On this past Sunday Pastor Benji spoke on First Samuel 12, and for the next few days we'll reflect on some of the points made during the sermon "Church and State: Friends or Foes". I'd like to publicly thank Pastor Benji for sharing his sermon notes and for taking time (almost an hour!) out of his busy schedule to talk with me.
In the chapter, the prophet Samuel makes reference to Israel's shift in how leaders were selected. Up to the time of Samuel, leaders were chosen by God and confirmed by the people. But as Samuel grew old, the people expressed displeasure in the process and voiced their desire to follow the pattern of the pagans surrounding them.
God's assessment of the situation, succinctly expressed to Samuel, is a warning we should heed: "They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me."
Sometimes there are individuals in church, and I'll be specific and say there are individuals in Bronx Bethany, that are quick to reject or dismiss the counsel and vision of the pastoral staff. It's a dangerous position to take, especially in light of First Samuel 12. It's dangerous for two reasons:
-God takes it personally when you malign His chosen servants. Notice that at the moment of the people's rebellion, God took Samuel out of the equation: Samuel, step aside- this is not about you. This is about My will and desire being rejected.
-God gives you what you want and allows you to live with the consequences. This is so reminiscent of an earlier situation where the people of Israel expressed displeasure at God's program: their rejection of the manna He sent and their desire for quail (Exodus 16; Psalm 78:12-33). Moses, step aside. They want quail? I'll give them quail.
So, let's turn the camera onto you. When God presents a thing through His servants, what do you do? Do you receive the word as from the LORD, or do you reject the word and malign the prophet/pastor who gave it?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
An Open Letter To An Open Letter From An Open Letter.
"It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them" (Second Peter 2:21).
My friend, I wish you would have chosen the way of righteousness. Your life is an open letter being read by all who interact with you. And they are seeing you. They know you as one who engages in a form of worship, but like Ezekiel they see you worshiping idols in the dark corners and the back rooms. They know you serve God and mammon; they know you pretend to serve God but you really are just serving yourself. That's why they aren't taking you seriously- it's because you aren't serious about serving God.
Guess what? I'm wide awake. And I am not giving in to sexual immorality, I am not giving in to idolatry, I am not engaging in indulgences. You will never corrupt me because I have completely given myself over to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He teaches me to say no, and to keep saying no, to ungodliness and worldly passions. I am living soberly and righteously and godly- today, tomorrow, always. Guess what? People are seeing me too- yes, my life is an open letter. They know me as one who engages in true worship, walking in the light of Christ Jesus. And I am not leaving Him. I love Him too much.
Your heart is hard and you have refused to listen... so, as God told Balaam, as the angel of the LORD told Balaam, "Go". Go ahead, stand on every high place and open your mouth to try to curse the plan and program of God. Your idol sacrifices are of no avail. Your thievery is of no avail. The One True God has spoken blessing: your incantations over images and your slaughtering of animals are a waste of time. Your attempts at curses will fail, and blessings will be poured out on the faithful. Every time you open your mouth you will cause blessings to flood the households of the servants of God. That is what God does for His sons.
I have nothing in my hands: no status, no legacy, nothing upon which to stake a claim. But I do have something in my ears: the glorious word of God. I hear Him speaking and I say Yes; Yes, God, I will do as You say. And He says SOON- soon it will be over.
You do have hope, because the LORD is still sending warnings. But God help you when the prophetic warnings stop. Repent while you still have the chance. You detest me, but I love you. Don't stay in the error of Balaam.
My friend, I wish you would have chosen the way of righteousness. Your life is an open letter being read by all who interact with you. And they are seeing you. They know you as one who engages in a form of worship, but like Ezekiel they see you worshiping idols in the dark corners and the back rooms. They know you serve God and mammon; they know you pretend to serve God but you really are just serving yourself. That's why they aren't taking you seriously- it's because you aren't serious about serving God.
Guess what? I'm wide awake. And I am not giving in to sexual immorality, I am not giving in to idolatry, I am not engaging in indulgences. You will never corrupt me because I have completely given myself over to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He teaches me to say no, and to keep saying no, to ungodliness and worldly passions. I am living soberly and righteously and godly- today, tomorrow, always. Guess what? People are seeing me too- yes, my life is an open letter. They know me as one who engages in true worship, walking in the light of Christ Jesus. And I am not leaving Him. I love Him too much.
Your heart is hard and you have refused to listen... so, as God told Balaam, as the angel of the LORD told Balaam, "Go". Go ahead, stand on every high place and open your mouth to try to curse the plan and program of God. Your idol sacrifices are of no avail. Your thievery is of no avail. The One True God has spoken blessing: your incantations over images and your slaughtering of animals are a waste of time. Your attempts at curses will fail, and blessings will be poured out on the faithful. Every time you open your mouth you will cause blessings to flood the households of the servants of God. That is what God does for His sons.
I have nothing in my hands: no status, no legacy, nothing upon which to stake a claim. But I do have something in my ears: the glorious word of God. I hear Him speaking and I say Yes; Yes, God, I will do as You say. And He says SOON- soon it will be over.
You do have hope, because the LORD is still sending warnings. But God help you when the prophetic warnings stop. Repent while you still have the chance. You detest me, but I love you. Don't stay in the error of Balaam.
Friday, January 23, 2009
24,001... 24,002...
God really does not like it when we worship anything or anyone other than Him. He likens it to the act of having sexual relations with someone who is not your spouse. The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of idolatry occuring within the temple of God, where His Spirit left the sanctuary because of the elders who worshipped false idols in dark areas of the temple (see Ezekiel 8). The opening chapters of Jeremiah use the analogy of the LORD as a husband to Israel, the bride who forsakes God and is described as "laying down like a prostitute" on every hill and under every tree (see Jeremiah chapters 2 through 5).
This allusion to sex is not just metaphorical, because the Scripture shows us that sex was in fact part of the system of idol worship. The worship of Baal in Peor was characterized by three things: the eating of foods that were sacrificed to idols, the worship of those idols, and sexual intercourse with the women of Moab who invited the men of Israel to participate in idol worship (Numbers 25:1-3).
Though we are not given Balaam's name in the early verses of Numbers 25, there are other Scriptures that reveal Balaam's role in causing Israel to commit sexual immorality and spiritual adultery.
Balaam's error is exposed in the words of the resurrected Christ as He addresses the church in Pergamum: "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14, italics mine). The risen Christ, our Lord and King, has faulted Balaam. The way of Balaam is the way that leads to death. It is the way that will place you in the position of being fought against by the One who has the sword (Revelation 2:12, 2:16).
In Numbers 31 we read Moses' testimony: "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people" (Numbers 31:16). The response to this idolatry and immorality was to immediately remove it from the community. That removal, as recorded in Numbers 25, came in two forms:
Death by the sword.
Death by plague.
"So Moses said to Israel's judges, 'Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor.' Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping... When Phineas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them- through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then the plague against Israel was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000... the LORD said to Moses, 'Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor..." (see Numbers 25:5-18).
Well, that was then. This is now. And God still hates idolatry and immorality.
If a modern-day Eleazar were to follow you home, who would he find you embracing?
This allusion to sex is not just metaphorical, because the Scripture shows us that sex was in fact part of the system of idol worship. The worship of Baal in Peor was characterized by three things: the eating of foods that were sacrificed to idols, the worship of those idols, and sexual intercourse with the women of Moab who invited the men of Israel to participate in idol worship (Numbers 25:1-3).
Though we are not given Balaam's name in the early verses of Numbers 25, there are other Scriptures that reveal Balaam's role in causing Israel to commit sexual immorality and spiritual adultery.
Balaam's error is exposed in the words of the resurrected Christ as He addresses the church in Pergamum: "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14, italics mine). The risen Christ, our Lord and King, has faulted Balaam. The way of Balaam is the way that leads to death. It is the way that will place you in the position of being fought against by the One who has the sword (Revelation 2:12, 2:16).
In Numbers 31 we read Moses' testimony: "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people" (Numbers 31:16). The response to this idolatry and immorality was to immediately remove it from the community. That removal, as recorded in Numbers 25, came in two forms:
Death by the sword.
Death by plague.
"So Moses said to Israel's judges, 'Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor.' Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping... When Phineas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them- through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then the plague against Israel was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000... the LORD said to Moses, 'Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor..." (see Numbers 25:5-18).
Well, that was then. This is now. And God still hates idolatry and immorality.
If a modern-day Eleazar were to follow you home, who would he find you embracing?
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Prophets and Profits
The story of Balaam, as we see in Scripture and as we heard in Sunday's sermon, is not confined to the book of Numbers. It is referenced in Second Peter chapter 2, and in the letter to the church in Pergamum found in Revelation chapter 2. And there is a warning to be heeded. So, let's consider this question: if a man has been made aware of God's desire, why would he speak a word that is in opposition to the desire of God?
In Balaam's case, it appears that he was offered temporal incentives that were enticing enough to cause him to oppose a series of spiritual directives and warnings.
If you have a Bible that has maps in the back, check out the distance from the region of Moab, Balak's kingdom, to the region of Mesopotamia along the Euphrates River, where Balaam was. It's about 250-300 miles. Balaam must have had quite a reputation for Balak to send two sets of messengers, and money, to petition Balaam to travel from Mesopotamia to Moab.
And Balaam made the journey. He made the journey in spite of having received a direct warning from the mouth of God (Numbers 22:12). Made the journey in spite of what I like to call the "glossolalic" protest from his own donkey (Numbers 22:28-30). Made the journey in spite of having a direct encounter with 'the angel of the LORD' holding a drawn sword (Numbers 22:31-35... and, I hope you see the connection to Revelation 2:12-16!).
As Pastor Benji noted, there are some that are so bound in the grip of sin that they will remain on the reckless path in opposition to God (see Numbers 22:32). And Balaam lost on several fronts. He lost the ability to curse: when he opened his mouth, God filled it with words of blessing upon Israel. He lost the wealth of Balak, who refused to pay him after the pronouncements of blessing spoken over the children of God. And, for his part in opposing the mandate of God, Balaam was killed- not on the road by the angel of the LORD, but in a war later conducted between the Israelites and the Midianites.
Now, this is interesting, because Scripture tells us that after the failure to curse Israel, Balaam went back home- that 250-300 mile journey north to Mesopotamia, if the biblical scholars are on target. But the war was conducted in the areas of Moab and Midian (which is even further south than Moab)... Why was Balaam there? I think his return to Moab is connected to his success in creating a sexually immoral and spiritually adulterous environment that led to the deaths of 24,000 Israelites. We'll explore that a little bit more tomorrow.
In Balaam's case, it appears that he was offered temporal incentives that were enticing enough to cause him to oppose a series of spiritual directives and warnings.
If you have a Bible that has maps in the back, check out the distance from the region of Moab, Balak's kingdom, to the region of Mesopotamia along the Euphrates River, where Balaam was. It's about 250-300 miles. Balaam must have had quite a reputation for Balak to send two sets of messengers, and money, to petition Balaam to travel from Mesopotamia to Moab.
And Balaam made the journey. He made the journey in spite of having received a direct warning from the mouth of God (Numbers 22:12). Made the journey in spite of what I like to call the "glossolalic" protest from his own donkey (Numbers 22:28-30). Made the journey in spite of having a direct encounter with 'the angel of the LORD' holding a drawn sword (Numbers 22:31-35... and, I hope you see the connection to Revelation 2:12-16!).
As Pastor Benji noted, there are some that are so bound in the grip of sin that they will remain on the reckless path in opposition to God (see Numbers 22:32). And Balaam lost on several fronts. He lost the ability to curse: when he opened his mouth, God filled it with words of blessing upon Israel. He lost the wealth of Balak, who refused to pay him after the pronouncements of blessing spoken over the children of God. And, for his part in opposing the mandate of God, Balaam was killed- not on the road by the angel of the LORD, but in a war later conducted between the Israelites and the Midianites.
Now, this is interesting, because Scripture tells us that after the failure to curse Israel, Balaam went back home- that 250-300 mile journey north to Mesopotamia, if the biblical scholars are on target. But the war was conducted in the areas of Moab and Midian (which is even further south than Moab)... Why was Balaam there? I think his return to Moab is connected to his success in creating a sexually immoral and spiritually adulterous environment that led to the deaths of 24,000 Israelites. We'll explore that a little bit more tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
In A Word, thanatos.
Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now." (Numbers 22:29, italics mine)
Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba- the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. (Numbers 31:8, italics mine)
There was a song I learned in Sunday school when I was three or four years old:
"Oh be careful, little mouth, what you say..."
Balaam, in his zeal to pursue sinful behavior, spoke a word of 'death by the sword' to the donkey he was riding. And I believe it was not simply ironic that Balaam died the way he did: I believe it was a divine response to Balaam's error- the error of wrong thoughts, murderous thoughts, thoughts of prospering at the expense of the suffering of an entire nation, wrong thoughts of endeavoring to curse what God has blessed.
The promise of God to Abram still speaks: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse" (see Genesis 12:1-3).
How is it that a man, aware of the program and plan of God, still chose to seek to curse the nation that held God's favor? We'll reflect on this question tomorrow.
Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba- the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. (Numbers 31:8, italics mine)
There was a song I learned in Sunday school when I was three or four years old:
"Oh be careful, little mouth, what you say..."
Balaam, in his zeal to pursue sinful behavior, spoke a word of 'death by the sword' to the donkey he was riding. And I believe it was not simply ironic that Balaam died the way he did: I believe it was a divine response to Balaam's error- the error of wrong thoughts, murderous thoughts, thoughts of prospering at the expense of the suffering of an entire nation, wrong thoughts of endeavoring to curse what God has blessed.
The promise of God to Abram still speaks: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse" (see Genesis 12:1-3).
How is it that a man, aware of the program and plan of God, still chose to seek to curse the nation that held God's favor? We'll reflect on this question tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Balaam, Balak, and Bronx Bethany.
This past Sunday we were blessed to experience a powerful prophetic sermon from Pastor Benji, which was underlined by an equally powerful prophetic prayer from Pastor Sam during the second service. I am so grateful to God for these two men of faith and integrity who walk in obedience to Him, who weep over the waywardness of the sheep in their care, and who long to see the will of God manifested in Bronx Bethany. My brothers, He loves you so!
"The error of Balaam"- it's a term we've heard before, and the sermon dug deep into the specific behaviors and motives behind Balaam's error. For the remainder of this week we'll hold a magnifying glass to the sermon and reflect on a few of the insights that were shared by Pastor Benji.
As a reminder for some, and as a starting point for those readers who missed the sermon, here is a rough outline:
"Come Under The Covering Of God's Blessings"
-Blessings promised to individuals: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
-Blessings promised to the nation of Israel (conditional, based on their obedience to God)
-The proposal to curse what God had blessed (Balak and Balaam)
-The plan to corrupt the people of God
I'd recommend that you read (or re-read) Numbers chapters 22 through 24, and Second Peter chapter 2, which are critical to the unpacking of this sermon. Tomorrow we'll take a closer look at one point that got a tiny mention in the sermon: the death of Balaam.
"The error of Balaam"- it's a term we've heard before, and the sermon dug deep into the specific behaviors and motives behind Balaam's error. For the remainder of this week we'll hold a magnifying glass to the sermon and reflect on a few of the insights that were shared by Pastor Benji.
As a reminder for some, and as a starting point for those readers who missed the sermon, here is a rough outline:
"Come Under The Covering Of God's Blessings"
-Blessings promised to individuals: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
-Blessings promised to the nation of Israel (conditional, based on their obedience to God)
-The proposal to curse what God had blessed (Balak and Balaam)
-The plan to corrupt the people of God
I'd recommend that you read (or re-read) Numbers chapters 22 through 24, and Second Peter chapter 2, which are critical to the unpacking of this sermon. Tomorrow we'll take a closer look at one point that got a tiny mention in the sermon: the death of Balaam.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Your Mission: It's Possible!
When I was growing up, my mom did not allow me to watch much television. But, one show I remember watching was called "Mission:Impossible". It would begin with the main characters receiving a recorded message that explained what was going on, and what they were needed to do. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is..."
In Acts 13, we see the Holy Spirit speaking to the small company of prophets and teachers gathered in fasting and worship: "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." And, it seems, the Lord gave them the mission to travel and teach. Their travel itinerary was set by the Holy Spirit, and their teaching initiative was graced with miracles and wonders.
Paul (Saul) and Barnabas had the joy of being able to briefly return to Antioch to encourage the disciples there for a season (Acts 14:21-15:41), but soon they were back on ships- traveling separately, but remaining true to the mission they accepted: two men set apart by the Holy Spirit for the work God called them to do. And that work took them outside of Antioch.
What is your mission? What is the special work that God has called you to do? All you have to do is ask God, and He will tell you what He wants. You might have to fast. You might have to wait. But He knows your heart, He knows if you're truly sincere, and at the right time He'll reveal His desires to you.
In Acts 13, we see the Holy Spirit speaking to the small company of prophets and teachers gathered in fasting and worship: "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." And, it seems, the Lord gave them the mission to travel and teach. Their travel itinerary was set by the Holy Spirit, and their teaching initiative was graced with miracles and wonders.
Paul (Saul) and Barnabas had the joy of being able to briefly return to Antioch to encourage the disciples there for a season (Acts 14:21-15:41), but soon they were back on ships- traveling separately, but remaining true to the mission they accepted: two men set apart by the Holy Spirit for the work God called them to do. And that work took them outside of Antioch.
What is your mission? What is the special work that God has called you to do? All you have to do is ask God, and He will tell you what He wants. You might have to fast. You might have to wait. But He knows your heart, He knows if you're truly sincere, and at the right time He'll reveal His desires to you.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Yes, I Am Connected With Him. Arrest Me Too.
Oh, how I wish the story began differently. But Acts 11 tells us clearly that it was persecution that sent men and women of God traveling throughout the region: "Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch..." (11:19, italics mine).
When a mob comes after your friend, what will you do? Will you disassociate yourself, or will you stand with your friend, or will you turn and join the mob?
Sometimes, 'being a redemptive influence' has deadly consequences. It's impossible to be neutral about Jesus, and your testimony has the potential to drive people to repentance or drive people to riot. Simon Peter experienced the former, while Stephen experienced the latter (see Acts 2 and Acts 7).
I wonder if we get too wrapped up in the experience of Peter, and perhaps we assume that our preaching will win thousands to Christ and elevate us as a great speaker among our peers. God reserves the right to place us in the position of Stephen, and we might find that our preaching of the gospel leads to murder and the scattering of the faithful. But, in that scattering, the gospel of Jesus Christ is carried around the world.
So, Bronx Bethany, are you willing to speak the gospel of Jesus? Even if it costs you your comfort, your job, your life?
When a mob comes after your friend, what will you do? Will you disassociate yourself, or will you stand with your friend, or will you turn and join the mob?
Sometimes, 'being a redemptive influence' has deadly consequences. It's impossible to be neutral about Jesus, and your testimony has the potential to drive people to repentance or drive people to riot. Simon Peter experienced the former, while Stephen experienced the latter (see Acts 2 and Acts 7).
I wonder if we get too wrapped up in the experience of Peter, and perhaps we assume that our preaching will win thousands to Christ and elevate us as a great speaker among our peers. God reserves the right to place us in the position of Stephen, and we might find that our preaching of the gospel leads to murder and the scattering of the faithful. But, in that scattering, the gospel of Jesus Christ is carried around the world.
So, Bronx Bethany, are you willing to speak the gospel of Jesus? Even if it costs you your comfort, your job, your life?
Thursday, January 15, 2009
What If God Moves Them?
For a moment, imagine Bronx Bethany without Pastor Sam and Pastor Benji... as I imagine it, I see the church continuing to move forward in Christ whether these two men are there or not. Like the church at Antioch, Bronx Bethany is blessed to have a "deep bench" of pastors: three of the six pastors are ordained elders in the Church of the Nazarene, and the other three have District Licenses and are actively pursuing the necessary training to be considered for ordination. Several of our congregants have been to seminary. And we have a few retired pastors in our congregation who are quite capable of filling the pulpit. We have no lack of preachers, and in that regard it would not be a hardship if Bronx Bethany were to lose two.
In Acts 13, we see the church doing something interesting: they are fasting. Not just praying, not just singing, but fasting. It's a not-so-subtle reminder of the verse (which reads differently based on the translation you use... but check your footnotes): "This kind cometh not out except by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29). The implication is that there are some things that don't happen, that won't happen, in the spiritual realm unless you approach God in fasting.
So the prophets and teachers are worshiping and fasting, and God shows up with an announcement: the Spirit says, in effect, I'm breaking up this group. Give Me Barnabas and Saul. Get in all your looks now, because they're leaving soon. The work I have for them is beyond Antioch.
And what did the leaders do? They fasted and prayed. Same routine. No protests, no committee meetings, no congregational vote, no emergency calls to headquarters... they fasted. They prayed. And after they fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them on their way (see Acts 13:1-4). Antioch's "deep bench" was strong enough to handle the loss of two of their key speakers.
But guess what? Even if Antioch had a thin bench, or no bench, I think they still would have obeyed the voice of the Lord. These men were in a posture of worship before, during, and after the announcement from the Holy Spirit. They were ready to hear from God and to do whatever He said.
What about you? Are you ready to hear from God? What if He says 'give up your best two'- how would you respond?
In Acts 13, we see the church doing something interesting: they are fasting. Not just praying, not just singing, but fasting. It's a not-so-subtle reminder of the verse (which reads differently based on the translation you use... but check your footnotes): "This kind cometh not out except by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29). The implication is that there are some things that don't happen, that won't happen, in the spiritual realm unless you approach God in fasting.
So the prophets and teachers are worshiping and fasting, and God shows up with an announcement: the Spirit says, in effect, I'm breaking up this group. Give Me Barnabas and Saul. Get in all your looks now, because they're leaving soon. The work I have for them is beyond Antioch.
And what did the leaders do? They fasted and prayed. Same routine. No protests, no committee meetings, no congregational vote, no emergency calls to headquarters... they fasted. They prayed. And after they fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them on their way (see Acts 13:1-4). Antioch's "deep bench" was strong enough to handle the loss of two of their key speakers.
But guess what? Even if Antioch had a thin bench, or no bench, I think they still would have obeyed the voice of the Lord. These men were in a posture of worship before, during, and after the announcement from the Holy Spirit. They were ready to hear from God and to do whatever He said.
What about you? Are you ready to hear from God? What if He says 'give up your best two'- how would you respond?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bronx Bethany, You Never Left Nazareth.
During the BBCN leadership meeting on January 10, our guest speaker (Bob Adams, who blogs at http://27gen.blogspot.com) incorporated a variety of exercises and reflections in his presentation. One of the "points to ponder" hit me like a ton of bricks, and it bears repeating in light of Pastor Sam's sermon this past Sunday:
The question was, What are the unique needs where God has placed us? In our city? In our neighborhood?
And as I looked at that question, the Spirit of God spoke to my spirit: Bronx Bethany can't answer the question because New York is not their city and The Bronx is not their neighborhood. They have yet to embrace the community I sovreignly placed them in.
In Acts 1:4 we read, "On one occasion, while Jesus was eating with them (the Eleven), he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit'."
Eleven men, who had spent three years as disciples of Jesus during his public ministry, experienced several encounters with the resurrected Christ. And Jesus gave them a simple order: Stay here in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is where the Holy Spirit will be poured out on you. Jerusalem is the starting point for your experience of ministering with the powerful anointing of the Holy Ghost.
My friends, some of you are supposed to be waiting in Jerusalem but you have never left Nazareth. You have not crossed Kidron. You have not watched in Gethsemane. You have not taken the walk along the Via Dolorosa. You have not gone to the Cross. You never made it to the Upper Room.
In other words, you are not where God called you to be. And you have set yourself up to miss the outpouring of His powerful Spirit.
Admittedly, Nazareth makes more sense in terms of human logic. It's where your fishing business thrives. It's where you can get your accounting degree and have your nice job supporting the Roman Empire. It's where you can maintain your political connections and talk about justice and representation. It's where you can be seen at the synagogue hanging out with your religious/intellectual friends. It's low risk and high reward. But God called you out of Nazareth, and that should be sufficient reason for you to leave it behind.
Do you have any interest in the Northeast Bronx? Acts 1:8 gives the blueprint- or, as Pastor Sam termed it, "the programmatic": Jerusalem (your neighborhood), Judea (your region), Samaria (the neighboring region), and the ends of the earth (the world). Jerusalem is first- that is, The Bronx is first.
But it's hard to put The Bronx first when your brain is still in Jamaica, or Harlem, or wherever you were before God called you to the Bronx Bethany church community. And, if we do not as a community redefine ourselves according to God's program (which, by the way, is spelled out in our church's Mission Statement), God might very well repeat history and leave us in the wilderness to die so that the generation behind us is released to put "The Bronx" back into Bronx Bethany.
Forewarned is forearmed.
The question was, What are the unique needs where God has placed us? In our city? In our neighborhood?
And as I looked at that question, the Spirit of God spoke to my spirit: Bronx Bethany can't answer the question because New York is not their city and The Bronx is not their neighborhood. They have yet to embrace the community I sovreignly placed them in.
In Acts 1:4 we read, "On one occasion, while Jesus was eating with them (the Eleven), he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit'."
Eleven men, who had spent three years as disciples of Jesus during his public ministry, experienced several encounters with the resurrected Christ. And Jesus gave them a simple order: Stay here in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is where the Holy Spirit will be poured out on you. Jerusalem is the starting point for your experience of ministering with the powerful anointing of the Holy Ghost.
My friends, some of you are supposed to be waiting in Jerusalem but you have never left Nazareth. You have not crossed Kidron. You have not watched in Gethsemane. You have not taken the walk along the Via Dolorosa. You have not gone to the Cross. You never made it to the Upper Room.
In other words, you are not where God called you to be. And you have set yourself up to miss the outpouring of His powerful Spirit.
Admittedly, Nazareth makes more sense in terms of human logic. It's where your fishing business thrives. It's where you can get your accounting degree and have your nice job supporting the Roman Empire. It's where you can maintain your political connections and talk about justice and representation. It's where you can be seen at the synagogue hanging out with your religious/intellectual friends. It's low risk and high reward. But God called you out of Nazareth, and that should be sufficient reason for you to leave it behind.
Do you have any interest in the Northeast Bronx? Acts 1:8 gives the blueprint- or, as Pastor Sam termed it, "the programmatic": Jerusalem (your neighborhood), Judea (your region), Samaria (the neighboring region), and the ends of the earth (the world). Jerusalem is first- that is, The Bronx is first.
But it's hard to put The Bronx first when your brain is still in Jamaica, or Harlem, or wherever you were before God called you to the Bronx Bethany church community. And, if we do not as a community redefine ourselves according to God's program (which, by the way, is spelled out in our church's Mission Statement), God might very well repeat history and leave us in the wilderness to die so that the generation behind us is released to put "The Bronx" back into Bronx Bethany.
Forewarned is forearmed.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Overthrow Of The Status Quo.
"...these men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here..." (Acts 17:6).
Paul and Silas had an international reputation for crushing paganism and winning souls to Christ. Paul would reason with the people in any setting: in the synagogue, in the marketplace, in the streets, and in private homes (see Acts 17:17 and Acts 20:20). By his own admission, it was not easy. A careful reading of Acts and of the epistles of Paul will reveal a life of beatings, imprisonment, separation from friends, abandonment by fellow ministers, shipwrecks, and other hardships encountered in his efforts to preach the gospel.
What was Paul's response? "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24).
That's it. Not a word about divine retribution against those who persecuted him. Not a hint about the prosperity of God being manifested in his favor so that everyone will see how much God loves him. No evidence of Paul anticipating a day when he will be in a comfortable parish far away from dungeons and cells. He's not looking for justice or vindication; he just wants to compel people to draw near to the One who can save them.
As Pastor Sam said in Sunday's sermon, there needs to be another cry: a cry from today's pagans. "Bronx Bethany is here! The Bronx will never be the same! The world will never be the same!"
Bronx Bethany, are you ready to pay the price for having an international impact? Anointings like Paul's don't come cheap.
Paul and Silas had an international reputation for crushing paganism and winning souls to Christ. Paul would reason with the people in any setting: in the synagogue, in the marketplace, in the streets, and in private homes (see Acts 17:17 and Acts 20:20). By his own admission, it was not easy. A careful reading of Acts and of the epistles of Paul will reveal a life of beatings, imprisonment, separation from friends, abandonment by fellow ministers, shipwrecks, and other hardships encountered in his efforts to preach the gospel.
What was Paul's response? "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24).
That's it. Not a word about divine retribution against those who persecuted him. Not a hint about the prosperity of God being manifested in his favor so that everyone will see how much God loves him. No evidence of Paul anticipating a day when he will be in a comfortable parish far away from dungeons and cells. He's not looking for justice or vindication; he just wants to compel people to draw near to the One who can save them.
As Pastor Sam said in Sunday's sermon, there needs to be another cry: a cry from today's pagans. "Bronx Bethany is here! The Bronx will never be the same! The world will never be the same!"
Bronx Bethany, are you ready to pay the price for having an international impact? Anointings like Paul's don't come cheap.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Pop Quiz Answers
Here are the answers to last Saturday's quiz:
1. Which set of Old Testament figures were mentioned in Stephen's sermon before the Sanhedrin?
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon (Acts 7:45-47)
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city (Acts 7:58)
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth (Acts 6:8-10, Acts 7)
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
1. Which set of Old Testament figures were mentioned in Stephen's sermon before the Sanhedrin?
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon (Acts 7:45-47)
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city (Acts 7:58)
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth (Acts 6:8-10, Acts 7)
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Pop Quiz
1. Which set of Old Testament figures were mentioned in Stephen's sermon before the Sanhedrin?
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
Answers on Monday! Have a blessed weekend my friends.
a. Joseph, Moses, Gideon
b. Joshua, David, Solomon
c. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob
2. What did the Sanhedrin do before stoning Stephen to death?
a. pronounced judgement against him
b. ordered that Stephen be put outside the room while they discussed his case
c. dragged him outside of the city
3. During last Sunday's sermon, what was one of the "Stephen Principles" mentioned?
a. full of animosity and wisdom
b. forcefully and fearlessly spoke the truth
c. facilitator of grace towards the widows
Answers on Monday! Have a blessed weekend my friends.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Secret Persuasions
"Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, 'We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God'" (Acts 6:11).
We serve God! God, who brings the hidden things into the light (Ephesians 5:13-14, First Corinthians 4:5); God, who sees what is done in secret and rewards us openly (Matthew 6:1-18).
It's a dangerous thing to make plans that are contrary to the mandate of God. Remember, this is God who speaks to His ministers and prophets. The King of Aram learned this when he asked his servants whether any was betraying him: "'None of us, my lord the king,' said one of his officers, 'but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom'" (Second Kings 6:12).
Nothing is clandestine. God sees and knows everything.
Jews from the Synagogue of Freedmen planned a secret campaign against the ministry of Stephen, and God in turn empowered Stephen to preach His truth before the Sanhedrin. Instead of silencing the word of God, Stephen's martyrdom only served to expand the wave of new converts to Christianity.
Judas Iscariot planned a secret campaign, agreeing to betray Jesus. Jesus was condemned to the cross and Judas experienced the guilt of that betrayal, so much so that he took his own life.
In both these instances, the end result seemed to not be a success for Stephen or Jesus- after all, they both died unjustly. Is that success? YES.
In their deaths, they spoke a word of forgiveness to their persecutors.
In their deaths, they opened the door for the spreading of the gospel throughout the world.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24).
There are only two options: the secrecy of betrayal, or the openness of identification with Christ. And yes, that open identification might ultimately result in your death. But guess what? Before you die, God will tell you some things. He will give you His wisdom and insight and knowledge, and you will be positioned to do miracles and wonders in His name. Before your candle is extinguished, you will have a chance to burn so brightly that the world will see Jesus in you.
Holy Spirit, I pray you will give Your people boldness. Give us the capacity to raise Lazarus and to work wonders. Give us a fearlessness in living for You, Jesus, especially when no one is watching. Help those of us who serve You to embrace the sermon we heard, so that we will be able to speak truth in the face of power. Cause us to triumph- not the world's definition, but Your definition of success. O God, how we love You! Help us to live out that love without fear, in Jesus' name. Amen.
We serve God! God, who brings the hidden things into the light (Ephesians 5:13-14, First Corinthians 4:5); God, who sees what is done in secret and rewards us openly (Matthew 6:1-18).
It's a dangerous thing to make plans that are contrary to the mandate of God. Remember, this is God who speaks to His ministers and prophets. The King of Aram learned this when he asked his servants whether any was betraying him: "'None of us, my lord the king,' said one of his officers, 'but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom'" (Second Kings 6:12).
Nothing is clandestine. God sees and knows everything.
Jews from the Synagogue of Freedmen planned a secret campaign against the ministry of Stephen, and God in turn empowered Stephen to preach His truth before the Sanhedrin. Instead of silencing the word of God, Stephen's martyrdom only served to expand the wave of new converts to Christianity.
Judas Iscariot planned a secret campaign, agreeing to betray Jesus. Jesus was condemned to the cross and Judas experienced the guilt of that betrayal, so much so that he took his own life.
In both these instances, the end result seemed to not be a success for Stephen or Jesus- after all, they both died unjustly. Is that success? YES.
In their deaths, they spoke a word of forgiveness to their persecutors.
In their deaths, they opened the door for the spreading of the gospel throughout the world.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24).
There are only two options: the secrecy of betrayal, or the openness of identification with Christ. And yes, that open identification might ultimately result in your death. But guess what? Before you die, God will tell you some things. He will give you His wisdom and insight and knowledge, and you will be positioned to do miracles and wonders in His name. Before your candle is extinguished, you will have a chance to burn so brightly that the world will see Jesus in you.
Holy Spirit, I pray you will give Your people boldness. Give us the capacity to raise Lazarus and to work wonders. Give us a fearlessness in living for You, Jesus, especially when no one is watching. Help those of us who serve You to embrace the sermon we heard, so that we will be able to speak truth in the face of power. Cause us to triumph- not the world's definition, but Your definition of success. O God, how we love You! Help us to live out that love without fear, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Shut Up And Serve? I Don't Think So.
Perhaps Stephen would not have been killed if he had chosen to keep his mouth shut while he was waiting tables. But he was a man full of God, and the truth of God is of no effect if it is not shared. We are a community that touches each other: preaching, baptisms, faith, laying on of hands... there must be a sharing of God in the community that calls God her LORD.
So Stephen, the one full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, full of God's grace, and full of power (see Acts 6:5 and 6:8), spoke the truth about Israel's history of rejecting God: rejecting His Spirit, rejecting His prophets, rejecting Jesus the Christ. And Stephen infuriated his listeners further by sharing his vision: "'Look', he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" (Acts 7:56).
Today, there are pastors in certain parts of the world that are being persecuted and even killed for their simple but adamant affirmation: Yes, I see Jesus. Even here in the Northeast Bronx, perhaps even here in Bronx Bethany, there are pastors being stoned to death. Not with literal stones, but with stony words from the stony hearts of "congregants" who refuse to embrace the rhema word of God and who do not share the vision.
Stephen has told us something that is critically important: every now and then, heaven opens. And in those moments believers receive the revelation of God in His majesty and power. Even in the face of being killed, these believers see the beautiful face of Jesus and they respond as His beloved children: "Lord, don't hold this against them" (see Acts 7:60). And that, too, is what Jesus did: while we were still sinners, alienated from Him, He chose to die for us (see Romans 5:8).
Are you ready for the experience of an open heaven? It is coming soon. The words of Elijah's servant (see First Kings 18) echo in the background: I see a little cloud, the size of a man's hand, rising from the sea...
So Stephen, the one full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, full of God's grace, and full of power (see Acts 6:5 and 6:8), spoke the truth about Israel's history of rejecting God: rejecting His Spirit, rejecting His prophets, rejecting Jesus the Christ. And Stephen infuriated his listeners further by sharing his vision: "'Look', he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" (Acts 7:56).
Today, there are pastors in certain parts of the world that are being persecuted and even killed for their simple but adamant affirmation: Yes, I see Jesus. Even here in the Northeast Bronx, perhaps even here in Bronx Bethany, there are pastors being stoned to death. Not with literal stones, but with stony words from the stony hearts of "congregants" who refuse to embrace the rhema word of God and who do not share the vision.
Stephen has told us something that is critically important: every now and then, heaven opens. And in those moments believers receive the revelation of God in His majesty and power. Even in the face of being killed, these believers see the beautiful face of Jesus and they respond as His beloved children: "Lord, don't hold this against them" (see Acts 7:60). And that, too, is what Jesus did: while we were still sinners, alienated from Him, He chose to die for us (see Romans 5:8).
Are you ready for the experience of an open heaven? It is coming soon. The words of Elijah's servant (see First Kings 18) echo in the background: I see a little cloud, the size of a man's hand, rising from the sea...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Don't Touch Him When He's In That Mode.
Most of my friends are ministers. This has been the case with me since I was a young adult in the Salvation Army, and it is still the case today.
Over these 25 or so years of having pastors as friends, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. When my friends are preaching, there is something that "kicks in" during the sermon and their words become irrefutable. I recognize that it is not an activity they engage in on their own: the Holy Spirit moves through them, and in that move of the Spirit the congregation splits into two camps: those who are receiving the word of God, and those who are rejecting the word of God.
There are times when the opposition to God's word is so strong you can feel it physically. But the Scripture warns us not to oppose the person who speaks as an oracle of God. We know that Miriam, in her opposition to Moses, won a week of leprosy for her efforts (see Numbers 12). And, while we do not have record of any illness striking the men who opposed Stephen, we do have the record of their not being able to withstand him:
"Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)- Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke" (Acts 6:9-10).
We serve a mighty God, the one true God, whose truth always triumphs. And we stand in the midst of a wicked world, where men will resort to lies in their attempts to silence the word of God (see Acts 6:11-14). In the face of opposition, Stephen continued to speak the uncompromised word of God... this humble waiter, expounding the word of life to all who would hear.
A waiter? Yes, Stephen, you establish order and justice so everyone can have something to eat. And yes, Stephen, My anointing has been imparted to you: do signs and wonders and speak life to the hard-hearted.
Stephen came to his assignment full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. After the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he carried out his work "full of God's grace and power" (Acts 6:8) with accompanying signs and miracles. He was so full of God that he was described as having the face of an angel (Acts 6:15).
When you are carrying out your God-given assignment, do others see signs of the kingdom of God in you?
Over these 25 or so years of having pastors as friends, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. When my friends are preaching, there is something that "kicks in" during the sermon and their words become irrefutable. I recognize that it is not an activity they engage in on their own: the Holy Spirit moves through them, and in that move of the Spirit the congregation splits into two camps: those who are receiving the word of God, and those who are rejecting the word of God.
There are times when the opposition to God's word is so strong you can feel it physically. But the Scripture warns us not to oppose the person who speaks as an oracle of God. We know that Miriam, in her opposition to Moses, won a week of leprosy for her efforts (see Numbers 12). And, while we do not have record of any illness striking the men who opposed Stephen, we do have the record of their not being able to withstand him:
"Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)- Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke" (Acts 6:9-10).
We serve a mighty God, the one true God, whose truth always triumphs. And we stand in the midst of a wicked world, where men will resort to lies in their attempts to silence the word of God (see Acts 6:11-14). In the face of opposition, Stephen continued to speak the uncompromised word of God... this humble waiter, expounding the word of life to all who would hear.
A waiter? Yes, Stephen, you establish order and justice so everyone can have something to eat. And yes, Stephen, My anointing has been imparted to you: do signs and wonders and speak life to the hard-hearted.
Stephen came to his assignment full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. After the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he carried out his work "full of God's grace and power" (Acts 6:8) with accompanying signs and miracles. He was so full of God that he was described as having the face of an angel (Acts 6:15).
When you are carrying out your God-given assignment, do others see signs of the kingdom of God in you?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
It's Back... The Laying On Of Hands.
Dear Friends,
Have you gotten a chance to read Acts 6 and 7 yet? I'd encourage you to do so: these chapters are an amazing glimpse into the life of the early church. As Pastor Sam mentioned in Sunday's sermon, we see in this text a picture of the opposition that arises when God moves.
For today, though, let's just look at a few verses from chapter 6 of Acts.
"So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.' This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:2-6).
Delegation. The apostles knew that they could not effectively minister if they took on the additional responsibility of running the church's food distribution program. So, they did what I call a 'double delegation': they decided that seven other men would oversee the food program, and they also delegated the selection process ("Brothers, choose seven men from among you...").
Identification. The community chose Stephen, and the Scripture tells us he was known to be "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit". What a combination! And what a commendation! If the pastoral staff of Bronx Bethany asked the congregation to choose some people for a delegated task, who would you tag as being full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit? Or, to be more blunt, would you be tagged as being one of those who is filled with the Holy Spirit?
Presentation. The community completed their assignment by presenting seven men to the apostles. In a young, fast-growing church, the twelve apostles were not in a position to have personal relationships with the thousands who were worshiping Jesus in the temple courts and in the private homes of believers. The community served as ears and eyes, and were able to say, Yes, I know someone who is a leader and who will be an asset to the kingdom of God.
Impartation. Here we see, once again, the laying on of hands as a normal part of the life of the believer. In this instance the laying on of hands was not for receiving the Holy Spirit, because the community had identified Stephen and his colleagues as men who were already full of the Spirit and wisdom. I believe that, as we saw last month with the examples of Moses/Joshua and Paul/Timothy, that through the laying on of hands these seven men received a measure of the spiritual authority that was resident in the apostles. And, like Joshua and Timothy, Stephen demonstrated authority and boldness in his ministry.
But, as I mentioned at the start of this blog, apostolic boldness usually carries with it the risk of opposition and persecution. We'll reflect on this aspect of ministry as the week progresses.
Have you gotten a chance to read Acts 6 and 7 yet? I'd encourage you to do so: these chapters are an amazing glimpse into the life of the early church. As Pastor Sam mentioned in Sunday's sermon, we see in this text a picture of the opposition that arises when God moves.
For today, though, let's just look at a few verses from chapter 6 of Acts.
"So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.' This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:2-6).
Delegation. The apostles knew that they could not effectively minister if they took on the additional responsibility of running the church's food distribution program. So, they did what I call a 'double delegation': they decided that seven other men would oversee the food program, and they also delegated the selection process ("Brothers, choose seven men from among you...").
Identification. The community chose Stephen, and the Scripture tells us he was known to be "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit". What a combination! And what a commendation! If the pastoral staff of Bronx Bethany asked the congregation to choose some people for a delegated task, who would you tag as being full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit? Or, to be more blunt, would you be tagged as being one of those who is filled with the Holy Spirit?
Presentation. The community completed their assignment by presenting seven men to the apostles. In a young, fast-growing church, the twelve apostles were not in a position to have personal relationships with the thousands who were worshiping Jesus in the temple courts and in the private homes of believers. The community served as ears and eyes, and were able to say, Yes, I know someone who is a leader and who will be an asset to the kingdom of God.
Impartation. Here we see, once again, the laying on of hands as a normal part of the life of the believer. In this instance the laying on of hands was not for receiving the Holy Spirit, because the community had identified Stephen and his colleagues as men who were already full of the Spirit and wisdom. I believe that, as we saw last month with the examples of Moses/Joshua and Paul/Timothy, that through the laying on of hands these seven men received a measure of the spiritual authority that was resident in the apostles. And, like Joshua and Timothy, Stephen demonstrated authority and boldness in his ministry.
But, as I mentioned at the start of this blog, apostolic boldness usually carries with it the risk of opposition and persecution. We'll reflect on this aspect of ministry as the week progresses.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Check, Please.
During this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam spoke on Acts 6 and 7. In that passage we meet Stephen, a man whose brief appearance in Scripture provides us with ample evidence of the ways in which a believer can bring glory to God. This week, we'll look at various aspects of Stephen's story and reflect on them in light of our personal lives.
In the face of a crisis involving conflict between Hebrew-speaking and Greek-speaking Jews, Stephen was recognized as a man who was full of the Holy Spirit.
In the face of persecution, Stephen consistently said yes to God and was not ashamed nor afraid to preach Christ.
In the face of death, Stephen experienced an open heaven and saw the resurrected Christ standing at the right hand of God, welcoming Stephen into the eternal kingdom.
Quite a track record for a man called to be a waiter.
What about you? Do you bring glory to God as you go about your daily work? Today, let's ask God to fill us anew with His Spirit so that our work colleagues will know Who we serve.
In the face of a crisis involving conflict between Hebrew-speaking and Greek-speaking Jews, Stephen was recognized as a man who was full of the Holy Spirit.
In the face of persecution, Stephen consistently said yes to God and was not ashamed nor afraid to preach Christ.
In the face of death, Stephen experienced an open heaven and saw the resurrected Christ standing at the right hand of God, welcoming Stephen into the eternal kingdom.
Quite a track record for a man called to be a waiter.
What about you? Do you bring glory to God as you go about your daily work? Today, let's ask God to fill us anew with His Spirit so that our work colleagues will know Who we serve.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Open Show: Cornelius Caught In The Act.
"Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea" (Acts 10:4-6).
Cornelius was caught doing good things for God. In the Acts 10 passage we read that he was a God-fearing man. He set the tone and the standard for his family: "He and all his family were devout and God-fearing" (v. 2). Additionally, he was known in both Roman and Jewish communities as a man who gave, and as a man who prayed. Though he was not a follower of Jesus Christ, and was not even Jewish, Cornelius established a standard for himself and his home that was pleasing to Jesus.
Cornelius' track record of praying regularly and giving generously was noticed and commended by God. In the midst of the new wave of God's mighty power being manifested in the early church, we see God sending an angel to the one man who does not fit the profile of the followers of "The Way". Cornelius was a Roman. Cornelius was a centurion, a soldier in charge of other soldiers. Cornelius' job was dependent on his loyalty to the state. If you met Cornelius in the street, his greeting to you would be "Hail Caesar!" And in the face of the profile, God sends an angel with a word...
God was doing things for Cornelius. In response to Cornelius' praying and giving, an angel shows up with clear statements and detailed instructions:
Cornelius, God knows what you have been doing.
Cornelius, God is so pleased with you!
Cornelius, you're a man with the authority to move men. Send some of your men over to Joppa to get Simon Peter and bring him to Caesarea.
Oh, and Cornelius, Simon Peter is staying at Simon Tanner's house by the sea. Your men will find him there.
Cornelius' giving and praying paved for way for Simon Peter to get an education on how God regards the people of the world. After Simon Peter realized that God was sending him to Gentiles, he said, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism" (v. 34). Walls of prejudice were broken down as God arranged this encounter between Cornelius and Simon Peter.
Cornelius' giving and praying paved the way for salvation to come to his household. In his actions we see a reflection of the promise of Jesus recorded in Matthew 6: a public reward for private activities. (Psalm 50 also echoes the correlation between giving to God and receiving His salvation.)
Cornelius' giving and praying paved the way for a multicultural church. Prior to his conversion, the earlier chapters of Acts present a picture of a church largely confined to those who were Jews. But God sent Peter from Caesarea to Joppa, to speak to a house packed with Gentiles. In the moment the Holy Spirit manifested His presence in that little community, the face of Christianity was changed forever (see Acts 10:21-46).
Wouldn't it be wonderful, Bronx Bethany, if your private giving and praying were so generous and consistent as to be recognized by God? It's a great way to destroy prejudice, to bring salvation to your household, and to become a multicultural community of faith where everyone has access to the presence and power of God.
Today, I pray that God catches you doing the right thing. Take care, my friends. See you Monday.
Cornelius was caught doing good things for God. In the Acts 10 passage we read that he was a God-fearing man. He set the tone and the standard for his family: "He and all his family were devout and God-fearing" (v. 2). Additionally, he was known in both Roman and Jewish communities as a man who gave, and as a man who prayed. Though he was not a follower of Jesus Christ, and was not even Jewish, Cornelius established a standard for himself and his home that was pleasing to Jesus.
Cornelius' track record of praying regularly and giving generously was noticed and commended by God. In the midst of the new wave of God's mighty power being manifested in the early church, we see God sending an angel to the one man who does not fit the profile of the followers of "The Way". Cornelius was a Roman. Cornelius was a centurion, a soldier in charge of other soldiers. Cornelius' job was dependent on his loyalty to the state. If you met Cornelius in the street, his greeting to you would be "Hail Caesar!" And in the face of the profile, God sends an angel with a word...
God was doing things for Cornelius. In response to Cornelius' praying and giving, an angel shows up with clear statements and detailed instructions:
Cornelius, God knows what you have been doing.
Cornelius, God is so pleased with you!
Cornelius, you're a man with the authority to move men. Send some of your men over to Joppa to get Simon Peter and bring him to Caesarea.
Oh, and Cornelius, Simon Peter is staying at Simon Tanner's house by the sea. Your men will find him there.
Cornelius' giving and praying paved for way for Simon Peter to get an education on how God regards the people of the world. After Simon Peter realized that God was sending him to Gentiles, he said, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism" (v. 34). Walls of prejudice were broken down as God arranged this encounter between Cornelius and Simon Peter.
Cornelius' giving and praying paved the way for salvation to come to his household. In his actions we see a reflection of the promise of Jesus recorded in Matthew 6: a public reward for private activities. (Psalm 50 also echoes the correlation between giving to God and receiving His salvation.)
Cornelius' giving and praying paved the way for a multicultural church. Prior to his conversion, the earlier chapters of Acts present a picture of a church largely confined to those who were Jews. But God sent Peter from Caesarea to Joppa, to speak to a house packed with Gentiles. In the moment the Holy Spirit manifested His presence in that little community, the face of Christianity was changed forever (see Acts 10:21-46).
Wouldn't it be wonderful, Bronx Bethany, if your private giving and praying were so generous and consistent as to be recognized by God? It's a great way to destroy prejudice, to bring salvation to your household, and to become a multicultural community of faith where everyone has access to the presence and power of God.
Today, I pray that God catches you doing the right thing. Take care, my friends. See you Monday.
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Open Show: Nahab and Abihu
"Aaron's sons Nahab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD" (Leviticus 10:1-2).
It's a dangerous thing to engage in activity that is in opposition to the mandate of God. Nahab and Abihu approached the presence of God unworthily, and in the light of His awesome presence they perished.
God particularly doesn't like it when people approach Him with unauthorized forms of worship. He made this clear at the beginning of man's history, as we see recorded in Genesis 4. Cain was rebuked and warned for his offering of fruits: "if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door" (see Genesis 4:7). The implication is that Cain knew what was the right thing to offer, but chose to offer an alternative.
We have the same scenario in Leviticus 10. Nadab and Abihu, along with their two brothers, were present with their father Aaron as Moses instructed them on the proper way to offer the various sacrifices and offerings before the LORD. So they were not ignorant, they were disobedient. But, unlike Cain, Nahab and Abihu did not get a second chance.
God had said previously, "Among those who approach me I will show myself holy" (Leviticus 10:3) - and in that statement we are reminded of the power of God which presents itself in the community of faith, which we've discussed in several of the Back to Basics blogs. There is no question that God shows up. But there is a question of whether the people of God are ready to experience what happens when He shows up in His power.
There are modern-day versions of this scenario, where we see the service of worship compromised by persons who, knowing the mandate of God, choose to step in and defiantly do their own thing. Armed with laptop and lectionary, they make up their own contributions to a ministry they were not called to. And God, in His grace, still ensures that the message He intended to send is sent clearly. "My word will not return void, but will accomplish the purpose for which I sent it..." (see Isaiah 55:10-11). But the day comes when He shows up... and when He does, make sure you are not found offering the strange fire. If you are, you will die and someone will carry you out of the sanctuary (Leviticus 10:4). Those who disobey the mandate of God will be put to an open show.
It's a dangerous thing to engage in activity that is in opposition to the mandate of God. Nahab and Abihu approached the presence of God unworthily, and in the light of His awesome presence they perished.
God particularly doesn't like it when people approach Him with unauthorized forms of worship. He made this clear at the beginning of man's history, as we see recorded in Genesis 4. Cain was rebuked and warned for his offering of fruits: "if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door" (see Genesis 4:7). The implication is that Cain knew what was the right thing to offer, but chose to offer an alternative.
We have the same scenario in Leviticus 10. Nadab and Abihu, along with their two brothers, were present with their father Aaron as Moses instructed them on the proper way to offer the various sacrifices and offerings before the LORD. So they were not ignorant, they were disobedient. But, unlike Cain, Nahab and Abihu did not get a second chance.
God had said previously, "Among those who approach me I will show myself holy" (Leviticus 10:3) - and in that statement we are reminded of the power of God which presents itself in the community of faith, which we've discussed in several of the Back to Basics blogs. There is no question that God shows up. But there is a question of whether the people of God are ready to experience what happens when He shows up in His power.
There are modern-day versions of this scenario, where we see the service of worship compromised by persons who, knowing the mandate of God, choose to step in and defiantly do their own thing. Armed with laptop and lectionary, they make up their own contributions to a ministry they were not called to. And God, in His grace, still ensures that the message He intended to send is sent clearly. "My word will not return void, but will accomplish the purpose for which I sent it..." (see Isaiah 55:10-11). But the day comes when He shows up... and when He does, make sure you are not found offering the strange fire. If you are, you will die and someone will carry you out of the sanctuary (Leviticus 10:4). Those who disobey the mandate of God will be put to an open show.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009: The Year Of The Open Show.
Some of you have noticed, and have commented to me privately, that my blogs often contain an undercurrent of prophetic warning that is specific to two things: total obedience to God, and careful respect of leadership that God has set into place. You are correct.
God has continued that warning into 2009, and my sense is that there is an even greater urgency behind it. Please hear me: I am not a fortune teller and I am not trying to scare anyone; I'm just repeating old news. And, this is not my agenda: I am just speaking what God has put on my heart, and I am asking you to receive and understand it as coming from Him.
So, here is an old word for a new year: Remember the word of Jesus in Matthew 6.
He is the one who calls us to give, to fast, and to pray. He is the one who sees what we do in secret. He is the one who publicizes what we have been doing in private. This is true for the good we do, and this is also true for the evil we do. God brings the hidden things into the light. It's His way.
He is also the one who calls us to relax and not worry. He is the one who provides our food, clothing, and shelter. He is the one who meets our needs- not just arbitrarily, but as we walk in obedience to His mandates.
He is also the one who calls us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. He is the one who calls us into a lifestyle of holy living, integrity, and truthfulness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, He puts in us a desire to learn more about Him, to love Him, to obey Him, to be in relationship with Him. He moves our Christianity beyond the realm of intellectual insight and moves us into intimacy in Him.
2009 is the year of the open show. Those who have ignored God's warnings will endure a public suffering of the consequences. Those who have faithfully worked the works of the kingdom of God will receive public reward for their private efforts. And yes, those who have opposed God's prophets and ministers will suffer the fate of the king's servant detailed in Second Kings 7: they will see the miraculous provision of God, but they will have no share in it.
So, my friends, if you know in your heart that you are not right before God, get it together. Repent and live the life you know He has called you to. Be obedient and do what He says. Why should you die?
"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses: then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:30-32)
God has continued that warning into 2009, and my sense is that there is an even greater urgency behind it. Please hear me: I am not a fortune teller and I am not trying to scare anyone; I'm just repeating old news. And, this is not my agenda: I am just speaking what God has put on my heart, and I am asking you to receive and understand it as coming from Him.
So, here is an old word for a new year: Remember the word of Jesus in Matthew 6.
He is the one who calls us to give, to fast, and to pray. He is the one who sees what we do in secret. He is the one who publicizes what we have been doing in private. This is true for the good we do, and this is also true for the evil we do. God brings the hidden things into the light. It's His way.
He is also the one who calls us to relax and not worry. He is the one who provides our food, clothing, and shelter. He is the one who meets our needs- not just arbitrarily, but as we walk in obedience to His mandates.
He is also the one who calls us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. He is the one who calls us into a lifestyle of holy living, integrity, and truthfulness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, He puts in us a desire to learn more about Him, to love Him, to obey Him, to be in relationship with Him. He moves our Christianity beyond the realm of intellectual insight and moves us into intimacy in Him.
2009 is the year of the open show. Those who have ignored God's warnings will endure a public suffering of the consequences. Those who have faithfully worked the works of the kingdom of God will receive public reward for their private efforts. And yes, those who have opposed God's prophets and ministers will suffer the fate of the king's servant detailed in Second Kings 7: they will see the miraculous provision of God, but they will have no share in it.
So, my friends, if you know in your heart that you are not right before God, get it together. Repent and live the life you know He has called you to. Be obedient and do what He says. Why should you die?
"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses: then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:30-32)
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Closing 2008, Part Three.
Here we are, December 31, 2008, the completion of another year. It's the completion of four months of this blog, which began on August 31.
A very special thank-you to the following persons who God used in founding this blog:
Sister LillyJune
Sister Marilyn
Pastor Sam
Pastor Benji
Our conversations, in person and via e-mail, were the "kindling" for this blog. We all sensed very strongly that a forum was needed in which we could further reflect on the Sunday sermons, and for several months our reflections were limited to private conversations and e-mails. But in August the Lord lit a match... and I found myself consumed with a desire to create this blog as the vehicle for reflection, a thing that could be shared across a larger group.
As I shared with Devon a few days ago, this blog really does line up with the church's mission to be a redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world, to the glory of God. Glossa Water has been set into place as a international tool for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how I glorify Him for the opportunity.
I'd appreciate your prayers for 2009, particularly in the area of how this blog can be further developed as we all grow, and are transformed, from glory to glory.
My friends, thank you for reading. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouragement. I pray that 2009 will be the year that God shows up for you in amazing and miraculous ways.
Love,
Genise
A very special thank-you to the following persons who God used in founding this blog:
Sister LillyJune
Sister Marilyn
Pastor Sam
Pastor Benji
Our conversations, in person and via e-mail, were the "kindling" for this blog. We all sensed very strongly that a forum was needed in which we could further reflect on the Sunday sermons, and for several months our reflections were limited to private conversations and e-mails. But in August the Lord lit a match... and I found myself consumed with a desire to create this blog as the vehicle for reflection, a thing that could be shared across a larger group.
As I shared with Devon a few days ago, this blog really does line up with the church's mission to be a redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world, to the glory of God. Glossa Water has been set into place as a international tool for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how I glorify Him for the opportunity.
I'd appreciate your prayers for 2009, particularly in the area of how this blog can be further developed as we all grow, and are transformed, from glory to glory.
My friends, thank you for reading. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouragement. I pray that 2009 will be the year that God shows up for you in amazing and miraculous ways.
Love,
Genise
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Closing 2008, Part Two.
Yesterday I thanked some of the women of God who have been a blessing to me this year. Today's thanks goes to the men who God has used to speak words of life, wisdom, and healing to me over these past twelve months:
My husband, Leon
Pastor Sam
Pastor Benji
Brother Sheldon
Brother Nigel
Brother Devon
To my husband, thank you for being a partner in the hard work that is vital to our marriage and minisrtry staying intact. In the midst of the battles, we fight on our knees and we see the intervention of our amazing God.
To my Bronx Bethany brothers, thank you for being transparent. Thank you for speaking those difficult words that are sometimes necessary and critical for growth to occur. And, above all, thank you for your prayers.
I had wanted to use a different verse for you, but the Lord is reiterating the verse from yesterday: The Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you publicly (Matthew 6:4).
My husband, Leon
Pastor Sam
Pastor Benji
Brother Sheldon
Brother Nigel
Brother Devon
To my husband, thank you for being a partner in the hard work that is vital to our marriage and minisrtry staying intact. In the midst of the battles, we fight on our knees and we see the intervention of our amazing God.
To my Bronx Bethany brothers, thank you for being transparent. Thank you for speaking those difficult words that are sometimes necessary and critical for growth to occur. And, above all, thank you for your prayers.
I had wanted to use a different verse for you, but the Lord is reiterating the verse from yesterday: The Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you publicly (Matthew 6:4).
Monday, December 29, 2008
Closing 2008, Part One.
In these final days of 2008, I want to publicly thank some people in my Bronx Bethany family who have been sources of inspiration and timely counsel. Today I'll thank the women, and tomorrow I'll thank the men.
This could potentially be a long list because there are so many whom God has sent my way, but I'll single out these few who have been exceptional in their presence, their godly advice, and their prayer support:
Sister Marilyn
Pastor Joy
Sister Pam
Sister Ruchelle
Sister Faith
We all know the praise of man is a fickle thing, so even as I name names I need to reiterate that what really matters is not my commendation, but the commendation of God. I believe that He will reward each of us for our obedience to Him.
The Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you publicly (Matthew 6:4).
This could potentially be a long list because there are so many whom God has sent my way, but I'll single out these few who have been exceptional in their presence, their godly advice, and their prayer support:
Sister Marilyn
Pastor Joy
Sister Pam
Sister Ruchelle
Sister Faith
We all know the praise of man is a fickle thing, so even as I name names I need to reiterate that what really matters is not my commendation, but the commendation of God. I believe that He will reward each of us for our obedience to Him.
The Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you publicly (Matthew 6:4).
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Kairos Over Kronos: An Opportune Time For Joy, Part Two
Today I'd like to share with you the text from J.S. Bach's Cantata No. 152. He wrote this cantata to be performed the Sunday after Christmas. I share it because, this past week, it (along with Scripture reading and much prayer) has helped me to remain focused on Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone.
In the midst of what was a difficult Christmas week, I attended the Christ Mass at an Evangelical Lutheran church in Manhattan; and in the midst of that worshiping community God showed up. My kairos moment came as I took communion. The Holy Spirit filled me with renewed joy, and my spirit responded to the opportunity to praise God with joy and gladness: Yes, this is what matters. This is what is reality, the eternal God and the activity of His kingdom. God, I know You are present and I know You are present to act on behalf of your servants.
My friends, have faith in God. Expect to see Him. At the kairos time, the divinely appointed opportunity, He will reveal Himself.
WALK ON THE PATH OF FAITH (J.S. Bach Cantata No. 152)
Walk on the path of faith: God has established the Stone which holds and supports Zion. Man, do not stumble on that Stone- walk on the path of faith!
The Savior is in control in Israel, He is in control over the fall and the resurrection. The Stone is not at fault when the wicked world is dashed upon it; the world falls into hell, the world runs to hell with spite and refuses to acknowledge God's grace and mercy! But blessed is the chosen man of Christ, who has laid his faith's foundation on this Cornerstone, because that is where he will find healing and redemption.
Stone, surpassing every treasure, help so that I may forever, through my faith, establish on You my foundation for true grace, so that I will not be wounded on You, Stone surpassing every treasure!
The know-it-all world is angry that God's only Son has left His glorious throne of praise, has clothed Himself in flesh and blood, and suffers as a mortal. The greatest wisdom of the earth seems like the greatest foolishness in light of the will of God. For what God has decreed, reason can never fathom. The blind seductress misleads those who are blind in spirit.
Soul: O, Lover of souls, how shall I embrace You?
Jesus: You must abandon everything and deny yourself!
Soul: But how, then, can I see the eternal Light?
Jesus: See Me with faith and don't give in to anger!
Soul: Come, Savior, teach me to hate this world!
Jesus: Come, spirit, walk joyfully from sadness to gladness!
Soul: Oh, draw me, Beloved, I'll follow You everywhere!
Jesus: I will give you the crown, after your suffering and disgrace.
In the midst of what was a difficult Christmas week, I attended the Christ Mass at an Evangelical Lutheran church in Manhattan; and in the midst of that worshiping community God showed up. My kairos moment came as I took communion. The Holy Spirit filled me with renewed joy, and my spirit responded to the opportunity to praise God with joy and gladness: Yes, this is what matters. This is what is reality, the eternal God and the activity of His kingdom. God, I know You are present and I know You are present to act on behalf of your servants.
My friends, have faith in God. Expect to see Him. At the kairos time, the divinely appointed opportunity, He will reveal Himself.
WALK ON THE PATH OF FAITH (J.S. Bach Cantata No. 152)
Walk on the path of faith: God has established the Stone which holds and supports Zion. Man, do not stumble on that Stone- walk on the path of faith!
The Savior is in control in Israel, He is in control over the fall and the resurrection. The Stone is not at fault when the wicked world is dashed upon it; the world falls into hell, the world runs to hell with spite and refuses to acknowledge God's grace and mercy! But blessed is the chosen man of Christ, who has laid his faith's foundation on this Cornerstone, because that is where he will find healing and redemption.
Stone, surpassing every treasure, help so that I may forever, through my faith, establish on You my foundation for true grace, so that I will not be wounded on You, Stone surpassing every treasure!
The know-it-all world is angry that God's only Son has left His glorious throne of praise, has clothed Himself in flesh and blood, and suffers as a mortal. The greatest wisdom of the earth seems like the greatest foolishness in light of the will of God. For what God has decreed, reason can never fathom. The blind seductress misleads those who are blind in spirit.
Soul: O, Lover of souls, how shall I embrace You?
Jesus: You must abandon everything and deny yourself!
Soul: But how, then, can I see the eternal Light?
Jesus: See Me with faith and don't give in to anger!
Soul: Come, Savior, teach me to hate this world!
Jesus: Come, spirit, walk joyfully from sadness to gladness!
Soul: Oh, draw me, Beloved, I'll follow You everywhere!
Jesus: I will give you the crown, after your suffering and disgrace.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Kairos Over Kronos: An Opportune Time for Joy, Part One
On Christmas morning, Bronx Bethany's Magnification team presented a cantata that incorporated congregational hymn singing, Scripture reading, and choral pieces. At the end of that presentation, Pastor Sam spoke for a few minutes. Below are some of the notes I took during his homily.
Thirsty in an Abundance of Water; Lonely in a Crowd; Sad in the Midst of Joy.
- whereas the joy of Christ has invaded our space with angelic messengers, it is a joy that some people have not experienced even though they are right in the middle of it... but this Christmas can be a time where that all changes.
- it's not a show or an experiment: God has truly come to save us and to give us second birth. What is the word of John the Baptist? Nobody can stop God (see John 1:19-23).
- there is the possibility of joy:
joy in the midst of suffering and tribulation (First John 1:4)
joy in the midst of imprisonment (Acts 16:25)
joy that results from fellowship with Christ- but this joy can only come to us if we are walking in the light as He is in the light (First John 1:7).
- this Christmas can be different if we turn from our sins and turn to Jesus:
Jesus gave Himself to us
Jesus gave Himself for us
Pastor Sam said, "I don't just want joy to the world, I want joy to me..."- and it's a relevant quote for us to reflect on. If true joy is only found in the Christ, in the coming of Christ into our world and into our hearts, then we can receive "joy to me" only as we stand in His presence. And who can stand? "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false" (Psalm 24:4).
Jesus is present. Let's seek His forgiveness and His cleansing, so that we can experience His joy.
Thirsty in an Abundance of Water; Lonely in a Crowd; Sad in the Midst of Joy.
- whereas the joy of Christ has invaded our space with angelic messengers, it is a joy that some people have not experienced even though they are right in the middle of it... but this Christmas can be a time where that all changes.
- it's not a show or an experiment: God has truly come to save us and to give us second birth. What is the word of John the Baptist? Nobody can stop God (see John 1:19-23).
- there is the possibility of joy:
joy in the midst of suffering and tribulation (First John 1:4)
joy in the midst of imprisonment (Acts 16:25)
joy that results from fellowship with Christ- but this joy can only come to us if we are walking in the light as He is in the light (First John 1:7).
- this Christmas can be different if we turn from our sins and turn to Jesus:
Jesus gave Himself to us
Jesus gave Himself for us
Pastor Sam said, "I don't just want joy to the world, I want joy to me..."- and it's a relevant quote for us to reflect on. If true joy is only found in the Christ, in the coming of Christ into our world and into our hearts, then we can receive "joy to me" only as we stand in His presence. And who can stand? "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false" (Psalm 24:4).
Jesus is present. Let's seek His forgiveness and His cleansing, so that we can experience His joy.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Kairos Recognized: Simeon
What did the Holy Spirit promise? An amazing thing: Simeon would not die until after he had seen the Messiah with his own eyes.
We sing many Christmas carols at this time of year, but not many people sing Simeon's song, "nunc dimittis": now dismiss me, now let me leave in peace, Lord, You kept Your word, and You have allowed me to see Your salvation, which You prepared in the peoples' sight, You, the nations' Light of revelation, and the glory of Your people Israel (see Luke 2:25-35).
Simeon waited, and "just at the right time" God allowed him to see Jesus, the month-old baby who was King over all (I'm guessing Jesus was between one and two months old based on Leviticus 12:1-4, but am certainly open to hearing other thoughts).
Now, as then, God keeps His promises. Let's take a cue from Simeon and be found with the Holy Spirit upon us, in the temple of the LORD, fully expecting to meet Him there.
We sing many Christmas carols at this time of year, but not many people sing Simeon's song, "nunc dimittis": now dismiss me, now let me leave in peace, Lord, You kept Your word, and You have allowed me to see Your salvation, which You prepared in the peoples' sight, You, the nations' Light of revelation, and the glory of Your people Israel (see Luke 2:25-35).
Simeon waited, and "just at the right time" God allowed him to see Jesus, the month-old baby who was King over all (I'm guessing Jesus was between one and two months old based on Leviticus 12:1-4, but am certainly open to hearing other thoughts).
Now, as then, God keeps His promises. Let's take a cue from Simeon and be found with the Holy Spirit upon us, in the temple of the LORD, fully expecting to meet Him there.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Kronos Over Kairos: Herod Knows His Math.
As we spend this week reflecting on the challenge of recognizing God's opportune time (kairos), today we'll look at Herod.
Herod was highly bound to kronos time. He was concerned with his temporal position as king, and was extremely disturbed at the visit he received from the sages of the East who were searching for the newborn King (see Matthew 2).
We are told in Scripture that the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod... and, Joseph was warned in a dream to take his family to Egypt because Herod intended to kill the child... and these men all obeyed in the kairos moment presented to them. What was the kairos message? Get out of town. Get away from Herod.
The wise men left town by a different route than the one they used to get there.
Joseph took Mary and the Christ child, and left town during the night to flee to Egypt.
Apparently, a significant period of time went by before Herod realized the wise men had left town... and this is where the math comes in. Herod remembered the information he had gotten from the wise men, and from that data he was able to calculate approximately how old Jesus might be. Then, he made the cruel decree to kill all boys in Bethlehem, and in the surrounding communities, who were two years old or less.
In the celebration of the advent of Christ, almost unnoticed, lies this background story of all the families whose young boys were killed as Herod sought to prevent a new king from challenging his turf- his irrelevant, puny, worthless turf. There may be some of you who, this Christmas, are dealing with memories that are difficult and painful. Some of you may be dealing with situations that, in light of eternity, are irrelevant, but they must be dealt with because we're still living here on this earth.
It's not easy. But can I ask you, in the midst of the challenges, to keep your eyes open for God's opportune time? I'm praying for myself that I will be present and aware when He presents a kairos moment. This Christmas, I pray the same for you.
I love you my friends, and yes, I love you my enemies. Merry Christmas.
Love,
Genise
Herod was highly bound to kronos time. He was concerned with his temporal position as king, and was extremely disturbed at the visit he received from the sages of the East who were searching for the newborn King (see Matthew 2).
We are told in Scripture that the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod... and, Joseph was warned in a dream to take his family to Egypt because Herod intended to kill the child... and these men all obeyed in the kairos moment presented to them. What was the kairos message? Get out of town. Get away from Herod.
The wise men left town by a different route than the one they used to get there.
Joseph took Mary and the Christ child, and left town during the night to flee to Egypt.
Apparently, a significant period of time went by before Herod realized the wise men had left town... and this is where the math comes in. Herod remembered the information he had gotten from the wise men, and from that data he was able to calculate approximately how old Jesus might be. Then, he made the cruel decree to kill all boys in Bethlehem, and in the surrounding communities, who were two years old or less.
In the celebration of the advent of Christ, almost unnoticed, lies this background story of all the families whose young boys were killed as Herod sought to prevent a new king from challenging his turf- his irrelevant, puny, worthless turf. There may be some of you who, this Christmas, are dealing with memories that are difficult and painful. Some of you may be dealing with situations that, in light of eternity, are irrelevant, but they must be dealt with because we're still living here on this earth.
It's not easy. But can I ask you, in the midst of the challenges, to keep your eyes open for God's opportune time? I'm praying for myself that I will be present and aware when He presents a kairos moment. This Christmas, I pray the same for you.
I love you my friends, and yes, I love you my enemies. Merry Christmas.
Love,
Genise
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Kronos Over Kairos: A Taxing Time For Innkeepers
The innkeeper does not even get a direct mention in Scripture. We just have a few short words at the end of Luke 2:7 to make us aware of his or her presence: "because there was no room for them in the inn."
At the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we read that the Samaritan paid the innkeeper and promised to return with more money for expenses incurred during his absence (v. 35). So, although the Luke 2 passage does not tell us specifically about the innkeeper who turned away Mary and Joseph, we can guess that the innkeeper was charging his or her guests for the privilege of staying in the inn.
What the Luke 2 passage does tell us is that there was "no room": in today's society, there would have been a sign posted. When we see that sign, we don't even bother going in to the hotel; "No Vacancy" means "there are no rooms available at all. We are booked solid." What a shame for the innkeeper, who perhaps would have found an available room if it was known that the promised Messiah was in the neighborhood. Or, as was said in the sermon, maybe the innkeeper would have even given up his or her own room. But no, to the innkeeper it was just another ordinary Jewish couple looking for a place to stay...
But, lest we get too upset at the innkeeper, let's look at ourselves. Sometimes we have time for people who look like kings, but not so much time for people who look like paupers. Sometimes God wants to send us a message through a toddler, but we can't stoop down to listen because we're too wrapped up in trying to schmooze with the senior pastor, or we're too busy combing through the congregation for new clients to support our small business. And in the midst of feeding our personal agendas, we miss the kairos moment of God.
Chronological time is nothing in the face of our eternal God. When He opens the opportune time, will you be looking full into His face? Or will you be scribbling notes about how contemporary worship ran for seventeen minutes instead of fifteen? Or will you be out in the foyer talking with your friends? When you come to church, are you really looking to encounter God, or is it just another club?
What time is it, Bronx Bethany? It's time to stop looking at your watch. Kairos time is here.
At the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we read that the Samaritan paid the innkeeper and promised to return with more money for expenses incurred during his absence (v. 35). So, although the Luke 2 passage does not tell us specifically about the innkeeper who turned away Mary and Joseph, we can guess that the innkeeper was charging his or her guests for the privilege of staying in the inn.
What the Luke 2 passage does tell us is that there was "no room": in today's society, there would have been a sign posted. When we see that sign, we don't even bother going in to the hotel; "No Vacancy" means "there are no rooms available at all. We are booked solid." What a shame for the innkeeper, who perhaps would have found an available room if it was known that the promised Messiah was in the neighborhood. Or, as was said in the sermon, maybe the innkeeper would have even given up his or her own room. But no, to the innkeeper it was just another ordinary Jewish couple looking for a place to stay...
But, lest we get too upset at the innkeeper, let's look at ourselves. Sometimes we have time for people who look like kings, but not so much time for people who look like paupers. Sometimes God wants to send us a message through a toddler, but we can't stoop down to listen because we're too wrapped up in trying to schmooze with the senior pastor, or we're too busy combing through the congregation for new clients to support our small business. And in the midst of feeding our personal agendas, we miss the kairos moment of God.
Chronological time is nothing in the face of our eternal God. When He opens the opportune time, will you be looking full into His face? Or will you be scribbling notes about how contemporary worship ran for seventeen minutes instead of fifteen? Or will you be out in the foyer talking with your friends? When you come to church, are you really looking to encounter God, or is it just another club?
What time is it, Bronx Bethany? It's time to stop looking at your watch. Kairos time is here.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Kairos Recognized: Anna
"There was also a prophetess, Anna... she never left the temple..." (Luke 2:36-37)
How do you spend your time? Anna was a woman who, as a prophetess, would have been quite familiar with the voice of God. At night or during the day, she could be found in the temple worshiping God.
I wonder if you might consider a lifestyle drenched in the spiritual disciplines of fasting and prayer (Luke 2:37).
I wonder if you might consider a lifetime of waiting for God to fulfill His promise: not waiting in anxiety, but in an attitude and posture of worship.
Kairos. At the right time, God shows up. Will you be in the temple to see it?
How do you spend your time? Anna was a woman who, as a prophetess, would have been quite familiar with the voice of God. At night or during the day, she could be found in the temple worshiping God.
I wonder if you might consider a lifestyle drenched in the spiritual disciplines of fasting and prayer (Luke 2:37).
I wonder if you might consider a lifetime of waiting for God to fulfill His promise: not waiting in anxiety, but in an attitude and posture of worship.
Kairos. At the right time, God shows up. Will you be in the temple to see it?
Monday, December 22, 2008
God, I Hear You. I'm Not Missing You This Time.
Yesterday's services were especially meaningful for me. It was one of those days where the pastor and the musicians disappeared, and I heard God speaking so clearly.
I should backtrack and first share with you part of an entry from my journal, which I wrote on December 14:
"...I appreciate where God has us now. I hope I'll be open to hearing from Him, I pray I won't miss any lessons or kairos moments because of being upset or distracted..."
Those of you who heard yesterday's sermon will understand that I felt like God had opened up my journal in public and underlined those words, and reinforced them, with His own warning: Genise, don't get so preoccupied with your ministerial "business as usual". If you do, you'll miss Me. Keep paying attention in a spirit of patience.
In Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam briefly touched upon the stories of some individuals who missed the moment and others who made the moment. This week we'll reflect on these lessons learned from the men and women who, in the face of the advent of Christ, reacted in ways that alternately brought revelation or kept them bogged them down in mere routine.
I encourage you to read Galatians 3:26 through Galatians 4:7 as preparation for looking at the sermon notes, with a mind to kairos: the opportune time where God is present to act... "at just the right time" (Galatians 4:4).
I should backtrack and first share with you part of an entry from my journal, which I wrote on December 14:
"...I appreciate where God has us now. I hope I'll be open to hearing from Him, I pray I won't miss any lessons or kairos moments because of being upset or distracted..."
Those of you who heard yesterday's sermon will understand that I felt like God had opened up my journal in public and underlined those words, and reinforced them, with His own warning: Genise, don't get so preoccupied with your ministerial "business as usual". If you do, you'll miss Me. Keep paying attention in a spirit of patience.
In Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam briefly touched upon the stories of some individuals who missed the moment and others who made the moment. This week we'll reflect on these lessons learned from the men and women who, in the face of the advent of Christ, reacted in ways that alternately brought revelation or kept them bogged them down in mere routine.
I encourage you to read Galatians 3:26 through Galatians 4:7 as preparation for looking at the sermon notes, with a mind to kairos: the opportune time where God is present to act... "at just the right time" (Galatians 4:4).
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Advent Reading 10: Psalm 77
Today I'll just share a few verses from the middle of this psalm. I pray that you will be encouraged, and that you will continue to wait on the LORD for His power to be shown on your behalf.
"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in his anger withheld his compassion?"
Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
-Psalm 77:7-15
"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in his anger withheld his compassion?"
Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
-Psalm 77:7-15
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Word of Prophecy: The Little Flock, Encouraged.
On this past Sunday Pastor Joy shared a prophetic word during the first service, which I'd like to reflect on as we close out this week:
"Trust God completely. He will give you capacity."
Sometimes, as Christians, we give the impression that we are immune from suffering. But such an attitude is in opposition to the word of Christ, who has told us that suffering is part of the package that comes with being a follower of Jesus (see Matthew 5:11-12).
The prophetic word reminds us that it is God who gives us the ability and strength to endure in difficult times. I am not denying the fact that God is able to shield us from hardships, but what I am saying is that I want you to respond to God in a spirit of trust in whatever state you are.
Whether He chooses to deliver you from hardship or deliver you through hardship is His choice, not yours. And, frequently, your testimony is proven not in the good times, but in those moments where your world is crumbling. As Pastor Joy said, the Lord will give us the capacity needed to endure in difficult times... but we must trust Him fully and completely.
What makes faith easy? Knowing that God has spoken... knowing that God has stated something very clearly and unmistakably, and knowing that He keeps His word. In His speaking, He has given me one piece of a jigsaw puzzle. I don't have all the pieces, I don't know when the jigsaw puzzle will be completed, but I know the puzzle exists because I'm holding one piece. And I can die without seeing the whole puzzle put together. The one piece that God has shown me is enough to keep me encouraged, to keep me moving forward, to keep me secure in Him and in His trustworthiness.
Trust God completely.
He will give you capacity.
"Trust God completely. He will give you capacity."
Sometimes, as Christians, we give the impression that we are immune from suffering. But such an attitude is in opposition to the word of Christ, who has told us that suffering is part of the package that comes with being a follower of Jesus (see Matthew 5:11-12).
The prophetic word reminds us that it is God who gives us the ability and strength to endure in difficult times. I am not denying the fact that God is able to shield us from hardships, but what I am saying is that I want you to respond to God in a spirit of trust in whatever state you are.
Whether He chooses to deliver you from hardship or deliver you through hardship is His choice, not yours. And, frequently, your testimony is proven not in the good times, but in those moments where your world is crumbling. As Pastor Joy said, the Lord will give us the capacity needed to endure in difficult times... but we must trust Him fully and completely.
What makes faith easy? Knowing that God has spoken... knowing that God has stated something very clearly and unmistakably, and knowing that He keeps His word. In His speaking, He has given me one piece of a jigsaw puzzle. I don't have all the pieces, I don't know when the jigsaw puzzle will be completed, but I know the puzzle exists because I'm holding one piece. And I can die without seeing the whole puzzle put together. The one piece that God has shown me is enough to keep me encouraged, to keep me moving forward, to keep me secure in Him and in His trustworthiness.
Trust God completely.
He will give you capacity.
Friday, December 19, 2008
"War On The Saints": The Little Flock in Combat Gear
In yesterday's blog I included a quote from the book "War On The Saints" by Jessie Penn-Lewis with Evan Roberts. If you decide to check it out, I strongly recommend that you get the "full text" unabridged version. It's an excellent textbook on the work and power of Christ, and practical advice on how to distinguish the work of the Holy Spirit from the counterfeit works of the enemy.
The book opens with a statement that is as true today as it was when the unabridged version was originally published in 1973: many Christians are unaware that a war is in progress. Not a war for land or wealth, but a war for the souls of men.
"All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). And, as the end of the verse indicates, Christ has borne the iniquity. He has already done the redemptive work. Hallelujah!
He did that, once for all, so long ago, and there is no expiration date. We have the benefit available to us- but a response is required. I hope that you have responded by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, and (for those of you who have) that your life is a daily demonstration of the decision you made to live for Him.
The book opens with a statement that is as true today as it was when the unabridged version was originally published in 1973: many Christians are unaware that a war is in progress. Not a war for land or wealth, but a war for the souls of men.
"All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). And, as the end of the verse indicates, Christ has borne the iniquity. He has already done the redemptive work. Hallelujah!
He did that, once for all, so long ago, and there is no expiration date. We have the benefit available to us- but a response is required. I hope that you have responded by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, and (for those of you who have) that your life is a daily demonstration of the decision you made to live for Him.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wanton: The Little Flock, Unrestrained.
In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Benji mentioned several things that lead people astray. In discussing the concept of no self-control, he referred us to a familiar passage of Scripture.
They are led astray by their own lusts. James 1:14 says it quite succinctly: "each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."
This first chapter of James takes great care in distinguishing the idea of trials, which are a testing ground for our faith, versus temptations, which if entertained will give birth to sin and ultimately result in spiritual death (see James 1:1-18).
The classic book War On The Saints has this to say: "Sin from the fallen nature is from within, carries the will with it, or else forces the will by its pressure. The man knows the movement to sin is sin, and yet yields to it. Romans 6:6,11,and 12 is God's way of dealing with the fallen nature, and its workings, as the believer stands on the ground of the Cross, and wields Christ's finished Calvary work as a weapon for victory. The Holy Spirit bears witness..." (p. 312).
I think Romans 6:13 is a good verse for us to meditate on today:
"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." Amen!
They are led astray by their own lusts. James 1:14 says it quite succinctly: "each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."
This first chapter of James takes great care in distinguishing the idea of trials, which are a testing ground for our faith, versus temptations, which if entertained will give birth to sin and ultimately result in spiritual death (see James 1:1-18).
The classic book War On The Saints has this to say: "Sin from the fallen nature is from within, carries the will with it, or else forces the will by its pressure. The man knows the movement to sin is sin, and yet yields to it. Romans 6:6,11,and 12 is God's way of dealing with the fallen nature, and its workings, as the believer stands on the ground of the Cross, and wields Christ's finished Calvary work as a weapon for victory. The Holy Spirit bears witness..." (p. 312).
I think Romans 6:13 is a good verse for us to meditate on today:
"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." Amen!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Waywardness: The Little Flock, Distracted.
It was a sunny day in Harlem, around 1970 or so. I distinctly remember running down Park Avenue from 128th to 127th Street, catching up to a woman near the corner, reaching up, and holding her hand. And I remember the sudden shock of looking up to her face and realizing that the woman was not my mother. Then I heard the rolling laughter of my older brother, half a block behind me, who found it hilarious that I was so stupid.
But, I was not stupid, I simply was not paying attention. And I'd failed to recognize that, in order to catch up to the woman who I thought was my mother, I had let go of someone's hand... you guessed it. I had let go of my real mother's hand to chase down a stranger.
What had distracted me so?
Her gait. The woman walked like my mom, and I panicked at the prospect of being left behind.
Her coat. The woman wore a coat which was similar to a coat my mom owned.
But somehow, in the midst of the distractions, I had missed the facts: This woman was markedly taller than my mom. My mother would never have let go of my hand. And my mother never allowed me to walk behind her- our norm was to walk together, side by side.
In Matthew 9, we see that the sheep, the little flock, are described as harassed and helpless when facing the world without their shepherd close at hand. And it doesn't take much effort for an enemy to distract them, lure them away from their true owner, and place them in a position to be destroyed.
Sometimes we miss the facts when we're distracted. Our wallet is empty and we plan on flirting with an old flame in the hopes of getting a few dollars out of the interaction, instead of resting in the fact of God as our sole provider. Or our spiritual tank is empty and we run to Pastor Sam and Pastor Benji for relief, not realizing the fact that God has called us to find our rest in Him alone (Psalm 62).
The solution to distraction is reflected in Matthew 6:33, where we are exhorted by Christ to seek first the kindgom of God and His righteousness.
Perhaps- if I had been constantly looking into the face of my mother- perhaps I would not have let go of her hand that day.
Perhaps- if we would constantly look into the face of our heavenly Father- perhaps we would not be so easily distracted.
Let us embrace the compassionate Christ, who reaches out to us as a Shepherd longing for a flock of sheep that will hear His voice and not follow the voice of a stranger (John 10).
But, I was not stupid, I simply was not paying attention. And I'd failed to recognize that, in order to catch up to the woman who I thought was my mother, I had let go of someone's hand... you guessed it. I had let go of my real mother's hand to chase down a stranger.
What had distracted me so?
Her gait. The woman walked like my mom, and I panicked at the prospect of being left behind.
Her coat. The woman wore a coat which was similar to a coat my mom owned.
But somehow, in the midst of the distractions, I had missed the facts: This woman was markedly taller than my mom. My mother would never have let go of my hand. And my mother never allowed me to walk behind her- our norm was to walk together, side by side.
In Matthew 9, we see that the sheep, the little flock, are described as harassed and helpless when facing the world without their shepherd close at hand. And it doesn't take much effort for an enemy to distract them, lure them away from their true owner, and place them in a position to be destroyed.
Sometimes we miss the facts when we're distracted. Our wallet is empty and we plan on flirting with an old flame in the hopes of getting a few dollars out of the interaction, instead of resting in the fact of God as our sole provider. Or our spiritual tank is empty and we run to Pastor Sam and Pastor Benji for relief, not realizing the fact that God has called us to find our rest in Him alone (Psalm 62).
The solution to distraction is reflected in Matthew 6:33, where we are exhorted by Christ to seek first the kindgom of God and His righteousness.
Perhaps- if I had been constantly looking into the face of my mother- perhaps I would not have let go of her hand that day.
Perhaps- if we would constantly look into the face of our heavenly Father- perhaps we would not be so easily distracted.
Let us embrace the compassionate Christ, who reaches out to us as a Shepherd longing for a flock of sheep that will hear His voice and not follow the voice of a stranger (John 10).
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wickedness: The Little Flock Without The Shepherd
You know, friends, Pastor Benji offered some key insights during Sunday's sermon. One such moment was when he was discussing our propensity for hurting one another. There were some individuals who felt uncomfortable at his story about little boys who would catch birds alive and pull their feathers out, and the Lord gave Pastor Benji a wonderful comment to share: "That was birds... but some of you do that to people!"
Yes, we are that evil. We catch people alive and, metaphorically, pull their feathers out one by one. It's called slander. It's called gossip. It's called tearing down. And it hurts the heart of God, and it hurts the Body of Christ. It's inappropriate behavior for the man or woman who claims to be Christian.
Sheep, without the protection and care of the shepherd, are a hazard to one's spiritual health. As we learned on Sunday, the sheep outside of the fold is in danger, and is a danger. It can get hurt and it can hurt others.
When we submit to Christ, we are in effect saying, Lord, I can't handle this. Please take over. Please instruct and teach and lead me. It's the paradox of the one true God, the One in charge of the armies of heaven and in charge of all things, giving us a choice. God owns it all and yet He is not forcing you, He is allowing you to choose how you will live... how you will speak... how you will act.
Recently my husband and I participated in a performance of Handel's MESSIAH. At the dress rehearsal, while waiting for my husband to finish rehearsing with the soloists, I had the challenge of trying to study while in a room where two of the music committee members spent forty minutes (yes, 40) complaining about how incompetent the music director was: how there was not enough food for the repast following the concert; how the guest participants' biographies were not inserted in the program notes to their liking; how they didn't like the way the choir was arranged on the platform; how they didn't like the way the choir sounded; and the complaints went on. When they finally realized I was in the same room doing homework, they took their conversation into the hallway and continued to complain.
Interestingly, the same individuals presented the music director a huge bouquet of flowers at the close of the concert and waxed on and on about how wonderful everything was.
Catching a bird alive and pulling the feathers out. Or, as paralleled so eloquently in Proverbs 30:20, "Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says 'I have done no wickedness'".
Nice flowers.
Yes, we are that evil. We catch people alive and, metaphorically, pull their feathers out one by one. It's called slander. It's called gossip. It's called tearing down. And it hurts the heart of God, and it hurts the Body of Christ. It's inappropriate behavior for the man or woman who claims to be Christian.
Sheep, without the protection and care of the shepherd, are a hazard to one's spiritual health. As we learned on Sunday, the sheep outside of the fold is in danger, and is a danger. It can get hurt and it can hurt others.
When we submit to Christ, we are in effect saying, Lord, I can't handle this. Please take over. Please instruct and teach and lead me. It's the paradox of the one true God, the One in charge of the armies of heaven and in charge of all things, giving us a choice. God owns it all and yet He is not forcing you, He is allowing you to choose how you will live... how you will speak... how you will act.
Recently my husband and I participated in a performance of Handel's MESSIAH. At the dress rehearsal, while waiting for my husband to finish rehearsing with the soloists, I had the challenge of trying to study while in a room where two of the music committee members spent forty minutes (yes, 40) complaining about how incompetent the music director was: how there was not enough food for the repast following the concert; how the guest participants' biographies were not inserted in the program notes to their liking; how they didn't like the way the choir was arranged on the platform; how they didn't like the way the choir sounded; and the complaints went on. When they finally realized I was in the same room doing homework, they took their conversation into the hallway and continued to complain.
Interestingly, the same individuals presented the music director a huge bouquet of flowers at the close of the concert and waxed on and on about how wonderful everything was.
Catching a bird alive and pulling the feathers out. Or, as paralleled so eloquently in Proverbs 30:20, "Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says 'I have done no wickedness'".
Nice flowers.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Wanderlust: The Little Flock
On Sunday Pastor Benji spoke on passages found in Isaiah 53:6 and Matthew 9:36. We'll be spending this week considering the metaphor of sheep without a shepherd.
For today, I just want to bring a question to the table that will hopefully cause us to think about our tendency to do certain "sheep-like" behaviors.
Question: Why do we have this sheep-like propensity to wander?
Our hymnal does us a bit of a disservice, because the editors chose to include an altered version of the third verse of "Come Thou Fount". Here is the third verse as it appears in our hymnal, altered in 1931:
O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace, now like a fetter, bind my yielded heart to Thee.
Let me know Thee in Thy fullness; guide me by Thy mighty hand
Till, transformed in Thine own image, in Thy presence I shall stand.
And here is the original verse, written in 1758:
O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.
I believe that the more honest text is the one from 1758. While we have a desire to yield, we are (at least for now) living and functioning in this body of flesh, this nature that resists the process of change and the demands for submission and "holiness unto the Lord". And the last line, the plea for our hearts to be sealed, is a continual prayer. God help the one who thinks he has "arrived" and is no longer in the need of the grace of God.
My prayer is that as we embark on this week of facing up to our dark side, we will find encouragement and hope in the power of our holy God to manifest Himself as our Shepherd, the one who will keep us safe in His fold and prevent us from wandering.
For today, I just want to bring a question to the table that will hopefully cause us to think about our tendency to do certain "sheep-like" behaviors.
Question: Why do we have this sheep-like propensity to wander?
Our hymnal does us a bit of a disservice, because the editors chose to include an altered version of the third verse of "Come Thou Fount". Here is the third verse as it appears in our hymnal, altered in 1931:
O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace, now like a fetter, bind my yielded heart to Thee.
Let me know Thee in Thy fullness; guide me by Thy mighty hand
Till, transformed in Thine own image, in Thy presence I shall stand.
And here is the original verse, written in 1758:
O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.
I believe that the more honest text is the one from 1758. While we have a desire to yield, we are (at least for now) living and functioning in this body of flesh, this nature that resists the process of change and the demands for submission and "holiness unto the Lord". And the last line, the plea for our hearts to be sealed, is a continual prayer. God help the one who thinks he has "arrived" and is no longer in the need of the grace of God.
My prayer is that as we embark on this week of facing up to our dark side, we will find encouragement and hope in the power of our holy God to manifest Himself as our Shepherd, the one who will keep us safe in His fold and prevent us from wandering.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Advent Reading 9: Psalm 99
I thought it might be nice if we transition out of our week of "God With Us" by meditating on Psalm 99. This psalm carries in it the concepts of the sovreignty of God, His choice of leadership, His worshiping community around the world, and the manifestation of His power.
The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble;
He sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name- he is holy.
The King is mighty, he loves justice-
You have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel was among those who called on his name;
They called on the LORD and he answered them.
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
They kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
O LORD our God, you answered them;
You were to them a forgiving God, an avenger of the wrongs done to them.
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain,
For the LORD our God is holy.
The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble;
He sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name- he is holy.
The King is mighty, he loves justice-
You have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel was among those who called on his name;
They called on the LORD and he answered them.
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
They kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
O LORD our God, you answered them;
You were to them a forgiving God, an avenger of the wrongs done to them.
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain,
For the LORD our God is holy.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The Laying On Of Hands: My Story
The date was Sunday night, October 21, 2007. We were at the "altar call" portion of the service with our guest, Reverend Joseph. As people came to the altar for prayer, I came up to be a "catcher": in the morning's services we'd had several persons who were slain in the Spirit, and my intent was to stand behind the people being prayed for in order to catch and ease them to the ground if they began to fall.
I stood behind a woman who was being prayed for. As Reverend Joseph began speaking, she began moving. Within seconds, she had lurched backwards. Since I was directly behind her, I too fell backwards. On my way down, the back of my head hit the wooden armrest on the pew and I suffered a concussion.
When I came to, I got up and went back to the altar (not a logical move, but I felt compelled to get back to where the action was). One of the nurses in the congregation gave me a small ice pack so I could apply it to the area where my head was beginning to swell. But I found that I could not assist with only one hand free, so I put down the ice pack and continued to stand behind those being prayed for.
The altar call lasted around two hours, and much of the congregation left the service during the altar call because it was getting so late. After the last person had been prayed for I went to the kitchen and filled a plastic bag with ice, came back upstairs, and sat by myself on the first row in the sanctuary.
As I sat down, Pastor Sam walked over and asked me how I was doing. I said, "I'm okay except for this lump on my head." He reached and touched my head, moving his hand across from the back of my head almost to the crown.
Then Pastor Sam said, "There is no lump on your head."
I could not believe that he was so unaware- how could he not feel that huge knot on my head? I replied, "Yes there is. It's right here-" and then I touched the back of my head to show him where it was... and I couldn't find it. It wasn't there. No knot, no swelling, no nothing.
Though I did not realize it at the time, this was my introduction to the "basic thing" of the laying on of hands. There was a man of God acting in obedience to God's instruction (God's Person); there was submission to God and to the person God gave earthly authority to (God's Protocol); there were two people gathered together with God in the midst (God's Presence); and there was, in my case, an experience of physical healing (God's Power).
I am so grateful to God! He chose to manifest Himself on my behalf that night and, as the song says, I will never be the same again. My prayer is that you will be encouraged from my story, and that you too will see the manifestation of God's power in your life as you humbly participate in this community of faith.
I stood behind a woman who was being prayed for. As Reverend Joseph began speaking, she began moving. Within seconds, she had lurched backwards. Since I was directly behind her, I too fell backwards. On my way down, the back of my head hit the wooden armrest on the pew and I suffered a concussion.
When I came to, I got up and went back to the altar (not a logical move, but I felt compelled to get back to where the action was). One of the nurses in the congregation gave me a small ice pack so I could apply it to the area where my head was beginning to swell. But I found that I could not assist with only one hand free, so I put down the ice pack and continued to stand behind those being prayed for.
The altar call lasted around two hours, and much of the congregation left the service during the altar call because it was getting so late. After the last person had been prayed for I went to the kitchen and filled a plastic bag with ice, came back upstairs, and sat by myself on the first row in the sanctuary.
As I sat down, Pastor Sam walked over and asked me how I was doing. I said, "I'm okay except for this lump on my head." He reached and touched my head, moving his hand across from the back of my head almost to the crown.
Then Pastor Sam said, "There is no lump on your head."
I could not believe that he was so unaware- how could he not feel that huge knot on my head? I replied, "Yes there is. It's right here-" and then I touched the back of my head to show him where it was... and I couldn't find it. It wasn't there. No knot, no swelling, no nothing.
Though I did not realize it at the time, this was my introduction to the "basic thing" of the laying on of hands. There was a man of God acting in obedience to God's instruction (God's Person); there was submission to God and to the person God gave earthly authority to (God's Protocol); there were two people gathered together with God in the midst (God's Presence); and there was, in my case, an experience of physical healing (God's Power).
I am so grateful to God! He chose to manifest Himself on my behalf that night and, as the song says, I will never be the same again. My prayer is that you will be encouraged from my story, and that you too will see the manifestation of God's power in your life as you humbly participate in this community of faith.
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Laying On Of Hands: God's Person With Us
You know I really wanted to subtitle this "God's Man With Us", but since I've been using the letter "p" all week I thought it would be better to hold to the alliteration we started with... and, as in the case of the judge Deborah, sometimes God chooses a woman to lead... so here we are, considering the idea of the laying on of hands as evidence of God's person with us.
At the end of the sermon we were reminded of the use of the laying on of hands as God's way of designating leadership, especially in the process of choosing a successor or demonstrating a key mentoring relationship. Pastor Sam spoke of God's selection and God's sufficiency evidenced in two successions: Moses to Joshua, and Paul to Timothy.
God's selection. God instructed Moses to publicly lay his hands on Joshua in the presence of all the people: to identify Joshua as his successor, and also to impart a measure of authority from himself to Joshua (see Numbers 27:18-23).
God's sufficiency. Paul mentions his laying on of hands as not merely an indicator of God's choosing Timothy, but also speaks of the laying on of hands in context with the resultant spirit that Paul imparted to Timothy: "... I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (First Timothy 1:6-7, italics mine). Here again we see the implication of God being, as Pastor Sam said, "uniquely present" when there are at least two persons gathered in God's name.
In both these points I've used the word "impart", which to my recollection was not a word used in Sunday's sermon. And I think we might benefit from a deeper dive into the concept and process of impartation, but I really am reluctant to jump into that sort of a conversation because it hits too close to home for me. I'll be honest- I want it, I want to know what it feels like, but then I think of how toddlers reach for a hot stove not realizing the danger in their desire. So I'm not going into any deep water this time. However, if one of you pastors out there wants to be a guest blogger and take us, as my husband would say, "to the bottom of the ocean", please feel free!
Okay. Since I'm avoiding the ocean, here's my little comment from the shore. Impartation seems to be a distinct function of the laying on of hands. It occurs in the presence of the community, but the impartation is not for the community- it's for the individual whom God has chosen as successor: for him or her to be specially gifted and equipped/authorized by God, to carry on a work that was begun by someone else. It also seems, based on our two examples, that impartation is a means by which leaders obtain the courage necessary to carry out their assignment.
So, there we have it! I hope that you've enjoyed this week's reflections on a fascinating "basic" of our faith.
Tomorrow I'll share a testimony of my experience with the laying on hands.
At the end of the sermon we were reminded of the use of the laying on of hands as God's way of designating leadership, especially in the process of choosing a successor or demonstrating a key mentoring relationship. Pastor Sam spoke of God's selection and God's sufficiency evidenced in two successions: Moses to Joshua, and Paul to Timothy.
God's selection. God instructed Moses to publicly lay his hands on Joshua in the presence of all the people: to identify Joshua as his successor, and also to impart a measure of authority from himself to Joshua (see Numbers 27:18-23).
God's sufficiency. Paul mentions his laying on of hands as not merely an indicator of God's choosing Timothy, but also speaks of the laying on of hands in context with the resultant spirit that Paul imparted to Timothy: "... I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (First Timothy 1:6-7, italics mine). Here again we see the implication of God being, as Pastor Sam said, "uniquely present" when there are at least two persons gathered in God's name.
In both these points I've used the word "impart", which to my recollection was not a word used in Sunday's sermon. And I think we might benefit from a deeper dive into the concept and process of impartation, but I really am reluctant to jump into that sort of a conversation because it hits too close to home for me. I'll be honest- I want it, I want to know what it feels like, but then I think of how toddlers reach for a hot stove not realizing the danger in their desire. So I'm not going into any deep water this time. However, if one of you pastors out there wants to be a guest blogger and take us, as my husband would say, "to the bottom of the ocean", please feel free!
Okay. Since I'm avoiding the ocean, here's my little comment from the shore. Impartation seems to be a distinct function of the laying on of hands. It occurs in the presence of the community, but the impartation is not for the community- it's for the individual whom God has chosen as successor: for him or her to be specially gifted and equipped/authorized by God, to carry on a work that was begun by someone else. It also seems, based on our two examples, that impartation is a means by which leaders obtain the courage necessary to carry out their assignment.
So, there we have it! I hope that you've enjoyed this week's reflections on a fascinating "basic" of our faith.
Tomorrow I'll share a testimony of my experience with the laying on hands.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Laying On Of Hands: God's Protocol With Us
What is God's protocol? It can be summed up in one word: submission. Let's take a brief look at Acts 13:2-3.
Submission to God's authority. "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting..." (v.2a). The community gathered together to proclaim the sovreignty, power, and rule of God in their lives as a corporate entity.
Submission to earthly authorities that God ordains. "... the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'" (v.2b). The Spirit of the Lord was present in a room full of leaders: the first verse of Acts 13 mentions five by name. God's specific calling of two of the five is a clear indicator of His choice, His right to choose, and His expectation that the community would submit to His choice by allowing Saul and Barnabas to minister in a new capacity.
Submission to the community of faith. "So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off" (v.3). As Pastor Sam mentioned in his sermon, here we see repeated the idea of the laying on of hands as a public confirmation of what the Spirit of God had already set into place. It is an indication of the community standing in agreement with the word of God by His Spirit, uniquely demonstrated by this physical activity in response to spiritual activity.
Tomorrow we'll continue with a look at some more examples of the laying on of hands in relation to ordination.
Submission to God's authority. "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting..." (v.2a). The community gathered together to proclaim the sovreignty, power, and rule of God in their lives as a corporate entity.
Submission to earthly authorities that God ordains. "... the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'" (v.2b). The Spirit of the Lord was present in a room full of leaders: the first verse of Acts 13 mentions five by name. God's specific calling of two of the five is a clear indicator of His choice, His right to choose, and His expectation that the community would submit to His choice by allowing Saul and Barnabas to minister in a new capacity.
Submission to the community of faith. "So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off" (v.3). As Pastor Sam mentioned in his sermon, here we see repeated the idea of the laying on of hands as a public confirmation of what the Spirit of God had already set into place. It is an indication of the community standing in agreement with the word of God by His Spirit, uniquely demonstrated by this physical activity in response to spiritual activity.
Tomorrow we'll continue with a look at some more examples of the laying on of hands in relation to ordination.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Laying On Of Hands: God's Power With Us
Well, it was a tough choice to decide which part of Sunday's sermon to grapple with in regards to the relationship between Christian community and the releasing of God's power. There was the Mark 16 passage, and the First Corinthians 6 passage, and Acts 5, and Acts 28... but I think it might be interesting to look at First Corinthians 5.
Paul says: "Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgement on the one who did this, just as if I was present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord" (First Corinthians 5:3-5).
The community of faith is not often viewed as a vehicle for the execution of God's judgement. But, this passage clearly indicates that the apostle Paul expected the community at Corinth to act on his behalf in pronouncing judgement on the man who was sexually involved with his father's wife (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you may want to take a few minutes to read the whole of First Corinthians 5).
There is a curious phenomenon that Paul alludes to in this chapter: Paul had already pronounced judgement against the man, but the judgement could not be put into effect until there was a gathering of the community of faith where the power of God was present. This reminds me of Old Testament passages where we see, for example, the process of the anointing of kings: God would tell a prophet to go and anoint the new king in a private setting, then at a later point in time the king would be anointed again in the presence of the whole community. The community was merely giving witness to something that was already fact. I think it's the same idea in First Corinthians 5, except that the congregants at Corinth weren't just witnesses to fact: they were agents demonstrating (or performing) on earth what had already been settled in heaven- the expulsion of an unrepentant community member.
The concept of Paul being with the Corinthians "in spirit" might be a bit uncomfortable to reflect on, as it might sound metaphysical or even weird. But let's approach this from our main point of this week's series: this is a basic function of our faith. As we learned yesterday, the concept of "two or three" implies that Paul on his own could not access the power of God that was necessary for judgement to be meted out. But Paul seems to be saying that, as the community of faith gathered, he would counted among them because he was in agreement with them. It didn't matter that he wasn't physically present.
We have seen this before in scripture. Perhaps one of the more famous examples is in Numbers 11:16-30, where the Lord took of the Spirit from Moses and put the Spirit on seventy elders. Two men, Eldad and Medad, chose not to show up at the meeting, and the Spirit rested on them anyway: even though they were not present at the meeting, they had been identified by God as members of the community of elders... and God's Spirit was not hindered by the physical distance.
Some of you have experienced this, and it may make more sense if I use a modern-day example. There have been occasions where we have been asked, as a congregation, to hold hands and pray for an individual who was sick or in crisis. And, sometimes months or even a year later, the individual has come to our church to testify of what God did in their lives as we were praying. In this regard, the laying on hands can be a spiritual activity with physical results/consequences. We did not touch the sick person with our own hands, but we "touched" him by standing in agreement with one another in the presence of God.
I hope you'll visit tomorrow, as we continue with our third point: protocol.
Paul says: "Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgement on the one who did this, just as if I was present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord" (First Corinthians 5:3-5).
The community of faith is not often viewed as a vehicle for the execution of God's judgement. But, this passage clearly indicates that the apostle Paul expected the community at Corinth to act on his behalf in pronouncing judgement on the man who was sexually involved with his father's wife (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you may want to take a few minutes to read the whole of First Corinthians 5).
There is a curious phenomenon that Paul alludes to in this chapter: Paul had already pronounced judgement against the man, but the judgement could not be put into effect until there was a gathering of the community of faith where the power of God was present. This reminds me of Old Testament passages where we see, for example, the process of the anointing of kings: God would tell a prophet to go and anoint the new king in a private setting, then at a later point in time the king would be anointed again in the presence of the whole community. The community was merely giving witness to something that was already fact. I think it's the same idea in First Corinthians 5, except that the congregants at Corinth weren't just witnesses to fact: they were agents demonstrating (or performing) on earth what had already been settled in heaven- the expulsion of an unrepentant community member.
The concept of Paul being with the Corinthians "in spirit" might be a bit uncomfortable to reflect on, as it might sound metaphysical or even weird. But let's approach this from our main point of this week's series: this is a basic function of our faith. As we learned yesterday, the concept of "two or three" implies that Paul on his own could not access the power of God that was necessary for judgement to be meted out. But Paul seems to be saying that, as the community of faith gathered, he would counted among them because he was in agreement with them. It didn't matter that he wasn't physically present.
We have seen this before in scripture. Perhaps one of the more famous examples is in Numbers 11:16-30, where the Lord took of the Spirit from Moses and put the Spirit on seventy elders. Two men, Eldad and Medad, chose not to show up at the meeting, and the Spirit rested on them anyway: even though they were not present at the meeting, they had been identified by God as members of the community of elders... and God's Spirit was not hindered by the physical distance.
Some of you have experienced this, and it may make more sense if I use a modern-day example. There have been occasions where we have been asked, as a congregation, to hold hands and pray for an individual who was sick or in crisis. And, sometimes months or even a year later, the individual has come to our church to testify of what God did in their lives as we were praying. In this regard, the laying on hands can be a spiritual activity with physical results/consequences. We did not touch the sick person with our own hands, but we "touched" him by standing in agreement with one another in the presence of God.
I hope you'll visit tomorrow, as we continue with our third point: protocol.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Laying On Of Hands: God's Presence With Us
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:18-20).
An interesting thing about the name Emmanuel is that it doesn't mean "God is with you", it means "God is with us" (see Matthew 1:23). The implication of Matthew 18:20 is that if you are alone, there are some levels of relationship with God that you won't achieve because a minimum of two persons is required. Similarly, you cannot achieve the basic function of participation in the laying on of hands if you're a lone ranger. This aspect of the Christian faith can only occur in concert with other Christians. I've heard some Christian leaders say that you can lay hands on yourself, but thus far I have not been able to find Scripture that supports that statement. But I'm open to dicussion- so for any scholars out there that want to dialogue on this, please send me your verses and let's talk.
At the start of the sermon during the first service, Pastor Sam made a statement that makes perfect sense in light of the Matthew 18 passage above: the engagement that God has with people occurs through human beings. We are His body (Ephesians 4:4) and He has granted us gifts for the purpose of buiding up the community of faith (First Corinthians 12).
So, our question to ponder:
Are you really in the community? Or are you one of those people who just goes to church and goes home without interacting with anyone? If it's the latter, consider opening up yourself to the pains and crises of working together in community. As we'll see in the blogs to come, your participation is a critical key needed to unlock the doors of healing, commissioning, and discipline/correction.
An interesting thing about the name Emmanuel is that it doesn't mean "God is with you", it means "God is with us" (see Matthew 1:23). The implication of Matthew 18:20 is that if you are alone, there are some levels of relationship with God that you won't achieve because a minimum of two persons is required. Similarly, you cannot achieve the basic function of participation in the laying on of hands if you're a lone ranger. This aspect of the Christian faith can only occur in concert with other Christians. I've heard some Christian leaders say that you can lay hands on yourself, but thus far I have not been able to find Scripture that supports that statement. But I'm open to dicussion- so for any scholars out there that want to dialogue on this, please send me your verses and let's talk.
At the start of the sermon during the first service, Pastor Sam made a statement that makes perfect sense in light of the Matthew 18 passage above: the engagement that God has with people occurs through human beings. We are His body (Ephesians 4:4) and He has granted us gifts for the purpose of buiding up the community of faith (First Corinthians 12).
So, our question to ponder:
Are you really in the community? Or are you one of those people who just goes to church and goes home without interacting with anyone? If it's the latter, consider opening up yourself to the pains and crises of working together in community. As we'll see in the blogs to come, your participation is a critical key needed to unlock the doors of healing, commissioning, and discipline/correction.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Emmanuel: God With Us, Through The Laying On Of Hands
Dear Friends,
On November 29 I wrote that there would be a shift in the blog format for Advent, and that I would be blogging on traditional Advent readings instead of blogging on the Sunday sermons. That was the original plan. And that is what I did last week.
But, God... Yesterday in both services, God presented Himself powerfully as Emmanuel: God with us. And I really can't keep yesterday's sermon to myself: I would be doing God, and you, a great disservice if I doggedly cling to the "original plan". So, for this week, I'll be sharing portions of Sunday's sermon. And I think we will all benefit from this discussion of Advent through the lens of expecting God to be with us in various ways: not just as a retrospective of what happened in past millenia, but as a living active element of our lives today.
During the earlier Back To Basics blogs I presented a list of things considered "basic" to our faith (see Hebrews 5:11 through 6:12) which Pastor Sam has been unpacking:
Repentance from works that lead to death;
Faith towards God;
Instructions on baptisms;
The laying on of hands;
The resurrection of the dead;
Eternal judgement.
Yesterday Pastor Sam preached on the fourth topic, "the laying on of hands". Sometimes we relegate this topic to the sidelines as something supernatural, sensational, or superfluous. But, according to the Hebrews passage, this is a natural, normal, and necessary component of the Christian community. I'll say it again plainly: THE LAYING ON OF HANDS IS BASIC. It is one of the things we all engage in as part and parcel of our faith.
A second misunderstanding is that the laying on of hands is relegated to the ministry of physical healing. That is part of the picture, but the laying on of hands is more than just a means of healing. As we go through this week, we'll dive into Scripture and see the ways in which the laying on of hands functions in Christian community.
I hope you have your SCUBA gear, because we'll be diving deep!
On November 29 I wrote that there would be a shift in the blog format for Advent, and that I would be blogging on traditional Advent readings instead of blogging on the Sunday sermons. That was the original plan. And that is what I did last week.
But, God... Yesterday in both services, God presented Himself powerfully as Emmanuel: God with us. And I really can't keep yesterday's sermon to myself: I would be doing God, and you, a great disservice if I doggedly cling to the "original plan". So, for this week, I'll be sharing portions of Sunday's sermon. And I think we will all benefit from this discussion of Advent through the lens of expecting God to be with us in various ways: not just as a retrospective of what happened in past millenia, but as a living active element of our lives today.
During the earlier Back To Basics blogs I presented a list of things considered "basic" to our faith (see Hebrews 5:11 through 6:12) which Pastor Sam has been unpacking:
Repentance from works that lead to death;
Faith towards God;
Instructions on baptisms;
The laying on of hands;
The resurrection of the dead;
Eternal judgement.
Yesterday Pastor Sam preached on the fourth topic, "the laying on of hands". Sometimes we relegate this topic to the sidelines as something supernatural, sensational, or superfluous. But, according to the Hebrews passage, this is a natural, normal, and necessary component of the Christian community. I'll say it again plainly: THE LAYING ON OF HANDS IS BASIC. It is one of the things we all engage in as part and parcel of our faith.
A second misunderstanding is that the laying on of hands is relegated to the ministry of physical healing. That is part of the picture, but the laying on of hands is more than just a means of healing. As we go through this week, we'll dive into Scripture and see the ways in which the laying on of hands functions in Christian community.
I hope you have your SCUBA gear, because we'll be diving deep!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Advent Reading 8: Second Timothy 3
This text is so powerful that I just want to share it with you without commentary.
"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.
"For among them are those who creep into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, as also that of those two came to be.
"But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of all of them the Lord delivered me! And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.
"For among them are those who creep into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, as also that of those two came to be.
"But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of all of them the Lord delivered me! And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Advent Reading 7: Isaiah 7
"Ask a sign..." (Isaiah 7:11)
King Ahaz of Judah was given an incredible opportunity by God: "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it as deep as Sheol or high as heaven" (7:11). Ahaz responded, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" (7:12).
So, God does Ahaz the favor of giving him a sign anyway. Of course we know Ahaz didn't see it fulfilled in his lifetime, but that does not nullify the fact that God did fulfill His word. A virgin bore a son and called his name Immanuel [God is with us] (see Isaiah 7:14).
Has God told you something? Something amazing? Something seemingly impossible? What an experience to see the hand of God at work in human lives, to know that the LORD keeps His word. And every now and then we get the privilege of seeing things happen.
The virgin got the announcement, then had to wait for the months necessary for our Messiah to develop and grow to a point where He could live outside of the womb. Mary and Elizabeth praised the Lord in advance of the birth of Jesus, because He had assured them of the fulfillment of His word (see Luke 1:42-56).
God has spoken. So, what do we do? We wait in faith and in anticipation. That's Advent: we are waiting for things to come. I had a great conversation with Pastor Sam this past Thursday on the values of patience and grace as we wait for God to move in our lives and the lives of those we pray for. Let's be patient and wait for nine months... two years... twelve years... twenty years... let's live and die in a posture of patience and grace, because God has spoken. Advent. It will come.
King Ahaz of Judah was given an incredible opportunity by God: "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it as deep as Sheol or high as heaven" (7:11). Ahaz responded, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" (7:12).
So, God does Ahaz the favor of giving him a sign anyway. Of course we know Ahaz didn't see it fulfilled in his lifetime, but that does not nullify the fact that God did fulfill His word. A virgin bore a son and called his name Immanuel [God is with us] (see Isaiah 7:14).
Has God told you something? Something amazing? Something seemingly impossible? What an experience to see the hand of God at work in human lives, to know that the LORD keeps His word. And every now and then we get the privilege of seeing things happen.
The virgin got the announcement, then had to wait for the months necessary for our Messiah to develop and grow to a point where He could live outside of the womb. Mary and Elizabeth praised the Lord in advance of the birth of Jesus, because He had assured them of the fulfillment of His word (see Luke 1:42-56).
God has spoken. So, what do we do? We wait in faith and in anticipation. That's Advent: we are waiting for things to come. I had a great conversation with Pastor Sam this past Thursday on the values of patience and grace as we wait for God to move in our lives and the lives of those we pray for. Let's be patient and wait for nine months... two years... twelve years... twenty years... let's live and die in a posture of patience and grace, because God has spoken. Advent. It will come.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Advent Reading 6: Mark 2
"Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?" (Mark 2:8)
What a glorious day! Jesus is in town, preaching the word at home in Capernaum. There are so many people there that there isn't even room to get near the door (Mark 2:2). While He speaks, there is a second service occurring on the roof of the house: "...being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him... and they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying" (2:4).
What wonderful friends! As Jesus engages in service of the word, the friends of the paralytic engage in a service of helps: they make sure that their friend has an opportunity for an encounter with the living God in the person of Jesus Christ. And Jesus stops speaking the word to the crowd, and speaks a word to an individual: "My son, your sins are forgiven" (2:5). But while He speaks, there is yet another service occurring in the hearts of the scribes...
"Why does this man speak that way?" There seems to have been no protest from the scribes when Jesus was expounding the word of God to the crowd. But when He spoke a word of forgiveness to one man, the scribes reacted negatively. And though they never spoke out loud, Jesus heard their hearts. And He responded to their logic by demonstrating the illogical: a miracle of divine healing for the paralytic.
Let's jump into the twenty-first century, and turn the camera on you. Have you endured the overcrowded room for the joy of hearing from God? Have you engaged in works of service so that others can have access into the presence of Christ Jesus? Or have you dared to engage in an internal protest when Jesus chose to reach out to an individual in your presence?
The scribes and Pharisees specialized in reasoning and debate: "Why did He say that?" (2:7). "Why are Your disciples not fasting?" (2:18). "Why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" (2:24). Jesus specialized in being clear and uncomplicated: "Follow Me!" (2:14).
Keep it simple, saints. Follow Him.
What a glorious day! Jesus is in town, preaching the word at home in Capernaum. There are so many people there that there isn't even room to get near the door (Mark 2:2). While He speaks, there is a second service occurring on the roof of the house: "...being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him... and they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying" (2:4).
What wonderful friends! As Jesus engages in service of the word, the friends of the paralytic engage in a service of helps: they make sure that their friend has an opportunity for an encounter with the living God in the person of Jesus Christ. And Jesus stops speaking the word to the crowd, and speaks a word to an individual: "My son, your sins are forgiven" (2:5). But while He speaks, there is yet another service occurring in the hearts of the scribes...
"Why does this man speak that way?" There seems to have been no protest from the scribes when Jesus was expounding the word of God to the crowd. But when He spoke a word of forgiveness to one man, the scribes reacted negatively. And though they never spoke out loud, Jesus heard their hearts. And He responded to their logic by demonstrating the illogical: a miracle of divine healing for the paralytic.
Let's jump into the twenty-first century, and turn the camera on you. Have you endured the overcrowded room for the joy of hearing from God? Have you engaged in works of service so that others can have access into the presence of Christ Jesus? Or have you dared to engage in an internal protest when Jesus chose to reach out to an individual in your presence?
The scribes and Pharisees specialized in reasoning and debate: "Why did He say that?" (2:7). "Why are Your disciples not fasting?" (2:18). "Why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" (2:24). Jesus specialized in being clear and uncomplicated: "Follow Me!" (2:14).
Keep it simple, saints. Follow Him.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Advent Reading 5: Psalm 18
Passion and desire. The psalms of David are incredible love letters to God: praises of His sovreignty and power, adoration and worship of His name and nature, pleas for His intervention and deliverance.
Psalm 18, we are told, was written by David on the day that God delivered him from the hand of his enemies, and in particular from the hand of King Saul. David testifies, "The cords of death encompassed me, and the torrents of ungodliness [destruction] terrified me" (Psalm 18:4). The thought is reiterated again in verse 5, reinforcing the notion of David being faced with his own mortality and the very real prospect of dying without realizing God's promise of his being made king in place of Saul.
Later in the psalm, we see David's assessment of what and why:
What happened?
"In my distress I called upon the LORD" (verse 6); "He delivered me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me" (verse 17). David cried out to God, and God answered clearly and powerfully.
Why did it happen?
"The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands" (verses 20 and 24); "For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God" (verse 21); "I kept myself from iniquity" (verse 23). In these verses we are reminded of the classic contrast of the Psalms: the fate of the blessed in comparison with the fate of the wicked.
What is the end result?
"Therefore I will give thanks to Thee among the nations, O LORD" (verse 49). David is the poster boy for unashamed, uninhibited praise. When Saul dies and David is publicly anointed as king, he continues in his mode of authentic worship. Second Samuel chapter 6 gives the wonderful account of David's joyful worship, a dance of thanksgiving to God without regard to the opinion of man.
Passion and desire. How hungry are you for the ways of the LORD?
Psalm 18, we are told, was written by David on the day that God delivered him from the hand of his enemies, and in particular from the hand of King Saul. David testifies, "The cords of death encompassed me, and the torrents of ungodliness [destruction] terrified me" (Psalm 18:4). The thought is reiterated again in verse 5, reinforcing the notion of David being faced with his own mortality and the very real prospect of dying without realizing God's promise of his being made king in place of Saul.
Later in the psalm, we see David's assessment of what and why:
What happened?
"In my distress I called upon the LORD" (verse 6); "He delivered me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me" (verse 17). David cried out to God, and God answered clearly and powerfully.
Why did it happen?
"The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands" (verses 20 and 24); "For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God" (verse 21); "I kept myself from iniquity" (verse 23). In these verses we are reminded of the classic contrast of the Psalms: the fate of the blessed in comparison with the fate of the wicked.
What is the end result?
"Therefore I will give thanks to Thee among the nations, O LORD" (verse 49). David is the poster boy for unashamed, uninhibited praise. When Saul dies and David is publicly anointed as king, he continues in his mode of authentic worship. Second Samuel chapter 6 gives the wonderful account of David's joyful worship, a dance of thanksgiving to God without regard to the opinion of man.
Passion and desire. How hungry are you for the ways of the LORD?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Advent Reading 4: Psalm 12
"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise..." (Psalm 12:5a)
This psalm of David is a petition for God to intervene and protect the righteous from the wicked. The implication is that the wicked are not just out to do evil deeds on their own, but they also carry in themselves an agenda to overthrow the righteous. In the midst of the psalm, David moves in the prophetic realm and declares the wonderful response of the LORD: "I will protect them [the righteous] from those who malign them" (12:5b).
Be cautious as to how you treat My servant, says the LORD. He is weak but I am mighty in him; I am his Defender and Friend. I will not permit you to hurt him with your words and go unpunished.
What is David's response to God's promise? A reiteration, an agreeing, with what God has said: "O LORD, You will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever" (12:7). Friends, there is no safer place to be than in perfect alignment with the word of God. It is our privilege to say yes to Him, and to back up that 'yes' with a lifestyle of obedience towards Him.
God is speaking. Are you listening?
This psalm of David is a petition for God to intervene and protect the righteous from the wicked. The implication is that the wicked are not just out to do evil deeds on their own, but they also carry in themselves an agenda to overthrow the righteous. In the midst of the psalm, David moves in the prophetic realm and declares the wonderful response of the LORD: "I will protect them [the righteous] from those who malign them" (12:5b).
Be cautious as to how you treat My servant, says the LORD. He is weak but I am mighty in him; I am his Defender and Friend. I will not permit you to hurt him with your words and go unpunished.
What is David's response to God's promise? A reiteration, an agreeing, with what God has said: "O LORD, You will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever" (12:7). Friends, there is no safer place to be than in perfect alignment with the word of God. It is our privilege to say yes to Him, and to back up that 'yes' with a lifestyle of obedience towards Him.
God is speaking. Are you listening?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Advent Reading 3: First Thessalonians 1
What a joyful commendation from the apostle Paul to the church in Thessalonica! "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God is spread abroad..." (1:8).
If Paul, as a leader and overseer, is overjoyed to know that his fellow Christians are walking in obedience to God, imagine how God must feel! Unlike the persons indicted as frauds in Psalm 50 and Isaiah 1, we see an example of people not only claiming to belong to God, but living lives that back up their claim. That is, they lived lives of integrity and truthfulness and faith.
Bad news traveled, and good news traveled. People would talk. The believers from the church in Thessalonica were known throughout their region as men and women who lived and shared the word of the Lord in authenticity.
People still talk. When you are the subject of others' conversations, is there an atmosphere of commendation or condemnation? Your life is sending a message: everyone's life sends a message. If you claim to be a Christian, make sure your life is lived in keeping with the mandate and expectation of the Lord.
If Paul, as a leader and overseer, is overjoyed to know that his fellow Christians are walking in obedience to God, imagine how God must feel! Unlike the persons indicted as frauds in Psalm 50 and Isaiah 1, we see an example of people not only claiming to belong to God, but living lives that back up their claim. That is, they lived lives of integrity and truthfulness and faith.
Bad news traveled, and good news traveled. People would talk. The believers from the church in Thessalonica were known throughout their region as men and women who lived and shared the word of the Lord in authenticity.
People still talk. When you are the subject of others' conversations, is there an atmosphere of commendation or condemnation? Your life is sending a message: everyone's life sends a message. If you claim to be a Christian, make sure your life is lived in keeping with the mandate and expectation of the Lord.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Advent Reading 2: Isaiah 1
Once you've read this passage, you'll find that it is so reminiscent of Psalm 50. There is an indictment of those who try to use their sacrifices and offerings to compensate for their lifestyle of disobedience. God says, "I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly... so when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you" (Isaiah 1:13-15).
It's been said before, but bears repeating: God has a serious problem with duplicity. His word says that the repentant are redeemed with righteousness and justice, while the unrepentant continue merrily into the spiral of destruction.
What can we say to all this? Kyrie eleison: Lord, have mercy on us. My prayer is that we will not engage in lifestyles that cause God to hide His face from us, but that we will earnestly seek after Him and choose to live according to His will.
It's been said before, but bears repeating: God has a serious problem with duplicity. His word says that the repentant are redeemed with righteousness and justice, while the unrepentant continue merrily into the spiral of destruction.
What can we say to all this? Kyrie eleison: Lord, have mercy on us. My prayer is that we will not engage in lifestyles that cause God to hide His face from us, but that we will earnestly seek after Him and choose to live according to His will.