30 June 2010
Psalm 119:145-176; Num. 22:41-23:12; Rom. 7:13-25; Matt. 21:33-46
Balaam becomes, for the first time in his life, a true prophet. He speaks the words the living God gives him to speak and speaks truth. The Lord met Balaam, an amazing thing that the Lord met with this pagan prophet, and then put a word in his mouth to speak concerning Israel. Balak intended the prophet to do his will and curse this people yet the Lord would not allow such a thing, a great mercy to Balaam. More than this, we see in verse 10 that Balaam expresses a desire to join in the blessedness of Israel!
The parable Jesus tells about the landowner and the vineyard is perfectly clear and in order to make sure there is no misunderstanding Jesus gives the interpretation. In both this parable and the parable at the end of yesterday’s Gospel reading we see a growing understanding among the people as he concludes each parable with a question to which everyone knows the answer. They know what the landowner will do to the tenants here and yesterday they knew which son did the father’s will. Jesus speaks plainly that the kingdom will be taken away and given to others who will produce fruit for the King. Are we producing fruit in our churches today? Have we become like Israel, particularly with respect to the western church, professionally religious and proud of what we have in consideration of the outsiders? We have to examine what we have become and ask the questions of what we have done to deserve God’s favor and where we have become insulated and isolated.
The law tells me what is sinful conduct and yet I cannot restrain my flesh to act in accord with the law. The fleshly part of me, that which is unregenerate by the Spirit of God, only desires that which is prohibited. Whenever a thing is prohibited we conclude that if it is prohibited it must be either pleasurable or good and we have to try it. One of my sons seemed always bound to learn only by experience and on several occasions learned that not all things prohibited produce pleasure or good. I can acknowledge the law to be good and beneficial but my flesh desires to do that which my mind and heart do not and I find a war in myself. Paul recognizes that he is unable to master sin and pleads for a savior and finds one in Jesus. He is our only hope and is the hope of the world.
My lips will pour forth praise,
because you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your promise,
for all your commandments are right.
Let me live that I may praise you,
and let your ordinances help me.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
29 June 2010
Psalm 120, 121, 122, 123; Num. 22:21-38; Rom. 7:1-12; Matt. 21:23-32
The internationally known prophet was not able to see and understand as well as his donkey. This is clearly a very strange story and yet we see still the sovereignty of God who opens the mouth of the donkey and the eyes of the famous prophet. The story of Balaam and the donkey is an evisceration of paganism in pointing to the impotence of its chief prophet and that a donkey, long used as an object of ridicule as a particularly dumb animal, even in this culture, has more sense, both spiritual and otherwise, than Balaam. In fact, the donkey receives credit for saving Balaam’s life. The prophet had not seen the angel of the Lord standing clearly in his path when the donkey had clearly seen it. Spiritual blindness is one symptom of following after false gods.
All the chief priests and elders know is that none of them gave Jesus permission or authority to do what he was doing so they demand to know who did. Is Jesus simply being difficult in His answer? I don’t think so, He is asking them to come to faith, to believe the evidence of their eyes. It would have done no good to tell them in plain terms, they would not have believed Him and the time had not yet come for them to take Him in hand, that was later in the week. His response was to ask what they made of John and his ministry and they would not answer. There are none so blind as those who will not see, and that best describes these leaders, they are unwilling to see what is so clearly evident. Like Balaam, they are professionally religious and yet the children know the truth these do not.
Paul argues that we are morally inept without the law, but that the law’s function was to awaken in us a moral sense. We had no idea what coveting was until the law said not to covet and like Adam and Eve, once we were told not to do something we immediately became a slave to it. The law did not produce sin but instead it defined it and once defined we are, as unregenerate humanity, drawn like moths to a flame to sin. We are in rebellion to our own creator, as though my computer suddenly decided on its own to send pornography to all my email contacts. We have the freedom to act independently and our choices, without the Holy Spirit, will tend towards that which is opposed to God’s will. In baptism we have died to all those things, in our service we ask that the person to be baptized renounce all those things and turn to Christ. It is in dying to sin that we choose then to live unto Christ who died for us and set us free through the power of the Holy Spirit both to choose God’s way and to walk in it. He has restored our spiritual sight.
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
until he has mercy upon us.
Psalm 120, 121, 122, 123; Num. 22:21-38; Rom. 7:1-12; Matt. 21:23-32
The internationally known prophet was not able to see and understand as well as his donkey. This is clearly a very strange story and yet we see still the sovereignty of God who opens the mouth of the donkey and the eyes of the famous prophet. The story of Balaam and the donkey is an evisceration of paganism in pointing to the impotence of its chief prophet and that a donkey, long used as an object of ridicule as a particularly dumb animal, even in this culture, has more sense, both spiritual and otherwise, than Balaam. In fact, the donkey receives credit for saving Balaam’s life. The prophet had not seen the angel of the Lord standing clearly in his path when the donkey had clearly seen it. Spiritual blindness is one symptom of following after false gods.
All the chief priests and elders know is that none of them gave Jesus permission or authority to do what he was doing so they demand to know who did. Is Jesus simply being difficult in His answer? I don’t think so, He is asking them to come to faith, to believe the evidence of their eyes. It would have done no good to tell them in plain terms, they would not have believed Him and the time had not yet come for them to take Him in hand, that was later in the week. His response was to ask what they made of John and his ministry and they would not answer. There are none so blind as those who will not see, and that best describes these leaders, they are unwilling to see what is so clearly evident. Like Balaam, they are professionally religious and yet the children know the truth these do not.
Paul argues that we are morally inept without the law, but that the law’s function was to awaken in us a moral sense. We had no idea what coveting was until the law said not to covet and like Adam and Eve, once we were told not to do something we immediately became a slave to it. The law did not produce sin but instead it defined it and once defined we are, as unregenerate humanity, drawn like moths to a flame to sin. We are in rebellion to our own creator, as though my computer suddenly decided on its own to send pornography to all my email contacts. We have the freedom to act independently and our choices, without the Holy Spirit, will tend towards that which is opposed to God’s will. In baptism we have died to all those things, in our service we ask that the person to be baptized renounce all those things and turn to Christ. It is in dying to sin that we choose then to live unto Christ who died for us and set us free through the power of the Holy Spirit both to choose God’s way and to walk in it. He has restored our spiritual sight.
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
until he has mercy upon us.
Monday, June 28, 2010
28 June 2010
Psalm 106:1-18; Num. 22:1-21; Rom. 6:12-23; Matt. 21:12-22
The word of the Israelites has spread here to the edge of the promised land in Moab. The king of Moab has heard of their prowess and is in fear and dread of them. His only solution is to send for Balaam to curse them in the belief that Balaam’s power is great enough to defeat this horde. Balaam, however, gets a visit from the God of the Israelites and he at least understands enough to refuse to do what God forbids. Balak, the king, has fear enough that he offers Balaam honor and wealth in order to entice him to come. Even with this prophet of Moab, the Lord holds sway until finally he is released to go under strict orders, “do only what I tell you to do.” I wonder what Balaam thought might happen, I doubt he expected what did happen.
As Jesus comes into town it is with a mission that no one would have guessed, his house-cleaning would begin not with the Romans but at the temple, throwing out the money changers and sacrificial animals who had taken up the court of the Gentiles to make some quick money during the Passover. He continued to heal all who came, which should have convinced even the skeptics but they didn’t want a Messiah, they liked it the way it was, it was working for them. The people, however, are prepared to embrace and acclaim Him. Jesus, in a clear statement of identity, refuses to stop the people from proclaiming the truth about Him. The fig tree is a parable for the Jewish nation, looking like it will produce fruit but never actually doing so.
Paul’s analogy of slavery is clear with respect to the conduct of our lives. Formerly we were slaves in the sense that we obeyed our passions and desires but these things led only to death in the end. Grace he says leads to obedience from the heart, a deeper passion and emotion than animal passion. We desire from the heart to obey God and walk according to His will. The last verse is one that we should have tattooed on our brains, the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Would that we recall that at all times of temptation. Oh yeah, that’s right, that road leads to death.
Praise the Lord!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
Happy are those who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times.
Psalm 106:1-18; Num. 22:1-21; Rom. 6:12-23; Matt. 21:12-22
The word of the Israelites has spread here to the edge of the promised land in Moab. The king of Moab has heard of their prowess and is in fear and dread of them. His only solution is to send for Balaam to curse them in the belief that Balaam’s power is great enough to defeat this horde. Balaam, however, gets a visit from the God of the Israelites and he at least understands enough to refuse to do what God forbids. Balak, the king, has fear enough that he offers Balaam honor and wealth in order to entice him to come. Even with this prophet of Moab, the Lord holds sway until finally he is released to go under strict orders, “do only what I tell you to do.” I wonder what Balaam thought might happen, I doubt he expected what did happen.
As Jesus comes into town it is with a mission that no one would have guessed, his house-cleaning would begin not with the Romans but at the temple, throwing out the money changers and sacrificial animals who had taken up the court of the Gentiles to make some quick money during the Passover. He continued to heal all who came, which should have convinced even the skeptics but they didn’t want a Messiah, they liked it the way it was, it was working for them. The people, however, are prepared to embrace and acclaim Him. Jesus, in a clear statement of identity, refuses to stop the people from proclaiming the truth about Him. The fig tree is a parable for the Jewish nation, looking like it will produce fruit but never actually doing so.
Paul’s analogy of slavery is clear with respect to the conduct of our lives. Formerly we were slaves in the sense that we obeyed our passions and desires but these things led only to death in the end. Grace he says leads to obedience from the heart, a deeper passion and emotion than animal passion. We desire from the heart to obey God and walk according to His will. The last verse is one that we should have tattooed on our brains, the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Would that we recall that at all times of temptation. Oh yeah, that’s right, that road leads to death.
Praise the Lord!
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
Happy are those who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
27 June 2010
Psalm 118; Num. 21:4-9, 21-35; Acts 17:12-34; Luke 13:10-17
The people continue to fuss and complain against Moses and the Lord for lack of provision. Did they forget that they would have been in the land long before if they had trusted the Lord? Their failure to take the land when it was theirs was the reason for the continuing difficulties of the people, and they continued to exhibit the same lack of gratitude and failure to take responsibility for their own situation. As always, Moses is required to make intercession for them in order to stop the judgment and punishment for the same sins against the Lord. Like the Edomites, the Amorites and the people of Bashan refuse to allow the people safe passage. Unlike the Edomites, these people are destroyed by the Israelites. The rag tag army is getting some experience and some confidence.
The woman had been in bondage to this spirit for eighteen years in their midst and the leader of the synagogue’s response was, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” If he was able to heal her, why had she suffered for so long? As Jesus points out they have set the value of their work animals higher than this woman. The law allowed someone to get an animal out of a potentially dangerous or harmful situation on the Sabbath and no one doubted that, how could they now prohibit Him from healing a fellow human being, particularly a daughter of the covenant, on the Sabbath. The opponents were silenced by Jesus’ response. Why would they oppose Him in such a situation? Simply because their powerlessness was exposed?
The people of Athens are much like the people where I happen to live, and in the western world in general, bored with all the old things and spending all their time listening to something new. The new age philosophies of language, literature, ethics, philosophy and religion have dominated our culture for years now and we are just beginning to see their influence in our leaders as those who have lost their sense of Christian culture are now coming of age. In some ways that is not completely negative as we have enshrined many attitudes as Christian that have nothing to do with Christianity at all. Paul got a hearing because the people perceived this as a new teaching. His main focus is the sovereignty of God. He credits God with creation, with purposeful action, “he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live”, and that He has given us all we need to seek after Him and find Him. Paul says that there was a time when this was not truly possible but that time has passed and now there is no excuse for sin and this God will judge the world at a time fixed and known only to Himself. They seem to hang with him until he mentions the raising of one from the dead and then they scoff, they aren’t fools, no one is raised from the dead, they are simply materialists, disbelieving in a God who is capable of acting in space and time. Sound familiar?
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.*
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
and he has given us light.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Psalm 118; Num. 21:4-9, 21-35; Acts 17:12-34; Luke 13:10-17
The people continue to fuss and complain against Moses and the Lord for lack of provision. Did they forget that they would have been in the land long before if they had trusted the Lord? Their failure to take the land when it was theirs was the reason for the continuing difficulties of the people, and they continued to exhibit the same lack of gratitude and failure to take responsibility for their own situation. As always, Moses is required to make intercession for them in order to stop the judgment and punishment for the same sins against the Lord. Like the Edomites, the Amorites and the people of Bashan refuse to allow the people safe passage. Unlike the Edomites, these people are destroyed by the Israelites. The rag tag army is getting some experience and some confidence.
The woman had been in bondage to this spirit for eighteen years in their midst and the leader of the synagogue’s response was, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” If he was able to heal her, why had she suffered for so long? As Jesus points out they have set the value of their work animals higher than this woman. The law allowed someone to get an animal out of a potentially dangerous or harmful situation on the Sabbath and no one doubted that, how could they now prohibit Him from healing a fellow human being, particularly a daughter of the covenant, on the Sabbath. The opponents were silenced by Jesus’ response. Why would they oppose Him in such a situation? Simply because their powerlessness was exposed?
The people of Athens are much like the people where I happen to live, and in the western world in general, bored with all the old things and spending all their time listening to something new. The new age philosophies of language, literature, ethics, philosophy and religion have dominated our culture for years now and we are just beginning to see their influence in our leaders as those who have lost their sense of Christian culture are now coming of age. In some ways that is not completely negative as we have enshrined many attitudes as Christian that have nothing to do with Christianity at all. Paul got a hearing because the people perceived this as a new teaching. His main focus is the sovereignty of God. He credits God with creation, with purposeful action, “he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live”, and that He has given us all we need to seek after Him and find Him. Paul says that there was a time when this was not truly possible but that time has passed and now there is no excuse for sin and this God will judge the world at a time fixed and known only to Himself. They seem to hang with him until he mentions the raising of one from the dead and then they scoff, they aren’t fools, no one is raised from the dead, they are simply materialists, disbelieving in a God who is capable of acting in space and time. Sound familiar?
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.*
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
and he has given us light.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Friday, June 25, 2010
25 June 2010
Psalm 107:33-43, 108; Num. 20:14-29; Rom. 6:1-11; Matt. 21:1-11
Edom, remember, is another word for Esau. The Edomites were kith and kin to the Israelites and yet the old animosity remained between them. Jacob/Israel had stolen both birthright and blessing from their ancestor and Moses’ appeal to their common ancestry was not successful in securing safe passage. The old wound had not healed between the two tribes. Not only would they not allow Israel to pass through, they came out against them to make sure they didn’t try. The old sin of Cain, fratricide, looms large here. Aaron who has served well in his role as priest since he made the huge mistake with the golden calves is now removed from office because of his part in Moses’ sin at Meribah. He will not be allowed to enter the land but the mercy of God is that his sin is not imputed to his son who is allowed to take his father’s place as the high priest.
The prophetic word of Zechariah is fulfilled intentionally here as a sign to the people. They receive Jesus with gladness as if He were king. Hopes must surely have been high that this Passover might see the fulfillment of all prophecy concerning the king and the restoration of Jerusalem to its promised prominence. The scene along the route into town must have disturbed the religious rulers and the Romans at some level. The people are ascribing to Jesus great expectations as the savior. Hosanna means Lord save us and as he comes in the Name of the Lord, they believe that He will indeed be the savior of the nation. So He will, but not in the way they expect, His salvation will be far greater than anyone could have expected.
What are the implications of Christ’s finished work for us? Does it mean that since we have received mercy and grace we no longer have fear and therefore can now indulge the fleshly desires? It means that what we might formerly have done in order to avoid punishment is now a way of life because of two things, loving response to grace and a renewed body and soul that no longer indulges those desires because it sees them as sin. That does not mean that we will perfectly live according to God’s law, we continue to sin but now we make our confession of sin boldly, not making excuses for sin but confessing to the one who has died for us and through whom we receive pardon for sin. I would rather be pardoned than excused because then we have both acknowledge real wrong was done and relationship harmed. Alive in Christ means alive in the Spirit of Christ to live according to the Spirit rather than the flesh.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples,
and I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens,
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 107:33-43, 108; Num. 20:14-29; Rom. 6:1-11; Matt. 21:1-11
Edom, remember, is another word for Esau. The Edomites were kith and kin to the Israelites and yet the old animosity remained between them. Jacob/Israel had stolen both birthright and blessing from their ancestor and Moses’ appeal to their common ancestry was not successful in securing safe passage. The old wound had not healed between the two tribes. Not only would they not allow Israel to pass through, they came out against them to make sure they didn’t try. The old sin of Cain, fratricide, looms large here. Aaron who has served well in his role as priest since he made the huge mistake with the golden calves is now removed from office because of his part in Moses’ sin at Meribah. He will not be allowed to enter the land but the mercy of God is that his sin is not imputed to his son who is allowed to take his father’s place as the high priest.
The prophetic word of Zechariah is fulfilled intentionally here as a sign to the people. They receive Jesus with gladness as if He were king. Hopes must surely have been high that this Passover might see the fulfillment of all prophecy concerning the king and the restoration of Jerusalem to its promised prominence. The scene along the route into town must have disturbed the religious rulers and the Romans at some level. The people are ascribing to Jesus great expectations as the savior. Hosanna means Lord save us and as he comes in the Name of the Lord, they believe that He will indeed be the savior of the nation. So He will, but not in the way they expect, His salvation will be far greater than anyone could have expected.
What are the implications of Christ’s finished work for us? Does it mean that since we have received mercy and grace we no longer have fear and therefore can now indulge the fleshly desires? It means that what we might formerly have done in order to avoid punishment is now a way of life because of two things, loving response to grace and a renewed body and soul that no longer indulges those desires because it sees them as sin. That does not mean that we will perfectly live according to God’s law, we continue to sin but now we make our confession of sin boldly, not making excuses for sin but confessing to the one who has died for us and through whom we receive pardon for sin. I would rather be pardoned than excused because then we have both acknowledge real wrong was done and relationship harmed. Alive in Christ means alive in the Spirit of Christ to live according to the Spirit rather than the flesh.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples,
and I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens,
and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
24 June 2010
Psalm 102; Num. 20:1-13; Rom. 5:12-21; Matt. 20:29-34
Moses blows it. He was commanded to take the staff but to speak to the rock and he chose to strike the rock and also take some of the credit for the water, “shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” We, you can now bring water from a rock? It seems a small thing for which to be disqualified but God’s rule for Messiahs is one strike and you’re out. Jesus never failed to point to the Father in all that He did. He always taught that He only spoke what He heard and did what He saw. He taught that whatever He did was actually the Father working through Him, He was an agent not a cause. Moses here allows his frustration to get the better of him. God alone will be their deliverer and we must do things God’s way. Moses will one day be gone and if they have put their trust in Him who will take the mantle of leadership? Their trust must always be in God and His presence and provision.
They are moving towards Jerusalem and Jesus’ date with His destiny and yet along the way there are those who have heard of Him and are waiting for Him. The blind men in Jericho refuse to be kept silent when He is their only hope and their plea is for mercy. Are they begging or do they want something more? Jesus has to ask what they want before He acts on their behalf. The words Matthew chooses here cause us to wonder if the blindness was a result of sin. They ask for mercy and Jesus is moved with compassion and finally we are told that they “regained” their sight. Their spiritual eyes are already open, they recognized Jesus from what they had heard of Him and now they see Him as the one through whom they have received back their sight, what a wonderful first thing to see!
The abundant grace of God is beyond our comprehension. Paul sees the reality that because of one man’s sin (nice of him to blame Adam but not Eve – but it was Adam who had been given the command) we all lost what would have been and death entered the picture. Death isn’t simply physical death but, more significantly, the loss of eternal life in the presence of God. We are not punished for the sin of Adam but sin became part of both human nature as inheritance and also spoiled creation so that there is no going back to the original state, now nothing cooperates with us as intended which means we have to use strength and cunning to make our way in the world, leading to other sin. We can no longer trust one another because of sin and we can no longer easily gain our daily bread because the ground is cursed and there is enmity between us and creation. Our sins are evident and the basis for God’s judgment on us as persons rather than us as humanity. In Jesus, a man lived righteously all the days of his life, and that man’s righteousness is accounted to us through faith in His blood. Death is the penalty for sin and life is the gift for faith. How can we ever take credit for anything in this life?
Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you endure;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You change them like clothing, and they pass away;
but you are the same, and your years have no end.
Psalm 102; Num. 20:1-13; Rom. 5:12-21; Matt. 20:29-34
Moses blows it. He was commanded to take the staff but to speak to the rock and he chose to strike the rock and also take some of the credit for the water, “shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” We, you can now bring water from a rock? It seems a small thing for which to be disqualified but God’s rule for Messiahs is one strike and you’re out. Jesus never failed to point to the Father in all that He did. He always taught that He only spoke what He heard and did what He saw. He taught that whatever He did was actually the Father working through Him, He was an agent not a cause. Moses here allows his frustration to get the better of him. God alone will be their deliverer and we must do things God’s way. Moses will one day be gone and if they have put their trust in Him who will take the mantle of leadership? Their trust must always be in God and His presence and provision.
They are moving towards Jerusalem and Jesus’ date with His destiny and yet along the way there are those who have heard of Him and are waiting for Him. The blind men in Jericho refuse to be kept silent when He is their only hope and their plea is for mercy. Are they begging or do they want something more? Jesus has to ask what they want before He acts on their behalf. The words Matthew chooses here cause us to wonder if the blindness was a result of sin. They ask for mercy and Jesus is moved with compassion and finally we are told that they “regained” their sight. Their spiritual eyes are already open, they recognized Jesus from what they had heard of Him and now they see Him as the one through whom they have received back their sight, what a wonderful first thing to see!
The abundant grace of God is beyond our comprehension. Paul sees the reality that because of one man’s sin (nice of him to blame Adam but not Eve – but it was Adam who had been given the command) we all lost what would have been and death entered the picture. Death isn’t simply physical death but, more significantly, the loss of eternal life in the presence of God. We are not punished for the sin of Adam but sin became part of both human nature as inheritance and also spoiled creation so that there is no going back to the original state, now nothing cooperates with us as intended which means we have to use strength and cunning to make our way in the world, leading to other sin. We can no longer trust one another because of sin and we can no longer easily gain our daily bread because the ground is cursed and there is enmity between us and creation. Our sins are evident and the basis for God’s judgment on us as persons rather than us as humanity. In Jesus, a man lived righteously all the days of his life, and that man’s righteousness is accounted to us through faith in His blood. Death is the penalty for sin and life is the gift for faith. How can we ever take credit for anything in this life?
Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you endure;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You change them like clothing, and they pass away;
but you are the same, and your years have no end.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
23 June 2010
Psalm 105:1-22; Num. 17:1-11; Rom. 5:1-11; Matt. 20:17-28
A simple test to determine who was God’s man to be the leader of the people. God will reveal through the budding of the staff of the ancestral house who is to lead them and Aaron’s staff buds overnight. This was the Lord’s way of ending the incessant challenges to Moses and Aaron’s leadership. It is sad commentary that this was required given all the signs that had already been given to vindicate and validate them as God’s chosen ones. The staff is then placed in the ark as a remembrance of this choice.
Everyone wants to be the leader. The mother of James and John comes down and asks that her sons be given the prime seats in the kingdom, at the right and left of the throne. Jesus has just told them what will soon happen to him and yet they are still thinking of thrones and such from an earthly perspective, still seeking after earthly reward and power. At this point they still don’t realize the full truth about Jesus and the great condescension of God to become man and subject Himself to His creation in order to save us. The time for that understanding comes later. The level at which Jesus humbled himself and served fallen humanity is staggering when we realize that this one is God incarnate. How can we say our goal is to emulate Him while still seeking to do anything but serve?
Jesus died for us while we were weak, unable to help ourselves, and sinners or enemies of God. While we were in rebellion against Him, Jesus, in love, took on flesh and came to die for us to have eternal life. In spite of that we are still seeking earthly reward as though we somehow deserve it. That is the reason the health and wealth gospel that is not a true Gospel continues to have a following. Are we willing to join Paul in suffering? Is sharing in the glory of God our chief aim? Where is it that we need to be purified as the disciples needed to be purified? Do we truly understand the glory of Jesus? Do we see Him standing alone and so far above us that we understand the difference and the love that is required to bridge the gap?
O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Psalm 105:1-22; Num. 17:1-11; Rom. 5:1-11; Matt. 20:17-28
A simple test to determine who was God’s man to be the leader of the people. God will reveal through the budding of the staff of the ancestral house who is to lead them and Aaron’s staff buds overnight. This was the Lord’s way of ending the incessant challenges to Moses and Aaron’s leadership. It is sad commentary that this was required given all the signs that had already been given to vindicate and validate them as God’s chosen ones. The staff is then placed in the ark as a remembrance of this choice.
Everyone wants to be the leader. The mother of James and John comes down and asks that her sons be given the prime seats in the kingdom, at the right and left of the throne. Jesus has just told them what will soon happen to him and yet they are still thinking of thrones and such from an earthly perspective, still seeking after earthly reward and power. At this point they still don’t realize the full truth about Jesus and the great condescension of God to become man and subject Himself to His creation in order to save us. The time for that understanding comes later. The level at which Jesus humbled himself and served fallen humanity is staggering when we realize that this one is God incarnate. How can we say our goal is to emulate Him while still seeking to do anything but serve?
Jesus died for us while we were weak, unable to help ourselves, and sinners or enemies of God. While we were in rebellion against Him, Jesus, in love, took on flesh and came to die for us to have eternal life. In spite of that we are still seeking earthly reward as though we somehow deserve it. That is the reason the health and wealth gospel that is not a true Gospel continues to have a following. Are we willing to join Paul in suffering? Is sharing in the glory of God our chief aim? Where is it that we need to be purified as the disciples needed to be purified? Do we truly understand the glory of Jesus? Do we see Him standing alone and so far above us that we understand the difference and the love that is required to bridge the gap?
O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
22 June 2010
Psalm 97, 99, 100; Num. 16:20-35; Rom. 4:1-12; Matt. 19:23-30
Amazingly, the day after the earth opened and swallowed the rebel leaders, the people come as the accusers of Moses, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” Are you kidding me? What power they ascribe to Moses! He can make the earth open and close at will simply because he is angry. It is incredible that they have missed the truth of the matter, that these have been judged as not the true people of the Lord as they have not accepted the Lord’s anointed leader. Moses is a truly remarkable man, immediately interceding for those who would now accuse him and pleading with Aaron to do what is necessary to quell the Lord’s anger against them. Leaders frequently have to take one for the team in this way, not excusing sin but praying for forgiveness for others.
Those who were hired early in the day have an expectation of greater reward than those hired late in the day. Even though their wages were agreed upon it seems fair and likely that this generous landowner will surely give them a bonus since they worked all day while these others worked only an hour. After centuries of abuse and being on the Lord’s side, it likely did seem incredibly unfair for Gentiles to get into the kingdom. It is all about grace. The workers who were hired early in the day received grace in being hired and offered something (work and pay) that they would otherwise not have enjoyed. Their complaint is that after working all day these others were given the same measure of grace in the end. It is easy to lose sight of the reality that grace is always necessary, we don’t earn more by putting in time and effort.
Paul, after a lifetime of teaching on how to be righteous and the importance of a righteous life, now is the apostle of grace through faith. He understands that what Abraham received was grace based in faith and not a reward for obedience. Paul’s invitation to others is to come by way of faith and not circumcision or some other path. He says he has tried those paths and realized in that one encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that they didn’t lead where he wanted to go. For all his righteousness under the law he hadn’t recognized God when he saw Him in the flesh. He realized that he was like those in our Numbers passage who rebelled against the Lord and His Anointed One.
Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
Psalm 97, 99, 100; Num. 16:20-35; Rom. 4:1-12; Matt. 19:23-30
Amazingly, the day after the earth opened and swallowed the rebel leaders, the people come as the accusers of Moses, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” Are you kidding me? What power they ascribe to Moses! He can make the earth open and close at will simply because he is angry. It is incredible that they have missed the truth of the matter, that these have been judged as not the true people of the Lord as they have not accepted the Lord’s anointed leader. Moses is a truly remarkable man, immediately interceding for those who would now accuse him and pleading with Aaron to do what is necessary to quell the Lord’s anger against them. Leaders frequently have to take one for the team in this way, not excusing sin but praying for forgiveness for others.
Those who were hired early in the day have an expectation of greater reward than those hired late in the day. Even though their wages were agreed upon it seems fair and likely that this generous landowner will surely give them a bonus since they worked all day while these others worked only an hour. After centuries of abuse and being on the Lord’s side, it likely did seem incredibly unfair for Gentiles to get into the kingdom. It is all about grace. The workers who were hired early in the day received grace in being hired and offered something (work and pay) that they would otherwise not have enjoyed. Their complaint is that after working all day these others were given the same measure of grace in the end. It is easy to lose sight of the reality that grace is always necessary, we don’t earn more by putting in time and effort.
Paul, after a lifetime of teaching on how to be righteous and the importance of a righteous life, now is the apostle of grace through faith. He understands that what Abraham received was grace based in faith and not a reward for obedience. Paul’s invitation to others is to come by way of faith and not circumcision or some other path. He says he has tried those paths and realized in that one encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that they didn’t lead where he wanted to go. For all his righteousness under the law he hadn’t recognized God when he saw Him in the flesh. He realized that he was like those in our Numbers passage who rebelled against the Lord and His Anointed One.
Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
Monday, June 21, 2010
21 June 2010
Psalm 89:1-18; Num. 16:1-19; Rom. 3:21-31; Matt. 19:13-22
The rebellion of Korah and his retinue is a sad moment in the history of the people. Leading men of the congregation, frustrated by the failure to enter the land, now oppose the leadership of Moses and Aaron and question whether they are the ones to continue to lead the people. We see Moses’ anger in his response to this challenge in a way that is somewhat uncharacteristic of his responses to previous challenges. The blame for the failure to get to the land is laid at the feet of Moses and Aaron and it is not difficult to imagine why this would arouse his anger. How weary he must have been at this point to have to defend his leadership yet again. It is almost startling that this confrontation comes to its conclusion in the one place that should make clear that Moses is the leader, the tent of meeting, the very place that only Moses can enter to meet with the Lord.
The rich young man asks what does he have to do to enter the kingdom and receives an answer he is unwilling to accept. Jesus’ response points the question to the only one who truly knows what “good” means, the one who is Himself good. Asking humans what good is has its own problems. We have always wanted to know the difference between good and evil but we sought it in the wrong place in the beginning when that knowledge is found only in the good Himself. The answer of selling everything and giving it to the poor and following Jesus is the same as the kingdom parables Jesus tells of the pearl of great price, the treasure in the field and the woman searching for the lost coin. Acknowledging the value of Jesus and following Him shows we recognize good and understand its value. Jesus is calling on the man to recognize that even the law isn’t good in itself, that Jesus is better than the law and the righteousness the man believes himself to have under the law. He knows in his heart that something is missing but he can’t do the one thing needful.
The righteousness of God, the true good, is disclosed in Jesus and all other righteousness is seen for what it truly is, shallow pretense. The reality is so much greater than the shadow to use Platonic terms. Paul has seen true righteousness after a lifetime of pursuing what he thought was righteousness under the law and when he has seen it, he has done what the rich young man could not, leave his own attempts behind to follow Jesus. All his past deeds were as nothing in light of Jesus. When he saw this true righteousness he realized that his righteousness was nothing and that it was not this by which he could be justified, but only through faith in Jesus. We must not be presumptuous like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and we must not be like the rich young man, seeking to earn the kingdom through what we believe to be good deeds, we must indeed come as Paul and as the little children, in recognition of Jesus’ righteousness and goodness.
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and awesome above all that are around him?
O Lord God of hosts,
Psalm 89:1-18; Num. 16:1-19; Rom. 3:21-31; Matt. 19:13-22
The rebellion of Korah and his retinue is a sad moment in the history of the people. Leading men of the congregation, frustrated by the failure to enter the land, now oppose the leadership of Moses and Aaron and question whether they are the ones to continue to lead the people. We see Moses’ anger in his response to this challenge in a way that is somewhat uncharacteristic of his responses to previous challenges. The blame for the failure to get to the land is laid at the feet of Moses and Aaron and it is not difficult to imagine why this would arouse his anger. How weary he must have been at this point to have to defend his leadership yet again. It is almost startling that this confrontation comes to its conclusion in the one place that should make clear that Moses is the leader, the tent of meeting, the very place that only Moses can enter to meet with the Lord.
The rich young man asks what does he have to do to enter the kingdom and receives an answer he is unwilling to accept. Jesus’ response points the question to the only one who truly knows what “good” means, the one who is Himself good. Asking humans what good is has its own problems. We have always wanted to know the difference between good and evil but we sought it in the wrong place in the beginning when that knowledge is found only in the good Himself. The answer of selling everything and giving it to the poor and following Jesus is the same as the kingdom parables Jesus tells of the pearl of great price, the treasure in the field and the woman searching for the lost coin. Acknowledging the value of Jesus and following Him shows we recognize good and understand its value. Jesus is calling on the man to recognize that even the law isn’t good in itself, that Jesus is better than the law and the righteousness the man believes himself to have under the law. He knows in his heart that something is missing but he can’t do the one thing needful.
The righteousness of God, the true good, is disclosed in Jesus and all other righteousness is seen for what it truly is, shallow pretense. The reality is so much greater than the shadow to use Platonic terms. Paul has seen true righteousness after a lifetime of pursuing what he thought was righteousness under the law and when he has seen it, he has done what the rich young man could not, leave his own attempts behind to follow Jesus. All his past deeds were as nothing in light of Jesus. When he saw this true righteousness he realized that his righteousness was nothing and that it was not this by which he could be justified, but only through faith in Jesus. We must not be presumptuous like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and we must not be like the rich young man, seeking to earn the kingdom through what we believe to be good deeds, we must indeed come as Paul and as the little children, in recognition of Jesus’ righteousness and goodness.
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
a God feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and awesome above all that are around him?
O Lord God of hosts,
Sunday, June 20, 2010
20 June 2010
Psalm 66, 67; Num. 14:26-45; Acts 15:1-12; Luke 12:49-56
The penalty for lack of faith and disobedience is difficult. They have seen so many miraculous things done by the Lord and yet they somehow come to the conclusion that taking the land will be up to them. The anger of the Lord is clear in this passage, He does not treat lightly their failure and their cowardice. Those adults who came out of Egypt will not be allowed to enter the land, they will “wander” in the wilderness for the remainder of their days, all they have in life will come from His hand. This life is meant to be lived by faith and sooner or later we will be called to take some step in our lives that requires us to trust completely. Faith that has not been tested is not properly called faith.
The warning is that He will bring division not peace, and we will see that division in our own families. The more we choose to follow Jesus and become those people whose lives are patterned after His the more we will see that division in our lives. The Jews who became believers truly experienced this division in ways most of us can’t imagine. They were put out of the synagogues and ostracized from both immediate family and the community at large. They were required to be community to one another. The call of Christ is a radical one and we, in the West, have not realized that call because we have lived in a vaguely, or nominally, Christian society but the call is not to nominal Christianity. The call is to take up your cross and follow with not the promise of respectability but of being reviled and persecuted. We are those who are called to be prophetic voices to the world. Prophets are not generally honored in their times.
The first thing we typically want from new Christians or new people in our church is that they become like us, just like these who belong to the “sect of the Pharisees” wanted. We don’t ask them to become circumcised but we do expect them to dress like us, act like us, and have the same tastes and preferences we have. It makes our lives easier if we are of one accord on these things but they are secondary things. The early church had to determine its own distinctive, what made someone a Christian, and the answer Paul gave was the Holy Spirit. He saw circumcision as a barrier of sorts but not so much physically but in what it meant, a binding to the old covenant which entailed obedience to the law. It was not circumcision that brought someone into the community but rather the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and for Paul, that was enough. He understood the prophetic word concerning the new covenant, it would be hearts that would be circumcised, and this was the sign. The church wisely agreed with Paul.
Bless our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept us among the living,
and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid burdens on our backs;
you let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.
Psalm 66, 67; Num. 14:26-45; Acts 15:1-12; Luke 12:49-56
The penalty for lack of faith and disobedience is difficult. They have seen so many miraculous things done by the Lord and yet they somehow come to the conclusion that taking the land will be up to them. The anger of the Lord is clear in this passage, He does not treat lightly their failure and their cowardice. Those adults who came out of Egypt will not be allowed to enter the land, they will “wander” in the wilderness for the remainder of their days, all they have in life will come from His hand. This life is meant to be lived by faith and sooner or later we will be called to take some step in our lives that requires us to trust completely. Faith that has not been tested is not properly called faith.
The warning is that He will bring division not peace, and we will see that division in our own families. The more we choose to follow Jesus and become those people whose lives are patterned after His the more we will see that division in our lives. The Jews who became believers truly experienced this division in ways most of us can’t imagine. They were put out of the synagogues and ostracized from both immediate family and the community at large. They were required to be community to one another. The call of Christ is a radical one and we, in the West, have not realized that call because we have lived in a vaguely, or nominally, Christian society but the call is not to nominal Christianity. The call is to take up your cross and follow with not the promise of respectability but of being reviled and persecuted. We are those who are called to be prophetic voices to the world. Prophets are not generally honored in their times.
The first thing we typically want from new Christians or new people in our church is that they become like us, just like these who belong to the “sect of the Pharisees” wanted. We don’t ask them to become circumcised but we do expect them to dress like us, act like us, and have the same tastes and preferences we have. It makes our lives easier if we are of one accord on these things but they are secondary things. The early church had to determine its own distinctive, what made someone a Christian, and the answer Paul gave was the Holy Spirit. He saw circumcision as a barrier of sorts but not so much physically but in what it meant, a binding to the old covenant which entailed obedience to the law. It was not circumcision that brought someone into the community but rather the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and for Paul, that was enough. He understood the prophetic word concerning the new covenant, it would be hearts that would be circumcised, and this was the sign. The church wisely agreed with Paul.
Bless our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept us among the living,
and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid burdens on our backs;
you let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
19 June 2010
Psalm 87, 90; Num. 13:31-14:25; Rom. 3:9-20; Matt. 19:1-12
Why did the people suddenly come to the conclusion that the conquest of the land was up to them? We do this all the time in the church and in our lives, we see well when we see that we lack the resources to accomplish what we believe the Lord has called us to undertake in His Name and yet we come to the wrong conclusion, we lack faith. The people heard the discouraging news that the people of the land were giants and they lost heart. It doesn’t take long for discouragement to spread among a group of people when they realize the odds are against them but what that should mean is that they become a people of prayer. Our faith will be tested in this way from time to time, does our response to the test change or do we continue in unbelief? The cost of unbelief here was that these would not see the great victory of the conquest of the land. What do we miss due to unbelief?
Jesus raises the bar on marriage. Marriage is not something to be entered into lightly, it is meant to be a lifetime commitment. Jesus goes back to the original intent, not to the law of Moses, the man and wife are essentially to be re-joined flesh. Just as woman was taken from man, so in marriage they are reunited with one another physically. Listen to Adam’s exclamation when he first saw the woman: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." It is only after sin enters the picture that divorce is an issue. It is a great sadness that the church has abandoned this in many places.
Paul says that the law convicts every person of sin, without exception we are all guilty, we all stand before the judgment seat in need of pardon, it is our only hope. There is not a single person, other than Jesus, who has ever lived who can enter a plea of innocence. Jesus is the only one who ever successfully navigated life in such a way as to stand before the throne and be found acceptable (see Revelation 5). His laying down of that perfection in order to take on our sin is the sacrifice necessary for us to have eternal life. His righteousness covers our sins, pays the price so that we can live. All that is required of us is that we believe that He was without sin and that the Father has accepted His one oblation of Himself once offered. Faith is the key to life and that faith changes our lives as we live in it.
Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!
Psalm 87, 90; Num. 13:31-14:25; Rom. 3:9-20; Matt. 19:1-12
Why did the people suddenly come to the conclusion that the conquest of the land was up to them? We do this all the time in the church and in our lives, we see well when we see that we lack the resources to accomplish what we believe the Lord has called us to undertake in His Name and yet we come to the wrong conclusion, we lack faith. The people heard the discouraging news that the people of the land were giants and they lost heart. It doesn’t take long for discouragement to spread among a group of people when they realize the odds are against them but what that should mean is that they become a people of prayer. Our faith will be tested in this way from time to time, does our response to the test change or do we continue in unbelief? The cost of unbelief here was that these would not see the great victory of the conquest of the land. What do we miss due to unbelief?
Jesus raises the bar on marriage. Marriage is not something to be entered into lightly, it is meant to be a lifetime commitment. Jesus goes back to the original intent, not to the law of Moses, the man and wife are essentially to be re-joined flesh. Just as woman was taken from man, so in marriage they are reunited with one another physically. Listen to Adam’s exclamation when he first saw the woman: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." It is only after sin enters the picture that divorce is an issue. It is a great sadness that the church has abandoned this in many places.
Paul says that the law convicts every person of sin, without exception we are all guilty, we all stand before the judgment seat in need of pardon, it is our only hope. There is not a single person, other than Jesus, who has ever lived who can enter a plea of innocence. Jesus is the only one who ever successfully navigated life in such a way as to stand before the throne and be found acceptable (see Revelation 5). His laying down of that perfection in order to take on our sin is the sacrifice necessary for us to have eternal life. His righteousness covers our sins, pays the price so that we can live. All that is required of us is that we believe that He was without sin and that the Father has accepted His one oblation of Himself once offered. Faith is the key to life and that faith changes our lives as we live in it.
Have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!
Friday, June 18, 2010
18 June 2010
Psalm 88; Num. 13:1-3,21-30; Rom. 2:25-3:8; Matt. 18:21-35
Spies are sent out to the promised land. The report is of a land just as had been described to them for so long, a land rich and fertile and abundant, a land flowing with milk and honey. Yet… there are people there and they are scary big. The Lord had delivered them from the Egyptians with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm without them striking a single blow in their own defense. He had rolled back the waters of the sea and allowed them to pass through on dry ground and then rolled back the waters on Pharaoh’s army. He had provided food and water for them and their animals in the wilderness. He had appeared to them on Mt Sinai, and had done all manner of works in their sight and in their favor and now they come to the land He promised and suddenly they believe that it is their own power and might that will be necessary.
Peter immediately wants to know how often he has to forgive someone “in the church.” Contextually, this must mean that the person has confessed and repented as Jesus has talked about what to do if someone does not confess and repent. The parable He tells to illustrate makes clear how manifold indeed are our sins and wickedness against the Lord. We are compared with the one who owes a debt so great he could never repay it to the master and yet hold others in debt to us for paltry sums. We rarely get a glimpse of the vast amount of grace needed to save us.
Paul continues to speak of our responsibility for the revelation we have received. He says that circumcision is a matter of the law being written on our hearts not in some other organ, as only the heart can love the law and desire to keep it. There is a value to circumcision, however, Paul keeps the Jewish nation in its rightful place. The Jews have been given the trust for the oracles of God, the law, His righteous will for all people. To them and through them has been revealed more than creation alone will reveal, they have seen God and heard from Him. He has spoken to and through them in order that the world may know through their priesthood, just who this creator is and what He is like. In Jesus we have been given a greater responsibility and a greater priesthood, maybe we should get on our knees and repent of our failure to enter the land?
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now 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, oh, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Psalm 88; Num. 13:1-3,21-30; Rom. 2:25-3:8; Matt. 18:21-35
Spies are sent out to the promised land. The report is of a land just as had been described to them for so long, a land rich and fertile and abundant, a land flowing with milk and honey. Yet… there are people there and they are scary big. The Lord had delivered them from the Egyptians with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm without them striking a single blow in their own defense. He had rolled back the waters of the sea and allowed them to pass through on dry ground and then rolled back the waters on Pharaoh’s army. He had provided food and water for them and their animals in the wilderness. He had appeared to them on Mt Sinai, and had done all manner of works in their sight and in their favor and now they come to the land He promised and suddenly they believe that it is their own power and might that will be necessary.
Peter immediately wants to know how often he has to forgive someone “in the church.” Contextually, this must mean that the person has confessed and repented as Jesus has talked about what to do if someone does not confess and repent. The parable He tells to illustrate makes clear how manifold indeed are our sins and wickedness against the Lord. We are compared with the one who owes a debt so great he could never repay it to the master and yet hold others in debt to us for paltry sums. We rarely get a glimpse of the vast amount of grace needed to save us.
Paul continues to speak of our responsibility for the revelation we have received. He says that circumcision is a matter of the law being written on our hearts not in some other organ, as only the heart can love the law and desire to keep it. There is a value to circumcision, however, Paul keeps the Jewish nation in its rightful place. The Jews have been given the trust for the oracles of God, the law, His righteous will for all people. To them and through them has been revealed more than creation alone will reveal, they have seen God and heard from Him. He has spoken to and through them in order that the world may know through their priesthood, just who this creator is and what He is like. In Jesus we have been given a greater responsibility and a greater priesthood, maybe we should get on our knees and repent of our failure to enter the land?
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now 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, oh, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
17 June 2010
Psalm 34; Num. 12:1-16; Rom. 2:12-24; Matt. 18:10-20
Aaron and Miriam, the brother and sister of Moses, want some recognition, want to share the leadership of the people. Moses’ humility guards his mouth but the Lord takes up his cause for him. There is a great distinction between the three, a prophet is an important thing, the Lord speaks through the prophet, but Moses’ relationship to the Lord is entirely different. The Lord speaks “to” Moses not through him. Moses leads from relationship with the Lord and Aaron and Miriam need to learn the difference. It is interesting that the punishment for this rebellion only falls on Miriam which makes one wonder if she had perhaps instigated it. While Moses pleads for her the Lord says He will not immediately restore her, she must remain outside the camp seven days in accord with the law not regarding leprosy but rebellion of a child against a parent. Her punishment was very public for this sin.
Jesus speaks about church discipline. We don’t much practice discipline but we should. One of the reasons the unchurched give for not coming to church is hypocrisy, they see the sin in our lives, the way we talk about one another, the control we exert over others and the church, and they see that we aren’t remarkably different from them even though we claim to be. My experience has sometimes been that behavior that would never be tolerated in a secular environment is often tolerated in the church. If we are to actually make progress in our Christian walk, we need to be called out on our “stuff.” It is not right to say, that is just how so and so is, it is not loving or Christian to allow them the luxury of not changing. Jesus is clear that if one of us sins against another we are to deal with the sin and the failure to confess the sin means increased public attention to the sin and ultimately to expulsion from the church. He has given us the mandate to deal with sin in the church yet we neglect it and wonder why the world won’t be part of us.
You are responsible for living according to the revelation you have received. Paul explicitly connects doing with judgment. There are a great many things we can know intellectually and to which we give our assent but which never move beyond the intellect. The truth of God and the truth about God are intended to work their way from our heads to our hearts. The Holy Spirit’s first work is to convict the world of sin and righteousness and in receiving the Spirit we have no excuse for not knowing sin. It seems, however, the church is now denying certain sins to be sin, in spite of the witness of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. I would venture to say that we do the same in our own lives regarding sin, I am not gossiping, I think it is important for you to know this about so and so. God doesn’t excuse sin, He sent His Son to die for sin. We need to remember how important sin is to God when we begin to make our excuses.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34; Num. 12:1-16; Rom. 2:12-24; Matt. 18:10-20
Aaron and Miriam, the brother and sister of Moses, want some recognition, want to share the leadership of the people. Moses’ humility guards his mouth but the Lord takes up his cause for him. There is a great distinction between the three, a prophet is an important thing, the Lord speaks through the prophet, but Moses’ relationship to the Lord is entirely different. The Lord speaks “to” Moses not through him. Moses leads from relationship with the Lord and Aaron and Miriam need to learn the difference. It is interesting that the punishment for this rebellion only falls on Miriam which makes one wonder if she had perhaps instigated it. While Moses pleads for her the Lord says He will not immediately restore her, she must remain outside the camp seven days in accord with the law not regarding leprosy but rebellion of a child against a parent. Her punishment was very public for this sin.
Jesus speaks about church discipline. We don’t much practice discipline but we should. One of the reasons the unchurched give for not coming to church is hypocrisy, they see the sin in our lives, the way we talk about one another, the control we exert over others and the church, and they see that we aren’t remarkably different from them even though we claim to be. My experience has sometimes been that behavior that would never be tolerated in a secular environment is often tolerated in the church. If we are to actually make progress in our Christian walk, we need to be called out on our “stuff.” It is not right to say, that is just how so and so is, it is not loving or Christian to allow them the luxury of not changing. Jesus is clear that if one of us sins against another we are to deal with the sin and the failure to confess the sin means increased public attention to the sin and ultimately to expulsion from the church. He has given us the mandate to deal with sin in the church yet we neglect it and wonder why the world won’t be part of us.
You are responsible for living according to the revelation you have received. Paul explicitly connects doing with judgment. There are a great many things we can know intellectually and to which we give our assent but which never move beyond the intellect. The truth of God and the truth about God are intended to work their way from our heads to our hearts. The Holy Spirit’s first work is to convict the world of sin and righteousness and in receiving the Spirit we have no excuse for not knowing sin. It seems, however, the church is now denying certain sins to be sin, in spite of the witness of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. I would venture to say that we do the same in our own lives regarding sin, I am not gossiping, I think it is important for you to know this about so and so. God doesn’t excuse sin, He sent His Son to die for sin. We need to remember how important sin is to God when we begin to make our excuses.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
16 June 2010
Psalm 119:97-120; Num. 11:24-35; Rom. 1:26-2:11; Matt. 18:1-9
(I have to point out that the lectionary leaves out two verses today. The omission is Romans 1.26-27. Yesterday’s lesson ended at verse 25 and today’s actually begin at verse 28. The omitted verses condemn homosexual behavior as a perversion of God’s plan for humankind and as evidence that when we deny God and His orderly creation we seem bound to turn to sex as a substitute and there is no textual problem with the passage, it is omitted simply for the reason that it does not suit the agenda of those who put together the lectionary.)
The craving for meat had consumed the people and in their craving they had turned from God their savior and provider. The craving for meat had become more important to them than their desire for God. The Lord gave Moses helpers, the seventy elders on whom He placed His Spirit plus two who did not come forward. His sovereignty is shown in these two, Eldad and Medad. In all our work on His behalf it is important that we recognize His sovereignty, we need to remain humble about all we think we know. Moses had this kind of humility in dealing with this situation. It wasn’t his desire to hoard leadership but rather that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh, that they would all know the Lord.
Everyone wants to be great and to know what it takes to be great. Rarely does anyone want to be lowly in the kingdom and yet that is exactly what Jesus says is required to be great. We like recognition and acclaim, it was a constant issue with those close to Jesus throughout their time together and yet He showed that real glory to God comes in taking up the cross. We come to Him as children in humility and faith and trust and then, suddenly, we want to be great. Luke tells us that Peter’s first reaction upon receiving revelation was “Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man.” It didn’t take long, however, before he would be lecturing Jesus on what a proper Messiah would do and say.
It is interesting that we have no problem saying that the behaviors in Romans 1.29-31 are evidence of a debased mind and things that should not be done but the behavior in verses 26 and 27 are no longer considered in the same way. What if a society should choose to value craftiness or faithlessness? Would that mean that God no longer cared about such things? Paul says that if we judge others for these things and do them ourselves we will be judged as well. When he writes of God judging deeds it is not a return to legalism, he speaks of deeds in the context of obedience to the revelation. Our deeds, works, lives are a sign of obedience to what we know of Him and are evidence of faith, the faith that recognizes the distinction between creator and created, and the humility to submit to Him.
Your decrees are my heritage for ever;
they are the joy of my heart.
I incline my heart to perform your statutes
for ever, to the end.
Psalm 119:97-120; Num. 11:24-35; Rom. 1:26-2:11; Matt. 18:1-9
(I have to point out that the lectionary leaves out two verses today. The omission is Romans 1.26-27. Yesterday’s lesson ended at verse 25 and today’s actually begin at verse 28. The omitted verses condemn homosexual behavior as a perversion of God’s plan for humankind and as evidence that when we deny God and His orderly creation we seem bound to turn to sex as a substitute and there is no textual problem with the passage, it is omitted simply for the reason that it does not suit the agenda of those who put together the lectionary.)
The craving for meat had consumed the people and in their craving they had turned from God their savior and provider. The craving for meat had become more important to them than their desire for God. The Lord gave Moses helpers, the seventy elders on whom He placed His Spirit plus two who did not come forward. His sovereignty is shown in these two, Eldad and Medad. In all our work on His behalf it is important that we recognize His sovereignty, we need to remain humble about all we think we know. Moses had this kind of humility in dealing with this situation. It wasn’t his desire to hoard leadership but rather that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh, that they would all know the Lord.
Everyone wants to be great and to know what it takes to be great. Rarely does anyone want to be lowly in the kingdom and yet that is exactly what Jesus says is required to be great. We like recognition and acclaim, it was a constant issue with those close to Jesus throughout their time together and yet He showed that real glory to God comes in taking up the cross. We come to Him as children in humility and faith and trust and then, suddenly, we want to be great. Luke tells us that Peter’s first reaction upon receiving revelation was “Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man.” It didn’t take long, however, before he would be lecturing Jesus on what a proper Messiah would do and say.
It is interesting that we have no problem saying that the behaviors in Romans 1.29-31 are evidence of a debased mind and things that should not be done but the behavior in verses 26 and 27 are no longer considered in the same way. What if a society should choose to value craftiness or faithlessness? Would that mean that God no longer cared about such things? Paul says that if we judge others for these things and do them ourselves we will be judged as well. When he writes of God judging deeds it is not a return to legalism, he speaks of deeds in the context of obedience to the revelation. Our deeds, works, lives are a sign of obedience to what we know of Him and are evidence of faith, the faith that recognizes the distinction between creator and created, and the humility to submit to Him.
Your decrees are my heritage for ever;
they are the joy of my heart.
I incline my heart to perform your statutes
for ever, to the end.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
15 June 2010
Psalm 78:1-39; Num. 11:1-23; Rom. 1:16-25; Matt. 17:22-27
The people tire of the Lord’s provision. Moses hears the complaints of the people and goes to the Lord to quit his job. They are tired of eating only manna day after day and it is easy to see why, it would have been an incredibly boring diet. The problem is that they don’t speak to the Lord about it, they complain among themselves and ultimately what they are doing is complaining not only about the provision but also about the provider. It is hard to blame Moses for his attitude before the Lord here, how could he possibly do anything about the problem? He has put the people down is the bigger problem and now the burden will be shared by others, the elders. The Lord has given Moses this responsibility and now he has had enough of the people. The provision of meat that is promised is filled with sarcasm. The Lord is able to do whatever is needed, but the people didn’t ask for meat in faith, they grumbled against Him and now they will see that He is able to do abundantly more than they could have imagined.
Jesus asks an interesting question in response to the collectors’ request for Him to pay the temple tax. The children of the kings did not pay taxes and Jesus compares that situation with His paying a tax to the temple. His claim is that of Son and therefore it makes no sense to pay the tax but He complies in order not to give offense in this situation. The tax itself, however, is provided for in an interesting way and further reveals Jesus to at least one disciple, Peter, who alone knows the source of the money for the tax.
Paul says that we all share in the general revelation of God in creation and are therefore without excuse before Him. What we can know of God from creation is nearly without limit. He is a God of order and beauty, of differentiation and similarity, of grandeur and of intricacy, of love and concern for His creation, etc. We have been given the perfect environment in which to live and thrive and the conditions are met for the continuation of life via procreation and abundant resources. Any claim of knowledge and wisdom that denies God only points to folly as the evidence is so plain. Paul also clearly sees that the options, once God has been rejected, are rather limited, and we will worship or venerate something in creation if we no longer worship the God of creation.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm 78:1-39; Num. 11:1-23; Rom. 1:16-25; Matt. 17:22-27
The people tire of the Lord’s provision. Moses hears the complaints of the people and goes to the Lord to quit his job. They are tired of eating only manna day after day and it is easy to see why, it would have been an incredibly boring diet. The problem is that they don’t speak to the Lord about it, they complain among themselves and ultimately what they are doing is complaining not only about the provision but also about the provider. It is hard to blame Moses for his attitude before the Lord here, how could he possibly do anything about the problem? He has put the people down is the bigger problem and now the burden will be shared by others, the elders. The Lord has given Moses this responsibility and now he has had enough of the people. The provision of meat that is promised is filled with sarcasm. The Lord is able to do whatever is needed, but the people didn’t ask for meat in faith, they grumbled against Him and now they will see that He is able to do abundantly more than they could have imagined.
Jesus asks an interesting question in response to the collectors’ request for Him to pay the temple tax. The children of the kings did not pay taxes and Jesus compares that situation with His paying a tax to the temple. His claim is that of Son and therefore it makes no sense to pay the tax but He complies in order not to give offense in this situation. The tax itself, however, is provided for in an interesting way and further reveals Jesus to at least one disciple, Peter, who alone knows the source of the money for the tax.
Paul says that we all share in the general revelation of God in creation and are therefore without excuse before Him. What we can know of God from creation is nearly without limit. He is a God of order and beauty, of differentiation and similarity, of grandeur and of intricacy, of love and concern for His creation, etc. We have been given the perfect environment in which to live and thrive and the conditions are met for the continuation of life via procreation and abundant resources. Any claim of knowledge and wisdom that denies God only points to folly as the evidence is so plain. Paul also clearly sees that the options, once God has been rejected, are rather limited, and we will worship or venerate something in creation if we no longer worship the God of creation.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Monday, June 14, 2010
14 June 2010
Psalm 80; Num 9.15-23, 10.29-36; Rom. 1.1-15; Matt 17.14-21
The movement of the people in the wilderness is directed by God via the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all your steps were so evidently guided by some sign like this? If not for sin, we would have such a life, both original sin and the sin in our own lives. The more we deal with sin in our lives, the more we can experience the joy of the presence of God and the clarity of knowing God’s guidance. It is no good longing for the presence of God while tolerating sin in our lives. In the second part of the passage we see Moses imploring his brother-in-law to come with the nation and join himself to them, assisting them with where to pitch camp when the cloud stops. They then set out on what looks like a victory march of three days with the battle cry of Moses encouraging them. Hobab does go with the nation and in Judges we are told that his descendants received a portion in the land.
The disciples are unable to heal a boy with epilepsy. The father of the child is frustrated and Jesus becomes frustrated with them as well. He is able quickly to resolve the matter that has kept them from healing the child. In Mark’s telling of the story Jesus tells them this kind can only come out with prayer, here in Matthew He says that they lack the faith necessary to effect the healing. The two are related, and linked with the earlier statement that they are a “faithless and perverse generation.” Their faith is in themselves, they have experienced success when Jesus has sent them out to heal and they treat it as either magic or some indwelling presence that allows them always to do these things when it actually requires them to actively have faith. All we do is dependent on the Lord working through us.
Paul was a man who moved according to the Spirit. That doesn’t mean he was unpredictable or that his movements were random, quite the opposite. Here and elsewhere in his writings he speaks of the Spirit preventing him from going to a particular place in spite of his intentions. Where we might have frustration Paul saw the Spirit at work, he held his plans lightly enough that he allowed for God to change them. Here to the Romans Paul speaks of his desire to come to them in order that he might impart something to them and then decides that the reality is that it would be a mutual benefit, even he had some things to learn and receive. Are we willing to allow the Lord to direct our steps as Paul was?
Let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Psalm 80; Num 9.15-23, 10.29-36; Rom. 1.1-15; Matt 17.14-21
The movement of the people in the wilderness is directed by God via the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all your steps were so evidently guided by some sign like this? If not for sin, we would have such a life, both original sin and the sin in our own lives. The more we deal with sin in our lives, the more we can experience the joy of the presence of God and the clarity of knowing God’s guidance. It is no good longing for the presence of God while tolerating sin in our lives. In the second part of the passage we see Moses imploring his brother-in-law to come with the nation and join himself to them, assisting them with where to pitch camp when the cloud stops. They then set out on what looks like a victory march of three days with the battle cry of Moses encouraging them. Hobab does go with the nation and in Judges we are told that his descendants received a portion in the land.
The disciples are unable to heal a boy with epilepsy. The father of the child is frustrated and Jesus becomes frustrated with them as well. He is able quickly to resolve the matter that has kept them from healing the child. In Mark’s telling of the story Jesus tells them this kind can only come out with prayer, here in Matthew He says that they lack the faith necessary to effect the healing. The two are related, and linked with the earlier statement that they are a “faithless and perverse generation.” Their faith is in themselves, they have experienced success when Jesus has sent them out to heal and they treat it as either magic or some indwelling presence that allows them always to do these things when it actually requires them to actively have faith. All we do is dependent on the Lord working through us.
Paul was a man who moved according to the Spirit. That doesn’t mean he was unpredictable or that his movements were random, quite the opposite. Here and elsewhere in his writings he speaks of the Spirit preventing him from going to a particular place in spite of his intentions. Where we might have frustration Paul saw the Spirit at work, he held his plans lightly enough that he allowed for God to change them. Here to the Romans Paul speaks of his desire to come to them in order that he might impart something to them and then decides that the reality is that it would be a mutual benefit, even he had some things to learn and receive. Are we willing to allow the Lord to direct our steps as Paul was?
Let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
13 June 2010
Psalms 93, 96; Num 6.22-27; Acts 13.1-12; Luke 12.41-48
Aaron and his sons are commanded by God to bless the people of Israel. It is a great privilege to be allowed to speak for God and here the specific words are given that comprise the blessing. When the priest gives this blessing, his hands are also very carefully arranged so that they form the first letter of the word “shaddai” which we translate as almighty. The blessing is a gift to Aaron from the Lord. The prayer is indeed a great blessing: the graciousness of God is material and spiritual prosperity and the peace of God is the shalom of God, which connotes a good deal more than our word for peace. It relates to completeness rather than simply harmony although that too is part of the meaning. At the end of our worship each week a priest stands before the congregation and prays a similar prayer of blessing over the people before they are sent out on mission.
We are responsible for what we know. Does this mean we should not strive to know more? Jesus relates the blessing to obedience, the one found doing the master’s will when the master arrives. We have been given a trust and that trust is that we know the will of the Father and doing that will reveals the master to others. Christians have a responsibility to live in such ways that we reveal our love for our Lord. Loving others is a critical part of the Great Commandment. The way we treat others is meant to reveal the love of the Father for humankind. His love for us is meant to flow out in our relationships with others. John, in his first epistle, makes much of this principle, how can we love God whom we have not seen, if we don’t love our brothers and sisters whom we have seen?
Paul is sent out on his first mission and confronts a false prophet who is keeping the proconsul from truth and, therefore, faith. Paul’s method was to rebuke the false prophet, Elymas or Bar-Jesus, and call down a curse on the man in the form of blindness as he has attempted to keep the proconsul in spiritual blindness. We need to remember that we do have an enemy to our work of mission and to be willing to speak into those situations in order for the Gospel to be received. In our worship I sometimes use an alternate blessing which asks that the Lord “scatter the darkness from before your path” and finishes with the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I use that blessing to remind us that we live in a world characterized by darkness and opposition to God and that in order for us to move out in mission we need two things, that darkness to be dealt with and the blessing of God on our work in order that it bear fruit.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Psalms 93, 96; Num 6.22-27; Acts 13.1-12; Luke 12.41-48
Aaron and his sons are commanded by God to bless the people of Israel. It is a great privilege to be allowed to speak for God and here the specific words are given that comprise the blessing. When the priest gives this blessing, his hands are also very carefully arranged so that they form the first letter of the word “shaddai” which we translate as almighty. The blessing is a gift to Aaron from the Lord. The prayer is indeed a great blessing: the graciousness of God is material and spiritual prosperity and the peace of God is the shalom of God, which connotes a good deal more than our word for peace. It relates to completeness rather than simply harmony although that too is part of the meaning. At the end of our worship each week a priest stands before the congregation and prays a similar prayer of blessing over the people before they are sent out on mission.
We are responsible for what we know. Does this mean we should not strive to know more? Jesus relates the blessing to obedience, the one found doing the master’s will when the master arrives. We have been given a trust and that trust is that we know the will of the Father and doing that will reveals the master to others. Christians have a responsibility to live in such ways that we reveal our love for our Lord. Loving others is a critical part of the Great Commandment. The way we treat others is meant to reveal the love of the Father for humankind. His love for us is meant to flow out in our relationships with others. John, in his first epistle, makes much of this principle, how can we love God whom we have not seen, if we don’t love our brothers and sisters whom we have seen?
Paul is sent out on his first mission and confronts a false prophet who is keeping the proconsul from truth and, therefore, faith. Paul’s method was to rebuke the false prophet, Elymas or Bar-Jesus, and call down a curse on the man in the form of blindness as he has attempted to keep the proconsul in spiritual blindness. We need to remember that we do have an enemy to our work of mission and to be willing to speak into those situations in order for the Gospel to be received. In our worship I sometimes use an alternate blessing which asks that the Lord “scatter the darkness from before your path” and finishes with the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I use that blessing to remind us that we live in a world characterized by darkness and opposition to God and that in order for us to move out in mission we need two things, that darkness to be dealt with and the blessing of God on our work in order that it bear fruit.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
12 June 2010
Psalm 75, 76; Num. 3:1-13; Gal. 6:11-18; Matt. 17:1-13
The Levites are not the priesthood, they are assistants, or in the Anglican tradition, deacons. They were responsible for the service of the temple. The priests did the sacramental work related to the temple and the sacrifices and the Levites were responsible for maintaining the temple and for the other rituals. They were one of the tribes of Israel, one of the sons of Jacob, and they were an offering to the Lord. They represented the sacrifice of the firstborn sons of the other tribes. The other tribes, through their offerings at the temple, provided for the income of the Levites who did not engage in agriculture or commerce in the land, they were devoted entirely to their service.
Peter, James and John see an incredible thing, the earthly glory of Jesus. The glory of Jesus is different from that of Moses in his days of leadership of the people. The glory revealed in and through Moses was the shining face from having been in the presence of God. That glory was like the glory of the moon, a reflected glory, the glory of Jesus was like the sun, a glory of its own. Here, these three disciples see Jesus with the two heroes of old, those who the people are expecting to return to this day, and the three can testify that they have come but in the light of Jesus, they are insignificant. They surely thought that now was the time for the kingdom to break in completely, they were there when it all began, and, in an instant, it was done and the two witnesses were gone, their work complete when the subject of their witness was revealed this day.
What would it mean for these others to boast about the flesh of the Galatians? If they convinced them to be circumcised, it would be as though they were boasting over scalps captured in battle. They had won converts, but to what? Paul says his only boasting is in the cross of Christ, that symbol of defeat and ignominy. The cross is certainly a strange thing in which to boast, that our savior died the death of a criminal. We, however, know that the cross of Christ is symbolic of the love of God for us. It is a symbol of suffering and shame, it is His suffering and our shame. We know that the firstborn, the only begotten, is a sacrifice for us, and in that we say with Paul, “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Psalm 75, 76; Num. 3:1-13; Gal. 6:11-18; Matt. 17:1-13
The Levites are not the priesthood, they are assistants, or in the Anglican tradition, deacons. They were responsible for the service of the temple. The priests did the sacramental work related to the temple and the sacrifices and the Levites were responsible for maintaining the temple and for the other rituals. They were one of the tribes of Israel, one of the sons of Jacob, and they were an offering to the Lord. They represented the sacrifice of the firstborn sons of the other tribes. The other tribes, through their offerings at the temple, provided for the income of the Levites who did not engage in agriculture or commerce in the land, they were devoted entirely to their service.
Peter, James and John see an incredible thing, the earthly glory of Jesus. The glory of Jesus is different from that of Moses in his days of leadership of the people. The glory revealed in and through Moses was the shining face from having been in the presence of God. That glory was like the glory of the moon, a reflected glory, the glory of Jesus was like the sun, a glory of its own. Here, these three disciples see Jesus with the two heroes of old, those who the people are expecting to return to this day, and the three can testify that they have come but in the light of Jesus, they are insignificant. They surely thought that now was the time for the kingdom to break in completely, they were there when it all began, and, in an instant, it was done and the two witnesses were gone, their work complete when the subject of their witness was revealed this day.
What would it mean for these others to boast about the flesh of the Galatians? If they convinced them to be circumcised, it would be as though they were boasting over scalps captured in battle. They had won converts, but to what? Paul says his only boasting is in the cross of Christ, that symbol of defeat and ignominy. The cross is certainly a strange thing in which to boast, that our savior died the death of a criminal. We, however, know that the cross of Christ is symbolic of the love of God for us. It is a symbol of suffering and shame, it is His suffering and our shame. We know that the firstborn, the only begotten, is a sacrifice for us, and in that we say with Paul, “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Friday, June 11, 2010
11 June 2010
Psalm 69; Eccles. 11:9-12:14; Gal. 5:25-6:10; Matt. 16:21-28
Sounds like a mid-life crisis to me. What do we do when we get to the point when we realize the futility and meaninglessness of the life under the sun? Solomon says to young men, enjoy it while you’re young because one day you will realize the pleasures are fleeting and then comes the reality of the end of it all. If we could learn to appreciate that which is truly and eternally valuable when we are young and to invest our lives in that we would know happiness and joy all the days of our lives. Solomon invested himself in everything under the sun and what we have in Ecclesiastes is regret over folly. A man known for his wisdom says, at the end of his life, I was foolish not wise. It is never too late to change or to learn. We can begin today investing in and delighting in that which is eternal and therefore more precious than anything under the sun.
Peter is rebuked because he is setting his mind on the things under the sun. Peter is thinking of earthly thrones and kingdoms and power and Jesus says that all these are passing away and that while this life is precious enough to God to take on flesh it is merely a breath in the eternal scheme of things. Jesus had two things in mind always, the glory of the Father and others and lived His life accordingly, never seeming to take a thought for His own pleasure and comfort. All that He did was with eternity in mind, pleasing the Father and gaining entry for us sinners. Jesus asks the question Solomon is asking, what does it matter if you gain the whole world, have everything you could covet, if, in the end, you don’t have eternal life? Are these things worth the effort to acquire, do we realize the cost?
Towards what end are we sowing? Are our efforts made towards reaping a harvest of righteousness and towards the next life? The thrust of all the Bible is plain, seek first the kingdom of God, be a fanatic about Him. The people we most admire in Christian history are those who have one single thought in mind, the glory of God. Are we passionately pursuing Him? Can we say as in Psalm 42, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” What does your soul truly pant and thirst after? What is it that you use to satisfy your thirst? If it isn’t the living God, it is simply vanity.
I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the Lord more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
Psalm 69; Eccles. 11:9-12:14; Gal. 5:25-6:10; Matt. 16:21-28
Sounds like a mid-life crisis to me. What do we do when we get to the point when we realize the futility and meaninglessness of the life under the sun? Solomon says to young men, enjoy it while you’re young because one day you will realize the pleasures are fleeting and then comes the reality of the end of it all. If we could learn to appreciate that which is truly and eternally valuable when we are young and to invest our lives in that we would know happiness and joy all the days of our lives. Solomon invested himself in everything under the sun and what we have in Ecclesiastes is regret over folly. A man known for his wisdom says, at the end of his life, I was foolish not wise. It is never too late to change or to learn. We can begin today investing in and delighting in that which is eternal and therefore more precious than anything under the sun.
Peter is rebuked because he is setting his mind on the things under the sun. Peter is thinking of earthly thrones and kingdoms and power and Jesus says that all these are passing away and that while this life is precious enough to God to take on flesh it is merely a breath in the eternal scheme of things. Jesus had two things in mind always, the glory of the Father and others and lived His life accordingly, never seeming to take a thought for His own pleasure and comfort. All that He did was with eternity in mind, pleasing the Father and gaining entry for us sinners. Jesus asks the question Solomon is asking, what does it matter if you gain the whole world, have everything you could covet, if, in the end, you don’t have eternal life? Are these things worth the effort to acquire, do we realize the cost?
Towards what end are we sowing? Are our efforts made towards reaping a harvest of righteousness and towards the next life? The thrust of all the Bible is plain, seek first the kingdom of God, be a fanatic about Him. The people we most admire in Christian history are those who have one single thought in mind, the glory of God. Are we passionately pursuing Him? Can we say as in Psalm 42, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” What does your soul truly pant and thirst after? What is it that you use to satisfy your thirst? If it isn’t the living God, it is simply vanity.
I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the Lord more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
10 June 2010
Psalm [70], 71; Eccles. 11:1-8; Gal. 5:16-24; Matt. 16:13-20
There are some things we can know, some aphorisms that are mostly true, but in the end we don’t know how things will turn out. In our day, the metaphors may be slightly different for most of us who no longer plant and reap for our daily bread, they might have more to do with investing or where we spend our effort in our careers, but in the end we still can’t accurately know what the end of things will be. The market crashes and catches investors unaware, sickness or injury befall us, someone commits fraud and our company closes, the possibilities are limitless. What is our pearl of great price, where have we stored up treasure?
Amazingly, Peter knows who Jesus truly is! What a moment this must have been for Jesus, that all His work and all His teaching had not been in vain. They were making right decisions, not based on what other people thought but based on what they had seen and heard. It is similar to when we come to real, saving faith, we no longer accept it as true because our parents and teachers have told us and we have respect for them, we know in our bones and in our soul that it is true for us. It is this confession of Jesus as Messiah, son of the living God, on which the church is built and indeed we know that the gates of hell have not, in 2000 years, prevailed against the church built on that foundation. The one thing we have to remember is that it was only at that time the followers of Jesus were told not to tell anyone this great truth, we act as though we have been told to keep the secret, but we are to proclaim it from the rooftops for all the world to know.
Paul says that our lives are meant to display the Spirit of God living in us and shows the obvious distinctions between the life of the flesh and the life of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are set over against the works of the flesh in such a way that anyone can tell the difference and most people would choose the fruits of the Spirit. Who wouldn’t want to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? We have to know where to look for those things and they don’t come from the world, they come from setting our hearts and lives on Jesus. If we would have the reward we have to value Him above all else.
I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have rescued.
Psalm [70], 71; Eccles. 11:1-8; Gal. 5:16-24; Matt. 16:13-20
There are some things we can know, some aphorisms that are mostly true, but in the end we don’t know how things will turn out. In our day, the metaphors may be slightly different for most of us who no longer plant and reap for our daily bread, they might have more to do with investing or where we spend our effort in our careers, but in the end we still can’t accurately know what the end of things will be. The market crashes and catches investors unaware, sickness or injury befall us, someone commits fraud and our company closes, the possibilities are limitless. What is our pearl of great price, where have we stored up treasure?
Amazingly, Peter knows who Jesus truly is! What a moment this must have been for Jesus, that all His work and all His teaching had not been in vain. They were making right decisions, not based on what other people thought but based on what they had seen and heard. It is similar to when we come to real, saving faith, we no longer accept it as true because our parents and teachers have told us and we have respect for them, we know in our bones and in our soul that it is true for us. It is this confession of Jesus as Messiah, son of the living God, on which the church is built and indeed we know that the gates of hell have not, in 2000 years, prevailed against the church built on that foundation. The one thing we have to remember is that it was only at that time the followers of Jesus were told not to tell anyone this great truth, we act as though we have been told to keep the secret, but we are to proclaim it from the rooftops for all the world to know.
Paul says that our lives are meant to display the Spirit of God living in us and shows the obvious distinctions between the life of the flesh and the life of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are set over against the works of the flesh in such a way that anyone can tell the difference and most people would choose the fruits of the Spirit. Who wouldn’t want to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? We have to know where to look for those things and they don’t come from the world, they come from setting our hearts and lives on Jesus. If we would have the reward we have to value Him above all else.
I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have rescued.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
9 June 2010
Psalm 72; Eccles. 9:11-18; Gal. 5:1-15; Matt. 16:1-12
The book, The Road Less Travelled, begins with a simple sentence, Life is difficult. Solomon says it isn’t just difficult, it isn’t fair and it isn’t logical. You can’t figure it out because it doesn’t work the way it is supposed to work, there is a problem with the system so the race isn’t always won by the swift, intelligent people aren’t always the richest or most successful people, etc. We know the answers to what is wrong with the world but we don’t always like them because they don’t favor us, sin is the answer to all the ills of the world. Sin means those who cheat sometimes win instead of the best, it also helps us to understand the values of the world being out of whack. Why should someone who can hit or throw a ball with accuracy make millions while one who helps feed the homeless has little? We can’t change the world but we can allow God to change us and that is a start.
Sometimes the disciples must have felt like utter imbeciles when Jesus spoke to them. You have to believe that the Pharisees and the disciples wanted to know what was the “sign of Jonah” of which Jesus spoke, no one would have believed that it meant that he would rise from the dead after three days. When he spoke to them in the boat of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees they were completely confused, thinking He meant something about not having any bread, in spite of the fact that He had just miraculously provided bread for the multitude. The yeast is that corruption that breaks down the dough and causes it to rise and expand, each year they had to make a sweep of their homes to rid themselves of the old yeast that had fermented and start all over at the Passover. Jesus’ warning was to not let them be corrupted by the teaching of the experts in the law who had made everything complicated rather than teaching on grace inherent in the law, God’s desire to be in covenant and to forgive sins. Paul would certainly come to know the influence of the yeast of the Pharisees.
Circumcision is the mark of the old covenant, the sign to God and to others that you have chosen a particular way of life for yourself and when you choose that life, when you choose to enter through that door, you are liable for all the law and therefore the penalty of the law. In Jesus, the cross is the sign of the covenant, God’s sacrificial love for us to pay the penalty for us by fulfilling the law and yet accepting the penalty for sin, our sin. If we take the obligations of the law, we set aside the forgiveness of Christ, we take it upon ourselves to keep the law for our own righteousness. In accepting His sacrifice we make confession that we can’t do it ourselves but we recognize that He has and His sacrifice of Himself once offered is sufficient in the eyes of God for the sins of the entire world. Paul warns, however, that we are not saved in order to live lives of self-indulgence but rather lives of Christ-indulgence and other-indulgence, we are free to live completely for His sake and His glory and we are His alone, not beholden to any other. We have the command to be love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves and we have the right to not be hypocrites, but to confess that we are forgiven sinners, making no pretense to a righteousness of our own.
Blessed be the Lord, the God,
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name for ever;
may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.
Psalm 72; Eccles. 9:11-18; Gal. 5:1-15; Matt. 16:1-12
The book, The Road Less Travelled, begins with a simple sentence, Life is difficult. Solomon says it isn’t just difficult, it isn’t fair and it isn’t logical. You can’t figure it out because it doesn’t work the way it is supposed to work, there is a problem with the system so the race isn’t always won by the swift, intelligent people aren’t always the richest or most successful people, etc. We know the answers to what is wrong with the world but we don’t always like them because they don’t favor us, sin is the answer to all the ills of the world. Sin means those who cheat sometimes win instead of the best, it also helps us to understand the values of the world being out of whack. Why should someone who can hit or throw a ball with accuracy make millions while one who helps feed the homeless has little? We can’t change the world but we can allow God to change us and that is a start.
Sometimes the disciples must have felt like utter imbeciles when Jesus spoke to them. You have to believe that the Pharisees and the disciples wanted to know what was the “sign of Jonah” of which Jesus spoke, no one would have believed that it meant that he would rise from the dead after three days. When he spoke to them in the boat of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees they were completely confused, thinking He meant something about not having any bread, in spite of the fact that He had just miraculously provided bread for the multitude. The yeast is that corruption that breaks down the dough and causes it to rise and expand, each year they had to make a sweep of their homes to rid themselves of the old yeast that had fermented and start all over at the Passover. Jesus’ warning was to not let them be corrupted by the teaching of the experts in the law who had made everything complicated rather than teaching on grace inherent in the law, God’s desire to be in covenant and to forgive sins. Paul would certainly come to know the influence of the yeast of the Pharisees.
Circumcision is the mark of the old covenant, the sign to God and to others that you have chosen a particular way of life for yourself and when you choose that life, when you choose to enter through that door, you are liable for all the law and therefore the penalty of the law. In Jesus, the cross is the sign of the covenant, God’s sacrificial love for us to pay the penalty for us by fulfilling the law and yet accepting the penalty for sin, our sin. If we take the obligations of the law, we set aside the forgiveness of Christ, we take it upon ourselves to keep the law for our own righteousness. In accepting His sacrifice we make confession that we can’t do it ourselves but we recognize that He has and His sacrifice of Himself once offered is sufficient in the eyes of God for the sins of the entire world. Paul warns, however, that we are not saved in order to live lives of self-indulgence but rather lives of Christ-indulgence and other-indulgence, we are free to live completely for His sake and His glory and we are His alone, not beholden to any other. We have the command to be love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves and we have the right to not be hypocrites, but to confess that we are forgiven sinners, making no pretense to a righteousness of our own.
Blessed be the Lord, the God,
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name for ever;
may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
8 June 2010
Psalm 61, 62; Eccles. 8:14-9:10; Gal. 4:21-31; Matt. 15:29-39
Solomon really finds the ragged edge in this passage. He has seen that everything “under the sun” ends the same way, there is no justice, righteousness and wickedness have the same end, and in between birth and death you can’t expect much. Is there anything in what he says that isn’t truth? We have little maxims and proverbs that say many of these same things, we acknowledge for instance that no good deed goes unpunished. We know that life doesn’t always reward us for doing the right thing, and we know that God’s ways are higher than our ways, that we can’t know what it is that He is doing under the sun at any given moment. We also know that as difficult and puzzling and painful as this life can be it is better than the alternative. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, however, we know that there is hope of a better world and belief in Him assures us that we will be there in eternity.
The crowds see in Jesus that something new has happened, all their hopes might be realized. The kingdom that is inaugurated in Jesus is a harbinger or first fruits of the kingdom that will come when He returns. All illness and infirmity is done away with and in God’s compassion and love there is no hunger, all are provided for and there is abundant provision, not scarcity or just enough to go around. Such passages as this should stir in us a deep, passionate desire to pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The presence of Jesus among them raised their sights from under the sun to above the sun, and we as His followers are meant to lift the heads of the downcast and help them look up to Him and set their hopes on Him.
Paul provides a useful if offensive illustration to help the Galatians see themselves more clearly. Paul compares the Jewish people who are under the law to the child of Hagar, Ishmael and the Gentiles to the child of Sara, Isaac. The tables are turned in such a way that any Jewish person reading or hearing this letter read would have immediately have reacted with anger towards Paul. Paul, however, has tried that old system of law and realized that the grace he has received in Jesus so far surpasses the old covenant that what once was life to him is now slavery and the real freedom is in Jesus alone, not Jesus and the law. In all this, Paul’s argument is not that the commandments of God are now immaterial, simply that with the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have the law written on our hearts, and we have Jesus in us to guide and direct us, we have the assurance of relationship with God by grace and not law. Why would we go back to the system that never produced righteousness when we have the option of grace?
Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I call to you,
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I;
for you are my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me abide in your tent for ever,
find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
Psalm 61, 62; Eccles. 8:14-9:10; Gal. 4:21-31; Matt. 15:29-39
Solomon really finds the ragged edge in this passage. He has seen that everything “under the sun” ends the same way, there is no justice, righteousness and wickedness have the same end, and in between birth and death you can’t expect much. Is there anything in what he says that isn’t truth? We have little maxims and proverbs that say many of these same things, we acknowledge for instance that no good deed goes unpunished. We know that life doesn’t always reward us for doing the right thing, and we know that God’s ways are higher than our ways, that we can’t know what it is that He is doing under the sun at any given moment. We also know that as difficult and puzzling and painful as this life can be it is better than the alternative. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, however, we know that there is hope of a better world and belief in Him assures us that we will be there in eternity.
The crowds see in Jesus that something new has happened, all their hopes might be realized. The kingdom that is inaugurated in Jesus is a harbinger or first fruits of the kingdom that will come when He returns. All illness and infirmity is done away with and in God’s compassion and love there is no hunger, all are provided for and there is abundant provision, not scarcity or just enough to go around. Such passages as this should stir in us a deep, passionate desire to pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The presence of Jesus among them raised their sights from under the sun to above the sun, and we as His followers are meant to lift the heads of the downcast and help them look up to Him and set their hopes on Him.
Paul provides a useful if offensive illustration to help the Galatians see themselves more clearly. Paul compares the Jewish people who are under the law to the child of Hagar, Ishmael and the Gentiles to the child of Sara, Isaac. The tables are turned in such a way that any Jewish person reading or hearing this letter read would have immediately have reacted with anger towards Paul. Paul, however, has tried that old system of law and realized that the grace he has received in Jesus so far surpasses the old covenant that what once was life to him is now slavery and the real freedom is in Jesus alone, not Jesus and the law. In all this, Paul’s argument is not that the commandments of God are now immaterial, simply that with the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have the law written on our hearts, and we have Jesus in us to guide and direct us, we have the assurance of relationship with God by grace and not law. Why would we go back to the system that never produced righteousness when we have the option of grace?
Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I call to you,
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I;
for you are my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me abide in your tent for ever,
find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
Monday, June 7, 2010
7 June 2010
Psalm 56, 57; Eccles. 7:1-14; Gal. 4:12-20; Matt. 15:21-28
It is strange that Solomon has lamented the fact that people don’t enjoy what they have worked for and encourages enjoyment of labor and now turns and says that mourning is better than feasting. Simple Epicureanism and foolishness of heart are different from the enjoyment of life. A book was written about 20 years ago entitled Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business that challenged the culture created by television. The author, Neil Postman, argued that nothing was treated seriously any longer as it is all entertainment. In the intervening years, it can easily be established that the trend has only gotten worse. We live in an age when we as Christians need to re-establish seriousness as a virtue in some areas of life. It isn’t wrong to laugh but we need to re-examine when we should be more sober in our thinking and acting.
Jesus here initially treats this Canaanite woman as unworthy of his attention. Ken Bailey, a scholar who spent much of his life in the culture of the near East, says that in this encounter Jesus is putting his disciples to the test, challenging their attitudes towards “others.” Bailey’s premise is that Jesus’ dismissal of the woman and then the disciples request to help her is a sign of the prevailing sentiment to these others, Jesus is doing no more than mimicking Judaism. Finally, she gets in his path and stops him and even then Jesus speaks to her in such an offensive way as to shock even the disciples, calling her and her people “dogs.” Her perseverance and faith ultimately win His heart and He acts on her request. Bailey sees that in this scene Jewish prejudices are revealed and the Canaanite woman reveals true faith to these disciples. However we interpret Jesus’ actions and words, the faith of the woman is remarkable and her desire to see her child healed and delivered overcomes everything else. The Gentile woman has shown true faith.
Paul appeals to the Galatians to see the motives of those who would teach this other “gospel” that is not a Gospel at all. These others are attempting to exclude the Galatians from the church until they meet their requirements. By making much of them and then introducing the idea that there are further requirements, they are actually exalting themselves. How often do we do this same thing in the church by insisting that new people accept more than the Gospel to be part of the club? I don’t mean baptism or confirmation, I mean things that are particular to our denomination and we look down on people until they get the lingo or the gestures or understand how to use the Prayer Book. Paul is perplexed by their willingness to believe these things are necessary. We have to learn and continually remind ourselves what is of God and what is of man.
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
until the destroying storms pass by.
I cry to God Most High,
to God who fulfils his purpose for me.
Psalm 56, 57; Eccles. 7:1-14; Gal. 4:12-20; Matt. 15:21-28
It is strange that Solomon has lamented the fact that people don’t enjoy what they have worked for and encourages enjoyment of labor and now turns and says that mourning is better than feasting. Simple Epicureanism and foolishness of heart are different from the enjoyment of life. A book was written about 20 years ago entitled Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business that challenged the culture created by television. The author, Neil Postman, argued that nothing was treated seriously any longer as it is all entertainment. In the intervening years, it can easily be established that the trend has only gotten worse. We live in an age when we as Christians need to re-establish seriousness as a virtue in some areas of life. It isn’t wrong to laugh but we need to re-examine when we should be more sober in our thinking and acting.
Jesus here initially treats this Canaanite woman as unworthy of his attention. Ken Bailey, a scholar who spent much of his life in the culture of the near East, says that in this encounter Jesus is putting his disciples to the test, challenging their attitudes towards “others.” Bailey’s premise is that Jesus’ dismissal of the woman and then the disciples request to help her is a sign of the prevailing sentiment to these others, Jesus is doing no more than mimicking Judaism. Finally, she gets in his path and stops him and even then Jesus speaks to her in such an offensive way as to shock even the disciples, calling her and her people “dogs.” Her perseverance and faith ultimately win His heart and He acts on her request. Bailey sees that in this scene Jewish prejudices are revealed and the Canaanite woman reveals true faith to these disciples. However we interpret Jesus’ actions and words, the faith of the woman is remarkable and her desire to see her child healed and delivered overcomes everything else. The Gentile woman has shown true faith.
Paul appeals to the Galatians to see the motives of those who would teach this other “gospel” that is not a Gospel at all. These others are attempting to exclude the Galatians from the church until they meet their requirements. By making much of them and then introducing the idea that there are further requirements, they are actually exalting themselves. How often do we do this same thing in the church by insisting that new people accept more than the Gospel to be part of the club? I don’t mean baptism or confirmation, I mean things that are particular to our denomination and we look down on people until they get the lingo or the gestures or understand how to use the Prayer Book. Paul is perplexed by their willingness to believe these things are necessary. We have to learn and continually remind ourselves what is of God and what is of man.
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
until the destroying storms pass by.
I cry to God Most High,
to God who fulfils his purpose for me.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
6 June 2010
Psalms 24, 29; Eccles 6.1-12; Acts 10.9-23; Luke 12.32-40
What’s the use in working hard if you can’t enjoy the fruit of your labors? If everything you do is to feed an appetite that can’t be satisfied, what is the use? Either this life is wasted effort or it has some purpose to it. One of the biggest problems with atheism is that purpose has to be invented and the only community possible is with those who have determined a similar purpose. Two of the problems, even in that instance, are, one, it is not truly possible to impose that world view onto the rest of society without either violence or law-making which can always be changed (see Prohibition) and two, how to live out purpose isn’t necessarily an agreed upon item, ethics has to be worked out as well. How much of what we do and what we concern ourselves with is, as Solomon says, vanity? How much is truly eternal?
Preparedness for the coming of the kingdom requires action and alertness. The beginning of preparation is to seek after the kingdom, set our lives on it rather than anything else. Jesus begins this passage with a startling statement, sell everything and give alms. That is a high demand but it does reveal a great deal about who we are and where our treasure is in this life. Solomon has said it doesn’t matter anyway, a bunch of ingrates will inherit it. Even if we believe that, are we prepared to sell it all? What are you doing right now that would convince Jesus that you are preparing or prepared to receive Him?
Peter’s world-view is being changed. First, the heavenly vision regarding dietary restrictions shakes up his understanding and then these men come to fetch him on a missionary errand. The vision enables the mission as it breaks down one of the dividing walls between Jews and Gentiles, table fellowship is made possible. Peter objects as one under the law concerning what he can and cannot eat and remain faithful and yet the voice rebukes him. The voice further tells him to go with the men who are searching for him. He had to have been surprised when he went down and there they were, a group of Gentiles, taking him to see a Roman centurion who had experienced his own vision. Are we prepared to share all that we have and allow God to be sovereign in directing our steps, even when it seems out of step with our ideas?
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendour.
Psalms 24, 29; Eccles 6.1-12; Acts 10.9-23; Luke 12.32-40
What’s the use in working hard if you can’t enjoy the fruit of your labors? If everything you do is to feed an appetite that can’t be satisfied, what is the use? Either this life is wasted effort or it has some purpose to it. One of the biggest problems with atheism is that purpose has to be invented and the only community possible is with those who have determined a similar purpose. Two of the problems, even in that instance, are, one, it is not truly possible to impose that world view onto the rest of society without either violence or law-making which can always be changed (see Prohibition) and two, how to live out purpose isn’t necessarily an agreed upon item, ethics has to be worked out as well. How much of what we do and what we concern ourselves with is, as Solomon says, vanity? How much is truly eternal?
Preparedness for the coming of the kingdom requires action and alertness. The beginning of preparation is to seek after the kingdom, set our lives on it rather than anything else. Jesus begins this passage with a startling statement, sell everything and give alms. That is a high demand but it does reveal a great deal about who we are and where our treasure is in this life. Solomon has said it doesn’t matter anyway, a bunch of ingrates will inherit it. Even if we believe that, are we prepared to sell it all? What are you doing right now that would convince Jesus that you are preparing or prepared to receive Him?
Peter’s world-view is being changed. First, the heavenly vision regarding dietary restrictions shakes up his understanding and then these men come to fetch him on a missionary errand. The vision enables the mission as it breaks down one of the dividing walls between Jews and Gentiles, table fellowship is made possible. Peter objects as one under the law concerning what he can and cannot eat and remain faithful and yet the voice rebukes him. The voice further tells him to go with the men who are searching for him. He had to have been surprised when he went down and there they were, a group of Gentiles, taking him to see a Roman centurion who had experienced his own vision. Are we prepared to share all that we have and allow God to be sovereign in directing our steps, even when it seems out of step with our ideas?
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendour.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
5 June 2010
Psalm 55; Eccles. 5:8-20; Gal. 3:23-4:11; Matt. 15:1-20
Do what is in front of you to do and be content with what you have. If we work for gain and increase and asset growth, Solomon says it is all a waste of time and energy. We store up that which can be lost or stolen, not things of true value. The beginning of contentment and joy is thanks to God for what we have, that we have enough. In the Lord’s prayer we are taught to ask for our daily bread, if we can truly give thanks for that daily provision we can begin to be thankful in all things. It is important for us to recall that all things come from Him and delight ourselves not in all things but in the One who provides all things. It should almost be a glad surprise to us to sit down to a meal, to open the refrigerator and pull out food and drink, to be able to pay for our food, clothing and other material needs, to lie in a bed at night and sleep and to wake, to walk and talk, hear and see. In all things give thanks.
What are the weightier demands of the law? The Pharisees and scribes confront Jesus on the washing of hands, a huge matter in the writings on the law. To read the Mishnah on washing would indicate a serious problem with obsessive compulsive disorder and here it is clearly an important issue for these others. Jesus, however, sees the command to honor your father and mother as more important, an issue with which no one could disagree. They have things out of order both in their question here and their practices concerning the commandment. Jesus here agrees with Solomon concerning that which comes out of the mouth being that which defiles a person. Idle words destroy the witness of our lives.
For Paul to write that there is no longer Jew nor Greek and that they are all children of Abraham through faith requires a complete transformation of heart and mind theologically. All that has gone before, all that he has believed, has been overthrown in Jesus and he is now able to share the hope and the promise that had belonged only to the Jews with the entire world as a free gift of God. Paul’s entire worldview has been transformed by this encounter. He has no truck with those who would return to the law of sin and death when Jesus has come and we have been given the Holy Spirit and the spirit of adoption with which we cry out to God as Father. Our relationship with God has changed and our relationship to others has changed in Jesus’ work. That spirit of thankfulness should pervade our lives.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down towards your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul
The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Psalm 55; Eccles. 5:8-20; Gal. 3:23-4:11; Matt. 15:1-20
Do what is in front of you to do and be content with what you have. If we work for gain and increase and asset growth, Solomon says it is all a waste of time and energy. We store up that which can be lost or stolen, not things of true value. The beginning of contentment and joy is thanks to God for what we have, that we have enough. In the Lord’s prayer we are taught to ask for our daily bread, if we can truly give thanks for that daily provision we can begin to be thankful in all things. It is important for us to recall that all things come from Him and delight ourselves not in all things but in the One who provides all things. It should almost be a glad surprise to us to sit down to a meal, to open the refrigerator and pull out food and drink, to be able to pay for our food, clothing and other material needs, to lie in a bed at night and sleep and to wake, to walk and talk, hear and see. In all things give thanks.
What are the weightier demands of the law? The Pharisees and scribes confront Jesus on the washing of hands, a huge matter in the writings on the law. To read the Mishnah on washing would indicate a serious problem with obsessive compulsive disorder and here it is clearly an important issue for these others. Jesus, however, sees the command to honor your father and mother as more important, an issue with which no one could disagree. They have things out of order both in their question here and their practices concerning the commandment. Jesus here agrees with Solomon concerning that which comes out of the mouth being that which defiles a person. Idle words destroy the witness of our lives.
For Paul to write that there is no longer Jew nor Greek and that they are all children of Abraham through faith requires a complete transformation of heart and mind theologically. All that has gone before, all that he has believed, has been overthrown in Jesus and he is now able to share the hope and the promise that had belonged only to the Jews with the entire world as a free gift of God. Paul’s entire worldview has been transformed by this encounter. He has no truck with those who would return to the law of sin and death when Jesus has come and we have been given the Holy Spirit and the spirit of adoption with which we cry out to God as Father. Our relationship with God has changed and our relationship to others has changed in Jesus’ work. That spirit of thankfulness should pervade our lives.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down towards your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul
The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Friday, June 4, 2010
4 June 2010
Psalm 40, 54; Eccles. 5:1-7; Gal. 3:15-22; Matt. 14:22-36
Draw near to listen is good prayer advice. Often we approach the throne of God with many words rather than a heart desiring to first hear from Him. That attitude of listening first is a habit we should cultivate. Meditating on the Word is a good way to begin our time of prayer, not simply hurrying through a passage but a practice of lectio divina will allow us to move into the presence of God through His Word abiding in us. Solomon tells us to be careful about what we say, to guard our lips and our words, allow our lives to speak for us. The fear of God of which he writes here is that which brings us to a place of quiet humility before Him.
In order to get some time to pray Jesus sends the disciples out on the boat while He remained on the mountain. The storm that blew up on the lake provided an opportunity to reveal a bit more of His divine nature to them. Peter believes that in obedience to the command of Jesus even he can walk on the water but when he saw the strong wind he lost faith and began to sink. How like us that is. We profess great faith and make a great beginning of walking in faith in the midst of the storm but then we see the difficulties and lose heart. The Word of God and faith in that word must go hand in hand for it to be effectual in our lives. Faith without content and content without faith are equally ineffectual.
Paul’s attitude towards the law is utterly changed in his encounter with Jesus. His rabbinic side comes out in these teachings as he counters the arguments of those who have taught the Galatians that the law is key to covenant. He reaches back to the original promise and covenant with Abraham, the covenant that promised that through him all nations on earth would be blessed. Instead of the Mosaic covenant, Paul takes us back to the original covenant, one that was simply a promise based on faith. Abraham trusted the word of the Lord (the promise of land and offspring) and that faith was accounted to him as righteousness. The law has a purpose, however, and it is to allow us to see our sin in order that we understand God’s mercy and increase our hope for a deliverer.
Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.
Psalm 40, 54; Eccles. 5:1-7; Gal. 3:15-22; Matt. 14:22-36
Draw near to listen is good prayer advice. Often we approach the throne of God with many words rather than a heart desiring to first hear from Him. That attitude of listening first is a habit we should cultivate. Meditating on the Word is a good way to begin our time of prayer, not simply hurrying through a passage but a practice of lectio divina will allow us to move into the presence of God through His Word abiding in us. Solomon tells us to be careful about what we say, to guard our lips and our words, allow our lives to speak for us. The fear of God of which he writes here is that which brings us to a place of quiet humility before Him.
In order to get some time to pray Jesus sends the disciples out on the boat while He remained on the mountain. The storm that blew up on the lake provided an opportunity to reveal a bit more of His divine nature to them. Peter believes that in obedience to the command of Jesus even he can walk on the water but when he saw the strong wind he lost faith and began to sink. How like us that is. We profess great faith and make a great beginning of walking in faith in the midst of the storm but then we see the difficulties and lose heart. The Word of God and faith in that word must go hand in hand for it to be effectual in our lives. Faith without content and content without faith are equally ineffectual.
Paul’s attitude towards the law is utterly changed in his encounter with Jesus. His rabbinic side comes out in these teachings as he counters the arguments of those who have taught the Galatians that the law is key to covenant. He reaches back to the original promise and covenant with Abraham, the covenant that promised that through him all nations on earth would be blessed. Instead of the Mosaic covenant, Paul takes us back to the original covenant, one that was simply a promise based on faith. Abraham trusted the word of the Lord (the promise of land and offspring) and that faith was accounted to him as righteousness. The law has a purpose, however, and it is to allow us to see our sin in order that we understand God’s mercy and increase our hope for a deliverer.
Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
3 June 2010
Psalm 50; Eccles. 3:16-4:3; Gal. 3:1-14; Matt 14.13-21
Solomon’s view of things at this point is more or less existentialism, that things are just what they are, we are powerless to change them so we may as well just muddle through them. His conclusion so far is that there is no meaning or point in life, that we are little, if any, better off than animals. How can a man who has had so much in his life, who has been sought and praised for his wisdom, come to the conclusion that nothing matters and what if it did? One of the keys to understanding the book and his philosophy is the last verse of this passage, and the last few words of that verse, “the evil deeds that are done under the sun.” Under the sun is his way of speaking of temporal things and what happens under the sun fades and dies, we have to set our sights somewhere else to find meaning.
After hearing of the death of his cousin and the prophet who pointed to Him as Messiah, Jesus attempts to get some private space and time but the crowds follow Him. In His humanity Jesus surely needed some time to grieve and to sort out what John’s death meant for Him. He would now become the center of attention for those who were not of the Jerusalem party of the Jews and, in a less pleasant way, for those as well. Here, even in His grief, Jesus has compassion on others and accommodates their desire for healing and then for their need for food. His focus was always on others.
Paul is an extraordinary man. He spent the entire first part of his life pursuing righteousness under the law, excluding all those who were outside the covenant, non-Israelites, then spun on a dime theologically and changed everything he believed about the law and everything in the Bible. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed everything in his life. Here, he even argues that the children of Abraham are those who believe, not those who are circumcised and attempt to keep the law. He values the Spirit more highly than the law as the law is a failed enterprise as a way of getting eternal life. If our hope is in ourselves or anything else “under the sun” it is misplaced.
The mighty one, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
Psalm 50; Eccles. 3:16-4:3; Gal. 3:1-14; Matt 14.13-21
Solomon’s view of things at this point is more or less existentialism, that things are just what they are, we are powerless to change them so we may as well just muddle through them. His conclusion so far is that there is no meaning or point in life, that we are little, if any, better off than animals. How can a man who has had so much in his life, who has been sought and praised for his wisdom, come to the conclusion that nothing matters and what if it did? One of the keys to understanding the book and his philosophy is the last verse of this passage, and the last few words of that verse, “the evil deeds that are done under the sun.” Under the sun is his way of speaking of temporal things and what happens under the sun fades and dies, we have to set our sights somewhere else to find meaning.
After hearing of the death of his cousin and the prophet who pointed to Him as Messiah, Jesus attempts to get some private space and time but the crowds follow Him. In His humanity Jesus surely needed some time to grieve and to sort out what John’s death meant for Him. He would now become the center of attention for those who were not of the Jerusalem party of the Jews and, in a less pleasant way, for those as well. Here, even in His grief, Jesus has compassion on others and accommodates their desire for healing and then for their need for food. His focus was always on others.
Paul is an extraordinary man. He spent the entire first part of his life pursuing righteousness under the law, excluding all those who were outside the covenant, non-Israelites, then spun on a dime theologically and changed everything he believed about the law and everything in the Bible. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed everything in his life. Here, he even argues that the children of Abraham are those who believe, not those who are circumcised and attempt to keep the law. He values the Spirit more highly than the law as the law is a failed enterprise as a way of getting eternal life. If our hope is in ourselves or anything else “under the sun” it is misplaced.
The mighty one, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
2 June 2010
Psalm 119:49-72; Eccles. 3:1-15; Gal. 2:11-21; Matt. 14:1-12
To my generation, the baby boomers, this passage begins with a song by the Byrds. I wonder how many people know they were quoting Ecclesiastes? Solomon here gives a brief meditation on time and how we pass the time. In all things, God is sovereign, even over time. There are times appointed for all things and all times are as one, in the “experience” of God, nothing is past, present or future, all is present. It is fascinating to work through these few verses and in them see the mind of Solomon working out the issues of time and our lives with almost breath-taking brevity and clarity. All that we do is meant to be pleasure-giving and yet in all these things we are not to take primary or ultimate pleasure as they are themselves given us by God for pleasure. He is the source of pleasure and knows what is good for us. In all things we are to stand in awe of Him for His omnipotence, omniscience and love for us in that He provides all that we need to enjoy life and all things were arranged so that they come to pass for us just as planned.
Herod proves to be a man whose pleasures are more important than his principles. He had a problem, he had married his brother’s wife who had ambition and a beautiful daughter. Her ambition was to be fully accepted as the wife of the ruler but who had a problem in that John wouldn’t give them peace but confronted sin. Herod enjoyed the dance of the daughter so much he was willing to offer nearly anything in return, and that desire cost John his life. As we see in the news on a regular basis, men with power and position often are brought down by their desires. Surely Herod could have said no to this request but didn’t in spite of his misgivings, he wanted people to see him as a man of his word. John was only the beginning of Herod’s problems.
This is an important passage from Galatians, it speaks of justification by faith in Jesus and by no other means. We see that the problem of this other gospel must be a return to Judaism and the law. Paul takes great offense to such a suggestion and speaks of confronting Peter on the matter of the Gospel. Peter apparently was attempting to curry some sort of favor or be found acceptable in Jewish company by living a life of hypocrisy and Paul says even his companion Barnabas fell into this hypocrisy. In doing so, the preaching of the Gospel of grace had become confused and Paul will not have anyone confusing the Gospel. He sees clearly that he is a sinner and will not have any attempts at works righteousness as it is a failed system, it failed to produce what it intended. It is a remarkable thing for a man like Paul to say, I have been crucified with Christ, taking on the shame of acknowledging his sin in such a way as to identify with it so that the old man is no more, but Paul again and again speaks of all that has gone before as filthy rags. What they now embrace he has rejected and will not go back. Like Solomon, he has been there and done that and now it is simply his aim to allow Christ to live through him.
Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my distress,
that your promise gives me life.
Psalm 119:49-72; Eccles. 3:1-15; Gal. 2:11-21; Matt. 14:1-12
To my generation, the baby boomers, this passage begins with a song by the Byrds. I wonder how many people know they were quoting Ecclesiastes? Solomon here gives a brief meditation on time and how we pass the time. In all things, God is sovereign, even over time. There are times appointed for all things and all times are as one, in the “experience” of God, nothing is past, present or future, all is present. It is fascinating to work through these few verses and in them see the mind of Solomon working out the issues of time and our lives with almost breath-taking brevity and clarity. All that we do is meant to be pleasure-giving and yet in all these things we are not to take primary or ultimate pleasure as they are themselves given us by God for pleasure. He is the source of pleasure and knows what is good for us. In all things we are to stand in awe of Him for His omnipotence, omniscience and love for us in that He provides all that we need to enjoy life and all things were arranged so that they come to pass for us just as planned.
Herod proves to be a man whose pleasures are more important than his principles. He had a problem, he had married his brother’s wife who had ambition and a beautiful daughter. Her ambition was to be fully accepted as the wife of the ruler but who had a problem in that John wouldn’t give them peace but confronted sin. Herod enjoyed the dance of the daughter so much he was willing to offer nearly anything in return, and that desire cost John his life. As we see in the news on a regular basis, men with power and position often are brought down by their desires. Surely Herod could have said no to this request but didn’t in spite of his misgivings, he wanted people to see him as a man of his word. John was only the beginning of Herod’s problems.
This is an important passage from Galatians, it speaks of justification by faith in Jesus and by no other means. We see that the problem of this other gospel must be a return to Judaism and the law. Paul takes great offense to such a suggestion and speaks of confronting Peter on the matter of the Gospel. Peter apparently was attempting to curry some sort of favor or be found acceptable in Jewish company by living a life of hypocrisy and Paul says even his companion Barnabas fell into this hypocrisy. In doing so, the preaching of the Gospel of grace had become confused and Paul will not have anyone confusing the Gospel. He sees clearly that he is a sinner and will not have any attempts at works righteousness as it is a failed system, it failed to produce what it intended. It is a remarkable thing for a man like Paul to say, I have been crucified with Christ, taking on the shame of acknowledging his sin in such a way as to identify with it so that the old man is no more, but Paul again and again speaks of all that has gone before as filthy rags. What they now embrace he has rejected and will not go back. Like Solomon, he has been there and done that and now it is simply his aim to allow Christ to live through him.
Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my distress,
that your promise gives me life.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
1 June 2010
Psalm 45; Eccles. 2:16-26; Gal. 1:18-2:10; Matt. 13:53-58
You can’t take it with you, so eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Solomon sees that even working to build wealth is ultimately nothing more than vanity as who can tell whether the generations to come will squander what they have inherited. As it happens, his son squandered the good will he had built up in his lifetime as king. For all of Solomon’s wisdom, his son, Rehoboam, proved to be a foolish man from the beginning of his reign and the kingdom was divided into two pieces. Solomon sees that ultimately everything, food to eat or enjoyment, is from the Lord and that labor is simply labor, not an end in itself nor does it necessarily produce a desirable result.
They have the evidence of the deeds and the extraordinary teaching Jesus is doing and then suddenly they revert to, we know this guy, how can he be anything special. They don’t know, however, what they think they know. The answer to the question, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” is actually, no. Jesus does not bother to set that record straight, they have the evidence of what He is doing and what He has taught, and have asked the right first question, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?” If they had focused on that question they could have made a right judgment concerning Him but the other questions overwhelmed the primary question. Keeping first things first is always important.
Paul has kept the main thing the main thing. He has preached Christ and Him crucified and has not adulterated the Gospel with other things in spite of his upbringing and his advancement in Judaism. He says he has let go of the former things in order to hold onto the Gospel of grace. He is defending his rights as an apostle and that the church in Jerusalem has acknowledge the gifts and graces given to him among the Gentiles and have affirmed him in his message and work. His other defense is that they added nothing to the Gospel he has proclaimed other than to remember the poor which he was eager to do anyway. He is fully credentialed and accepted by the leaders although his only concern is to be acceptable to God. He is not much interested in church hierarchy.
In your majesty ride on victoriously
for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.
Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.
Psalm 45; Eccles. 2:16-26; Gal. 1:18-2:10; Matt. 13:53-58
You can’t take it with you, so eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Solomon sees that even working to build wealth is ultimately nothing more than vanity as who can tell whether the generations to come will squander what they have inherited. As it happens, his son squandered the good will he had built up in his lifetime as king. For all of Solomon’s wisdom, his son, Rehoboam, proved to be a foolish man from the beginning of his reign and the kingdom was divided into two pieces. Solomon sees that ultimately everything, food to eat or enjoyment, is from the Lord and that labor is simply labor, not an end in itself nor does it necessarily produce a desirable result.
They have the evidence of the deeds and the extraordinary teaching Jesus is doing and then suddenly they revert to, we know this guy, how can he be anything special. They don’t know, however, what they think they know. The answer to the question, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” is actually, no. Jesus does not bother to set that record straight, they have the evidence of what He is doing and what He has taught, and have asked the right first question, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?” If they had focused on that question they could have made a right judgment concerning Him but the other questions overwhelmed the primary question. Keeping first things first is always important.
Paul has kept the main thing the main thing. He has preached Christ and Him crucified and has not adulterated the Gospel with other things in spite of his upbringing and his advancement in Judaism. He says he has let go of the former things in order to hold onto the Gospel of grace. He is defending his rights as an apostle and that the church in Jerusalem has acknowledge the gifts and graces given to him among the Gentiles and have affirmed him in his message and work. His other defense is that they added nothing to the Gospel he has proclaimed other than to remember the poor which he was eager to do anyway. He is fully credentialed and accepted by the leaders although his only concern is to be acceptable to God. He is not much interested in church hierarchy.
In your majesty ride on victoriously
for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.
Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.
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