Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Mustard Seeds and Yeast
Matt 13:31-33 The simple idea is that the Kingdom starts small and grows. It gets bigger. It's just a natural process and it works in a natural way. Nothing especially mystical about a tree that gets big and birds nests in it. Nothing especially strange about yeast mixing into the entire lump of dough. It's what happens (unless something intervenes to prevent the natural order of things).
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
three judges in Judges 3
Othniel - pronounced oath-knee-ell - with emphasis on the last syllable. His name means "Lion of God." He defeated Cushan-Rishathaim, which means "twice wicked blackness" who was King of Aram Naharaim which is literally "exalted of the two rivers."
Ehud - pronounced eh-hude - (hude sounds like "rude") the emphasis in on the last syllable. His name means "I will give praise." He defeated Eglon which means "calf-like." Eglon was King of a nation that descended from Lot.
Shamgar - pronounced sham-gare - with emphasis on the last syllable. His name means "sword."
Ehud - pronounced eh-hude - (hude sounds like "rude") the emphasis in on the last syllable. His name means "I will give praise." He defeated Eglon which means "calf-like." Eglon was King of a nation that descended from Lot.
Shamgar - pronounced sham-gare - with emphasis on the last syllable. His name means "sword."
Monday, February 08, 2010
The Rev.
You can call me “the Rev.” or “Revdoc” but I’d prefer “Steve.” My church held a wonderful ordination service for me yesterday. It was a wonderful blessing to hear people affirm qualities of God’s Spirit in me, but it was also a little uncomfortable sometimes. Those same people know many of my shortcomings, but were gracious not to focus on them.
I wanted to read this poem sent by a former student, but I couldn’t find it in time. The author is anonymous, so I didn’t feel bad editing it a bit to suit me.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!"
I'm saying, "I was lost! That's why I desperately need saved."
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I don't speak with pride in myself
I'm confessing that I stumble, and need a great God to be my guide.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be strong,
I'm admitting that I'm weak and pray for strength.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not bragging of success
I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot pay the debt I owe.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I don't think I know it all.
I know I’m confused and I need to be taught.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible, but God is perfect and He believes He can do something with me
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I do not wish to judge someone else
I recognize that the judge loves me.
I wanted to read this poem sent by a former student, but I couldn’t find it in time. The author is anonymous, so I didn’t feel bad editing it a bit to suit me.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!"
I'm saying, "I was lost! That's why I desperately need saved."
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I don't speak with pride in myself
I'm confessing that I stumble, and need a great God to be my guide.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be strong,
I'm admitting that I'm weak and pray for strength.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not bragging of success
I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot pay the debt I owe.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I don't think I know it all.
I know I’m confused and I need to be taught.
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible, but God is perfect and He believes He can do something with me
When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I do not wish to judge someone else
I recognize that the judge loves me.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Philippians - Part 5
Chapter 2 in Philippians includes a poem or hymn that summarizes the key point in the whole book. (My paraphrase of verses 5-18)
“You should approach life the way Jesus did. He did not hang on to every good thing heaven offered and he, as God, rightly deserved. He gave all that up in order to take on all the pains and deprivations of human life. Not only that, but he took on the role of a servant to the rest of humanity and submitted to the Father’s plan, up to and including execution as if he were a criminal.
That’s why God rewarded him with the throne above all thrones and will cause everyone that ever lived to praise him.
So then, you should continue to strive to live this completely selfless way. The same God that provides you with the desire to do this also provides you with the strength to do it. Sacrifice yourself for the sake of others without grumbling about it or harping on your great sacrifice. That will make you blameless children of God that will shine like lights in the world. That will also cause me great joy because it means by desires and labors for you have been effective. And we can rejoice together that God is using our sacrificial lives to accomplish his purposes.”
Then Paul gives two examples of people who sacrificed themselves to serve God’s people and purposes. Paul describes Timothy and includes this phrase. “Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ.” The clear meaning is that Timothy approaches life the way Jesus did; in selfless service of others. Paul ‘s second example of a selfless life is the man the Philippian church sent as their messenger to Paul, Epaphroditis. “He risked his life in order to serve me on your behalf.”
“You should approach life the way Jesus did. He did not hang on to every good thing heaven offered and he, as God, rightly deserved. He gave all that up in order to take on all the pains and deprivations of human life. Not only that, but he took on the role of a servant to the rest of humanity and submitted to the Father’s plan, up to and including execution as if he were a criminal.
That’s why God rewarded him with the throne above all thrones and will cause everyone that ever lived to praise him.
So then, you should continue to strive to live this completely selfless way. The same God that provides you with the desire to do this also provides you with the strength to do it. Sacrifice yourself for the sake of others without grumbling about it or harping on your great sacrifice. That will make you blameless children of God that will shine like lights in the world. That will also cause me great joy because it means by desires and labors for you have been effective. And we can rejoice together that God is using our sacrificial lives to accomplish his purposes.”
Then Paul gives two examples of people who sacrificed themselves to serve God’s people and purposes. Paul describes Timothy and includes this phrase. “Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ.” The clear meaning is that Timothy approaches life the way Jesus did; in selfless service of others. Paul ‘s second example of a selfless life is the man the Philippian church sent as their messenger to Paul, Epaphroditis. “He risked his life in order to serve me on your behalf.”
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Philippians - Part 4
As Paul continues to explain his current situation, he mentions that people were preaching more boldly because he was imprisoned. “Some are preaching from good motives. Others are preaching out of a striving for personal advancement and hoping that their preaching will add to the misery in my imprisonment.” Either way, Paul was happy because whatever their motives, they were preaching the good news of Jesus. Paul’s attitude is amazing, but I find it very intriguing to wonder why someone that knew the truth well enough to preach it, would preach with the hope of harming Paul?
My best guess is this. These preachers with selfish ambition were promoting doctrines Paul would oppose. I suspect that these people were teaching something closely akin to the health and prosperity teaching common on television these days. If they were promoting this false doctrine along with the gospel it would make Paul’s chains more painful because he clearly disagreed with the teaching: Even more so because if the teaching were true, it would disqualify Paul as a man of God. Paul’s faith had placed him into persecution, beatings, and imprisonment… even while he had been in Philippi. If Christ will provide health and wealth to those that obey him and have faith, then Paul was a spiritual failure.
This hypothesis would explain the strong emphasis in this section and throughout the epistle on the necessity, importance, and joy of suffering for Christ. It would also explain how the advocates were preaching with the motivation of making Paul’s suffering worse. It would pain Paul for the false doctrine to be promoted in his absence. But it would also pain Paul for the credibility of his testimony to be undermined.
Ponder the import of these excerpts from the first two chapters, if Paul was being undermined by the teaching that if he was right with Christ and had enough faith, that he would be prosperous and wealthy.
“You were partners with me in my imprisonment.”
“You have been given the priviledge to suffer for Christ, as you are encountering the same conflict you saw me face.”
“Instead of being motivated by self-serving goals or pride, you should each be humble and moved to treat others as more important than yourselves. You should be concerned about the welfare of others, not just yourselves. Your attitude should be that of a servant who sacrifices for others, like Jesus did.
“Timothy is a reliable example of someone who thinks of others not himself.”
“Epaphroditus risked his life to serve me on your behalf.”
The teaching out of “selfish ambition” is not identified. I’m just taking an educated guess as to what it was… but either way the clear teaching is that we should be servants of Christ and His people, living and working on His agenda, not our own.
“For me, to live is Christ.” Can we honestly say that?
My best guess is this. These preachers with selfish ambition were promoting doctrines Paul would oppose. I suspect that these people were teaching something closely akin to the health and prosperity teaching common on television these days. If they were promoting this false doctrine along with the gospel it would make Paul’s chains more painful because he clearly disagreed with the teaching: Even more so because if the teaching were true, it would disqualify Paul as a man of God. Paul’s faith had placed him into persecution, beatings, and imprisonment… even while he had been in Philippi. If Christ will provide health and wealth to those that obey him and have faith, then Paul was a spiritual failure.
This hypothesis would explain the strong emphasis in this section and throughout the epistle on the necessity, importance, and joy of suffering for Christ. It would also explain how the advocates were preaching with the motivation of making Paul’s suffering worse. It would pain Paul for the false doctrine to be promoted in his absence. But it would also pain Paul for the credibility of his testimony to be undermined.
Ponder the import of these excerpts from the first two chapters, if Paul was being undermined by the teaching that if he was right with Christ and had enough faith, that he would be prosperous and wealthy.
“You were partners with me in my imprisonment.”
“You have been given the priviledge to suffer for Christ, as you are encountering the same conflict you saw me face.”
“Instead of being motivated by self-serving goals or pride, you should each be humble and moved to treat others as more important than yourselves. You should be concerned about the welfare of others, not just yourselves. Your attitude should be that of a servant who sacrifices for others, like Jesus did.
“Timothy is a reliable example of someone who thinks of others not himself.”
“Epaphroditus risked his life to serve me on your behalf.”
The teaching out of “selfish ambition” is not identified. I’m just taking an educated guess as to what it was… but either way the clear teaching is that we should be servants of Christ and His people, living and working on His agenda, not our own.
“For me, to live is Christ.” Can we honestly say that?
Philippians – Part 3
After the introduction, Paul writes about his situation. He was in prison, basically waiting for the verdict whether he would live or be put to death. The most frequent observation is summarized in Paul’s statement. “If I am allowed to live, I will live for Christ. If I am put to death then I have a huge personal benefit.”
Since Paul lived his life completely on Christ’s agenda rather than his own, in one sense he lived like he was dead already. “For me to live is Christ.” He was not living for his own personal goals, agenda, or benefit.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Philippians - Part 2
In the first few verses, Paul introduces himself and gives a few quick thoughts about the church to which he is writing.
“I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.” (1:4,5)
What was their participation? They had sent a financial gift, but it was the first one they had been able to send for quite some time, so participation “from the first day until now” doesn’t seem to fit. Their participation was so great that Paul viewed them as partners.
“I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God's grace together with me.” (1:7)
So…. First discussion question… what form(s) did their participation and partnership take?
Answers:They prayed for him. (not stated, but assumed)
They loved and him. (1:16)
They suffered for Christ like he did. (1:29,30)
They served on Christ’s agenda, not their own, like he did. (2:4,12)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Philippians - Part 1
As we begin our look at this letter. Let’s start with what we know for sure about Paul’s history with the group of people to whom he was writing. Acts 16: 11-40.
Paul’s previous experience with these people is important to understand his perspective on the issues he writes to them about.
Paul’s previous experience with these people is important to understand his perspective on the issues he writes to them about.
Monday, October 19, 2009
How many people should you ask the following questions?
Do you see any of these in me... always, often, sometimes, rarely?
Love and affection for others.
A deep Joy even in hard situations
Peacefulness – the absence of frantic living
Patience when things aren’t going well
Kindness to everyone
Generosity
Loyalty
Meekness / humility
Self-control
View relationships as opportunities for self-pleasures
Fixate on false hopes
Envy and rivalry
Anger and a temper
Divisive and quick to join a division
Prone to numbing and the pretense of happiness (drinking, drugs, partying, etc)
Do you see any of these in me... always, often, sometimes, rarely?
Love and affection for others.
A deep Joy even in hard situations
Peacefulness – the absence of frantic living
Patience when things aren’t going well
Kindness to everyone
Generosity
Loyalty
Meekness / humility
Self-control
View relationships as opportunities for self-pleasures
Fixate on false hopes
Envy and rivalry
Anger and a temper
Divisive and quick to join a division
Prone to numbing and the pretense of happiness (drinking, drugs, partying, etc)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
My Calling
I was talking recently with several people that are considering major career decisions or changes in career directions. I’m always considering a career decision. So I found it an easy discussion to join.
Later, I read a commentator whose point was that God’s "calling" is too often used to refer to the ministry, when it should be used for a "calling" to any career just as easily.
It got me thinking. If God has a unique calling for each life, why does it sometimes seem so difficult to find? Why would he call me to X and then keep it completely hidden from me? Why would he hide “X” behind so much confusion and searching? Maybe I misunderstand something central about the whole thing.
Maybe a calling isn’t typically something that you hear, or know, or discover, or a particular place, or job. Maybe we are all called to find joy and live in loving response to the infinite love of God’s perfect love for us. Called to love, called to serve, called to joy in whatever place or way we work.
But a part of me is restless for more of God’s joy in my life. So a part of me will always wonder if I would find more fullness in the next job, next adventure, next day. And I may… but not because I have found my place or calling, but because I have found more of my God.
Later, I read a commentator whose point was that God’s "calling" is too often used to refer to the ministry, when it should be used for a "calling" to any career just as easily.
It got me thinking. If God has a unique calling for each life, why does it sometimes seem so difficult to find? Why would he call me to X and then keep it completely hidden from me? Why would he hide “X” behind so much confusion and searching? Maybe I misunderstand something central about the whole thing.
Maybe a calling isn’t typically something that you hear, or know, or discover, or a particular place, or job. Maybe we are all called to find joy and live in loving response to the infinite love of God’s perfect love for us. Called to love, called to serve, called to joy in whatever place or way we work.
But a part of me is restless for more of God’s joy in my life. So a part of me will always wonder if I would find more fullness in the next job, next adventure, next day. And I may… but not because I have found my place or calling, but because I have found more of my God.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Somebody ate our outreach program!
Lessons in a small church:
When your outreach plan is to give gifts to the neighbors, don’t set a cake intended for outreach on a counter near where the church dinner is being served.
When your outreach plan is to give gifts to the neighbors, don’t set a cake intended for outreach on a counter near where the church dinner is being served.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Prayer – In one billion, three hundred forty nine million, six hundred seventy eight thousand, four hundred and eighty-twelve lessons.
Lesson 7
I hate planning. All planning is a waste of time because no plan ever works as intended. You always have to adjust on the fly so it makes sense to me to just fly by the seat of your pants to begin with.
Plans I have had that did not work out (yet) include:
A plan to win some lottery and give 90% to charity and buy a Caribbean Island with the rest.
A plan to make homemade ice cream.
A plan to win the world cup with a secret play I called “the transverse, tangential, superplay.”
A plan to write a blog about how prayer can change things when God has a specific plan for the universe and His plan is unalterable.
Sometimes when a plan doesn’t work I just shrug and adjust, like the time I drank “ice cream soup.” Sometimes I get thoughtful about what I can learn from the ruined plan. And sometimes I sit in a corner and sulk for weeks on end with intermittent, blubbering sobs crying that I want my “banky.”
This morning, I had the plan about the blog (the fourth one listed above). I decided to run an experiment about asking people for things that were already unalterable. I decided to ask my wife very sweetly, “Honey, would you please be extra kind to me yesterday?” Like most of my plans, it didn’t work. I was expecting her to be puzzled and confused. I had a great blog planned about it. Instead, she grinned and said “OK.”
This was one of those times when a plan failed and I became thoughtful about it. My wife has a unique sense of self-confidence. She is happy to inform anyone that she is “practically perfect in every way.” She could say “OK” because she is completely confident that she was especially kind to me yesterday. After all, she let me hang around with her…and she’s right, that makes for a good day.
It struck me that God is fairly confident that He is good and kind to His children. I wonder if asking God to bless me, or to bless missionaries, or to do His will, seems kind of silly to Him. Do I expect there is any chance that He would ignore His own character and promises and not bless missionaries? If I quit asking God to bless the missionaries, would He stop blessing them? Of course not! He has promised that he will bless and protect those that are serving Him with their lives. He’s not going to break that promise because I fail to pray for it. But should I bother praying for it when He has already promised it? Does it imply a lack of faith in His goodness if I must ask Him to be good?
I also wonder if part of the way He accomplishes His goals for me is by teaching me to pray for what He has already willed. Does praying that He would bless the missionaries, when He has already promised He would bless them, help me to join in union with Him by joining in union with His purposes and His plans?
Finally, I wonder if God wanted me to have my blog plan this morning, have my plan ruined by my wife’s sweet grin, and learn something valuable anyway. If that’s so, then as unlikely as it seems He might have a plan that’s better than my plan of winning a lottery and buying a Caribbean island too.
I hate planning. All planning is a waste of time because no plan ever works as intended. You always have to adjust on the fly so it makes sense to me to just fly by the seat of your pants to begin with.
Plans I have had that did not work out (yet) include:
A plan to win some lottery and give 90% to charity and buy a Caribbean Island with the rest.
A plan to make homemade ice cream.
A plan to win the world cup with a secret play I called “the transverse, tangential, superplay.”
A plan to write a blog about how prayer can change things when God has a specific plan for the universe and His plan is unalterable.
Sometimes when a plan doesn’t work I just shrug and adjust, like the time I drank “ice cream soup.” Sometimes I get thoughtful about what I can learn from the ruined plan. And sometimes I sit in a corner and sulk for weeks on end with intermittent, blubbering sobs crying that I want my “banky.”
This morning, I had the plan about the blog (the fourth one listed above). I decided to run an experiment about asking people for things that were already unalterable. I decided to ask my wife very sweetly, “Honey, would you please be extra kind to me yesterday?” Like most of my plans, it didn’t work. I was expecting her to be puzzled and confused. I had a great blog planned about it. Instead, she grinned and said “OK.”
This was one of those times when a plan failed and I became thoughtful about it. My wife has a unique sense of self-confidence. She is happy to inform anyone that she is “practically perfect in every way.” She could say “OK” because she is completely confident that she was especially kind to me yesterday. After all, she let me hang around with her…and she’s right, that makes for a good day.
It struck me that God is fairly confident that He is good and kind to His children. I wonder if asking God to bless me, or to bless missionaries, or to do His will, seems kind of silly to Him. Do I expect there is any chance that He would ignore His own character and promises and not bless missionaries? If I quit asking God to bless the missionaries, would He stop blessing them? Of course not! He has promised that he will bless and protect those that are serving Him with their lives. He’s not going to break that promise because I fail to pray for it. But should I bother praying for it when He has already promised it? Does it imply a lack of faith in His goodness if I must ask Him to be good?
I also wonder if part of the way He accomplishes His goals for me is by teaching me to pray for what He has already willed. Does praying that He would bless the missionaries, when He has already promised He would bless them, help me to join in union with Him by joining in union with His purposes and His plans?
Finally, I wonder if God wanted me to have my blog plan this morning, have my plan ruined by my wife’s sweet grin, and learn something valuable anyway. If that’s so, then as unlikely as it seems He might have a plan that’s better than my plan of winning a lottery and buying a Caribbean island too.