Glossa Water: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Missing Donkeys. Circus Monkeys.

When I was a little girl, my mom used to take me to the circus. I was fascinated by the clown acts. These talented men and women would entertain the crowds through slapstick humor and creativity. Sometimes, the clowns would incorporate dogs and chimpanzees into their acts. Oh, how we would laugh.

When I was sixteen years old, though, a curious thing happened. Not one person in my family wanted to go to the circus that year-- that is, no one except me. So, I went by myself. As I sat in the arena and watched the circus with no family to talk with, I was able to see something very interesting: this particular show used the clowns only during set changes. Their antics, highlighted in one section of the arena, were pulling the audience’s attention away from a different part of the arena-- the dimly lit part, which was being set up for a large, exciting display. The spotlight was on the clowns—but, in that moment, I saw what was happening in the shadows.

Pastor Andy noted that God sets up all the connections that move us into our destiny. Our pastor shared from First Samuel 9, in which we find Saul and his servant focused on finding the missing donkeys which belonged to Kish, Saul’s father. Pastor Andy said, and I paraphrase here: For Saul, the pressing issue was that his father’s donkeys were missing. But Saul didn’t realize that the missing donkeys were the means by which God would move Saul into a far greater event—the distinction of being Israel’s first king.

Not every event becomes a precursor to a life-changing experience. But, as our pastor said to us on Sunday, we are called to be observant. Maybe you’ve been laughing at the clowns and dogs and chimpanzees, completely unaware of the set changes occurring on the other side of the arena. Maybe you’ve been wandering around looking for someone else’s missing donkeys, not realizing that your kingship is just around the corner.

Now Saul's uncle asked him and his servant, "Where have you been?" "Looking for the donkeys," he said. "But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel." (First Samuel 10:14)

Monday, September 29, 2014

He's Hiding Among The Supplies.

Yesterday’s sermon, Moving Forward in God’s Destiny, pointed us to the means by which God reveals His desire for our lives. During this week we will reflect on a few of the themes Pastor Andy shared with us. For today, let’s read the chapters referenced in the sermon.

First Samuel 9 and 10

There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.

Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.) “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?” “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.” They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.” When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?” Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.” So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’ Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”

As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place.

Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah and said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.”

When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”

They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.

Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.

Friday, September 26, 2014

When Working Hard Is Hardly Working.

“I don’t want to be doing ‘church work’. I want to be doing the work of the church.” (Reverend Ronald Benjamin)

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

As we read in the Matthew 7 passage above, there is the warning that many people who are doing church work will not enter into heaven. Pastor Ronald Benjamin noted that people sometimes make the error of doing church work (working very hard at self-appointed tasks) rather than doing the work of the church (seeking God’s counsel on what He wants them to do, so that His name will be glorified in and through His church). Today, let us consider two questions.

1. How do we fall into such error?

We respond to what we see instead of relying on what God has said. Joshua learned a hard lesson in his encounter with the Gibeonites. As Joshua’s colleagues focused on the feigned poverty and distress of the Gibeonite representatives, they took what they saw at face value and failed to ask God for guidance. As a result, the Israelites became bound by their own words and were unable to destroy their enemies. (See Joshua chapter 9)

We side-step necessary conflict and seek comfort. Scripture tells us that in the season where kings were expected to engage in warfare, King David sent others to battle in his stead while he stayed at home. As a result, David became entangled in adultery and murder. In David’s later years, his home became a battlefield as his children fought with each other and schemed to take his throne. (See Second Samuel 11, Second Samuel 13, Second Samuel 15, and FirstKings 1)

2. What is the work of the church?

The work of the church is to express the love of God. First Corinthians 13, in the original Greek, indicates that this love is akin to the love God intended for marital relationships. It is intimate. It seeks the good of the other. It is consistent. It seeks nothing in return. When the love of God is expressed through us with the intensity and intimacy God modeled for us, then our daily tasks will bring glory to His name.

The work of the church is to obey God. It sounds simple, and it should be simple, but sometimes we are reluctant to do the simple things. God tells us something, and we ask Him to qualify His word with explanations and reassurances. We tell Him we’re not ready to move. We point at graphs, charts, and reports to support our choice to disobey. However, we have been warned: if our initiatives have not been born from the heart of God, then all of our hard work will be in vain.

It’s an interesting time to consider these things. Jews all over the world are now in their high holy days, moving from the celebratory Rosh Hashanah to the contemplative Yom Kippur. Perhaps we at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene can take a page from their notebook. As we are celebrating our fiftieth anniversary, it would also be useful for us to contemplate our role in the work of the church.

What have we been doing?

What would God have us do in the months and years to come?

Are there areas of disobedience that God is calling us to repudiate, with repentant hearts?

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Maybe Tomorrow. Maybe Today.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. (Second Peter 3:9-11)

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42-44)

“We need to live in that mode of expectation all the time.” –Rev. Ronald Benjamin

As we consider the coming of Christ, we read in Scripture that the day of the Lord will arrive “like a thief.” In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Benjamin noted that thieves do not announce their arrival, because to announce arrival is to present to persons a ‘last chance’ to secure their homes or their valuables. Our guest pastor said, and I paraphrase here, A thief does not send you a notice saying ‘I’m coming between 2 and 3.’ In the same way, no person will receive an announcement of the exact time when our Lord will return. But, even though we do not have an exact date nor time, we do know that Jesus will return.

Concerning His return, Jesus used a particular analogy that Scripture records for us: lightning. “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27) His appearing will be swift, and it will be seen by all.

How are we to live in light of this truth? We are to live in a state of readiness. The apostle Peter wrote, “You ought to live holy and godly lives.” And, we do so: not merely because we don’t know when our Lord Jesus will return, but because we love Him deeply and want to walk in obedience to His word.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Watch Your Wait!

In Sunday's sermon, Reverend Ronald Benjamin shared a point I'd like us to reflect on today: We know that in Communion we remember Christ Jesus, but we often forget the entire phrasing of First Corinthians 11:23-26. It says: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

The Lord who instituted communion is the Lord who will one day come back for His people.

I think the challenge we have is that, as Scripture asserts, there are many people who believe they qualify as "His people" (see Matthew 7:21-23)-- but we would do well to remind ourselves of a few passages in which God shows us what sorts of people are not qualified to join Him in glory. As we wait for the Lord "until He comes", let us not approach the process with pride, nor shame, nor confusion, but with a heart to experience the grace of God.

What happens to people who, as they wait for the Lord’s coming, fail to remember Jesus?

1. They attempt to siphon faith from stronger Christians instead of seeking to develop their own faith-walk with the Lord. We see an example of this in Jesus’s parable of the wise and foolish virgins. The wise ones carried extra oil (a metaphor for the presence of God’s Spirit), while the foolish had no reserves. In the face of the lack which was exacerbated by the length of their wait, the foolish virgins sought to take from the resources of their colleagues. “The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’” (Matthew 25:8) But we are instructed to receive our resources from the Lord. Jesus says, “I am the vine… apart from me you can do nothing.” (see John15:5)

2. They forget that the forgiveness of God, extended towards them, models the way in which they are to forgive others. In the parable of the unforgiving servant (see Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus tells us that the one who is forgiven is expected to have compassionate mercy on those who are in need of forgiveness. The parable ends with the rescinding of mercy, because the man who was forgiven of massive debt had refused to forgive another man of a very small debt. We must remember what our Lord has said: “But if you do not forgive others their sins, Your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:15)

3. They assume that the Lord’s delayed appearance grants them license to disobey. Jesus shared with His disciples a brief narrative about an unjust manager. The manager was a man who knew the desires of the owner, but who opted to do wrong in light of the owner’s extended absence. In the narrative, Jesus said: “But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.” (Luke 12:45-47)

Let us remember the Lord's death. Let us remember the Lord's imminent return. Let us watch our wait.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Full Pockets, Empty Hearts.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (First Corinthians 13:3)

At the end of yesterday’s post we brought up the issue of those who do good deeds, but lack the compassion and love that is modeled in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul, in a letter to the church in Corinth, addresses this concern. In the fourteenth chapter he says, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy…everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.” (see First Corinthians 14:1-3)

Our question for today: Are we following the way of love? In First Corinthians we encounter the church-life of a group of believers who were busy doing lots of "good" things, but who lacked love. The lack of love evidenced itself in all sorts of ways: people were boasting about which apostle was their “favorite” (First Corinthians 1); people were lax in modeling godly conduct in cases of sexual immorality and legal disputes (First Corinthians 5 and 6); people were insensitive to the weaknesses of their fellow Christians (First Corinthians 8); people were reluctant to give in support of Paul’s ministry (First Corinthians 9); people were dabbling in idolatry even as they claimed to embrace Christ as Lord (First Corinthians 10); people were taking communion irreverently (First Corinthians 11). Though the church was strong in numbers and expressive in worship, the church was called to become strong in its demonstration of the love of God. The authentic expression of His love would be the means through which the church was strengthened, encouraged, and comforted. It was their remedy for the sickness of "affluenza": full pockets, but empty hearts.

If we long to gain the commendation of God, and if we long to give support to the work of the church, then let us pray that our hearts are grounded and growing in the love of God.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Inheritance Inherent!

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’” (Matthew 25:31-34)

In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam reminded us of the last section of Matthew 25. Though we commonly refer to this passage as the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), we should keep in mind that Jesus is teaching us about the status of humanity. At the end of our lives, we will be in one of two categories: either we are among the blessed, or we are among the wicked. (Our pastor noted that this same division, blessed versus wicked, occurs in Psalm 1. There is no other category available.)

Jesus, referring to Himself, says that He will separate the people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And the litmus test is an interesting one: it’s a list of activities.

Our Lord notes six things:

“I was hungry…”

“I was thirsty…”

“I was a stranger…”

“I was naked…”

“I was sick…”

“I was in prison…”

Those who serve the disenfranchised are designated as sheep, and those who ignore the disenfranchised are designated as goats. On the first read, this might seem to be a works-based judgement of souls. But Psalm 1 can help us here. As we noted in yesterday’s post, there is a phrase in Psalm 1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord. The Hebrew word we translate as delight, chephets, suggests the act of being inclined towards or bending towards something that has great value. So, it’s not just that we are diligent to read God’s law. Our delight is indicated by our inclination to obey God’s law. Our love is expressed not just in our words, but through our works. And Jesus gives us a wonderful creed that’s easy to memorize: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

[Interestingly, this passage also brings up the question of philanthropy without faith, as there are many people who give to the poor but have no love for God. I will address that in a separate post.]

God, thank You! Pour Your love into us, and give us grace to pour Your love into the world. Help us to love Your word, and help us to live Your word. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit, today and every day. Amen.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Are You Truly Blessed?

Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)

Pastor Sam asked us three questions on Sunday that I’d like us to consider today.

1: How can you claim to be blessed if you don’t meditate on the word of God?

Let’s face it: many people don’t make the association between engaging the process of meditation on God’s word and experiencing the blessing of the Lord. Though our world and even some faith-based ventures have suggested that we are capable of achieving the blessing of God through other means, Psalm 1 indicates that there must be two things present and active in us: a) a delight in the law of the Lord, and b) a constant meditation on His law.

2: How can we claim to delight in the word of God if the last thing we do before going to sleep every night is to watch programs that fill our minds with lewd jokes?

Our pastor, sharing from Psalm 1, noted that we cannot claim to be delighted with God’s law if our track record indicates that we are filling our minds with the counsel and resources of the wicked.

3: How can we go to bed meditating on the word of God if we have to get up again, turn on the light, and read, because His word is not planted in our memory?

We sometimes assume that we are blessed because we live in an environment where we are not persecuted for our faith, or because we have our temporal needs met without much strife. But, our blessing is not sourced by our environment. Our blessing is secured by our embrace of, and obedience to, the word of God. May His word live in us and move us to do His will.

What would life in this world be like if every Christian were truly blessed?

Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long. (Psalm 119:97)

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Grace Place.

“Open yourself to grace.” –Rev. Dr. Samuel Vassel

Blessed is the man whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. (Psalm 32:1)

In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Sam noted that our blessing comes from our relationship with Jesus Christ. As we have read in Psalm 1 and Psalm 32, one of the keys to receiving the blessing of the Lord is to make sure we reject a lifestyle of sin. Our pastor urged us to present ourselves to Christ, seek His forgiveness, and pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, so that we will be able to resist the urge to sin.

Pastor Sam made reference to Titus 2:11-14, reminding us that we cannot count on our own “determination” or personal power to combat darkness and sin. A life of peace is achieved not in our own strength, but through the work of grace achieved by our Lord and Christ. Let us take time to reflect on these verses today.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Reading Session

In this past Sunday’s sermon, You Know You Are Blessed When…, Pastor Sam shared a few Scripture passages that help us to see when and how God imparts His blessing on people. Today, let’s read each of the chapters that were referred to during the sermon.

Psalm 1

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 32

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent,
    my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
    as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
    or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked,
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts in him.

Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Matthew 25

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Friday, September 12, 2014

Show Up! Show Out!

Ex-trav’-a-gant: 3. Too ornate or showy.

A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (Luke 7:37-38)

There’s a phrase I’ve heard plenty of times in church, and it’s disturbing. The phrase is, “But you don’t have to do all that. That’s so extreme.”

Somewhere along the Christian journey, we have gotten comfortable with the concept of presenting ourselves to Jesus with a rider attached. Pastor Sam noted this in his sermon on Sunday. What is our approach to God as we join together in corporate worship? There are usually three modes in which people enter the courts of our King:

1) God, do You see me? You should be happy that I’m here in church. Look, I’m giving you two hours of my time. That should be plenty. Don’t ask me to do anything else in this place. I’ll attend, but I won’t labor.

2) God, I’m here because You told me to stay here, and I’m doing what You’ve asked me to do, but I really don’t want to be here. I’m so tired of this place. That’s why I’m complaining every time I open my mouth. I’ll labor, but I won’t worship.

3) God, what a privilege it is to be here! I am so grateful that You’ve given me some things to do here in Your place. Please help me to serve and speak with the same love You have shown to me. I will work and worship to the glory of Your name.

In the Luke 7 narrative, we see that the home where Jesus was invited was owned by a Pharisee named Simon. Simon sat at the table with the King of kings, but in his heart there were despising words: “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39b) The sinful woman, who had no place at the table where the men were reclining, stood at the feet of Jesus. And though she could not express herself with the eloquence of a well-educated Pharisee, she labored for the King through meeting the need that Simon had neglected: Simon had not washed Jesus’s feet, so she washed them using her hair as cloth and her tears as water.

What were those woman’s tears? Tears of regret for her sinful life? Tears of sorrow to see that Simon had not extended the basic courtesy of giving Jesus water for His feet? Tears that she could not come any closer to Him? Jesus interprets her tears: they were tears of love. He said, “…her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.” (Luke 7:47b)

Do you love Him today? Does it show?

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Unrestrained.

Ex-trav’-a-gant: 2. Going beyond reasonable limits; excessive or unrestrained.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:44-48)

In the Luke 7 narrative, Jesus makes a public declaration of what had happened in the heart of a known sinner: “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.” (Luke 7:47a) Do we understand this? Jesus, King and Lord over all, has stated a corollary. In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam expressed the connection in this way: When a person realizes what God has done, and responds to His call, then there is a gratitude that is observable. We, when we know what God has done, weep with joy and relief. We express our thanks to Him with unrestrained adoration and praise. We give Him gifts: excessive offerings that bear great cost to us, but that are the tangible evidence of the depth of our gratitude.

Let’s not forget to consider the other corollary stated by Jesus, found in the second part of verse 47: “But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47b) And it’s a scary thing to realize that we, if we don’t recognize what God has done, will not express any love for God. Jesus makes a public declaration of Simon’s unloving expressions, and I would like us to ask ourselves a few questions based on Simon’s three unloving acts.

Simon dismissed the Lord's pursuit. “You did not give Me any water for My feet…”

Have I acknowledged the extent of years that Jesus has walked on my road of life, pursuing me and calling my name? Have I blessed the Feet that walked into the places and spaces I've wandered through?

Simon despised the Lord's Presence. “You did not give Me a kiss…”

Have I obeyed the psalmic directive, “Kiss the Son?” (see Psalm 2:12) Am I happy to be in His company, acknowledging His presence, or am I trying to avoid His Light?

Simon denied the Lord's position. “You did not put oil on My head…”

Have I, personally, agreed with the pronouncement of Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King? Does my worship, allegorically speaking, pour out like oil as a confirmation of His established position in my heart?

Simon invited Jesus into his home. The sinful woman invited Jesus into her heart.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

It's Me, Uninvited.

Ex-trav’-a-gant: 1. Originally, straying beyond bounds; wandering.

Have you ever gone into someone’s home as an uninvited guest? I have not. But I have had the privilege of showing up in a few churches as an uninvited guest.

I can tell you that I've received all sorts of reactions. Once I walked into a church for a memorial service I had found out about at the last minute. I wandered in from off the street in jeans and a denim jacket. Some people glanced at me, and in their glance it seems they weren’t too fond that I had walked in without the traditional black dress.

Another time, I learned that there was a church seminar that was directly related to the topic I had been studying in school. I mentioned to a colleague that I would be in attendance. A third party who knew I was not on the attendance roster, overhearing our conversation, interjected: “Who invited you?”

But let’s back-track to a different time… about 32 A.D. It was a time when attire denoted position. It was a time where women were not encouraged to engage in academic ventures. But in a small gathering of Pharisees and professionals, a woman with a bad reputation wandered into a place where she had not been invited, and her presence taught everyone in the room a powerful lesson.

[Actually, I’m wondering if we in 2014 are not so different from people who lived in 32. We still have our hang-ups about attire, education, and ‘who-knows-who’…]

The lesson is this: Jesus is worth being extravagant for. His presence, His word, and His love are worth the embarrassment of wandering into the place where He is. He’s worth straying beyond the boundaries set by man.

Jesus has captured my heart, and I want to be in whatever places He is speaking-- even if it means I have to ignore the social, political, or tradition-based cues that seek to keep me from pursuing His presence. I pray the same is true for you.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

I Have An All-Access Pass.

Ex-trav’-a-gant: 1. Originally, straying beyond bounds; wandering. 2. Going beyond reasonable limits; excessive or unrestrained. 3. Too ornate or showy. 4. Costing or spending too much; wasteful. [Definition from the New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition]

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam spoke on one of the New Testament accounts of extravagant worship. Luke 7:36-50 is a passage that holds a number of important messages for Christians who long to go deeper in their relationship with the Lord.

I encourage us to re-read the passage today, and to ask God to open our hearts to what He is saying. As we progress through the rest of this week, we’ll consider a few of the points made in the sermon.

Luke 7:36-50

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Friday, September 5, 2014

Stop. Look. Listen To The One Who Loves You!

Today let's reflect on two questions prompted by Dan Bohi's closing thoughts during this past Sunday's sermons.

7:45 a.m. service: Are we dead to sin and dead to self?

A person who is dead cannot be offended or distracted. Just as a body in a casket is positioned to have its face turned upward, we as believers dead to sin and dead to self continually keep our faces turned toward God. We are not moved by dissenting voices that may speak of evils or attempt to entice us into sin. We are not distracted by the images of raging seas and dire circumstances. Our gaze is fixed on our Lord. God has our full attention.

11:15 a.m. service: Are we passionately in love with Jesus?

In the narrative from Luke 10:38-42, Martha was extremely distracted by all the things she was doing. Her works, though good, were keeping her from hearing the voice of Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, pressed in close to Jesus, so that she could gain all she could from being in His presence. Today we are called to learn a lesson from these sisters: when we shut ourselves off from the busyness, we will be able to hear clearly from our Lord. God will have our full attention.

Who, or what, has captured your full attention today?

Lord Jesus, cause us to look only to You, so that we might look more and more like You.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Gate-Keeper.

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Brother Dan shared from two narratives: Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28, and Jesus’s calling of Nathaniel at the close of John chapter 1. In both narratives, we see that the presence of God is marked by the activity of ‘angels ascending and descending’—a sign that God’s commands in heaven are being brought to bear in the earth.

In John 1:51, Jesus alludes to Genesis 28. Jesus is our Rock, the One on whom we rest; and He is the stairway, the One from heaven who came down to the earth; and He is the gate of heaven, the only One through whom we can experience the miraculous.

We, as children of God, are called to be His agents in the earth. We follow the example of Jesus, who remained in constant communion with His Father, and whose ministry bore evidence of that intimate relationship.

Jesus told Nathaniel, “You will see angels ascending and descending on the Son of man.” If the spirit of Jesus dwells in us, then we ought not be surprised when others bear witness to the activity of God that occurs when we are present. My prayer for us is that we will always be positioned to function as a gateway to the great things of God—whether through our testimonies, our giving, our prayers, our words of encouragement, our warnings to the impenitent, or our response to persecutions.

Below are the narratives, which I encourage us to read and meditate on for today. Blessings and peace to you.

Genesis 28:10-17

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

John 1:47-51

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

I'm With Him.

“We can forget who we are with one phone call… The breakthrough is inside of us. What gets in the way is our brain.” –Dan Bohi

Know Your Identity

In Sunday’s sermon Brother Dan noted that the crisis in the American church is that we often live as if we have forgotten our identity. Jesus never failed in ministry because He never forgot who He was. He had no question of His assignment and why He was sent to the earth.

Do you know why God has you on the earth? Do you know your assignment?

Stay Focused On Your Identity

Brother Dan referred to the account of Jairus, a man who was distressed because of his daughter’s illness (Luke 8:40-56). In the face of the report of the girl’s death, Jesus encouraged Jairus with these words: “Don’t be afraid. Just believe, and she will be healed.” (Luke 8:50) In other words, Jesus didn’t get caught up in the bad report. Jesus was caught up in His identity and His assignment, and He instructed Jairus to focus on His word of healing instead of being distracted by the report of men.

Even if a bad report is accurate, we as Christians are called to keep our focus on our glorious Savior.

My prayer for us today is that we, like Jesus, will remain firmly planted in the ways of the kingdom of God. Will trials and challenges come? Yes. Will we receive bad reports? Certainly. But we are free to choose where our focus will be.

Look to the Lord. Praise Him. Thank Him. Hear Him. Trust Him. Obey Him.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Living The "Singleness" Life?

In Sunday's message, our guest speaker Dan Bohi reminded us of a term we find in Scripture: singleness. This singleness is not a reference to being unmarried, nor even a reference to being alone. It refers to a state of mind and heart: intense, undistracted focus on the presence and power of the living God.

As we had spent the previous four Sundays of August in a study of maintaining our hope in the face of despair, it is a blessing to see that God sent Brother Dan to reiterate this point: Keep your focus on God, and don’t allow your circumstances to shift your focus away from Him.

A question for today: Are you living your Christian life with singleness of mind and heart? Or, are you unable to focus on the Lord because you’re so distracted by your own pressures and preferences?

There are a few places in Scripture where singleness is mentioned. Below is one passage from Jeremiah 32, the chapter in which Jeremiah was instructed to buy a field in Anathoth. Even as the Babylonian king’s armies were coming to take over Israel’s lands, God was calling Jeremiah to make a prophetic move that demonstrated an undistracted focus on God’s everlasting kingdom. I pray that these verses will encourage us to continue in our pursuit of God’s presence above all other things.

Lord God, help us to pursue singleness of mind and heart.

Jeremiah 32:36-40

“You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.”