Do you have people that irritate you? Some co-worker or neighbor or even a family member that knows how to push your buttons. They just know what to say to bug you, raise your blood pressure just a little and tempt you to say something better left unsaid. Have you ever thought about how irritating Yeshua (Jesus) was? He knew what people thought and knew just what to say to get a rise out of them. And He wasn't particular. He irritated pretty much everyone at one point or another. Sometimes our lack of understanding keeps us from seeing just how provocative He was during His ministry here on earth. But before we get there we need to address the foundation that leads to this particular confrontation, this particularly irritating exchange with the Sadducees.It deals with God's unkept promises.
I have heard it said and have reminded people many times that Yahweh and Yeshua are completely reliable. God never fails, He always keeps His promises. It is a comfort and something to hang on to when things seem a bit on the dark side. When life seems unfair or spinning out of control it is always good to know that God will always keep His promises to you. He is not fickle; He does not change, and many of His promises are unconditional. They are based on His sovereign integrity. We can depend on Him and rest in that truth. So what do we do when His Word says He didn't keep His promises? Unconditional promises, bound by a covenant of His design that are then not kept. How do we deal with such apparent horrific news? Let me explain what I am talking about. The problem is recorded for us in Hebrews Chapter 11. It is a wonderful passage about the remarkable faithfulness of God's servants. Verse 13 says, "All these died in faith (or faithfulness) not having received the promises." Now I know it says they saw them afar off, but seeing from a distance and receiving are two different things. This passage says they did not receive them.
In Genesis 12 the Lord calls out to Abram and tells him to get out of his country and to go to land God would show him. God promises to make him a great nation with a great name. A great promise. The Promise is of a land that is to be his, the Land of Canaan. This promise is reiterated numerous times. Here are a couple of examples. Genesis 50:24, "... But God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Issac and to Jacob." God says that they will go to their ancestors as well but the promise said, they, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would get the land. Exodus 6:3-4, "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name, Yahweh, I was not known to them. I have established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers." God gave His covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who never received the promise. It does not say to "you" or their decedents, it says it is to be given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A covenant from God that was not kept. So how do we deal with this and be honest to the text?
Fast forward to Matthew 22 where the Pharisees and Sadducees are taking shots at Messiah. Jesus has been irritating them with the things He has been teaching. The Sadducees denied the supernatural. They didn't believe in angels, most miracles, or the resurrection. Their chief theological opponents were the Pharisees, who believed all these were true. The Sadducees set up an absurd scenario about seven brothers who each die, passing the wife on to the next brother; then she dies. They ask Yeshua whose wife she will be in the resurrection. Messiah responds, "Concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and he God of Jacob' ? God is not the God of the dead but of the living" (Mt. 22:31-32). If you are a Sadducee your are saying, "Ouch" because Yeshua just shot you with an argument from the Pharisees, your arch enemies in the theological world.
Most of us miss the irritating barb because we don't spend a lot of time reading the Talmud, an ancient Jewish commentary. Here you find Rabbi Simai, a Pharisee, arguing for the resurrection based on the land promises. God has a covenant promise with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for them to receive the land of Canaan. They did not receive the promise, just as we read in Hebrews 11, therefore they must raise from the dead to yet receive the promise at some future date. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must receive the land for God to be true, so they must rise from the dead. There must be a resurrection from the dead. Like Rabbi Simai, we too believe that Yahweh and His Son always keep Their promises. Jesus uses the Pharisee's argument to poke the Sadducees concerning the resurrection. How irritating can you get.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Rabbi Simai has something here. We know that all believers will be resurrected, and that includes Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It appears that God's resurrected followers will be with Him for one thousand years here on earth. So perhaps the promises will yet be fulfilled. Perhaps the covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will be realized in the days ahead. Seems reasonable, if we believe that God really does keep His promises. It gives us a little more confidence in the God of the covenant promises. Even if we don't see them being fulfilled at this moment. If this is so for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then the promises to us will be received, the covenants we partake in will be honored. God is trustworthy, even if He is pretty irritating at times.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
Are You an Amoeba Christian? or "Twern't Me"
What is it in your life that just nags at your heart? One of those things that you know the answer to, but don't take the needed steps to resolve. It doesn't have to be a big thing or some "gross" sin. Yet it is there, and the more you try to ignore it the more the Spirit points out the flaw. You observe it in others and see it in the mirror. And to add to the discomfort, others don't see the issue and are seemingly content in where they are, not understanding the danger in which they place themselves. They don't see the longing in God's heart to make them so much more than they are. Now back to you and me. We know the truth. We know the blessing. We have experienced God's pleasure in the truth, yet somehow we prefer the desert. We prefer the dry and barren wilderness over the refreshing truth God has revealed in our spirit and through His Word. For me, I even know why the desert is so appealing and why it is so dangerous, yet I find myself there all too often, even when I know it grieves God's heart. The truth is, I want to be an amoeba Christian, An amoeba Follower of Messiah. I want to ignore God's design.
This is not the first time I have addressed this issue, and it is likely not the last. It is so deeply ingrained in our culture and world view that it is just really hard to overcome. We dabble at the edges of reality but avoid immersing ourselves in God's truth. Recently I was reminded of the great danger we place ourselves in when we take on the amoeba role. The amoeba is a single celled, self sufficient organism. It contentedly slithers around absorbing nutrients and occasionally bumps into other amoebas. I first remember observing them in a drop of swamp water on a slide, through a microscope, in biology class. It was pretty cool to see how much life was in a single drop of pond scum. They all seemed quite content just sort of flowing through the ooze that was their world. All too often we, as followers of Messiah, take on the characteristics of the amoeba. We ooze through our spiritual lives absorbing nutrients and occasionally bump into other amoeba believers on Sundays or at church socials. But for the most part, we are content to be our self sufficient selves. Oh we may teach a class or sing or even lead a Bible study, but our cell walls are up and firmly in tact. There is no real connection. In painful times we find ourselves all too alone. In times of joy there are few to share the moment with. However, what we don't often see is the danger our amoeba lifestyles place us in.
Way back in Genesis Chapter 2 God said "It is not good for man to be alone", so God made man a companion perfectly designed for him. God also continued to fellowship with man and to meet with him regularly. It was paradise. Most of us know that it did not last very long. Eve and Adam hung out where they shouldn't have and disobeyed. They then tried to hide from God. They became amoebas. They stood alone, their relationship with God broken, and the same was true with each other. Basically, "Hey, its not my fault, the woman YOU gave me made me do it". So now I want to be alone, estranged from you and the woman. I want to be an amoeba oozing through my existence, alone with my guilt. Sin does that to us. It drives us to be alone. Why do you think we call them "secret sins". Often we are under the illusion that my misbehavior is mine alone. How could it affect the other amoebas? I am an entity that lives unto myself. I am my own person. It is about my "personal" relationship with God. After all He is my "personal" Savior; I am ultimately accountable to no one else. I can pull myself up by my own bootstraps. I don't want to bother anyone else. I am just an amoeba christian with my personal sin and my personal god wallowing in my personal misery and loneliness, all too personally content or dismayed. ( the small "g" in intentional, for this is not the God of the Scriptures) The little amoeba christian is heading for disaster and there is no one who can penetrate his cell wall. No one to call, "Danger, Will Robinson!". No one to provide strength or protection. No one to give comfort or direction.
I have been in Pastoral ministry for over thirty years. I have worked with many couples who are struggling with their relationship. They are at odds and thinking the best thing to do is to separate. If two amoebas can't get along, then certainly complete isolation will be much better. Or maybe there is a nicer amoeba in the petri dish. Every couple has one thing in common with all the other struggling couples. They are alone. They attend a fellowship of believers and many hold some position of responsibility. But they are not connected. No time for a small group. No time for Ladies' or Men's fellowship. No time for a discipleship group or church fellowship. No time to build relationships with other couples that have any substance or meaning. No connection with more mature believers to gain council or wisdom. No time to see how other couples and families interact to learn and grow and even know who to ask for help in a time of frustration or need. So they call the Pastor to fix the other amoeba they have to live with. This is just not God's design. This is not being members with one another. This is not a body nor a spiritual building of living stones. These amoebas live in danger out there on their own. Stress, sin, business, frustration and even just loaded activities can be Satan's way of isolating us. He knows our strength is not just in the Lord, but found in one another. Isolation makes us vulnerable. Isolation keeps us from being who God intended us to be. Isolation is usually by our own design.
Final thoughts.
Relationships are not constant. They seem to ebb and flow. One who was our soul mate a few years ago drifts away and the intimacy of the friendship is gone. No one is angry or hurt or offended, just not there like it once was. That is reality. The Lord, a marriage partner, and perhaps that BFF are the exception. There are those really cool relationships that just pick up where they left off, even if years of geographic separation occur. Friendships and real community in the Body of Christ takes effort. It is not easy to be vulnerable or available, or to make a commitment to just be there when the Body gathers. The amoeba life just seems easier. Until we suddenly feel that we are alone. The truth is, if we want to be in a right relationship with God we need relationships with His people. So like most good things, this takes effort. Like most good things, Satan will try to convince you that the amoeba life is safer, easier, less stressful. People are messy. You are better off to keep your distance. That is why he is known as the "father of lies".
There are times when you need to be alone with God. Sometimes hours, Sometimes days, and sometimes even weeks. There are times when God needs us to be isolated to accomplish His good work in us. We see those alone times with many in Scripture. Jesus took time alone with the Father. Paul had his 3 year backside of the desert time of preparation. Jacob had his night alone to struggle with the Messenger of God. These times are valuable and necessary for our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. But these are the exceptions, not the rule. The "I need to be alone with God" times are still tied to community, for the end result is to be a better servant of God and that service pretty much always relates to His family. To your brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are in danger when we are alone. Sin crouches at our door when it is closed to one another. Our isolation will not stop with God's people. It will spread to God as well, and we will find ourselves feeling very isolated and alone. We will ask God, "Where have you gone?" " Why have you left me?" " Why am I so alone?" There is an old story, a bit of folk wisdom I remember from my days in Kansas. It tells of an old farmer driving down the highway in his pickup truck. His wife of many years is with him. A sporty convertible passes them with a young couple out for a drive. The young lady is snuggled up as close as she can be as they cruise down the road. The farmer's wife sighs and says, "Oh, don't you remember those days when we drove like that?" Looking straight ahead the farmer quietly replied, "Twern't me that moved." And so it is with us. God never leaves, He never forsakes. And He has designed His Body to work together. To support one another. To know that we are never alone. But, the amoeba life calls. We move away. We close people out. We isolate ourselves and wonder why we are alone. Well maybe, if we are honest, God and His Body might just be saying, "Well, it twern't me who moved".
So what will it be? Will you be a part of that imperfect, rather messy, sometimes hurtful, but always there Community of Believers that needs you as much as you need them, or will you settle for that amoeba existence that really isn't life at all.
This is not the first time I have addressed this issue, and it is likely not the last. It is so deeply ingrained in our culture and world view that it is just really hard to overcome. We dabble at the edges of reality but avoid immersing ourselves in God's truth. Recently I was reminded of the great danger we place ourselves in when we take on the amoeba role. The amoeba is a single celled, self sufficient organism. It contentedly slithers around absorbing nutrients and occasionally bumps into other amoebas. I first remember observing them in a drop of swamp water on a slide, through a microscope, in biology class. It was pretty cool to see how much life was in a single drop of pond scum. They all seemed quite content just sort of flowing through the ooze that was their world. All too often we, as followers of Messiah, take on the characteristics of the amoeba. We ooze through our spiritual lives absorbing nutrients and occasionally bump into other amoeba believers on Sundays or at church socials. But for the most part, we are content to be our self sufficient selves. Oh we may teach a class or sing or even lead a Bible study, but our cell walls are up and firmly in tact. There is no real connection. In painful times we find ourselves all too alone. In times of joy there are few to share the moment with. However, what we don't often see is the danger our amoeba lifestyles place us in.
Way back in Genesis Chapter 2 God said "It is not good for man to be alone", so God made man a companion perfectly designed for him. God also continued to fellowship with man and to meet with him regularly. It was paradise. Most of us know that it did not last very long. Eve and Adam hung out where they shouldn't have and disobeyed. They then tried to hide from God. They became amoebas. They stood alone, their relationship with God broken, and the same was true with each other. Basically, "Hey, its not my fault, the woman YOU gave me made me do it". So now I want to be alone, estranged from you and the woman. I want to be an amoeba oozing through my existence, alone with my guilt. Sin does that to us. It drives us to be alone. Why do you think we call them "secret sins". Often we are under the illusion that my misbehavior is mine alone. How could it affect the other amoebas? I am an entity that lives unto myself. I am my own person. It is about my "personal" relationship with God. After all He is my "personal" Savior; I am ultimately accountable to no one else. I can pull myself up by my own bootstraps. I don't want to bother anyone else. I am just an amoeba christian with my personal sin and my personal god wallowing in my personal misery and loneliness, all too personally content or dismayed. ( the small "g" in intentional, for this is not the God of the Scriptures) The little amoeba christian is heading for disaster and there is no one who can penetrate his cell wall. No one to call, "Danger, Will Robinson!". No one to provide strength or protection. No one to give comfort or direction.
I have been in Pastoral ministry for over thirty years. I have worked with many couples who are struggling with their relationship. They are at odds and thinking the best thing to do is to separate. If two amoebas can't get along, then certainly complete isolation will be much better. Or maybe there is a nicer amoeba in the petri dish. Every couple has one thing in common with all the other struggling couples. They are alone. They attend a fellowship of believers and many hold some position of responsibility. But they are not connected. No time for a small group. No time for Ladies' or Men's fellowship. No time for a discipleship group or church fellowship. No time to build relationships with other couples that have any substance or meaning. No connection with more mature believers to gain council or wisdom. No time to see how other couples and families interact to learn and grow and even know who to ask for help in a time of frustration or need. So they call the Pastor to fix the other amoeba they have to live with. This is just not God's design. This is not being members with one another. This is not a body nor a spiritual building of living stones. These amoebas live in danger out there on their own. Stress, sin, business, frustration and even just loaded activities can be Satan's way of isolating us. He knows our strength is not just in the Lord, but found in one another. Isolation makes us vulnerable. Isolation keeps us from being who God intended us to be. Isolation is usually by our own design.
Final thoughts.
Relationships are not constant. They seem to ebb and flow. One who was our soul mate a few years ago drifts away and the intimacy of the friendship is gone. No one is angry or hurt or offended, just not there like it once was. That is reality. The Lord, a marriage partner, and perhaps that BFF are the exception. There are those really cool relationships that just pick up where they left off, even if years of geographic separation occur. Friendships and real community in the Body of Christ takes effort. It is not easy to be vulnerable or available, or to make a commitment to just be there when the Body gathers. The amoeba life just seems easier. Until we suddenly feel that we are alone. The truth is, if we want to be in a right relationship with God we need relationships with His people. So like most good things, this takes effort. Like most good things, Satan will try to convince you that the amoeba life is safer, easier, less stressful. People are messy. You are better off to keep your distance. That is why he is known as the "father of lies".
There are times when you need to be alone with God. Sometimes hours, Sometimes days, and sometimes even weeks. There are times when God needs us to be isolated to accomplish His good work in us. We see those alone times with many in Scripture. Jesus took time alone with the Father. Paul had his 3 year backside of the desert time of preparation. Jacob had his night alone to struggle with the Messenger of God. These times are valuable and necessary for our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. But these are the exceptions, not the rule. The "I need to be alone with God" times are still tied to community, for the end result is to be a better servant of God and that service pretty much always relates to His family. To your brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are in danger when we are alone. Sin crouches at our door when it is closed to one another. Our isolation will not stop with God's people. It will spread to God as well, and we will find ourselves feeling very isolated and alone. We will ask God, "Where have you gone?" " Why have you left me?" " Why am I so alone?" There is an old story, a bit of folk wisdom I remember from my days in Kansas. It tells of an old farmer driving down the highway in his pickup truck. His wife of many years is with him. A sporty convertible passes them with a young couple out for a drive. The young lady is snuggled up as close as she can be as they cruise down the road. The farmer's wife sighs and says, "Oh, don't you remember those days when we drove like that?" Looking straight ahead the farmer quietly replied, "Twern't me that moved." And so it is with us. God never leaves, He never forsakes. And He has designed His Body to work together. To support one another. To know that we are never alone. But, the amoeba life calls. We move away. We close people out. We isolate ourselves and wonder why we are alone. Well maybe, if we are honest, God and His Body might just be saying, "Well, it twern't me who moved".
So what will it be? Will you be a part of that imperfect, rather messy, sometimes hurtful, but always there Community of Believers that needs you as much as you need them, or will you settle for that amoeba existence that really isn't life at all.
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