance by the use of the pronouns "we" and "you" instead of "they" and "them." (Bruce Waltke, Micah IN The Minor Prophets, pg. 614-615)

For a listing of these present citations, we can look at Matthew 22:43, Luke 4:12, John 12:39, John 19:37, James 2:23, James 4:5-6, 1 Peter 2:6 for a few examples.

In another place, Waltke quotes Pusey,

"Every judgment is an earnest, a forerunner, a part, of the final judgment and an ensample of its principles. It is but 'the last great link in the chain,' which unites God's dealings in time with eternity.  God's judgments on one imply a judgment on all.  His judgments in time imply a Judgment beyond time." (ibid, pg. 620)

These quotes encourage me to look deeper into the prophets to see who they were testifying to and why sin is such a problem, and what its ultimate end will be.  I hope you will do the same.

A story of Pairs: Galatians 4:21-31

Pairs, not pears the fruit, but pairs or couples.  The animals went to the ark in pairs, two by two (Genesis 7:8).  Let’s talk about some pairs this morning.  When I say Abbott, you say “Costello”. When I say Adam, you say “Eve”.  When I say Moses, you say “Aaron”.  When I say Simon, you say “Garfunkel”. Pairs, duos.  Our minds have a wonderful way of remembering pairs, whether they are people, items, and concepts.  Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and division, good and bad.

Pairings are memory aids that just stick with us. This morning, our passage is full of pairs:

2 Mothers	Hagar – Sarah
2 Sons	Ishmael – Isaac
2 Covenants	Works – grace
2 Cities	Jerusalem below – Jerusalem above
2 Mountains	Sinai – Calvary
2 Ways of Life	Slavery – freedom
2 Births	Natural - spiritual

These are wonderful pairs that Paul intends to shape our minds and our Christian life.  Pairs that God wants us to know and understand for they are descriptors of the life of people in and out of Christ.  God wants his people to remember, know and understand these pairs in the same way they remember Abbott and Costello or Scooby Doo and Shaggy too.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q25

Q.25. Since there is but one God, why do you speak of three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

Aš Because that is how God has revealed himself in his Word: these three distinct persons are one, true, eternal God.

Monday

This weeks question addresses the doctrine of the Trinity.  The word trinity is a word that means tri-unity or three in one.  It is not a simple concept to explain, but it is one that Christians profess.  We believe that God is one, as the great passage from Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” But we also believe that God has revealed himself in three different persons in the Scriptures.  There is God the Father to whom Jesus prays, there is God the Son, with whom the Father is pleased and there is God the Spirit who is sent to take Christ’s place in the earth after his return to heaven.  Read Matthew 6:9, 4:16-17 and John 16:13-15.

Should you get married?

I started reading "The Godly Home" today by Richard Baxter.  Baxter was a 1700's puritan pastor in England and he wrote a tome on Christian living which is being republished in 4 parts.  I have read the volume on being a pastor, and when I saw this I had to read it.

Today I learned about the first direction that he gives to families and potential families.
1. Before rushing into marriage, each person must understand God's will for their life and whether He approves of them marrying or not.  Let me quote him directly,

"First, it is God whom you must serve in your married state, and therefore it is proper that you take his counsel before you rush upon it, for he knows best what belongs to his service."

In order to determine God's will and counsel on the issue, Baxter outlines a series of things to consider carefully:

1. Are your parents commanding you to marry, if so, that is God's will for you.
2. Are you unable to control your body and have you tried every means available in order to your sexual urges, including medical treatments (Yes, Baxter says that).  If the answer is yes to both questions, then you are probably called to marriage.
3. Will marriage allow you to be the most use to God and the public in glorifying him and working to save the souls of others?  If so, marry; if not, abstain.
4. Are you already married?  Then stay married, God has ordained it for you once you enter into the marriage covenant.

Then there are a few other guidelines he gives for those whose parents forbid them from marriage, those who have eloped, those who have promised themselves to others, etc. It was a very engaging section and one which our world would do well to consider carefully, especially since more marriages end in divorce than manage to last.

I look forward to sharing more of Baxter's thoughts as time progresses.

Where's Jesus? Jacob reunited to Joseph (Genesis 46:1-47:12)

A father and son reunited after many years.  A family relocated from the dust bowl to the fertile plains.  A son able to provide abundantly for the family in terms of land and food, when previously they have been living in great need.  This sounds like the synopsis to a great novel, and it is.  It is the synopsis to the greatest story ever told in human history.  The story of God's love for humanity.  God the Father, Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Christian church all star in this story in many ways similar to the story relayed in our reading in Genesis this week.

In Genesis 46:4, God tells Jacob,

"I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again."

This promise from God to be with Jacob and never to leave him, is reiterated by the author of Hebrews as,

 "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 

Jesus himself promised, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18).  Wherever we go, wether it is to the darkest hour of our trial, as the nation of Israel faced as the entered Egypt only to become its slaves later on, or in receiving the blessing of God as the nation leaves captivity entering into a land flowing with milk and honey, God is there.  He goes with his people by the presence of his Holy Spirit who lives in us.  We are not alone, just as God promised Jacob that he would not be alone.

But the next beautiful promises of Christ comes to us in the reaction of Jacob.  Jacob takes all his wealth and all his children and follows the Lord's leading.  So it is with Christ, he takes his entire church with him into the grave and out again.  He takes his entire church with him into suffering and then into glory.  he takes his entire church into his glorious reign and ensures that they are safe and sound in the fold of his garments of holiness.  The Scriptures for this would be way to numerous to show, but even a cursory reading of Romans will reveal that this is true.

Next, Joseph acts as a mediator in verse 31 between Pharaoh and the brothers.  He says,

"I will go and speak to Pharaoh..."

In his mediation he seeks the best land in Egypt for the family and he secures it, just as Christ is the sole mediator between God and man (1Timothy 2:5) and seeks our best interest.  He prays for us, he asks for the best land in the promised kingdom for each of us and he brings us into the Promised Land, making sure that we have all we need to thrive just as Joseph did for Jacob and his family.  

This is such a wonderful passage which directs us toward Jesus and his ministry.  May you always be encouraged as you see Christ in the writings that testify to him.  Amen.

Restating the Gospel - Galatians 4:8-20

Who has ever used “Cliff’s Notes”?  I remember using Cliff’s Notes to get through my high school English class, particularly the sections on Shakespeare.  You have to understand that I hated reading books.  I was a numbers guy.  I could work math problems over and over and over.  I could read dictionaries or encyclopedias and never get bored, but I just couldn’t make it through a novel, much less a Shakespearian play. 

Our passage of Scripture today is kind of like picking up a Cliff’s Notes.  What I mean by that is these 12 verses give us a good overview of the book of Galatians, just like my handy English book gave me a good overview of what happened in Romeo and Juliet, or Hamlet.  There are a number of themes, which Paul retouches on briefly at this point in the letter.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q24

Q.24. How are these articles divided?

A. Into three parts: God the Father and our creation; God the Son and our deliverance; God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification.

Monday

Have you ever tried to memorize a series of facts?  It can be difficult, but if you can arrange them into some sequence that makes sense, and points you to the next item, it is much easier. So it is with the Apostles’ Creed.  It is divided into 3 sections related to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Furthermore, each section attributes an action to that particular person of God: Creation, salvation and the making of our present lives holy.

This does not mean the others persons of the godhead have nothing to do with the other processes.  They most certainly do, for “God is one.” But like all memory aids, it helps us to understand what God has done, is doing and will continue to do through his one divine nature. 

Read Psalms 33.  Did you notice that the one Lord creates, saves and is our hope for holiness?  The first two are easy to spot; but the last one is expressed in the final verse, “May your unfailing love rest upon us.”  If God’s love is to rest on us, we must be made holy.  Thank the Lord for these three wonderful acts at work in the world.

Where's Jesus? Joseph reveals himself (Genesis 45)

 After all the family struggles, the revealing of past sins, and the effort expended to make a life, Joseph's brothers are shocked at the behavior of Pharaoh's second in command.  It is easy to imagine that such actions from a dignitary could be viewed as eccentric, even crazy.  But the great turning point for the family comes when Joseph recites these words,

"I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! An now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you...God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Genesis 45:4-5, 7)

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q23

Q.23. What are these articles?

A. I believe in God, the Father almighty,


creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
     

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
     

and born of the virgin Mary.
     

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
     

was crucified, died, and was buried;
     

he descended to hell.
     

The third day he rose again from the dead.
     

He ascended to heaven
     

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
     

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
     

the holy catholic* church,
     

the communion of saints,
     

the forgiveness of sins,
     

the resurrection of the body,
     

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Monday

Last week we began to talk about creeds.  There are many creeds in our world and many in the Christian churches.  But there are 3 creeds every church believes that set the foundation of the Christian faith.  They are the Apostles’ Creed, which we have learned today, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed.  These three creeds help us to understand what the bible teaches with regard to God, Christ The Holy Spirit and Salvation. 

Creeds are not new.  Throughout the bible we find many people who make proclamations about who God is.  We will explore some of these this week and in the coming weeks we will take a closer look at the Apostles’ Creed. If you haven’t memorized this creed yet, make it your goal to learn it by heart by the week’s end.  Read Psalm 119:66 as a way of seeing what the psalmist believed.

Thoughts on Goodness

Goodness: Again, the reader should be aware that this is the third post in a series related to the Fruit of the Spirit written by Stephen Winward.

"The holy God, who is perfect goodness, requires his people to be holy; 'You shall be holy, for I am holy' (1 Pet. 1:16).  It is in order that we may meet this requirement that he gives to us the Holy Spirit, who produces in us the goodness of Christ.  And so it is from God, from the Holy Trinity, from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that all human goodness is derived.  Goodness is gift, grace, fruit." (pg. 148).

Just think on that for some time.  Without the Holy Spirit, without God alive in us, we will not be able to do anything which God will ever deem "good".  It is only his actions that are good, Jesus said so when he responded to the rich young ruler - "Why do you call me good?  There is only one who is good - God." 

The girls baptism

Our daughters were baptized on Sunday.  In the reformed tradition, we believe that God's promises are for us and our children, and that baptism is a sign that he will be at work in their lives calling them into covenant relationship with him, even before they realize it.  Well enough of the theological, lets get to the personal.

As a pastor, I had the privilege of baptizing my new daughters.  Frankly, I was fairly nervous about doing it.  Our youngest is fairly shy and withdrawn and having water placed on your head in front of an entire church could be a fairly scary thing.  But her response was exhilarating.  There was no fear, but a calm peace, even a sense of excitement, and after I handed her back to Jen, she kept smiling and saying, "Momma, wa," and making the sign of the cross on her head.  She was ecstatic to be included into the family of God.  Oh that more people would exhibit the kind of euphoria at being part of God's church forever.  It truly is something to be very emotive about.

Thoughts on Kindness

Kindness: This first thing to catch my interest in this chapter of Winward's Fruit of the Spirit was a quote from Quaker Stephen Grellet,

"I expect to pas through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow-creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."(pg. 136)

The words show a great amount of wisdom and ring a warning to us about our temporal lives.  We may not live until tomorrow to do that next act of kindness that has been put off.  We need to act now.  But what was more striking to me was how he connected Christian conversion with kindness.  Using the story of Paul and Silas in Philippi he tells us they had been beaten and the jailer had fastened them in the stocks, without any concern for their pain and suffering, but when he was converted the text tells us, 

"He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds." (Acts 16:33)

Kindness is part of being a Christian and it is a radically different way of interacting with society than the non-Christian way.  The actual word used in Gal 5:22 is chrestotes and means

"goodness toward the evil and ungrateful, it is beneficience towards enemies." 

In the case of Paul, Silas and the Jailer, they were his enemies, but now his friends.  Paul and Silas showed not anger, rather they showed patience and kindness to the Jailer, he in turn, after conversion, showed kindness and love.

Thoughts on Patience

I promised more comments on Winward's Fruit of the Spirit.  Here they are.  Overall the book is excellent, a wonderful source for devotional reading and reflection on my life.  I have been reading through the 3 chapters on patience, kindness and goodness this week.  Each of them contained a wonderful nugget worth pondering.  I will post something from each chapter over the next 3 days.

Patience:  The reader should understand that the word used in this particular instance in Galatians 5:22 that has been translated patience is the Greek word makrothymia.  With that in mind read on,

"As the word makrothymia indicates, patience operates in the context of anger.  Makros means long, and thymos means anger.  Patience is the prologed restraint of anger...There is a tendency nowadays to assume that anger is always bad...Anger can be excellent; it is a characteristic of God himself.  It's true that God is 'slow to anger', but he does become angry. There is a divine impatience with evil. God doesn't always restrain his anger, and the servants of God should not always restrain theirs." (pg. 126)

After thinking on that for awhile, the author then helps the reader to distinguish between good and bad anger.  These are two kinds of anger that exist in our world. "Good anger is other-people centered; bad anger is self-centered."

My only complaint, with the chapter is the digression he takes into discussing patience in relation to waiting for things.  While I think our culture needs to hear his words, the Greek for patient waiting is a totally different and unrelated word, which the author acknowledges, but which he moves on and covers anyway.