As I go about my day it seems there are times when I catch the sound of a voice not quite discernible. It is not always there, however, it comes to me often enough that it can be a distraction. It is not out in the open, not where I can easily see, but it is there none the less. It is, sort of, a voice in the darkness. It has a tinge of loneliness, maybe a little regret. It is a voice that whispers there is a need that is not being met. The haunting feeling is that it is a need I am meant to satisfy. But one I, all too often, find ways to ignore. The remarkable thing is, that it is still and quiet but I hear it above the noise of the traffic, the clamor of the mall, and the blare of the radio. The voice in the darkness finds its way to me in the brilliance of sunlight and the stillness of midnight.
I sometimes wonder if it is that "still small voice" Elijah heard in 1 Kings 19:12. But no, this voice lacks encouragement, at times it almost sounds desperate and wounded. In truth, I live in a world filled with wounded voices in the dark. The wounded soul who checks out my groceries, the man with the sign, asking for change, the child on the street corner wearing a coat five sizes too large. There is no shortage of desperate voices. Even within the doors of God's assemblies where believers gather to worship and praise there are the broken families and grieving widows. There are those who join us and wear their best face yet are haunted by addictions and wounds that never seem to heal. There are times, even for believers, when we understand how Israel felt. When it feels like God has led us into the wilderness only to abandon us.
In those quiet, and not so quiet moments, when that quiet voice comes to me, I try to imagine that the voice is meant for someone else. However, I know that is not so. At times, when I allow myself to be most candid, I know the voice is mine. After all these years the enemy of my soul still speaks through my own shortcomings, my own feelings of failure. My own memories of missed opportunities and words that I can never take back. The voice in the dark reminds me of words my mind will never let go of. Words that are like festering wounds that were spoken decades ago. I would like to deny that the voice in the dark exists. I would like to say that I am beyond that. I would like to say that my spiritual growth after all these years has silenced the voice and my attention is solely on the needs of others. But that would just give the voice another thing to whisper in the dark.
The voice reminds me of the magnitude of the resurrection of my Lord and Messiah. I have life, for He has conquered death. The fear of a dark eternity is washed away in the light of His glory. He is risen and the voice in the dark is really a shadow with no teeth. However, it is still there. There are times it tries to be more vocal, more distracting, more condemning. Those times when the lie of the wilderness seems almost inviting. When one can rest in hopelessness and feel no responsibility for life. They are short lived. The Spirit simply reminds me that 1st John 4:4 applies. I am His child and greater is He who is in me than the disturbing voice in the dark. Even when that voice is my own.
We are reminded daily of a world that is lost and decaying. We may well be reminded daily of our weaknesses and failures. We will do well to remember Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We do not have to fix ourselves to be loved by Him. We do not need to defeat the voice in the darkness for our Savior has already brought us to the light. I believe the voice will always be there. However, I also believe I do not have to listen to the voice who condemns me. For I am in Christ Jesus, and there is no condemnation where I now reside.
I wonder if you hear a voice that whispers in the darkness. One that tries to discourage and condemn. I have little doubt that the voice in the darkness will call on all of us, from time to time. But the power of the resurrected Lord assures me of life. I no longer have to live in the darkness. When I rest in that truth, the voice in the darkness is robbed of his power. And I am free. And so are you.
Monday, April 10, 2017
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
The Outside of the Cup
Have you ever noticed that as followers of Christ we seem to struggle to keep things in balance? It seems we are running after one thing or another at the expense of other areas of life. We know we need to be involved in ministry so we commit to various projects until our families are neglected. Then we turn our attention to our loved ones and find we have missed every other worship service. We get engrossed in some theological study and have no time for prayer. We concentrate on inner purity but leave out external actions. To be honest, we are also remarkably adept at excusing the excesses and extremes with common sayings that have little or no Biblical reality. One common excuse is that "God knows my heart". This is another way of saying, "good intentions are all that matters." "God knows my heart" just sounds a lot better, even a bit spiritual. And who can argue with that? It is a convenient way to excuse the imbalance and even sin in our lives.
The heart attitude is certainly important. Jesus, tells us, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man" (Matthew 15:18). And the Lord warned Israel, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth,and honor Me with their lips,but their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:8). In our Lord's discussion with some of the Pharisees He rebukes them saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence" (Matthew 23:25). By these verses we know that the Lord God is deeply concerned with our heart attitudes. Just going through the motions is never enough or fully acceptable to the Lord.
The heart attitude is certainly important. Jesus, tells us, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man" (Matthew 15:18). And the Lord warned Israel, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth,and honor Me with their lips,but their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:8). In our Lord's discussion with some of the Pharisees He rebukes them saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence" (Matthew 23:25). By these verses we know that the Lord God is deeply concerned with our heart attitudes. Just going through the motions is never enough or fully acceptable to the Lord.
That being said, a cup that proclaims to be spotless on the inside yet has an external appearance of impurity and filth is not acceptable either. The person who is in violation of God's Word or whose behavior is damaging to those around them cannot take a pass with the phrase, "But, God knows my heart." Maybe so, but people know your actions. Faith is demonstrated by what we do. A heartfelt "Be warmed and be filled" would never cut it with James. Neither would telling someone, "But, you know I love you" when the actions of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 are null and void. The outside of our cups are just as important as the inside of the cup. Paul encourages us when writing to Timothy, "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter [inequity], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21). Vessels of honor are clean on the inside and the outside.
God's desire is that our lives be integrated into His. If we are to be like our Messiah we need to represent Him in how we act and with the attitudes that we hold in our hearts. Misconduct and an attitude that does not reflect our Lord is simply not acceptable, no matter what our heart tells us. Jesus displayed a humble and compassionate heart, grounded in uncompromising truth. His call on our lives is to reflect the same. Remember Jeremiah's warning, “The heart is deceitful above all, and desperately wicked; who can know it" (Jeremiah 17:9)? Our tendency is to find ways to excuse how we behave. The outside of the cup should reflect the inside. If Christ has cleansed our hearts our lives should reflect that cleansing.
God, indeed knows our hearts. The question we face is, do we?
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Monday, March 6, 2017
Why Wait 'til It's Too Late?
Having been a Pastor for a number of years I have had both the privilege and pain of a number of services honoring the passing of someone's loved one. Many have been friends, as well as my own father and mother. I have been there honoring a 94 year old saint and a 5 hour old tiny baby boy. The sorrow is genuine and the peace often does pass all understanding. Sometimes there are hints of anger and confusion not understanding the will of God at that moment. Death is simply a part of life as we know it. It's touch is inescapable and more frequent as we grow older. We strive to comfort those who suffer the loss. Words are often beyond our reach especially when the one passed has a sorted history that showed no sign of spiritual life. What words of comfort are available in those dark hours? As the days pass, the routine and business of life fill the gaps but it is often the simple things, the routine reminders, that can haunt us. A song we shared, a kindness like a simple morning cup of coffee, or a favorite movie clip all remind us of the loss. A life deeply shared, a friend tightly held has infiltrated the fabric of our souls so that a sunset, or stream of sunlight can suddenly flood our emotions and catch us unaware. They can be both consoling and disturbing moments.
God has instructed us to be a thankful and grateful people. To appreciate all He has provided and to not take it for granted. When it comes to people we are told to be thankful for them, to encourage them, to be encouraged by them and to build them up. The New English Version holds 72 verses that instruct us to encourage one another. Other translations use words like comfort, strengthen, and uphold. The intent is the same. In the midst of the breadth of the Hebrew and Greek words we are instructed to encourage one another. We are to do and say things that help our fellow humans move through this earthly life. This is especially true for the community of believers, the family of God. Paul sent Timothy to the young assembly of believers in Thessalonica to encourage them in their faith, I Thessalonians 3:2 reads, " and [Paul] sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith." A little later in the same letter Paul instructs the body to do the same, "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In a world that beats us down we need encouragement. Sin hounds us, which is why the writer of Hebrews leaves us with this, "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13).
I find the words at the beginning of Joshua encouraging as both the Lord and God's people encourage Joshua with the words to be "Strong and courageous". Words he needed as he took over leadership from a man like Moses who, let's be honest, was a pretty big act to follow. If you look to the end of most of the apostolic letters we find lists of people the writers were grateful for. The Apostle Paul records lists 0f names we know little about. Folks like, Prisca, Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Prudens, Linus, and Claudia. All found at the close of Paul's second letter to Timothy. Random people who encouraged Paul on his life's journey. Secured in prison encouragement was life's blood for the Apostle. Peter speaks warmly of Silvanus, his faithful brother and Mark, his son in the faith (1 Peter 5:12-13). John writes to his, "beloved, Gaius and to Demetrius, who has a good testimony from the truth itself (3 John 1 & 13). Words of encouragement with pen to parchment and preserved for all time.
I, myself, have a "Barnabas" file. Barnabas means "Son of encouragement", Not a bad nickname given to Joses by the apostles in Acts 4. My file contains notes and cards given to me over the years. Some are from my children and my wife. However, the bulk of them are from random people who took the time to encourage me in written form over the years. I have two poems individuals wrote to speak to me of friendship and the gift God let me be to them. They are treasured and a comfort when the slings and arrows fly during those uncomfortable and somehow inevitable painful days that come with ministry. They are the result of brothers and sisters in Christ who were obedient to God's direction to be an encouragement. They are more precious than gold.
I have presided over some pretty amazing memorial services where people came to share the joy of knowing a life now past. They come to pass on thoughts and memories of moments treasured and words spoken at just the right time. Eulogies for a life that had meaning and impact on their life and how they are a better person for having known the deceased. They are encouraging words. I wonder if they had ever been spoken while the lost one still breathed. The words spoken now fall on silent ears and a still heart. They are a consolation to those who remain. An encouragement to the friends and family who are left behind. However, the honoree lies cold and unresponsive. How many words do we wish we had spoken? Or words written to to be held and treasured as the years pass by. Why do we wait 'til it's too late? Today is a day to encourage. To follow the examples of Paul and Peter and John and write a note to a beloved friend. To let someone know the impact they have had on our lives. To tell them that their words made a difference. Forget the phone, no texts or tweets (not that these are a bad thing) but pick up a pen, buy a few thank you cards at the Dollar Store and encourage someone you care about. Let them hear your eulogy before their time ends and the clock stops. Why wait 'til it's too late?
God has instructed us to be a thankful and grateful people. To appreciate all He has provided and to not take it for granted. When it comes to people we are told to be thankful for them, to encourage them, to be encouraged by them and to build them up. The New English Version holds 72 verses that instruct us to encourage one another. Other translations use words like comfort, strengthen, and uphold. The intent is the same. In the midst of the breadth of the Hebrew and Greek words we are instructed to encourage one another. We are to do and say things that help our fellow humans move through this earthly life. This is especially true for the community of believers, the family of God. Paul sent Timothy to the young assembly of believers in Thessalonica to encourage them in their faith, I Thessalonians 3:2 reads, " and [Paul] sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith." A little later in the same letter Paul instructs the body to do the same, "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In a world that beats us down we need encouragement. Sin hounds us, which is why the writer of Hebrews leaves us with this, "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13).
I find the words at the beginning of Joshua encouraging as both the Lord and God's people encourage Joshua with the words to be "Strong and courageous". Words he needed as he took over leadership from a man like Moses who, let's be honest, was a pretty big act to follow. If you look to the end of most of the apostolic letters we find lists of people the writers were grateful for. The Apostle Paul records lists 0f names we know little about. Folks like, Prisca, Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Prudens, Linus, and Claudia. All found at the close of Paul's second letter to Timothy. Random people who encouraged Paul on his life's journey. Secured in prison encouragement was life's blood for the Apostle. Peter speaks warmly of Silvanus, his faithful brother and Mark, his son in the faith (1 Peter 5:12-13). John writes to his, "beloved, Gaius and to Demetrius, who has a good testimony from the truth itself (3 John 1 & 13). Words of encouragement with pen to parchment and preserved for all time.
I, myself, have a "Barnabas" file. Barnabas means "Son of encouragement", Not a bad nickname given to Joses by the apostles in Acts 4. My file contains notes and cards given to me over the years. Some are from my children and my wife. However, the bulk of them are from random people who took the time to encourage me in written form over the years. I have two poems individuals wrote to speak to me of friendship and the gift God let me be to them. They are treasured and a comfort when the slings and arrows fly during those uncomfortable and somehow inevitable painful days that come with ministry. They are the result of brothers and sisters in Christ who were obedient to God's direction to be an encouragement. They are more precious than gold.
I have presided over some pretty amazing memorial services where people came to share the joy of knowing a life now past. They come to pass on thoughts and memories of moments treasured and words spoken at just the right time. Eulogies for a life that had meaning and impact on their life and how they are a better person for having known the deceased. They are encouraging words. I wonder if they had ever been spoken while the lost one still breathed. The words spoken now fall on silent ears and a still heart. They are a consolation to those who remain. An encouragement to the friends and family who are left behind. However, the honoree lies cold and unresponsive. How many words do we wish we had spoken? Or words written to to be held and treasured as the years pass by. Why do we wait 'til it's too late? Today is a day to encourage. To follow the examples of Paul and Peter and John and write a note to a beloved friend. To let someone know the impact they have had on our lives. To tell them that their words made a difference. Forget the phone, no texts or tweets (not that these are a bad thing) but pick up a pen, buy a few thank you cards at the Dollar Store and encourage someone you care about. Let them hear your eulogy before their time ends and the clock stops. Why wait 'til it's too late?
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017
If God Is Good Why Is There Evil?
We live in a world and culture where some choose to not believe. They may reject aspects of what you believe or perhaps they have determined to disallow the very existence of God. That is their choice. However, that is often not enough for them. They seem to have some odd compulsion to try to convince you that your faith must be wrong or without any logical rationale. The question often asked is, "If God is good why is there evil in the world?" Or, "If there is a God who made everything why is everything in such a mess?" They are usually not open to the explanation that God, in His love and grace, made us free agents to make choices. Some of those are good choices and some are bad or evil choices. It is not God's fault when we make poor decisions with troubling consequences. Ahh but then comes the, "If God did make us why didn't He make it so we could only make good choices?" The conclusion is that either God is not good or He is not powerful enough to make people and a world where only good exists.
We could point to Exodus 34:6, "And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth." Here is a list of character traits for God. He is merciful, gracious, longsuffering, good and true. We can quote passages that tell us He is creator from Genesis one or that Titus 3:4 says, "when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared", letting us know God is our savior. It is true that God's word is powerful, Isaiah 55:11 assures us that, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void." Paul reminds us that, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). It is important to use the Word of God in defense of His truth. However, for those who have already rejected the revelation God has given, it means little to them. Scripture offers no satisfying answer to one who comes to argue that your faith is baseless. We can move to a more philosophical approach where God is the initial mover or the great designer which accounts for the complexity of life and our very bodies. Yet, this still does not answer the question.
If those who question or deny God's existence feel the freedom to challenge our beliefs. then isn't it reasonable for us to also be able to challenge their beliefs? If one rejects the truth of God's existence and His revealed communication to us in His Word they are likely a believer in evolution. That would mean we are evolving beings moving toward a higher plane of existence. The universe, the earth, the living things on the planet and how they relate to one another should be in a gradual process of refinement. We should be moving in an upward direction toward an improved reality. Everything should be slowly changing to become more efficient, better adapted to the environment and in greater harmony with each other and nature. If their theory is true, we should be on a gradual but measurable path toward perfection with the passing millenniums. If this is not what we see, perhaps it is time to challenge what they hold to be true. Maybe we need to occasionally stop defending our faith and play a little offense and challenge what they hold to be true.
If evolutionary science, be it physical or social, is true, then we should be becoming more civil, more tolerant, more resistant to disease and more united as social beings. If we are continuing in this remarkable evolutionary upward spiral our social interaction should be improving. There should be fewer wars and a reduction in atrocities. Is this the reality we live in? Perhaps the "survival of the fittest" aspect of evolutionary theory comes into play here. However, if that is the answer, then they should rejoice over the extinction of any creature or plant. This simply would prove the progression and refining of the species. An observable collection of data within the social structures that have evolved upon this planet demonstrate that the theory may be flawed. We do not seem to be getting better. We see more strife, war, poverty, and violence. Humanity seems almost out of control and unable to resolve its own issues. Those who deny the divine can point to religion as responsible for much of the horror that has plagued the world. This is a hollow argument, for all religious belief systems would be a product of social evolution. Rather than progressive beings it appears that if the theory of evolution is true then you are nothing more than a pawn tossed about at the whim of natural selection. There seems to be little tangible evidence of the positive refining of humanity heading up the evolutionary ladder.
However, there is an alternative theory. One where there is a divine creator that made humanity and the world we live in. One where the divine entity gave His creation the ability to make choices. Good ones and bad ones. Where humanity was called to cultivate and protect the rest of creation. To have a divine command to protect endangered species from evolutionary extinction. An ordained social structure where good is rewarded and evil is punished. A social order where mankind can choose to follow the creators design or reject it and reap the consequences. A world where this divine being revealed Himself to us and actually took on humanity and walked among us to give us direction and instruction as how to best live while still respecting our ability to choose. A world where, in spite of how things appear, this knowable divine being will only let us degenerate so far before He intervenes and acts with righteous justice upon all of His creation.
So there are two basic theories before us. One believes that a knowable, divine being created us with the ability to choose and continues to respect that ability given to us. He offers hope and an eventual time where all of humanity and all that lives on planet earth will live in harmony. Where species do not exterminate each other and where humanity prospers in peace. The other may work out if anything survives the next million years and evolves into the social order and care for the planet God designed from the beginning.
You have the freedom to choose.
We could point to Exodus 34:6, "And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth." Here is a list of character traits for God. He is merciful, gracious, longsuffering, good and true. We can quote passages that tell us He is creator from Genesis one or that Titus 3:4 says, "when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared", letting us know God is our savior. It is true that God's word is powerful, Isaiah 55:11 assures us that, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void." Paul reminds us that, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). It is important to use the Word of God in defense of His truth. However, for those who have already rejected the revelation God has given, it means little to them. Scripture offers no satisfying answer to one who comes to argue that your faith is baseless. We can move to a more philosophical approach where God is the initial mover or the great designer which accounts for the complexity of life and our very bodies. Yet, this still does not answer the question.
If those who question or deny God's existence feel the freedom to challenge our beliefs. then isn't it reasonable for us to also be able to challenge their beliefs? If one rejects the truth of God's existence and His revealed communication to us in His Word they are likely a believer in evolution. That would mean we are evolving beings moving toward a higher plane of existence. The universe, the earth, the living things on the planet and how they relate to one another should be in a gradual process of refinement. We should be moving in an upward direction toward an improved reality. Everything should be slowly changing to become more efficient, better adapted to the environment and in greater harmony with each other and nature. If their theory is true, we should be on a gradual but measurable path toward perfection with the passing millenniums. If this is not what we see, perhaps it is time to challenge what they hold to be true. Maybe we need to occasionally stop defending our faith and play a little offense and challenge what they hold to be true.
If evolutionary science, be it physical or social, is true, then we should be becoming more civil, more tolerant, more resistant to disease and more united as social beings. If we are continuing in this remarkable evolutionary upward spiral our social interaction should be improving. There should be fewer wars and a reduction in atrocities. Is this the reality we live in? Perhaps the "survival of the fittest" aspect of evolutionary theory comes into play here. However, if that is the answer, then they should rejoice over the extinction of any creature or plant. This simply would prove the progression and refining of the species. An observable collection of data within the social structures that have evolved upon this planet demonstrate that the theory may be flawed. We do not seem to be getting better. We see more strife, war, poverty, and violence. Humanity seems almost out of control and unable to resolve its own issues. Those who deny the divine can point to religion as responsible for much of the horror that has plagued the world. This is a hollow argument, for all religious belief systems would be a product of social evolution. Rather than progressive beings it appears that if the theory of evolution is true then you are nothing more than a pawn tossed about at the whim of natural selection. There seems to be little tangible evidence of the positive refining of humanity heading up the evolutionary ladder.
However, there is an alternative theory. One where there is a divine creator that made humanity and the world we live in. One where the divine entity gave His creation the ability to make choices. Good ones and bad ones. Where humanity was called to cultivate and protect the rest of creation. To have a divine command to protect endangered species from evolutionary extinction. An ordained social structure where good is rewarded and evil is punished. A social order where mankind can choose to follow the creators design or reject it and reap the consequences. A world where this divine being revealed Himself to us and actually took on humanity and walked among us to give us direction and instruction as how to best live while still respecting our ability to choose. A world where, in spite of how things appear, this knowable divine being will only let us degenerate so far before He intervenes and acts with righteous justice upon all of His creation.
So there are two basic theories before us. One believes that a knowable, divine being created us with the ability to choose and continues to respect that ability given to us. He offers hope and an eventual time where all of humanity and all that lives on planet earth will live in harmony. Where species do not exterminate each other and where humanity prospers in peace. The other may work out if anything survives the next million years and evolves into the social order and care for the planet God designed from the beginning.
You have the freedom to choose.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Leave Yourself at Home
One of the greatest challenges in our pursuit of understanding is the tendency to bring ourselves with us as we embark on the journey to know things. We bring our culture, our background, our bias, and what we already accept as true into whatever it is we read and research. The challenge is pervasive and actually quite difficult to overcome. We often fail to realize or are unwilling to admit that we even have any bias. Obviously what we believe is true or we would not believe it. None of us would intentionally hold to what is not true. This unfortunate reality touches almost every area of life and carries us unwittingly into potential error or a measure of divisive, albeit unintended, arrogance.
Your view of the War Between the States may differ if you are from Georgia or New York. Your appreciation for a particular president will be tainted by your conservative or progressive ideology. This is true in everything from sports to science, from history to archeology. If you believe the earth to be millions of years old, the fossil records will support your view. However, if you hold to a young earth the fossil records reveal just the opposite. If you support the Yankees, they are a great team; if you don't, they are pampered and cheat. Chevrolet is either a government owned piece of garbage or they make the greatest car on the planet. Speaking of the planet, it is either warming, cooling, following a cycle, fragile and being destroyed or resilient and ours to harvest. Being objective is what we think we are as opposed to those who disagree who are obviously blinded by their own preconceived and misguided notions. The greatest challenge to the study of anything is to leave yourself at home and just observe what is there before you.
As one who has studied the Scriptures and theological systems and ideologies for most of my life, it is a challenge to not drag what I think I know into what it is that I study. My understanding of God's Word has remained fairly consistent over the years, but the finer points have certainly evolved a bit. I am also far more comfortable with not being sure of the "right" answer. I am far more accepting of the tensions and paradoxes that are woven through the pages of God's Revelation. I have come to see His book as being far more relational in it's instruction rather than a manual for the "do's and don'ts" for life. I still struggle to leave myself at home and place myself into a Jewish culture with all it's nuances and traditions that are true of the Biblical text. I must admit I also struggle with those who see no need to make that attempt and treat the Bible like it was written in English to Americans so there is no need to consider the original culture, author, or audience to which the book was written.
Much of the time there is little consequence, for the application is often the same in both cultures. However, this is not always the case. There is danger is allowing our personal bias to color what the text actually says. Let me share few examples.
I am currently teaching through 1 Thessalonians on Sunday mornings. In reviewing the background of the book I read several introductions to see what different scholars had to offer. All find their way to Acts 17:1-10. "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:1-2). The text seems pretty clear. Paul and company come to the city of Thessalonica and, as was their custom, went to the Synagogue and for three Sabbath days Paul reasoned with them from the Old Testament Scriptures. (There was no New Testament) The passage goes on to tell us Paul's message was that Jesus, Yeshua, was the Jewish Messiah who died and rose again. Opposition to this message arises and they are forced to flee the city. A few of the commentaries go on to say that after three days of being in the synagogue and the rejection of the Jews, Paul went to Jason's house and started a church. Paul was there for an undisclosed time and then, due to continued opposition, moved on to Berea. There is nothing in the text to support this. The addition to the text comes only from the commentator's belief that there was a distinct entity called the church fully separate from Judaism at the time of Paul. Neither the text or history bear this out. However, you can find it if you carry your bias with you into your study of the passage.
One of the more fanciful things I heard a number of years ago was the account of the coin and the fish. "“Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you” (Matthew 17:27). I have heard a message on "The Other Fish". The preacher explained that there is no way Peter would have stopped with one fish and one coin. He would have kept fishing until he filled his pockets with coins. First, the text does not suggest this at all. Second, I do not think the cloths at the time had pockets. This passage is not about God providing for your every need or for giving you all the money you might want. God does not promise prosperity and wealth from this passage. It does not support that premise unless you bring it with you from your own preconceived understanding of God's promised prosperity.
Mark 7:19 says, "For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)." This is the NIV translation of this passage. Most other translations read much the same. However we find something different in the KJV. "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" Both translations point out that food goes into the stomach or belly and then out of the body. The KJV simply says this is how the body digests food and then purges the waste. The NIV tells us that "In saying this Jesus declared all foods clean". The difference is that the translators of the NIV added the words "in saying this Jesus declared" and use an alternate meaning for the word "purge" as "clean". Why would anyone add words to the text that God had not placed there? Why go with "clean" rather than a equally valid translation "purge"? It is because the translators brought themselves along with them as they made the translation. They believe the Jewish dietary laws are no longer in effect so they add to the text to "clarify" what Jesus must have meant. Not based on the text or the teaching of Jesus, but on the basis or their own preconceived notion of an end to dietary laws. This is why it is important to read a variety of translations when we study God's Word. Even the translators are not immune to bringing their own bias to their translation efforts.
It may be that you have determined, as the year has begun anew, to read through the Bible this year. That is a great goal and objective for the new year. However, remember that you and I are immersed in our own American culture. We live in it every day of our lives. This is not the Jewish culture that the Word of God was written in. I encourage you and myself as well, to try to leave yourself at home. Take the time to travel back in time to the time of Samuel or David or Messiah in Palestine some 2000 years ago. It will not be easy; however, it can be very rewarding to see those early times with more Jewish eyes. You could pass up watching a TV show and pick up a book about the culture of the times of Jesus. Do a little searching on the web to try to learn a bit about Biblical traditions. If you do, remember that they may well bring themselves with themm as we all tend to dom so read a few different sources. I know this sounds like a bit of work, but isn't knowing the word of God and His Son worth a little extra time and effort?
Enjoy your time in the Word of God. Just leave yourself at home.
Your view of the War Between the States may differ if you are from Georgia or New York. Your appreciation for a particular president will be tainted by your conservative or progressive ideology. This is true in everything from sports to science, from history to archeology. If you believe the earth to be millions of years old, the fossil records will support your view. However, if you hold to a young earth the fossil records reveal just the opposite. If you support the Yankees, they are a great team; if you don't, they are pampered and cheat. Chevrolet is either a government owned piece of garbage or they make the greatest car on the planet. Speaking of the planet, it is either warming, cooling, following a cycle, fragile and being destroyed or resilient and ours to harvest. Being objective is what we think we are as opposed to those who disagree who are obviously blinded by their own preconceived and misguided notions. The greatest challenge to the study of anything is to leave yourself at home and just observe what is there before you.
As one who has studied the Scriptures and theological systems and ideologies for most of my life, it is a challenge to not drag what I think I know into what it is that I study. My understanding of God's Word has remained fairly consistent over the years, but the finer points have certainly evolved a bit. I am also far more comfortable with not being sure of the "right" answer. I am far more accepting of the tensions and paradoxes that are woven through the pages of God's Revelation. I have come to see His book as being far more relational in it's instruction rather than a manual for the "do's and don'ts" for life. I still struggle to leave myself at home and place myself into a Jewish culture with all it's nuances and traditions that are true of the Biblical text. I must admit I also struggle with those who see no need to make that attempt and treat the Bible like it was written in English to Americans so there is no need to consider the original culture, author, or audience to which the book was written.
Much of the time there is little consequence, for the application is often the same in both cultures. However, this is not always the case. There is danger is allowing our personal bias to color what the text actually says. Let me share few examples.
I am currently teaching through 1 Thessalonians on Sunday mornings. In reviewing the background of the book I read several introductions to see what different scholars had to offer. All find their way to Acts 17:1-10. "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:1-2). The text seems pretty clear. Paul and company come to the city of Thessalonica and, as was their custom, went to the Synagogue and for three Sabbath days Paul reasoned with them from the Old Testament Scriptures. (There was no New Testament) The passage goes on to tell us Paul's message was that Jesus, Yeshua, was the Jewish Messiah who died and rose again. Opposition to this message arises and they are forced to flee the city. A few of the commentaries go on to say that after three days of being in the synagogue and the rejection of the Jews, Paul went to Jason's house and started a church. Paul was there for an undisclosed time and then, due to continued opposition, moved on to Berea. There is nothing in the text to support this. The addition to the text comes only from the commentator's belief that there was a distinct entity called the church fully separate from Judaism at the time of Paul. Neither the text or history bear this out. However, you can find it if you carry your bias with you into your study of the passage.
One of the more fanciful things I heard a number of years ago was the account of the coin and the fish. "“Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you” (Matthew 17:27). I have heard a message on "The Other Fish". The preacher explained that there is no way Peter would have stopped with one fish and one coin. He would have kept fishing until he filled his pockets with coins. First, the text does not suggest this at all. Second, I do not think the cloths at the time had pockets. This passage is not about God providing for your every need or for giving you all the money you might want. God does not promise prosperity and wealth from this passage. It does not support that premise unless you bring it with you from your own preconceived understanding of God's promised prosperity.
Mark 7:19 says, "For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)." This is the NIV translation of this passage. Most other translations read much the same. However we find something different in the KJV. "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" Both translations point out that food goes into the stomach or belly and then out of the body. The KJV simply says this is how the body digests food and then purges the waste. The NIV tells us that "In saying this Jesus declared all foods clean". The difference is that the translators of the NIV added the words "in saying this Jesus declared" and use an alternate meaning for the word "purge" as "clean". Why would anyone add words to the text that God had not placed there? Why go with "clean" rather than a equally valid translation "purge"? It is because the translators brought themselves along with them as they made the translation. They believe the Jewish dietary laws are no longer in effect so they add to the text to "clarify" what Jesus must have meant. Not based on the text or the teaching of Jesus, but on the basis or their own preconceived notion of an end to dietary laws. This is why it is important to read a variety of translations when we study God's Word. Even the translators are not immune to bringing their own bias to their translation efforts.
It may be that you have determined, as the year has begun anew, to read through the Bible this year. That is a great goal and objective for the new year. However, remember that you and I are immersed in our own American culture. We live in it every day of our lives. This is not the Jewish culture that the Word of God was written in. I encourage you and myself as well, to try to leave yourself at home. Take the time to travel back in time to the time of Samuel or David or Messiah in Palestine some 2000 years ago. It will not be easy; however, it can be very rewarding to see those early times with more Jewish eyes. You could pass up watching a TV show and pick up a book about the culture of the times of Jesus. Do a little searching on the web to try to learn a bit about Biblical traditions. If you do, remember that they may well bring themselves with themm as we all tend to dom so read a few different sources. I know this sounds like a bit of work, but isn't knowing the word of God and His Son worth a little extra time and effort?
Enjoy your time in the Word of God. Just leave yourself at home.
Monday, January 2, 2017
You Cannot Go Back
It is January second. For whatever reason the start of a new year gives one pause for reflection. It seems a bit strange that the turning of a calendar page is a call for a holiday celebration. I believe that, in a very real way, every day is the beginning of a new year. Each day should be treasured, for we do not know how many are allotted to us. This past year was a mix of unusual extremes. It gave me days of wonder, joy and grace that brought my spirit into God's very presence. And there were days that were so painful that they, likewise, brought me into God's presence; for there was nowhere else to go. I am only into day two of this new year and already my heart is both content with my Maker and deeply grieved for circumstances surrounding some who I deeply care for. It seems the darkness never gives up and never really goes away. However, I am to live in the light as He is in the light.
The memories of this past year are vividly etched upon my mind. It would offer some consolation to make the determination to sort of live there. To allow the pains and the joys to of the past to hold my attention and simply make that my dwelling place. Reflection may invite you to avoid the present and what is to come by living or reliving what has already come to pass. However, God does not intend for us to live that way. The memories of the past are to be instructional, not vocational. We are to live in expectation of what is yet to come. We cannot go back. However, we can live in expectation of what the Lord has before us. To be those who live in expectation of the Lord's return.
Memories are remarkable things. Some are to be treasured as gifts from God. However, not all of our memories are gifts. The difficult thing with being mortal with memories is the way the past can hold you back from living in the expectation of what God has for you today and beyond. Dwelling on past failures and losses has the ability to crush our vision for the future. Living in the memories of past victories can keep us from dealing with or being sensitive to the needs and challenges of today. We can live in a state of unreality where the present is shrouded in a vague mist, keeping us from the clarity of what God has called us to now. The truth is we cannot go back. We cannot relive any of the things that brought victory or defeat. Hopefully we can learn from these events for the present and future are connected to what has been. We just should not live there.
Philippians 3:13-14 holds the Apostle Paul's counsel for the new year, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I do recognize that I have not apprehended or attained all that is for me. However, forgetting what is behind, is not an easy task. I am reminded of my shortcomings and failures far more frequently than seems reasonable. Things that stem back to my childhood and teen years on up to recent weeks remind me of what I have not attained. Accomplishments can also be debilitating when I think of what has been done at the expense of what is yet to be.
I have known many whose lives are not life but a catalogue of regrets and disappointments. Some that are their own and some that they have gleaned from spoken words and the actions of other people. They have no room to forget, for the wounds and hurt caused is relived in an unending loop of life-sucking rehearsals of whatever the event might have been. Betrayal or having been betrayed. Feeling diminished or having spoken demeaning words that cannot be retrieved. Life is filled with a cacophony of diverse emotions realized through the acquisition of real or imagined events. The question is what will we do with them. We cannot go back to change them. The pages are already written and the scene of life's drama has already been performed. What remains is the present and the future.
I find solace in the truth that the Apostle Paul had yet to master his own advice. He knew of his failures and opposition to Messiah. He knew of betrayal and disappointment. He knew of the persecution for things he believed. He knew of the victories of new believers gathered in new assemblies across the Middle East and on into Rome. He saw the changed lives and the unique fellowship of Jews and Gentiles worshiping together in the name of Messiah Jesus. But, he also knew what it was to feel abandoned and the desire for the simple comfort of a cloak (2 Timothy 4:13). It is not always easy to forget what was and press on to what can be. Life moves inevitably forward filled with memories of what was and conjectures as to what could have been. Still, no matter how much we might wish it to be true, we cannot go back.
With Paul, I must press on. The Greek word translated "forgetting" holds the idea of "no longer caring for". The past is not in my care. The things to care for are now and yet to come. The Master told us in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." I believe He also meant we cannot go back and live in the past either.
I have no doubt but that the months to come will hold a plethora of things to touch my life. Things to lift my spirit and others to burden my soul. Memories that I will want to treasure and wounds I will want to bury. My opportunity is to leave the past behind and to live in expectation of what the Lord has now before me. To live in the expectation of His return. To press on toward that goal and upward call of Christ Jesus. Do you want to join me in the journey?
The memories of this past year are vividly etched upon my mind. It would offer some consolation to make the determination to sort of live there. To allow the pains and the joys to of the past to hold my attention and simply make that my dwelling place. Reflection may invite you to avoid the present and what is to come by living or reliving what has already come to pass. However, God does not intend for us to live that way. The memories of the past are to be instructional, not vocational. We are to live in expectation of what is yet to come. We cannot go back. However, we can live in expectation of what the Lord has before us. To be those who live in expectation of the Lord's return.
Memories are remarkable things. Some are to be treasured as gifts from God. However, not all of our memories are gifts. The difficult thing with being mortal with memories is the way the past can hold you back from living in the expectation of what God has for you today and beyond. Dwelling on past failures and losses has the ability to crush our vision for the future. Living in the memories of past victories can keep us from dealing with or being sensitive to the needs and challenges of today. We can live in a state of unreality where the present is shrouded in a vague mist, keeping us from the clarity of what God has called us to now. The truth is we cannot go back. We cannot relive any of the things that brought victory or defeat. Hopefully we can learn from these events for the present and future are connected to what has been. We just should not live there.
Philippians 3:13-14 holds the Apostle Paul's counsel for the new year, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I do recognize that I have not apprehended or attained all that is for me. However, forgetting what is behind, is not an easy task. I am reminded of my shortcomings and failures far more frequently than seems reasonable. Things that stem back to my childhood and teen years on up to recent weeks remind me of what I have not attained. Accomplishments can also be debilitating when I think of what has been done at the expense of what is yet to be.
I have known many whose lives are not life but a catalogue of regrets and disappointments. Some that are their own and some that they have gleaned from spoken words and the actions of other people. They have no room to forget, for the wounds and hurt caused is relived in an unending loop of life-sucking rehearsals of whatever the event might have been. Betrayal or having been betrayed. Feeling diminished or having spoken demeaning words that cannot be retrieved. Life is filled with a cacophony of diverse emotions realized through the acquisition of real or imagined events. The question is what will we do with them. We cannot go back to change them. The pages are already written and the scene of life's drama has already been performed. What remains is the present and the future.
I find solace in the truth that the Apostle Paul had yet to master his own advice. He knew of his failures and opposition to Messiah. He knew of betrayal and disappointment. He knew of the persecution for things he believed. He knew of the victories of new believers gathered in new assemblies across the Middle East and on into Rome. He saw the changed lives and the unique fellowship of Jews and Gentiles worshiping together in the name of Messiah Jesus. But, he also knew what it was to feel abandoned and the desire for the simple comfort of a cloak (2 Timothy 4:13). It is not always easy to forget what was and press on to what can be. Life moves inevitably forward filled with memories of what was and conjectures as to what could have been. Still, no matter how much we might wish it to be true, we cannot go back.
With Paul, I must press on. The Greek word translated "forgetting" holds the idea of "no longer caring for". The past is not in my care. The things to care for are now and yet to come. The Master told us in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." I believe He also meant we cannot go back and live in the past either.
I have no doubt but that the months to come will hold a plethora of things to touch my life. Things to lift my spirit and others to burden my soul. Memories that I will want to treasure and wounds I will want to bury. My opportunity is to leave the past behind and to live in expectation of what the Lord has now before me. To live in the expectation of His return. To press on toward that goal and upward call of Christ Jesus. Do you want to join me in the journey?
Monday, December 19, 2016
The Biblical Evidence For Santa
It is that remarkable and wonderful time of year when millions of Christians around the globe anticipate the celebration of the birth of the Savior,Yeshua, Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is that time when the community of believers has the opportunity to find new and old ways to disagree and separate one from another. The time to celebrate "Peace on earth and good will toward men"
can be replaced with judgemental attitudes and divisions over traditions
and questions of worship. Believers vary from those who immerse themselves in virtually every tradition to those who piously proclaim that they will have no part in a celebration that was once based in paganism. "To tree or not to tree, that is the question." What of lights and wreaths and stockings and presents? And what of the big guy in the red suit. What should be done about the Santa Question? Wouldn't it be nice to have some clear Biblical guidelines to clarify these questions? What if I told you that you could find some Biblical answers to the Santa question and some other sticky issues Christians face? Interested? Then keep reading.
The Santa question is answered in Zechariah 2:6, "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD." This has to be the clearest Scriptural evidence to prove the existence of Santa Clause you could ever find. Who else goes "Ho, ho" and flees to the north? Who else is spread abroad the four winds of heaven bringing gifts to all the good boys and girls? Seems pretty convincing to me. And if you really want that expensive gift like a sports car or motor cycle, remember Isaiah 58:14, "then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land". I am not sure if the Triumph is a motor cycle or a sports car but I am sure they did find joy in the Lord cruising around on the heights of the land. If not a Triumph you could probably find joy in a Harley as well. While we are at it we should deal with the health issue of Santa's pipe. Lots of Christians think smoking is wrong. However, Genesis 24:64 says, "And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel." It appears Rebekah was so nervous when she saw Isaac she needed a smoke to calm her nerves. There seems to be little difference between lighting up a Camel and lighting up a pipe so maybe we have been a little too critical of Santa's smoking habit.
I do hope that you, my readers, recognize that this is all said in jest. Though, I must make a bit of a confession. For those who do not know me I have a pretty full and very white beard. I wear wire rimmed glasses from time to time and also wear a red sort of puffy coat on chilly days. I honestly get some pretty wide eyed looks from small children at the shopping malls. One day I could not resist when a little boy stared at me as we rode in an elevator. I held the door for him and his mom and leaned down to look him in the eye and asked, "Have you been good?" His eyes got really wide as he nodded yes. I winked at him and went on my way realizing, as I walked, that I had just embedded the reality of Santa in the heart of a three year old. The verse in Zechariah 2 has nothing to do with Santa. Isaiah does not refer to motor cycles nor does Genesis 24:6 justify putting dry tobacco leaves in your mouth and setting them on fire. It is obvious that these verses were taken out of context and made to say something other than what God intended. It is like saying Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” has anything to do with prayer or worship. We all know that is taken out of context and does not represent what Jesus intended. Right? Not so sure? Let's check out the context.
Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi, is talking to His Jewish disciples and a Jewish crowd about relationships. The passage is about forgiveness and restoration, Matthew 18:15, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother." The Lord then goes on to give instruction should the brother not receive your instruction. “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established" (Matthew 18:16). The italicized portion is a quote for Deuteronomy 19:15. The Jewish audience would recognized this instruction from Torah. The issue here is a violation of God's Law. The grievance is not because someone took their spot at the synagogue or that they said they had seen a high school girls' soccer team play better football than the Jets. It was understood that these petty things would be quickly forgiven and forgotten. The matter here is a sin that puts the brother at odds with God's Word and thus with God Himself. The next step is in verse 17, "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." One needed correction here. There is no church when Yeshua is speaking. The word is simply assembly referring to the Jewish community not a group of Gentile followers of Jesus. This is spoken to Jews who immediately thought of the passage in Deuteronomy. Failure to repent in the face of clear evidence confirmed by three or more witnesses of a clear violation of God's Law would compel the Jewish Community to treat their Jewish brother like a Gentile or tax collector. They would have to exclude the errant brother from the feasts, table fellowship, some business dealings, social events like weddings and bar mitzvah celebrations. It would be a crushing separation designed to bring the guilty brother to repentance and restoration. This is no easy thing and never to be taken lightly. However, if the procedures are followed, those who are leaders in the community and synagogue have assurance from Deuteronomy 19 that when two or three are gathered for the purpose of disciplining and restoring a sinning brother, the Lord, Himself is in their midst. They are not taking such an imposing action on their own. God's Word must be honored and God's community must be pure. There is nothing in Matthew 18 or Deuteronomy 19 that promises us that Jesus will be with us when two or three gather to pray or when we gather to worship. He is always with us and He inhabits the praises of His people. Right thought. Wrong verse.
Just a closing thought about the Christmas season.There is really no doubt that the birth of the babe, spoken of in Luke chapter 2, was born in the spring or fall. This winter birth date is highly unlikely. It is rare to find a Christian that thinks of druids when they see a Christmas tree, but believe me they are out there. I, for one, am fully convinced that the birth of the Savior was not on December 25th. We do not know when his birth occurred. However, I find it hard to find fault with setting aside time to worship the Lord and celebrate His arrival to live among humanity with the purpose of rescuing us from death. It seems any day is a good day to worship God's Son and to celebrate His love and grace poured out upon us. So, I wish you and yours a very blessed Christmas.
The Santa question is answered in Zechariah 2:6, "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD." This has to be the clearest Scriptural evidence to prove the existence of Santa Clause you could ever find. Who else goes "Ho, ho" and flees to the north? Who else is spread abroad the four winds of heaven bringing gifts to all the good boys and girls? Seems pretty convincing to me. And if you really want that expensive gift like a sports car or motor cycle, remember Isaiah 58:14, "then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land". I am not sure if the Triumph is a motor cycle or a sports car but I am sure they did find joy in the Lord cruising around on the heights of the land. If not a Triumph you could probably find joy in a Harley as well. While we are at it we should deal with the health issue of Santa's pipe. Lots of Christians think smoking is wrong. However, Genesis 24:64 says, "And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel." It appears Rebekah was so nervous when she saw Isaac she needed a smoke to calm her nerves. There seems to be little difference between lighting up a Camel and lighting up a pipe so maybe we have been a little too critical of Santa's smoking habit.
I do hope that you, my readers, recognize that this is all said in jest. Though, I must make a bit of a confession. For those who do not know me I have a pretty full and very white beard. I wear wire rimmed glasses from time to time and also wear a red sort of puffy coat on chilly days. I honestly get some pretty wide eyed looks from small children at the shopping malls. One day I could not resist when a little boy stared at me as we rode in an elevator. I held the door for him and his mom and leaned down to look him in the eye and asked, "Have you been good?" His eyes got really wide as he nodded yes. I winked at him and went on my way realizing, as I walked, that I had just embedded the reality of Santa in the heart of a three year old. The verse in Zechariah 2 has nothing to do with Santa. Isaiah does not refer to motor cycles nor does Genesis 24:6 justify putting dry tobacco leaves in your mouth and setting them on fire. It is obvious that these verses were taken out of context and made to say something other than what God intended. It is like saying Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” has anything to do with prayer or worship. We all know that is taken out of context and does not represent what Jesus intended. Right? Not so sure? Let's check out the context.
Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi, is talking to His Jewish disciples and a Jewish crowd about relationships. The passage is about forgiveness and restoration, Matthew 18:15, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother." The Lord then goes on to give instruction should the brother not receive your instruction. “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established" (Matthew 18:16). The italicized portion is a quote for Deuteronomy 19:15. The Jewish audience would recognized this instruction from Torah. The issue here is a violation of God's Law. The grievance is not because someone took their spot at the synagogue or that they said they had seen a high school girls' soccer team play better football than the Jets. It was understood that these petty things would be quickly forgiven and forgotten. The matter here is a sin that puts the brother at odds with God's Word and thus with God Himself. The next step is in verse 17, "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." One needed correction here. There is no church when Yeshua is speaking. The word is simply assembly referring to the Jewish community not a group of Gentile followers of Jesus. This is spoken to Jews who immediately thought of the passage in Deuteronomy. Failure to repent in the face of clear evidence confirmed by three or more witnesses of a clear violation of God's Law would compel the Jewish Community to treat their Jewish brother like a Gentile or tax collector. They would have to exclude the errant brother from the feasts, table fellowship, some business dealings, social events like weddings and bar mitzvah celebrations. It would be a crushing separation designed to bring the guilty brother to repentance and restoration. This is no easy thing and never to be taken lightly. However, if the procedures are followed, those who are leaders in the community and synagogue have assurance from Deuteronomy 19 that when two or three are gathered for the purpose of disciplining and restoring a sinning brother, the Lord, Himself is in their midst. They are not taking such an imposing action on their own. God's Word must be honored and God's community must be pure. There is nothing in Matthew 18 or Deuteronomy 19 that promises us that Jesus will be with us when two or three gather to pray or when we gather to worship. He is always with us and He inhabits the praises of His people. Right thought. Wrong verse.
Just a closing thought about the Christmas season.There is really no doubt that the birth of the babe, spoken of in Luke chapter 2, was born in the spring or fall. This winter birth date is highly unlikely. It is rare to find a Christian that thinks of druids when they see a Christmas tree, but believe me they are out there. I, for one, am fully convinced that the birth of the Savior was not on December 25th. We do not know when his birth occurred. However, I find it hard to find fault with setting aside time to worship the Lord and celebrate His arrival to live among humanity with the purpose of rescuing us from death. It seems any day is a good day to worship God's Son and to celebrate His love and grace poured out upon us. So, I wish you and yours a very blessed Christmas.
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