God is beautiful. How can He not be? He is perfect in all ways. I cannot imagine what it will be like to someday behold Him, although the thought puts both joy and fear in me. I know that some would disagree with me here. What about evil? What about disease and starvation and poverty and death? Are these not a reflection of our creator, if indeed we are created? And I could argue about the birth of a child, the sunset, the blooming of a rose, a cool, starry evening. But it is not a competition of which is greater. I don't understand all of creation, but I know that I am not at its center. He is beautiful in my eyes because I see Him. Looking at anything else is just a distraction.
I sometimes wonder what kind of parents these people are, who fault God for the calamities that befall man. Are they the kind of parents who only give their children good, even if they do not deserve it? Do they pat the child on the back after he has just taken a knife and carved their name in the walls of the house or the dining table and say, "Look how cute? I wonder what he could do if we gave him a chainsaw?" Or do they come home and ask their child how to spend their paycheck? Surely, if there is a God, He has the right to make creation as He sees fit. And it does not take away from His beauty any more than my deciding how to spend my paycheck takes away from my love for my children.
Kids have such a funny concept of money. I remember when my oldest son was much younger. We drove by a house and he thought we should buy it. Trying to deter him, I said that house must cost $100,000! He said, no problem, had $100, if I had the $1,000. I wish it worked that way, I'd own more real estate. But I explained to him it would take 100-thousand dollar bills, and that was a lot. We drove on, him understanding a bit more about finances, me amused at his understanding.
God is beautiful. Perfect in ways I cannot understand. He does things I sometimes wish were done in other ways. But He is infinite in knowledge, I am finite. But if you have a house you want to sell for about $100,000.00, I have $100...and I am sure I can get a loan for the $1,000. Do we have a deal?
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
To those near and far...
Ephesians 2:17-22
17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Jesus came and preached peace to those who were near (the Pharisees, those who understood and obeyed the law, the Jew who earnestly practiced their faith, those who cited the fact that we should love God with our heart, mind and soul) and those who were far (the tax-collectors, prostitutes, gentiles). I believe that peace is the gospel message of peace and reconciliation to God through faith. And a large part of that message was the loving of those God created (as illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, for one). That faith includes giving of yourself not only for God, but for your neighbor, whom you are told to love as you love yourself.
So we are no longer strangers, aliens, enemies even, but we are connected together through God himself. We are part of a holy temple. Imagine building a building where the components of that building to not work together. What if the mortar, which is different from the bricks, refused to bind together with the bricks? What if the shingles of a buildng refused to let themselves be seen with the tar paper that is laid beneath them? So we must embrace our differences because they are needed in order for the building to perform its function. I am not saying that we accept destructive forces that would tear the building down. You don't observe a mold and continue to let it grow in the building, that would destroy the building.
Jesus came to reconcile man to God. In the process, he reconciled men with one another, because how can the body be reconciled to God and yet at war with its members?
17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Jesus came and preached peace to those who were near (the Pharisees, those who understood and obeyed the law, the Jew who earnestly practiced their faith, those who cited the fact that we should love God with our heart, mind and soul) and those who were far (the tax-collectors, prostitutes, gentiles). I believe that peace is the gospel message of peace and reconciliation to God through faith. And a large part of that message was the loving of those God created (as illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, for one). That faith includes giving of yourself not only for God, but for your neighbor, whom you are told to love as you love yourself.
So we are no longer strangers, aliens, enemies even, but we are connected together through God himself. We are part of a holy temple. Imagine building a building where the components of that building to not work together. What if the mortar, which is different from the bricks, refused to bind together with the bricks? What if the shingles of a buildng refused to let themselves be seen with the tar paper that is laid beneath them? So we must embrace our differences because they are needed in order for the building to perform its function. I am not saying that we accept destructive forces that would tear the building down. You don't observe a mold and continue to let it grow in the building, that would destroy the building.
Jesus came to reconcile man to God. In the process, he reconciled men with one another, because how can the body be reconciled to God and yet at war with its members?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Good News!
Ephesians 2:11-13
11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles. Though being brought up as a Jew in the strictest sense, God sent him to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. The Gentiles were called the uncircumcision, or the unclean, by that which were clean according to the law. As unclean they were separated not only from Christ, but not even a Jew would have anything to do with them. As my kids my say, the Gentiles had a bad case of cooties. They were outside of God, outside of the family of believers, outside the promise of redemption. So they were without hope, key word being were.
But now in Christ Jesus, all who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. It reminds me of many of the healings that Christ performed. He took those who were unclean. The lepers, paralytics, dropsy, etc., and he healed them. Many times he touched them, which would have been so wrong for a Jew to do. But Jesus did it, he healed them and made them who were previously unclean to be clean. Again, the outsiders able to come in. Good news!
11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles. Though being brought up as a Jew in the strictest sense, God sent him to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. The Gentiles were called the uncircumcision, or the unclean, by that which were clean according to the law. As unclean they were separated not only from Christ, but not even a Jew would have anything to do with them. As my kids my say, the Gentiles had a bad case of cooties. They were outside of God, outside of the family of believers, outside the promise of redemption. So they were without hope, key word being were.
But now in Christ Jesus, all who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. It reminds me of many of the healings that Christ performed. He took those who were unclean. The lepers, paralytics, dropsy, etc., and he healed them. Many times he touched them, which would have been so wrong for a Jew to do. But Jesus did it, he healed them and made them who were previously unclean to be clean. Again, the outsiders able to come in. Good news!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The real me
Ephesians 2:3
among whom we all once live in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
I have heard Matt Chandler call Ephesians 2:1-10 "The gospel in 10 verses." I agree, as I think Paul is continually presenting the gospel in his writings in many ways and places. But this verse I think is one that we would rather not hear. And probably don't, in most churches.
For many, the thought that we were once sinners is something we don't hear a lot. Yet it is all over Paul's gospel. And if we are going to be honest, we struggle with sin still. I like that Paul states we have both desires of the body and the mind. We have urges that were put into our bodies by God, but that still does not mean we have to act on them at every turn. It is easy to justify things we do, but this is not a valid justification. And then there are the urges of the mind. Greed, anger, hate, etc., we used to live according to these too. Everyone. And we start young.
Because of this we were children of wrath. Like the time my son spilled water on my laptop as we were leaving to go somewhere. He knew he did it, yet just walked out the door with the rest of us, saying nothing and not bothering to clean it up. After several hours soaking in water, the laptop was fried. Had it been picked up and moved, or quickly dried up, perhaps a different outcome. I believe I had reason to be upset upon returning home and finding the mess. Children of wrath.
My son did not have $1,000 to replace the laptop. That was a problem. I don't have enough to pay my debt to God either. Thank God for verses 4-10, which I will discus in future posts!
among whom we all once live in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
I have heard Matt Chandler call Ephesians 2:1-10 "The gospel in 10 verses." I agree, as I think Paul is continually presenting the gospel in his writings in many ways and places. But this verse I think is one that we would rather not hear. And probably don't, in most churches.
For many, the thought that we were once sinners is something we don't hear a lot. Yet it is all over Paul's gospel. And if we are going to be honest, we struggle with sin still. I like that Paul states we have both desires of the body and the mind. We have urges that were put into our bodies by God, but that still does not mean we have to act on them at every turn. It is easy to justify things we do, but this is not a valid justification. And then there are the urges of the mind. Greed, anger, hate, etc., we used to live according to these too. Everyone. And we start young.
Because of this we were children of wrath. Like the time my son spilled water on my laptop as we were leaving to go somewhere. He knew he did it, yet just walked out the door with the rest of us, saying nothing and not bothering to clean it up. After several hours soaking in water, the laptop was fried. Had it been picked up and moved, or quickly dried up, perhaps a different outcome. I believe I had reason to be upset upon returning home and finding the mess. Children of wrath.
My son did not have $1,000 to replace the laptop. That was a problem. I don't have enough to pay my debt to God either. Thank God for verses 4-10, which I will discus in future posts!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Romans 2:16
on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secret hearts of men.
Paul uses a simple little pronoun, but I think it speaks with a loud voice. He says, "according to my gospel." What I don't think he means here is that the Gospel is his, that he owns it or created it. What I do think he means is that there is the Gospel that he preaches, and the gospel that others preach.
Paul's Gospel is what he received from Jesus Christ himself. Who better to explain the Gospel to than someone who was so knowledgeable of the Old Testament? Paul was a perfect choice for this assignment, but not a perfect choice for a disciple of Jesus' ministry.
Can you see how that might have played out? Eleven of the disciples walking with Jesus through the fields with Jesus on the Sabbath, plucking the heads of grain and eating them (Matthew 12:1-8), and Paul, lagging behind admonishing the others, "You shouldn't be harvesting on the Sabbath, guys!"
But after it was finished, Jesus taking Paul and showing him how it all fit together, how the Old Testament was fulfilled in Himself. No wonder Paul was so strong in the faith! Oh the wisdom and the sovereignty of God.
So according to Paul's Gospel, God judges the secrets of men. In other words, God knows our hearts. There are those who preach a gospel different from Paul. Preachers who, either for bad motives or because they just don't get it, preach a weak, impotent gospel message. And he is saying God knows! He knows men's hearts. He knows if you are passionate about Christ or just going through the motions.
I was listening to a podcast recently where the preacher was using Romans 12:1 as his text. He was preaching about the life-change that one should pursue as a follower of Christ. Good stuff. Until he said, "We don't need to beat ourselves up, we don't need to pretend we haven't done anything good for the Lord, because most of us have. We don't need to go on a guilt trip. We all know that nobody's perfect."
So close...and perhaps so far. Just as men were perhaps getting "cut to the heart," (Acts 2:37) we soften the blow. Rather than encourage people to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling," (Phil. 2:12) we let them off the hook. Maybe because such words might not be the way to grow the church. Whatever the case, such words are not a part of Paul's Gospel nor mine.
Paul uses a simple little pronoun, but I think it speaks with a loud voice. He says, "according to my gospel." What I don't think he means here is that the Gospel is his, that he owns it or created it. What I do think he means is that there is the Gospel that he preaches, and the gospel that others preach.
Paul's Gospel is what he received from Jesus Christ himself. Who better to explain the Gospel to than someone who was so knowledgeable of the Old Testament? Paul was a perfect choice for this assignment, but not a perfect choice for a disciple of Jesus' ministry.
Can you see how that might have played out? Eleven of the disciples walking with Jesus through the fields with Jesus on the Sabbath, plucking the heads of grain and eating them (Matthew 12:1-8), and Paul, lagging behind admonishing the others, "You shouldn't be harvesting on the Sabbath, guys!"
But after it was finished, Jesus taking Paul and showing him how it all fit together, how the Old Testament was fulfilled in Himself. No wonder Paul was so strong in the faith! Oh the wisdom and the sovereignty of God.
So according to Paul's Gospel, God judges the secrets of men. In other words, God knows our hearts. There are those who preach a gospel different from Paul. Preachers who, either for bad motives or because they just don't get it, preach a weak, impotent gospel message. And he is saying God knows! He knows men's hearts. He knows if you are passionate about Christ or just going through the motions.
I was listening to a podcast recently where the preacher was using Romans 12:1 as his text. He was preaching about the life-change that one should pursue as a follower of Christ. Good stuff. Until he said, "We don't need to beat ourselves up, we don't need to pretend we haven't done anything good for the Lord, because most of us have. We don't need to go on a guilt trip. We all know that nobody's perfect."
So close...and perhaps so far. Just as men were perhaps getting "cut to the heart," (Acts 2:37) we soften the blow. Rather than encourage people to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling," (Phil. 2:12) we let them off the hook. Maybe because such words might not be the way to grow the church. Whatever the case, such words are not a part of Paul's Gospel nor mine.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Romans 1:5
Romans 1:5 "Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith."
I have decided that I will get a little more devotional in writing for a while. No particular pattern, but I will attempt to stay on a "Gospel" theme.
I decided to start with Paul, and just 5 verses into Romans and what a verse. So much packed into one verse.
I have decided that I will get a little more devotional in writing for a while. No particular pattern, but I will attempt to stay on a "Gospel" theme.
I decided to start with Paul, and just 5 verses into Romans and what a verse. So much packed into one verse.
- Through Him I did not do it, it was done through Christ. He did what not even Moses (the law) and Samuel (the priesthood, man) could do, He stood before God and God took notice. (Jeremiah 15:1-2) I must forever recognize my dependence on Christ alone.
- and for his name's sake I am not at the center of God's world, He is at the center of His world, and for that I am so thankful. Imagine putting the imperfect and making it the cause of all that God does. That would make his actions imperfect. But He is at the center of all that He does, and all He does is right. And when I put Him at the center of all that I do, then I am right. This is not legalism, putting obedience or law at the center, but putting Him at the center, worshipping Him, loving Him, responding to Him.
- we have received grace We have been gifted by God to know Him and to love him. Another word for grace is favor. The same word the angels spoke to Mary when they told her she would be the mother of the Christ. As Christians, we are also highly favored by God, that He has revealed Himself to us through His Son. This is an honor that we do not deserve, but one which we must respond to. When we see that the favor of God rests upons us, should we not also respond as Mary did, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 2:38)
- and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles With grace comes responsibility. When Mary saw the favor that God had given her, she also accepted the task He placed before her with a humble, obedient attitude. When Saul met the Lord on the road to Damascus, his life was forever changed by the recognition of God's grace and favor. God does not save us to a life of ease and comfort, He does not save us for our own sake, but does it for His sake. And the lives that we then must live should also be for His sake. (Isaiah 43:25) Perhaps this is the reason Jesus told His disciples the importance of counting the cost of discipleship. (Matthew 16:24) The thought of picking up a cross surely must have been vile and digusting to His audience. But what better way to get the message of humility and acceptance of a task across that to make it a task that is so burdensome one could not take it on without dependance on God?
- to the obedience that comes from faith. Not just obedience, or not obedience for the sake of obedience, but the obedience from faith that God has placed his grace and favor upon us, and we respond out of reverence and awe rather than a sense of obligation and duty.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Where did my joy go?
Galatians 4:15 "What has happened to your joy? I can testify that , if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me."
When Paul first gave the Gospel to the Galatians, they were overwhelmed with joy. They loved the Gospel and they loved Paul for sharing it with them. I find that awesome. They loved it so much they would have torn out their own eyes and given them to Paul.
"Here, Paul, you take these eyes. Yours do not seem to be functioning so well, and having my eyes might enable you to be a more effective minister of the Gospel. "
Wow!
Then the law crept back in. Jews were the culprit in this case, but they don't have to be the only ones responsible for this kind of thought. Don't we still do it today whenever we fall back on the trap of focusing on ourselves and what we do. But isn't it ironic that when we focus on ourselves our joy fades!
Remember Moses? Whenever he returned from the mountain, he had to wear a veil to hide is face, which was glowing from being in the presence of God. But over time, his face returned to normal. Perhaps it was just the day to day dealing with it all that helped it go.
Maybe that is why, when I sit in church sometimes, instead of being filled with joy, I find myself squirming in my seat. I am hearing social gospel, or moral deism instead of The Gospel. The Good News.
So I sit here and wonder...where do I go from here? I was reading in Ezekiel, and came across this verse (2:5) And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.
So it is not whether or not I am happy, or whether or not they might be offended if I speak a truth that they might not be comfortable with. It is not about me convicting them or failing to convict them. It is not about me or them at all, it is about GOD. I think in some ways I have been letting them rob me of my joy. I have been robbing myself of my joy. And I want it back.
The prophets were never guaranteed success. God told them to go, and they went. Okay, so sometimes they grumbled...
So I believe that I must find my joy only in Christ. And I must speak freely and honestly about what I believe the Gospel to be.
So I suppose I better get ready for the ride. Somehow, reading the book of Jonah seems appropriate right now...
When Paul first gave the Gospel to the Galatians, they were overwhelmed with joy. They loved the Gospel and they loved Paul for sharing it with them. I find that awesome. They loved it so much they would have torn out their own eyes and given them to Paul.
"Here, Paul, you take these eyes. Yours do not seem to be functioning so well, and having my eyes might enable you to be a more effective minister of the Gospel. "
Wow!
Then the law crept back in. Jews were the culprit in this case, but they don't have to be the only ones responsible for this kind of thought. Don't we still do it today whenever we fall back on the trap of focusing on ourselves and what we do. But isn't it ironic that when we focus on ourselves our joy fades!
Remember Moses? Whenever he returned from the mountain, he had to wear a veil to hide is face, which was glowing from being in the presence of God. But over time, his face returned to normal. Perhaps it was just the day to day dealing with it all that helped it go.
Maybe that is why, when I sit in church sometimes, instead of being filled with joy, I find myself squirming in my seat. I am hearing social gospel, or moral deism instead of The Gospel. The Good News.
So I sit here and wonder...where do I go from here? I was reading in Ezekiel, and came across this verse (2:5) And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.
So it is not whether or not I am happy, or whether or not they might be offended if I speak a truth that they might not be comfortable with. It is not about me convicting them or failing to convict them. It is not about me or them at all, it is about GOD. I think in some ways I have been letting them rob me of my joy. I have been robbing myself of my joy. And I want it back.
The prophets were never guaranteed success. God told them to go, and they went. Okay, so sometimes they grumbled...
So I believe that I must find my joy only in Christ. And I must speak freely and honestly about what I believe the Gospel to be.
So I suppose I better get ready for the ride. Somehow, reading the book of Jonah seems appropriate right now...
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Well meaning people...
Galatians is about the Gospel. That is because Paul was a Gospel preacher. To him, it was always connected to the Gospel first. The Galatians were also about the Gospel, but had gotten off track.
It's not that they were awful people, they had sincere hearts. Paul knew what it was to be sincere. He sincerely persecuted Christians before becoming one. But Paul also had experienced a radical change, and kept the Gospel central, something that even Peter struggled with.
Speaking of Peter, does anyone else find it interesting that after the book of Acts, the main character (outside of Jesus) in the New Testament seems to be Paul? Peter had been with Jesus, denied him but was reinstated, was involved in the conversion of 3,000+ on the day of Pentacost, was given the keys to the kingdom, and then in comes this former Jew, Christian hating convert. Would J.K. Rowling change the main character in the Harry Potter series in mid-stream? God did. I think there is a lesson there, but for another time.
Anyway, the Galatians started to go back to the old ways, relying on works rather than grace. Preaching a message of good works. Problem is, when we make that which is secondary primary, we also make that which is primary secondary. (That is for all the Math wizards out there.) In other words, when we encourage being a good person and doing good works instead of promoting Christ, are we really any different from the local Rotary Club?
Paul takes this pretty seriously. "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" (Gal. 1:8)
I think our churches would do well to take note.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Always on Target
The first few times I just thought it was the working of the Holy Spirit. Not that I am discounting that aspect, but I think that there is more too it than that. Matt always preaches and interprets Scripture in light of the Gospel. Every verse and sermon is filtered through that lens. It is intentional on his part, and I think it is how Scripture was meant to be viewed. That is why it always hits home.
I think that is true of life in general. Shouldn't everything be filtered through the light of the Gospel? That new job (or the old one, or the lay-off, etc), how we spend our money, what we eat (ouch!), how we react to any number of given situations, where we attend church, how we dress, etc. etc. etc.
It is when we don't filter our lives through the Gospel that they start to get off track.
If you are interested in hearing some Gospel preaching, and have not already heard Matt preach, click here. But I warn you, it could be contagious and life changing.
But this is not a post to promote Matt, it is to promote us (me!) putting the Gospel more intentionally into every area of my life. (What I watch, what I blog, what I read, where I go, etc.)
So whose sermons do you like to listen to?
What are some other areas we need to intentionally apply the Gospel to?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Rose
I have just recently found Matt Chandler's preaching, but I find it powerful and convicting. It is no wonder that the church he minsters at has grown dramatically.
If you aren't aware, he has been diagnosed and begun treatment for a malignant brain tumor. Please consider praying for him.
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