Room For Two.

As is our custom at Bronx Bethany, our combined English- and Spanish-speaking congregations worshiped together yesterday, the fifth Sunday of the month. Pastor Martha's message was taken from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7).

At the heart of her message was the issue of intimacy with Christ. Our pastor used an example found in the Song of Solomon, an allegory of Christ and His Church, where the Lover and the Beloved express a deep longing for each other and a desire for constant closeness.

Pastor Martha shared with us that the Christian who is pressing towards intimacy with Jesus does not enter His Presence with a list of requests. Rather, he enters in to God's Presence simply to enjoy, praise, and adore Him. We demonstrate the attributes commended by Jesus in His sermon: we come to Him poor in spirit; mourning over our sins and the sins of the world; hungering and thirsting for His righteousness; being a source of peace and peacemaking; demonstrating humility; and enduring persecution. As we embrace these attributes, we look more and more like Him as time goes by.

I encourage us all to read (or re-read) Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, and The Song of Solomon (Song of Songs), as we take time this week to reflect on the word of God. It's more reading than I usually refer to in this blog, but what harm is there in spending time getting to know the character of the One we love?

"Bon-" Fire!

My dear husband, an accomplished pianist, gave me a wonderful Christmas gift. It is a book containing the sermons of another man who was an accomplished pianist: Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

The world knows Bonhoeffer as a key figure in the Nazi resistance movement, but he was more than that. He, like me, had been a teenager who lost a brother to Death. He, like my husband, loved music and teaching. But he, unlike my spouse and myself (thus far), died as a martyr. Bonhoeffer did not live to see his fortieth birthday.

I would like to call Bonhoeffer a saint in the loftiest sense of the term, but in my reading thus far I have been struck by the ordinariness of his days on earth. He was a regular guy, making a living doing what he loved and boldly speaking out against injustice. Perhaps we can call him an "ordinary saint" who had been touched by our extraordinary God, and he accomplished the will of God while he lived.

I'm about seven years older now than Bonhoeffer was when he died, and I am asking myself the question such men's lives can initiate in the heart: Am I doing what God wants me to do?

As we approach New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, it seems natural and almost de rigueur to reflect on the past and consider the future. It is our custom to dream and make lists of things to do in the new year.

May I ask us all to do something? Instead of the world's method of merging fantasy and ambition, let us engage some saintly activities in our quest to do something significant in 2013.

If we believe God is our Creator and Governor, then we would do well to seek His direction as to what we undertake in 2013. We see that Bonhoeffer was a man who sought God's direction, and who lived with significance as an ordinary saint. We can do the same.

First, we become ordinary saints in the biblical sense of the term: men and women who have chosen to live lives of holiness, modeled on the life of Jesus Christ and sustained by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We demonstrate simple, joyful obedience to the commands of God.

Second, we become men and women who are deeply in love with Jesus. Our love for Him is expressed through acts of devotion: prayer, giving of time and money, fasting, reading of the Scriptures, assemblies of public worship, acts of compassion, attention to the preached Word of God, and times of silent contemplation.

Third, we constantly ask for God's help. In these human frames it is easy for us to begin a discipline, then drop it (or allow it to be subsumed by other activities deemed more urgent). We need help to love as He loved. We need help to suffer as He suffered. We need help to remain on task and not become distracted from fully doing His will. We even need His help in order to pray aright!

God is Sovereign, and He may choose to give us individual directives for 2013 as He sees fit. But I pray that this post will be a small beginning for us, with greater things yet to come.

Some of us, and I include myself, have unfinished works from 2012. Let us ask for forgiveness and, if we have the opportunity and God's approval, continue working. Some of us have been working against God and He has, so to speak, taken our talent and given it to the man who has ten. Let us earnestly seek God's pardon, if there is opportunity, and appeal to the grace and mercy of God. We can do this: we have the evidence of King Hezekiah, a man whose post-judgement appeal caused God to relent.

Our God is gracious. He has some works to accomplish through us.
What does He want you to do?

Handled. With Care.

"Any thing that God takes charge of, God will take care of."

Pastor Sam has said this to us on more than one occasion, but when he said it near the close of the Christmas morning message it was as if I was hearing it in a new light.

Oh, God, take charge of me! Take care of me!


God is in charge of us, even when our circumstances look bleak.
God cares for us, even when it appears that no one is on our side.


Our God is an awesome God who does things we don't fully understand.

• He is the God who, at the intersection of life where we hold the right-of-way, can tell us to not move.
• He is the God who speaks incredible things in an instant, but gradually manifests them over years.
• He is the God who defies logic and asks us to trust Him as we step outside of the "normal" course of life.
• He is the God who asks us to stand up and speak for Him in a world that warns us to sit down and stay quiet. 

Jesus, fully God and fully man, has done things we don't fully understand.

• He willingly left His glorious kingdom and came to earth.
• He endured rejection even before He came out of the womb, as the inn was deemed too full to accommodate His presence. 
• He began life as a homeless infant, a cattle-feeding trough as His bed. 
• He was a refugee toddler, living in Egypt as Herod killed every other baby boy in His hometown.

Why would a King subject Himself to such degradation at His entry into the earth, and allow it to continue for decades? As the old hymn goes, What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

I don't understand why He has done this... but I embrace what He has done.

It is an oxymoron, but it is true: there is an incredible freedom that comes into our lives when we choose to enslave ourselves to Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul often spoke of himself as "the bondservant of the Lord". Lord, I had a choice, and I have chosen to be Your slave, and You have in turn set me free.

So here we are. We can be homeless, and yet be His. We can be rejected by man, yet loved by God. We can be deemed illogical by the world's standards, yet be in God's perfect will. There is no better place for us to be than in the hands of God.

The Owner is in charge; the Owner cares.
Yes, Lord. Reign and rule over me.

A Flash Of Glory

Bronx Bethany has a history of adjusting service protocols on certain days: Easter Sunday morning, the church anniversary weekend, the Sunday before Christmas, Christmas morning. Essentially, those services are packed with extras: videos, tons of choral music, special presentations, dance and drama, et cetera... and the time allowed for the sermon is cut in order to net the same length of service time as a "normal" service. I really wonder how God feels about that practice, particularly in light of First Corinthians chapter 1, and whether we will have to give an account for such on the Great Day.

That said, though, a sermon does not have to be long in order to have profound impact. Pastor Sam gave us proof of this. He spoke for just a few minutes on Christmas morning, and those few minutes carried much weight (that is, chabod). At the heart of the message was a simple, but deep, statement: God is activated, and no one can stop Him.

Rage won't stop Him. Our pastor reminded us that Jesus, thanks to the obedience of Joseph, escaped the infanticide ordered by King Herod. Herod, in ordering the murder of all male children aged 2 and under, sought to ensure for himself that no rival king would emerge in the region of his rule. But God sought to ensure that His Son would be a survivor of Herod's rage... so much so that He ordered Joseph to leave not just the region, but to leave Israel entirely and flee to Egypt, a place where Herod had neither authority nor influence.

There are times when we win by running far away from our oppressor.


Ridicule won't stop Him. He came to His own, and His own received Him not (John 1:11). Pastor Sam shared with us that "God has engaged in the world, and has inaugurated His reign in the world." Christ came to earth as a baby for the ultimate purpose of triumphing, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, through His blood. The misunderstandings, jealousies, and plots against our Christ did not diminish His Lordship, and certainly did not deter His mission and purpose.

There are times when we win by remaining focused on our call and role.


Rebellion won't stop Him. Pastor Sam said, "Christmas is about God breaking in to keep His promise." The thousands of years of sin and rebellion against God was cracked and crushed by the birth of Jesus. We are without excuse. God has rescued us by sending Jesus. The One who walks on water and raises the dead with a word is standing right next to us, ready to save us the moment we ask. He is here to help us. But, He will not force us to come to Himself. We must come to Him of our own free will.

There are times when we win by reaching out, freely, to the Master.


Lord God, we adore You! We adore Your Christ! We adore Your Spirit! And we will cling to You. The rage, ridicule, and rebellion of man will not succeed in tearing us from Your side. We have said yes to You. Our yes means yes, forever. Thank You for giving us Your strength and power to walk away from sin and sinning. We are Yours. Do what You please with us, in us, through us, to the glory of Your great Name. Thank You, Jesus.

Oh, Unrequited Love!

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us a point that is central to our faith: our humanity does not mean that we have to sin. The proof for this statement is found in Jesus, our Lord who became man and lived life on earth without sinning. It is a point that is reiterated throughout the book of Hebrews: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).

One of our challenges is that we perceive temptation as sin. The devil will always offer us opportunities to do the wrong thing. Our flesh too, in its depraved state, will (if left unchecked) chase after things and people that are harmful to the state of our souls. However, the temptation in and of itself is not the sin. What does the Scripture say?

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)

For inasmuch as Jesus has himself felt the pain of temptation and trial, He is also able instantly to help those who are tempted and tried. (Hebrews 2:18)

The high priest is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. (Hebrews 5:2)

Matthew Henry's Commentary makes a profound connection between temptation and prayer:

"The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has tenderness to lead them back from the by-paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only can expect assistance from God, and acceptance with him, and his presence and blessing on them and their services, that are called of God. This is applied to Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subject to death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus. Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wetted with tears, do we offer up to God! He was strengthened to support the immense weight of suffering laid upon him."

Herein lies a compassion that some may find strange. It is the compassion to urge people to live, and it is also a compassion that allows people to die. Jesus, our great High Priest, honors the plan of the Father... and God our Father has given each of us free will.

At the other end of the spectrum, another challenge is that we prefer our strongholds. Do you remember the account of the rich young ruler? He was a man who seemed to be doing quite well. He was gainfully employed, he kept the commandments of God, and he had a track record of being seen in the right place doing the right thing. But, Jesus informed this young man of a deep stronghold and instructed him to let it go.

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. (Mark 10:21-22)

The hymn-writer nailed the theme: Oh, the deep deep love of Jesus! Our Lord comes to us with ever-present compassionate care, and look at what we do to Him. We hoard our resources. We won't pray. We remain tightly yoked to unbelievers. We cling to known sin. Like the rich young ruler, we look in the face of Love, get sentimental about our temporal toys, and walk away from the King of Glory. And guess what? He loves you so much that He will let you make the choice to walk away.

My prayer is that none of us will walk away from our High Priest, Jesus. He knows how we feel, and He asks us to suffer with Him.

Close the joint account with sin. The rich young ruler, a faithful synagogue attender and keeper of external laws, knew that his life was not right. Jesus showed him that he could not be a true disciple unless he dealt with the stronghold of the love of money. What sin-based "joint accounts" are you and I holding, that Jesus is asking us to close?

Cling to Jesus, the only Savior. In Mark 10:23-31, Jesus informs His disciples that the only way to crush strongholds is by the power of God. "With man this is impossible, but not with God." Jesus, Himself fully man, teaches us that our humanity in and of itself will keep us out of the kingdom of God. We need a Savior, and God has graciously provided Jesus! His blood has made the way for our salvation.

This is not easy. The rich young ruler, knowing Jesus's love for him, walked away. While thousands flocked to hear Jesus speak, only a handful embraced Him as Lord (see John chapter 6). I pray that we will not just be entertained spectators, but that we will completely give ourselves over to the Lordship of Christ.

He loves you. Do you love Him?

Manger, Baby.

(Photo of cattle taken by me on December 25, 2012. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Rockefeller State Park Preserve)

While hiking with my sister-in-law on Christmas Day, we happened to reach the Stone Barns Center at feeding time. As the feeding troughs were filled with hay and oats, I could not help but think of the Christmas story. How appropriate that Mary laid Jesus in a manger (see Luke 2:7, 2:12, & 2:16). What has He said? I am that bread of life (John 6:48). Yes. Jesus is here to feed us.

Are you hungry for Him?

The cows in the above photo have provided a sort of allegory regarding our approach to the Word of God.

• Some of us are regularly at church, the place of spiritual feeding, but we won't accept a single bite of food.
• Some of us are grazing on the periphery, content with skimming the surface of spiritual truths.
• Some of us are digging deep, studying Scripture, seeking to uncover whatever hidden treasures may lie deep within the word of God.

  

Towards the end of this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam exhorted us to be sure that we are in right standing with God.

• Do we love Him intimately?
• Do we long for His Presence?
• Do we relinquish all that stands in opposition to Him?
• Do we readily and eagerly embrace the study of His word?

Our pastor read Hebrews chapter 2, and I would encourage all of us to re-read it today. At the heart of the appeal is an impassioned plea from the writer: Don't drop the truths you have heard.

Bronx Bethany, for nearly fifty years now, has offered a banqueting table where we can experience the love of God, the truth of God, and the power of God, that we might joyfully do the will of God. Will you feed on His word today, forever?

For God's sake, and for your own salvation, Jesus has set forth a luxurious feast. Eat.

Definitely No Vacancy.

(Photo of Devon oxen. Source: randallcattleregistry.org)

There were rooms in the inn, but there was no room for Jesus in the inn.
(See Luke 2:4-16)

There is a room in you specially created to be inhabited by the Spirit of Christ.

God has given you the choice to receive His Spirit into you,
His intended dwelling place,

or to refuse His Spirit
and have that room in you filled with selfishness, demonic presence, and fear.

This Christmas,
I pray that the gift and graces of the Holy Spirit will fill you
and keep filling you.

I pray you will never give that room in you to the enemy of your soul.

I pray you will embrace the One way in which Jesus has chosen to reveal Himself:
His Spirit.


There is a room in you. And, that room is not empty.
Who are you allowing to live there?

Now we have not received the spirit that belongs to the world, but the Holy Spirit Who is from God, given to us that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly bestowed on us by God. And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language to those who possess the Holy Spirit. (First Corinthians 2:12-13)

Christmas, Spirit: What A Gift.

In yesterday's sermon, Pastor Sam completed his series Human Stories in the Divine Drama. The final person we studied in the Advent narrative is Jesus.

Our pastor spoke of his own challenge, while in school, of accepting the fact that Jesus's story is one of humanity. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Yes, Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully human.

My blog post is a little later than usual today, because I was very sick throughout the night. But, gladly, my illness is helping me to better understand the profundity of the gospel of John. The Greek word, sarx, is one which refers to our flesh in its weakness and corruption. Pastor Sam gave us a sense of the grossness that sarx is. It is the human body, open to disease, sores, and excruciating pain. It is the human mind, subject to the most shocking temptations. It is the human heart, that Scripture informs us is deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), an out-of-control liar resident at the core of our being. Humanity is a gross, sick, twisted, stinking race. We, on our own, have nothing good to offer.

Praise God, we have been rescued! Jesus has come. He came to us in humanity. He chose to dwell among us in the earth: to live, die, be buried, to rise again. He chose to be hungry, thirsty, tired, beaten, mocked, ridiculed. God chose to exalt Him, so that the world might worship and adore Him. He is God. "I and the Father are one": it is the testimony of our Christ, confirmed by His Spirit, that gives us hope.

He is God, and He is man. Jesus has given us a great example. He made His dwelling place among us. He Himself was human, sarx, and in His sarx He chose not to sin. We, too, can choose not to sin. How? By submitting our sick human frames to the Holy Spirit of God. Throughout the book of John, we read of the power of Jesus to heal, teach, and deeply love. But then, in John chapters 14 through 17, Jesus indicates that it is the Holy Spirit who will instruct us in the ways of Christ. The presence of the Spirit is not simply for feeling good or speaking in tongues or running down the church aisles or for crying uncontrollably. He is here to teach us how to say no to sin and say yes to authentic Christian love, a love that dies to self.

So, the question resident in the book of Acts still echoes today, as it has for millennia: Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? If you have not, then how will you ever become fully freed from sin and sinning? How will you know what Jesus wants you to say and where He wants you to go? Scripture offers no other course of instruction. It is by the Spirit of God that we become conformed to the will and desire of God.

God is ever ready to give. Are you ready to ask?

O Lord Jesus, You have called us to submit and keep submitting to Your Spirit, the Holy Spirit who causes us to live. Give us grace to always say yes to Your directives, for the sake of Your holy name. Give us wisdom to ask for the continuous infilling of Your Spirit, so that we might truly live. Amen.

Advent IV

O LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

(Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. From the U.S. Book of Common Prayer, 1789-1928)

It's A Dead Reckoning, Dude.

Today we wrap up our reflections on the Christian experience of trauma in relation to the kingdom of God.

Here, again, are three statements Pastor Sam made during the message:

• "Sometimes in the process of grace, you go through untold trauma in the soul."
• "If you don't give up, don't bail out, don't resist, you might be around to see the end of God's grace."
• "What a joy it must be to know that God used you to do what He wants to do."

Today, let's think about the third statement.

Pastor Sam's statement on the joy of the just soul is not for everyone. The end of the sentence is the key: "What a joy it must be to know that God used you to do what He wants to do."

In the famed parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), we see that God has a wonderful reward for the just and righteous soul: "Enter into My joy! You have done wonderfully!" But the assessment of the value of one's work is bound in the validity of the work assignment: that is, are you doing what God wants you to do? Or, are you doing what you want to do?

Several years ago, a colleague of mine was in a regrettable situation. The person was a valued trustee and longtime churchgoer, but she insisted that she "had the right" to engage in serial adultery. Her rationale was that she was free to live her life as she pleased, and as long as she gave lots of money to church and diligently served on her board she would not be excluded from heaven. She was fully committed to doing what she wanted to do, whether for good or ill. And, she fully expected that God would commend her.

However, the Old and New Testaments are filled with words that urge us to do what God wants us to do. There are the Ten Commandments; the Great Commandment; the Great Commission. There are the psalms and proverbs which urge us to walk in wisdom and obedience to God's law and will. There are the parables of Jesus. There are the letters dictated by the glorified Christ to the seven churches noted in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. There are the countless exhortations from Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles. The constant theme? "Do what God says."

Doing what God says, as we see from the life of Mary, is not an easy thing. Obedience costs.

But guess what? Our salvation was a costly acquisition.

When I was a child, one of the hymns I learned was Norman Clayton's Now I Belong To Jesus. Yes! Jesus owns me. He is the Master and I am His slave. He gave His life for me; I gave my life to Him. When the Lord calls, what can the authentic Christian do but obey? After all, what slave dares to tell his master what to do?

But that is what some in the faith have done.

-Yes Lord, I know You said I am to preach, but I'd rather play the guitar for You.
-Well, Lord, I know You said don't associate with him, but I need money and he has lots of it.
-Lord, we're going down to New Orleans to help build houses. We know You didn't ask us to, but could You bless our project anyway?
-Lord, I refuse to forgive.


In the parable of the talents, there was one servant noted for his disobedience. He buried his money into the ground instead of investing it. At the end of the project, he was identified as a man of sloth and wickedness.

-But digging a hole is hard work! And when is it wicked to safeguard someone else's property?

Digging a hole was hard work, but it was not a work wrought in support of the Master.
Safeguarding property is a nice gesture, but not when the Master has called us to take risks.

Lord, we have conducted our dead reckoning... and we now see that we have wandered far from Your desire. Please help us to return to the course You have set for us!

By Faith, Eye, See An Angel Approaching The Door.

 

For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:27)

 

In today's blog, let's continue our reflections on Mary's prophetic word from Simeon, soul trauma, and the Christian experience of soul trauma in relation to the kingdom of God. Here are three statements Pastor Sam made:

• "Sometimes in the process of grace, you go through untold trauma in the soul."
• "If you don't give up, don't bail out, don't resist, you might be around to see the end of God's grace."
• "What a joy it must be to know that God used you to do what He wants to do."

Today, we consider the second statement.

As we read the Advent narratives in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, we see several instances where Mary could have resisted, bailed out, or given up. She could have resisted Gabriel's announcement and said no to God. Or, she could have accepted the announcement, but left her community and permanently relocated to the remote home of Elizabeth and Zechariah. She could have chosen to give Jesus over to the care of some other person or institution so that she would be spared from the challenges of parenthood, spared the pain of seeing His suffering, and spared from experiencing suffering in her own life.

She said yes. Mary bore and reared the child Jesus in the sight of her community. She recognized His power, and in His adulthood testified of His ability to do the miraculous. She watched Him die. She witnessed His resurrection and ascension. She received the gift of His Spirit. In the pain and crisis of her faith-filled, favored life, Mary experienced God. She saw the victorious life that eclipsed the pain and death of the cross, and she rejoiced.

Pastor Sam, however, placed a very important word in his comment: "might". Not everyone might get the chance to see the end of God's grace. The writer to the Hebrews laid out the truth: Some obtained a good report because of their faith, but they never saw the promise during their physical lifetime (see Hebrews 11:39).

Are we satisfied to be steadfast in our faith, to say yes to God's announcement for us, yet never see His victorious hand at work in the situations we face?

Earlier in Hebrews (chapters 6 and 7), the writer speaks at length about Abraham and about how certain things were accomplished through him. And, though they were not seen by him during his life, his descendants saw the results. Perhaps some of us will be called to end our lives without seeing physical evidence of answers to prayers, but we can nonetheless "see" the answers spiritually by faith. If God has made promises to us, and if we have remained faithful and obedient to His word, then we can be assured that He will ultimately honor and bless the word He has given to us.

Pastor Sam made the observation that ministers are sometimes pressured to sugar-coat the gospel of Christ in order to make it more palatable, more sale-able, more easily embraced. It is a pressure that must be resisted and crushed. I have had the experience of hearing highly educated clergy and congregants insist that God is obligated to work His wonders in the way we would best like to experience them, and that He must allow us to see His work with physical sight. It is a mindset that must be resisted and crushed.

Some months ago, another of our pastors (Pastor Richie) commented on God's prerogative to work His works without regard to space and time. In fact, a big part of the power of prayer is that prayer has the ability to reach backward and forward. This is how deliverance can occur. This is how miracles happen. God has the power to heal wounds that manifest in a man's adulthood today, but that were incurred in his childhood decades ago. God has the power to do a prevenient work, causing future situations to occur that should have not occurred given the "normal" course of life... like Elizabeth's pregnancy in her old age. Physics, physiology, logic, reason... God holds complete right of suspension.

This is the Christmas story. God took Himself from eternity and bound Himself to space and time in the person of Jesus Christ. He did this by suspending biological process, causing a virgin to conceive. He did this knowing that His breaking in to the world would cost some people their reputations, and others their lives.

So, here we are. Some believers might see the end of God's grace with their own eyes. Some believers might only see it through the eyes of faith. But, all believers will rejoice at the Presence and work of their King.

Resist the assumption that if you do not see it, God has not done it. Our Father is working. Have faith.

My Father sees and knows all things;
He sets up rulers, pulls down kings,
Reveals the hearts and thoughts of man.

I cannot see; I know He can.
He moves apart from time and space,
Permitting pains, extending grace.

Dear Mary, given special place,
Not fully seeing, told God yes...
Will you agree to His address?
(G.A.R.)

I Signed Up. I've Bought In. I'm Sold Out.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam said several things that have caused me to reflect on Simeon's prophetic blessing of Mary, my own personal bouts of soul trauma, and what the Christian experience of trauma might mean in relation to the kingdom of God.

Here are three of the statements our pastor made:

• "Sometimes in the process of grace, you go through untold trauma in the soul."
• "If you don't give up, don't bail out, don't resist, you might be around to see the end of God's grace."
• "What a joy it must be to know that God used you to do what He wants to do."

Today, let's reflect on the first statement.

Simeon, as recorded in Luke 2:34-35, spoke specifically to Mary and by extension speaks to us: Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul as well. In other words, it's not just about Jesus's ignominy. We who align ourselves completely and obediently to Jesus will suffer with Him. What has Jesus said? "The time will come that whoever kills you will think that he is doing God a favor. They will do it because they don't know the Father, and they don't know Me." (see John 16:2-3)

Trauma, as a term, carries the notion of being wounded quickly and violently. A sword will pierce your soul. It is not a gentle, anesthetized experience of crisis. Soul trauma is harsh and painful. But, it shows the world whether or not we are people who truly believe and obey God. The apostle Paul, in his letters, calls out his colleagues by name and gives assessment of the state of their souls: Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world (Second Timothy 4:10); Tychicus is a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellowservant in the Lord (Colossians 4:7); I beg Euodias and Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord (Philippians 4:2).

Jesus calls out some colleagues by name as well. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed that your faith won't fail (Luke 22:31-32). I know your works: you have not denied My faith, even in the days when My faithful servant Antipas was martyred among you (Revelation 2:13). Trauma enters the life of the believer, and trauma hurts deeply, but trauma does not derail true faith. Instead, it produces in us a grace: the grace of God that draws us ever closer to Him, and makes us look more and more like Him.

Soul trauma is not like physical trauma. Physical trauma debilitates; soul trauma builds. Psalm 119 reinforces this sense of soul trauma as a building exercise. Princes sat and spoke against me; but Your servant meditated in Your statutes; Your testimonies are my delight (Psalm 119:23-24). Remember Your word to Your servant, in which You caused me to hope; this is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has kept me alive (Psalm 119:49-50). Trouble and anguish have grabbed me; but Your commandments are my delights. Your righteous testimony is everlasting; give me understanding, and I will live (Psalm 119:143-144).

Are you experiencing untold trauma in your soul? Embrace it as an evidence of the grace of God, a grace commended by heaven and deeply hated by the evil one. Perhaps your being targeted is proof of your incredible value to the kingdom of God.

Mary, you grace-filled, favored, noticed-by-God girl, your righteousness will cost you. Soul trauma is part of the package. All that you know and love might die, but you will experience My Kingdom life: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Are you in with Me?

Cain Reaction.

Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more. (Matthew 2:16-18)

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shalt be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:6-7)

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Luke 3:34)

From Genesis to Revelation we see a pattern emerge: when righteous persons submit themselves fully to the desire of God, wicked persons respond in anger and rage. It was God Himself who exposed the pattern: 1) if the way of righteousness is not taken, then sin will overtake the soul; and 2) sin seeks to derail us, but we are called to be active overcomers.

God has given us the capacity to live our lives free from sinning. How? By intentionally choosing to live our lives bound to holiness. The apostle Paul picks up the theme in Romans 6, verses 14 and 15: “Sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law but under grace. What, then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that the one you yield to is the one you obey, either sin that leads to death or obedience that leads to righteousness?” What was the angel’s salutation to Mary? “Greetings, Mary: you are highly favored, the Lord is with you, you are blessed!” (see Luke 1:28) Her commitment to righteousness was commended by God.

King Herod’s commitment, though, was to himself. Upon hearing that a Child in his region was destined to be the king of the scattered Jewish diaspora, Herod sought to ensure that no king would emerge. In his rage he extended a wave of infanticide in and around Bethlehem, determined to derail God’s righteous Light. Herod, in serving the devil, manifested the action we find in Revelation 12 verse 4: “… the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”

The irony of Herod, and Cain, and some people living in the world today, is that this deep rage co-exists with a feigned demonstration of worship. Cain’s murder of Abel was preceded by a presentation of an inappropriate offering to God, which God rejected (Genesis 4:3-5). Herod’s edict to murder all children under the age of 2 was preceded by a falsely stated desire to worship: When you find the Child, come back and tell me so I can worship Him too (see Matthew 2:8). The apostle Jude gives us a list of identifiers that expose persons who choose “the way of Cain”:

• They do not earnestly contend for the faith (verse 3);
• They use their God-given graces as a means of seducing people (verse 4);
• They deny Christ (verse 4);
• They demonstrate unbelief in God’s power even after God has rescued them multiple times (verse 5);
• They walk away from God’s presence and embrace darkness (verse 6);
• They give themselves over to sexual relations outside of the marriage covenant (verse 7);
• They defile themselves, disrespect authorities, and speak ill of their leaders (verse 8);
• They trade authentic worship for their own sense of how to approach God (verse 11);
• They conduct their unrighteous acts in the community of faith, without fear of reprisal (verse 12).

Simeon, in his prophetic blessing, gave Mary the whole story. Yes, your family is blessed: but know that many will respond to your righteous Son with rage. 

Mary was a righteous servant of the LORD, and she agreed with what God said. Herod was a selfish servant of the evil one, and he resisted what God said. Two camps then... two camps now.

Lord, we long to hear Your commendation on the Great Day. Please give us hearts and lives that walk in agreement with You. Yes, righteousness is our deep desire. Form it in us, we pray, for the sake of Jesus and His kingdom. Amen.

Blessing, Piercing, Mourning, Testing.

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34-35)

And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication. And they shall look earnestly upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (John 19:31-34)


Mary, according to Scripture, was present at the crucifixion of Jesus. So Mary lived to see Simeon's prophetic blessing come to fruition... but what sort of "blessing" is it to watch your firstborn die?

Pastor Sam reminded us of the danger of living life with what he terms a "kindergarten theology". Kindergarten theology assumes that Christian faith is a means by which we avoid hardship and trial. Our pastor urged us to recognize such thoughts as what they are: tools of the devil, used strategically to derail the faith of many when crisis enters their lives. We are called to exercise maturity in our faith. Mature faith understands that the blessings and graces of God are frequently accompanied by deep anguish.

The prophet Zechariah spoke of this correlation (Zechariah 13:8-9): "And in all the land, says the Lord, two-thirds shall be cut off and perish, but one-third shall be left alive. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined and will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will hear and answer them. I will say, It is My people; and they will say, The Lord is my God." It is the awakened community of faith, the community alive in Christ, that God gives the privilege of being drawn closer to Him. How does the closeness bloom? Through the testing of our faith by the fire of adversity.

Mary. A young woman with a mature faith, equipped to endure the piercing that accompanied her blessing.

Will your soul still magnify the Lord in the season of testing?

Right, You Are... Just, You See.

Yesterday, Pastor Sam continued his series Human Stories in the Divine Drama.

Although the tradition in many churches is to focus on the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) on the third Sunday of Advent, our pastor also walked us through the prophetic statements made by Simeon, an elderly man who (like others in the Advent narrative) was described as righteous.

Pastor Sam mentioned in passing that there seems to be a pattern in the Advent narrative: the people highlighted in the Advent story are people who seek to do the will of God as recorded in His word. And, in seeking to do His will, they received the great reward and privilege of prophecy.

Is your Christian walk characterized by prophetic encounters with the living God?

Whether our answer is yes or no, we would all do well to seek after righteousness. Such a seeking opens the door to Divine revelation: words of commendation, comfort, and caution to encourage and equip the people of God. We will reflect on the sermon points over the course of this week; today, though, let us hear Simeon's story from Luke 2:25-35.

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Advent III

O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

(Collect for the Third Sunday of Advent. From the U.S. Book of Common Prayer, 1789-1928)

I, Joseph.

Joseph, son of David.

When God calls, what can the righteous person say but yes?

Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife.

Yes asks the righteous spouse to relinquish their right to a quiet divorce.

What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Yes wrestles logic out of the righteous heart and replaces it with Divine mystery.

She will give birth to a son.

Yes opens the righteous spirit to clear prophetic revelation.

You are to give him the name Jesus.

Yes allows the righteous bystander a central role in God's program.

He will save his people from their sins.

Yes gives the righteous soul a chance to live a life in which sin has lost all appeal.

"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him..."

Yes Lord, I'm awake. Yes.

Fourteen... Count Me In.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:17)

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam took time to share the significance of the number fourteen. We learned that, just as the number seven signifies completion, the number fourteen signifies the certainty of the completion: it is, as our pastor shared, a "complete complete". There is no doubt that the hand of God is at work when Scripture evokes multiples of seven.

Joseph, therefore, is a critically important figure in the Advent narrative. The angel sent to speak to Joseph gave a significant salutation: "Joseph, son of David..." (Matthew 1:20). Why is Joseph addressed as "son of David"? Pastor Sam showed us that the name David, in Hebrew, is also an expression of the number fourteen. Joseph is not a random actor, but rather a hand-picked participant in God's project. He is a "complete complete".

Our great and gracious God has chosen certain people to be included in His salvation plan through the ages. The men and women in the Matthew 1 genealogy list may have had obscure beginnings in the world's eyes, but they were special to God! What a privilege to have been chosen by Him.

The Scripture testifies: "Mary's husband-to-be, Joseph, was a man who did what was right." (Matthew 1:19). God could count on Joseph. Can He count on you?

Yes, Domine. My Bags Are Packed.

When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

In Joseph's story, we see that his experience of the Divine occurred by means of prophetic dreams. The dreams, in which an angel spoke to Joseph, served several functions:

Encouragement and Explanation (Matthew 1) - Joseph was reassured concerning Mary's miraculous pregnancy, and was told to move forward in their marriage relationship without fear.

Escape and Establishment (Matthew 2) - Joseph was warned to leave town. In doing so he avoided encountering Herod's wrath, and was able to safely resettle his family twice: first in Egypt, then in Nazareth.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam noted that Joseph obeyed the angelic messages without question and without delay. Joseph's response is a refreshing rebuttal to the norms of today, in which men choose to resist the promptings of God. We would do well to remember that God still sends messages through angels, and His angels still speak prophetically on His behalf. When we have received a clear word from the Lord, we ought respond to His word without needing to consult committees or call for board meetings.

"To the angel of Bronx Bethany, write: I know your deeds. I know your heart. I send My word. I give you warning. Obey, and overcome!"

Do not put out the Spirit's fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. (First Thessalonians 5:19-20)

Keep Calling Me Names.

In the Matthew and Luke accounts of the Advent and birth of Jesus, there are long lists of names. Pastor Sam shared with us that both lists, interestingly, are traced through Joseph-- even though the narrative clearly indicates that Jesus was sent by God to earth through Mary, without a biological father.

The genealogies stand as an ultimate, permanent reward to Joseph. In his earthly life Joseph endured the challenge of having to experience Jesus as a child he did not father, but had to take care of as his own. Further, and perhaps more challenging, Joseph embraced the co-opting of the normal process of marital relations. Our pastor brought out the point that Joseph, though told by the angel that he could take Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:20), chose to not consummate the marriage until after the child Jesus was born (Matthew 1:24-25).

It seems the Spirit of God noticed Joseph's passionate heart, and stepped in. Joseph, you were out of the picture, sexually speaking, because this pregnancy was a Divine miracle. And then you sacrificially kept yourself out of the picture for all the months Mary carried the unborn Child. So guess what? I'm putting you in the picture. Check the registry; your name is there.

Joseph's lineage is given to us as Jesus's lineage. Jesus, who has none of Joseph's blood in Him, is included in the bloodline traced from Joseph to Abraham (in Matthew 1:1-17), even to Adam (in Luke 3:23-38). And, while Luke 1:5 is very careful to indicate that both Zechariah and Elizabeth had priestly legacies, the Advent narrative does not bother to give us an explanation of Mary's heritage. So Mary, the one whose blood is in Jesus, is the only immediate relative in the Advent narrative who does not have her ancestry listed... though Scripture is careful to reinforce the fact that Jesus is her child, not Joseph's child (see Luke 2:4-7).

How can this be? It is a mystery we receive by faith. Joseph had faith. Mary had faith. What about you?

So Much For My Private Divorce.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam spent some time encouraging us to engage righteous passion.

• We are righteous. We are people who know, love, and live the word of God without compromise. 
• We are passionate. We are people who demonstrate kindness and care to the lost, even when we incur personal cost to do so.

Our pastor went on to encourage us to demonstrate righteous passion as an act of grace. He said, and I paraphrase, engagement of righteous passion is not an endorsement of the lost person's acts of sin. It is an important point to keep in mind. After all, if we abandon our relationships with lost souls, what opportunity will God have to show His grace to them?

We are to live exemplary lives, even in the face of those who remain defiant in their sin. In doing so, we love like Jesus loved... and we love like Joseph loved. "Joseph, being a righteous man, did not want to expose Mary to public disgrace." (Matthew 1:19) Joseph's alternative to public disgrace was to secure a private divorce-- a gracious response to what appeared to be the most grievous sin a man could encounter: a violation of the betrothal contract.

But God took the grace a step further. In noting Joseph's intent to show grace, God sent an angel with an incredible message: Keep Mary. Don't divorce her. Keeping her is not a compromising of your faith. It is the ultimate demonstration of My love. And Joseph, being an incredible man, obeyed God.

Of course, Joseph had the privilege of experiencing a clear word from the Lord that explained Mary's pregnancy was a Divine miracle. But what of us who have had no dream, no angelic encounter, yet we face the challenge of engaging righteous passion towards the lost? Well, we are to follow the example of Scripture. Joseph, even before he had the explanatory dream, chose to demonstrate grace. His demonstration of grace did not dissolve his own integrity. We must be convinced that God, in His greatness, has done the same for us through Jesus. He sought us out: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He then gave us the choice to accept or reject the truth He presented. God's demonstration of grace certainly did not diminish His own integrity.

It is painful and challenging and heart-breaking when those we love choose to violate God's law. And if it hurts us deeply, imagine how it hurts the heart of Him who is the ultimate Lover! But His commandment builds up our faith and crushes the challenges: Love. Save. Keep. Protect. Live.

God is a rewarder of those who demonstrate righteous passion.

No Song-And-Dance Man.

Of the immediate relatives in the Advent narrative, there are three who Scripture lists as offering some sort of praise or prophetic word. We have Elizabeth's Spirit-led revelation song, her husband Zechariah's prophecy, and her cousin Mary's praise song, all recorded in Luke 1. But all we have for Joseph, in Luke 2:33, is that he marvelled at the prophecy given by Simeon in the temple. Nothing else. Not even a "thank-You-Lord". As I listened to a podcast of a "Joseph" sermon (from a different church) over the last week, I wondered what it meant to have Joseph present in the narrative but absent from the praise team.

We serve a wonderful God. I did not know that, for this weekend's English-language services, Pastor Sam would have Joseph as the next person in his sermon series, Human Stories In The Divine Drama.

Pastor Sam's message really helped us to see Joseph in a clearer light. We learned that Joseph, rather than being a dispensable actor in the drama, is actually central to the narrative. And though the canon lists no resounding praise nor rejoicing prose, we can still learn a great deal from the life of Joseph. What has he brought to the table? Pastor Sam shared a few points. (Note: In the interest of full disclosure, the "r.p." alliterations are mine; but the sermon points are his.)

• Risk-taking partnership. Joseph remained in his betrothal contract with Mary.
• Responsible paternity. Joseph, led by God through prophetic dreams, protected his family.
• Righteous passion. Joseph demonstrated what it means to love sacrificially without compromising integrity.

There is much more God shared with us through our pastor, and I hope that as we reflect on the sermon this week we will have opportunity to think and pray about Joseph's life, and our own.

The canon records no song from Joseph. Hymnody has few songs for Joseph.

But, we can say that Joseph's life sang. Loudly.

Advent II

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent. From the U.S. Book of Common Prayer, 1789-1928)

Sway. Pace. Groan.

And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. (Luke 1:10)

Our theme at Bronx Bethany this year is Engaging Transformational Prayer... Experiencing Transformational Provision. A lot of praying has been going on.

Some of us are, like Zechariah, faithfully doing our work as we wait for God to answer our petition.
Some of us are, like Elizabeth, enduring disgrace as we wait for God's merciful intervention.
Sadly, though, some of us are not praying at all.

Luke 1:10 specifically notes that congregational prayer was occurring "at the hour of the incense offering". When the priest was in the temple offering incense (a representation of their prayers), the people were outside praying in tandem with the ministry of the priest. All of them.

Let us resist the temptation of being merely casual observers, and instead engage transformational prayer-- corporately seeking God even as our pastors faithfully carry out their ministry assignments. Pray, pray, pray.

"And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer..."
Is that too much to ask?

Public Humiliation... Private Celebration.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (Luke 1:41-45, italics mine)

In this past Sunday's sermon, our pastor shared a few aspects of prophetic ministry:

• God reveals what is hidden;
• God reinforces what He has already said;
• God encourages the obedient.

Today, let's consider the third aspect: prophecy as encouragement to the obedient.

Encouragement. In considering the prophetic encounter between Elizabeth and Mary, we see that Elizabeth's prophecy began and ended with a word of blessing to Mary. Mary had the joy of hearing God's commendation: "My daughter, you are blessed. You have believed Me; I will fulfill My word in you."

It is important to note that Elizabeth's prophecy did not erase the challenges Mary would face. But, the prophecy did produce in Mary the encouragement she would need to face those challenges as the months and years progressed. I would even go so far as to say that, without the prophetic encouragement from Elizabeth, we would not have had the resultant, exuberant, confident praise response from Mary: the Magnificat, found in Luke 1:46-55.

Pastor Sam reminded us that this story has a powerful ending. In Luke 1:46, we read that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for the final trimester of Elizabeth's pregnancy, then Mary went back home. Specifically, Mary chose to return home just at the point when her own pregnancy would become obvious to others in her community, rather than hiding out at Elizabeth's home for the duration.

Mary, encouraged by the word of the Lord through Elizabeth, went home strong enough to face the ridicule and innuendo of her neighbors. It was a ridicule that lasted well into Jesus's adulthood: "I am one who testifies for Myself; My other witness is the Father, who sent Me." Then they asked Him, "Where is your father?" (John 8:18-19) The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48)

People who don't recognize the work of God in us might be quick to speak a word of ridicule or disgrace. But those of us who recognize prophetic work ought to be quick to speak words of life, love, and encouragement. God, things don't look good, but You are good and Your promise is being fulfilled. Thank You for choosing to work in and through Your prophetic community.

How do you treat people who walk in obedience to God's prophetic word?
Do you encourage them, or do you ridicule them?

"De worl' treat You mean, Lawd; treat me mean too.
But please, Suh, fuhgive us Lawd; we didn't know 'twas You." (Robert MacGimsey, 1932)

Sam's Message. Same Message.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:41)

In yesterday's blog we started reflection on a few aspects of prophetic ministry:

• God reveals what is hidden;
• God reinforces what He has already said;
• God encourages the obedient.

Today, let's consider the second aspect: reinforcement of what God has already said.

Reinforcement. Pastor Sam shared a point that is critical for us to embrace: Genuine prophecy is always consistent with the word of God. Therefore, we must be people who are fully immersed in the word of God, so that we are not deceived by false prophets.

In the story of Elizabeth, we see that her prophetic word was understood and received by Mary without question, because Mary had already heard the same message of God from the angel Gabriel. In other words, it was not new news: it was old news. But the reinforcement of this news, from the mouth of a person who was not present at the event, intensified the truth and inevitability of the message.

Last month after a service, I shared something with Pastor Sam that I will re-state here in print. If I should happen to drop into hell, it will not be the fault of our pastor. Bronx Bethany is a prophetic community: that is, the word of God is preached from the pulpit and reinforced through care groups, music and worship arts, and educational classes. There is no lack of exposure to what God is saying. If a member of our church, knowing the truth of Scripture, willfully walks apart from the word of God, then we must earnestly pray that he or she repents. Otherwise, they are bound to perish. There is no way they can claim they didn't know what God said.

One of the challenges we face is that, though we are a Nazarene community, there are many attendees who are at best nominal in their faith. That is not a criticism: that is a reality. Pastor Sam alluded to this reality during the sermon. There are those who believe that their healing and financial well-being is a sign that God does not mind if their lives are lived in opposition to His commandments. But the Scripture tells us that God, through His mercy, is continually seeking to save the lost.
 

Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. (Romans 2:4-5)

 

So the reinforcement of what God has already said is a rich gift which encourages us to persevere in our walk with Christ. It is why we are exhorted to remain in community, to repent, to grow in grace and in knowledge of God's word, to deeply love God, and to humbly obey Him. By doing so, we embrace His mercy and escape His wrath. We position ourselves for receipt of this glorious gift of prophecy.

 

Further, though we are not in a position to choose which spiritual gifts God gives to us, Scripture nonetheless encourages us to seek after this particular gift.

 

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. (First Corinthians 14:1-3)

 

God loves you! He desires to have all of you, and He desires that you have all of Him. I pray you will submit yourself to Him, completely.

This is not new news; it is reinforcement of old news... the Good News. Read it for yourself.

The Reveal.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? (Luke 1:41-43)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam mentioned a few aspects of prophetic ministry. In the engagement of prophecy, a person becomes privy to what God is seeing and saying.

• God reveals what is hidden;
• God reinforces what He has already said;
• God encourages the obedient.

Today, let's consider the first aspect: revelation of hidden things.

Revelation. The writer of Hebrews made a statement about the revelatory nature of prophecy: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

This would not have been a surprise to the Hebrews, but a reminder. Old Testament Scripture contains several examples of priests and prophets speaking things that only God could have told them. In fact, it was such a known occurrence that even non-Israelites asserted God's power to bring specific words of knowledge to His prophets.

Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he counseled with his servants saying, “In such and such a place shall be my camp.” The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there.” The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice. Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” (Second Kings 6:8-12)

During the sermon, Pastor Sam made a passing comment about God being the revealer of what happens in our bedrooms. Scripture supports his assertion. It is not a reason to be angry; it is a reason to be grateful that God is so earnest to rescue His people. God is not joking. He has a deep love for us, and will use every means to bring salvation and deliverance-- even using a seemingly ignorant person to tell us things they shouldn't know.

God again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7)

Elizabeth, simple woman in the hills of Judah.
Elizabeth, infilled with the Holy Spirit of God.
Elizabeth, privy to the work of God.
See. Hear. Speak. Love.

A Private Realization… A Public Revelation.

When Zechariah’s time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:23-25)

God’s timing: In these days…

God is the One who determined that Elizabeth and Zechariah would bear a child—not in their prime bearing years, but in their old age. Our Lord, from time to time, chooses to do the miraculous in us and through us. We become participants in His great work… but we do not control the timing. That prerogative is left to God alone.

God’s option: …He has shown His favor…

God, in addition to giving Elizabeth and Zechariah the joy of having a child, gave them the favored position of being parents of John, the forerunner of Christ. There would be no other parents who had that special designation. “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)

God’s rescue: … and taken away my disgrace…

God, by giving Elizabeth a child, removed from her the state of barrenness that her culture viewed as a form of curse… and that she viewed as a form of disgrace. “When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.” (Luke 1:57-58)

God’s exposure: …among the people.

God allowed Elizabeth to experience the social stigma of barrenness for decades, but He then gave her a pregnancy and birth which touched her community and region. “All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him.” (Luke 1:65-66)

The Lord has done this for me. In time, all will see.

I, Elizabeth.

In our English-language services yesterday, Pastor Sam continued the series on "Human Stories In The Divine Drama". This week, we will reflect on Elizabeth.

It's amazing how we can read the same scripture passage for years, or even decades, but God in His greatness can open our minds to new insights. One of the blessings we experienced during yesterday's sermons was that God, through our pastor, shed new light on Elizabeth's story (found in the first chapter of Luke).

Elizabeth was unemployed, but qualified. Elizabeth was a bonafide member of the priesthood: not because she was married to Zechariah, but because she herself was a descendant of Aaron. Although her culture did not permit women to serve in the temple, Elizabeth nonetheless carried in her genes the legacy necessary for being a temple priest.

Elizabeth was ridiculed, but righteous. Rather than becoming bitter about the stigma of barrenness, she chose the way of righteousness. Being public figures exposed Elizabeth and her husband to colleagues and congregants who viewed their childlessness as a curse. However, they did not go into hiding. They continued living in the presence of their community, expressing the grace of God to the people.

Elizabeth was clueless, but prophetic. Mary had not spoken to Elizabeth. But at hearing Mary's voice, Elizabeth was moved by the Holy Spirit and began to speak prophetically concerning Mary's status as Theotokos (the woman who would bear God incarnate). Elizabeth even gave a word of knowledge concerning the condition of Mary's heart: "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" (Luke 1:45)

What an encouragement for those of us who live by, and walk in, the Spirit of God (see Galatians 5). Our detractors say that, across the board, we are not working: our hands do not work because we are jobless; our hormones do not work, and we are childless; our head does not work, so we are not privy to the thoughts and acts that occur away from our physical presence. But the Holy Spirit speaks to those who humbly submit to Him. His voice drowns out the jeers and jokes of our detractors. At the right time, His word of truth will pour out of us to encourage, save, and deliver all who seek to draw near to Him.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer. (Rev. George Croly, 1854)

Incendiary Prayers.

Zechariah was chosen to offer incense on the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It was a day when righteousness was paramount and prayer was enjoined by all. Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.(Luke 1:8-10)

Zechariah was visited by none other than Gabriel, the archangel who stands in the presence of God, ready to relay messages from our glorious King. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense... The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news." (Luke 1:11 and 1:19)

Zechariah was heard when he offered his prayer request to God. Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John." (Luke 1:12-13)

Zechariah was promised that his son would be a source of joy not only for himself and his wife, but for all Israel. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. (Luke 1:14-16)

Zechariah was given prophecy concerning his son's ministry calling. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)

Fast-forward to 2012...

We are chosen. "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." (Ephesians 1:4)

We are visited. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2)

We are heard. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." (First John 5:14-15)

We are promised. "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." (Second Peter 1:2-4)

We are given prophecy. "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." (John 16:13)

There is a corporate prayer pending, one that we asked our Father during this past Sunday's sermon: "Lord, what would You have me to do?" God heard us. I pray that when He responds, He will find His people rejoicing instead of refusing.

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! (Hebrews 12:25)

There's No Fool Like An Old Fool.

During this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase, "When you are mature and are reluctant to heed the word of God, the consequences can be dangerous."

The archangel Gabriel is known in Scripture as a messenger (unlike the archangel Michael, who is known for fighting). But, though Gabriel is not described as a fighter, he does wield significant power. In Gabriel's interaction with Zechariah, there emerges a spiritual battle: Gabriel delivers the word of God, Zechariah responds with a word of unbelief, and Gabriel counterreplies with a word of rebuke. Upon Gabriel's rebuke, Zechariah immediately loses the ability to speak.

Actually, Zechariah was fortunate to only lose the use of his voice for a season. Scripture indicates that there were other persons who lost their lives. We are told of an unnamed angel, sent by God, who in one night took the lives of an entire army which opposed Israel: 186,000 men (Isaiah 37:33-37). In Exodus we read that God Himself, in response to Pharaoh's opposition, destroyed the firstborn of all cattle and households of Egypt (Exodus 12:29-30). God does not take lightly when He is mocked or blasphemed, or when man raises his voice against Him.

Some may ask, "But wasn't Zechariah working for God?" Yes, he was; but in his response of unbelief he indicated that his alliance was not with God's word, but with his own sense of inadequacy and inability. In choosing his own voice over the LORD's, Zechariah ceased to be a representative of God's agenda. He opposed the very LORD he served, and as a result was no longer fit to speak for God. Gabriel, appropriately, shut down Zechariah's vocal cords so that he could not pronounce God's blessing upon the people (Luke 1:21-22).

Zechariah's question to Gabriel, "How can this be?", is saturated in treachery. At its core, treachery is a betrayal of established trust and a violation of established faith. Luke 1:5 shows us that Zechariah and Elizabeth lived righteously, being faithful and obedient to all the commands of God. Their relationship with God spanned decades, and the LORD had proven Himself trustworthy. If anyone should have believed the angel's message without question, it should have been Zechariah. In other words, Zechariah was old enough to know better-- there was no reason for him to doubt God's power to bless him and his wife.

In the middle of the mundane, God stepped in and sent an awesome message, a clear and specific response to prayer... and Zechariah, though mature in age and faith, chose backtalk over belief.

What is God saying?...And what are you saying?

Rejoining The Chorale.

“Rejoin” is one of those wonderful words in the English language that has multiple meanings. It can mean to come back to something that had been left behind. Or, it can mean to reply to a reply (that is, to counterreply) or to retort.

In the second service, in the secondary sense of the word, rejoining was in play. The Chorale sang “That Name”, then our pastor counterreplied with examples of choir conduct in relation to ministry. The examples were modern-day illustrations intended to highlight several points concerning the story of Zechariah:
 

Cruel disappointments do not prevent the faithful from serving. Zechariah continued to minister faithfully at his post even though he and his wife bore the stigma of childlessness (Luke 1:7).
 

What seems to be a trial for us might be a preparation for God. Every circumstance is purposeful, even crises that have been sent by the devil in an attempt to subvert our ministry (see Second Corinthians 12:7-10).
 

Our spiritual gifts and talents are not to be set aside. Why has God given us a gift? For use. We are to pursue our purpose, using our gifts, while we allow God to work out His purpose in us.
 

Some prayers are still pending. When prayers are offered, they stand in the presence of God until He responds. In the face of people who present the most stubborn resistance to God's directive, God will answer our prayers for their deliverance.
 

We are called to pursue peace and holiness. Our ministry is ineffective when we live our lives in ways that do not demonstrate holy living and the pursuit of peacefulness with our fellow Christians.
 

Pastor Sam, at the start and end of his sermon, encouraged us to ask God a question: “Lord, what will You have me to do?” If we ask with sincerity and obedience of heart, He will answer. God will help us to walk upright, obey Him, say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and say yes to living righteously.
 

Oh Lord God, be glorified in us. Help us so that we will not be tempted to think you have not heard our prayers. Give us patience and holy love as we await Your answer. Give us grace to be faithful to You, and to serve in whatever post You call us to hold. Give us encouragement and strength to stand against the devil and to speak life to Your people. Thank You, Lord. You are present. You are active. You are faithful. We love You.

Ich Bin Kein Kindergartener.

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Acts 14:19-23)

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias (Zechariah), of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. (Luke 1:5-7)

The lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth show us that good, righteous, blameless people might go through much of their lives waiting for their prayers to be answered. The phrase "they were both advanced in years" (Luke 1:7) implies that, in terms of human ability, it was too late for Elizabeth and Zechariah to have children. They might have even believed that God's answer to their desire was "No", were it not for the proclamation made by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:13).

Beyond delayed answers to prayer, the mature Christian might also experience incredible pain and hardships in ministry. We have the example of the apostle Paul, who was pelted with rocks by his fellow Jews who sought to kill him because of his faith in Jesus (Acts 14:19). We have the example of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was shot to death before he reached his fortieth birthday. The mature Christian knows that bad things happen to good people, and does not shirk that reality. The immature Christian works very hard to avoid experiencing bad things.

Pastor Sam, in this past Sunday's sermon, used a harsh but relevant term that describes the plight of immature Christians: "Kindergarten Theology." It is the notion that Christians who obey God should have a life of smooth sailing, with quickly answered prayers and shielding from hardships. But it seems that the pattern Scripture reveals is that Christians are called to do very difficult things, and are called to remain faithful to God while engaged in these difficult tasks.

Zechariah and Elizabeth had the difficult task of remaining faithful in ministry while living in a culture that associated barrenness with being under a curse. I wonder what it was like for Zechariah, in his ministerial post, to have to read Scriptures about children being a blessing. Or to preside over baby dedications.

Paul had the difficult task of remaining faithful in ministry while some people were trying to kill him, and while other people were openly compromising the faith Paul lived for. He himself testifies:

"Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" (Second Corinthians 11:24-29)

 

The Christian faith is no place for kindergarten theology. The believer who is bound to kindergarten-level thinking will shut down and throw in the towel when life gets challenging. We who are mature in the faith are called to contend, to fight, to stand, and to work. Contend, even when it seems that God is not hearing us or helping us. Fight, even when it looks like our lives are under a curse. Stand, even when we are being pelted with rocks (whether literally or figuratively) by the people who are supposed to be our siblings in the faith. Work, even when your work is unappreciated. Do what you have been called and ordained to do.

 

In due time, God will appear in power with His response to the deep prayers of our hearts.

 

But as for me,

I will watch expectantly for the LORD;

I will wait for God of my salvation.

My God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)