Hello! I'm glad you stopped by today. Just a follow up from my post yesterday: I talked about having to face a fear and how I hoped the words of Deut 31:6 had been seared into my mind to reassure me.
Turns out they were! I did something I was a bit intimidated by (but had to do) and it turned out OK. It's funny how we build things (or people in my case) up into being larger than life, then find out they're not so bad after all! Alright, enough about me. Onto the questions:
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Mar 30 What must we do if we are to be heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ and share in his glory? (Rom 8)
Romans 8:17 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Mar 31 Why was Joshua, son of Nun, filled with the spirit of wisdom? (Dt 34)
And here's the reflection of the day:
The first couple verses of our Romans text today is interesting to read in light of the sermon I preached on Sunday. (Look for the post "How to Be a Hallelujah" if you want to read it.)
In these first verses of Romans 9, Paul is expressing a deep grief he must bear. But the grief that Paul carries is not for those who have died; instead, it is for those who have rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Paul's view, to reject the gospel is to reject any hope for eternal life. Particularly he is grieved for his own people, the Jews. Wright points out, "Had there been any suggestion that his nonbelieving fellow Jews were on a parallel path to salvation, exercising their rights under a covenant different from that sealed with the blood of the Messiah, his grief would have been neither deep nor unceasing; it would have consisted merely of the frustration of their not at present seeing things from his point of view" (NIB Commentary on Romans).
For those who take salvation seriously, this is the same grief they would feel seeing friends and family reject the same gospel.
Wright also points out that this aspect of Paul's personality--this deep grief--is a good corrective to Christians who believe that grief is not allowed within the tradition. Paul is not a fan of "Pollyanna Christianity" where believers ignore all that is wrong and painful and causes grief. This is a very shallow form of faith, one that is too often advocated by both pastors and church folks: in the face of grief (caused by whatever reasons), people are often encouraged to get over it, move passed it, keep yourself busy and ignore it.
I hope that my "hallelujah" sermon on Sunday didn't encourage "Pollyanna Christianity," but rather that it provided encouragement to survive the darkness of grief and despair--not so much to get over it, but to honor the grief and to learn to survive it by hanging on to the peace we have with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5).
One of my favorite admonishments comes from Romans: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Rom 12:15). Faithful Christianity holds these two things in tension with each other, honoring the great celebrations in life as well as the great tragedies. Both are inescapable parts of life and somehow, as Christians, we need to figure out who to make both experiences make sense in our lives, as well as our theology.
Have a splendid day!
Allison
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Happy Monday! I hope you had a good weekend and are ready to get on with a new week. Let's get this party started!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Mar 29: How does Psalm 36 describe “the sinfulness of the wicked”?
Psalm 36:1-4 There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. 3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. 4 Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Mar 30 What must we do if we are to be heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ and share in his glory? (Rom 8)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Today's reflection is going to be short and sweet. (In case you haven't noticed it, pastors sometimes have the bad habit of making that which is blessedly simple terribly difficult. I'll try to avoid that, at least for now.)
Some pieces of Scripture are distracting. But they're distracting in a good way. I began my reading and didn't make it past Deuteronomy 31:6 where Moses commends the Israelites, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
If I could pick a passage of Scripture to have seared into my brain, this would make my top 5 list of possibilities. I'm afraid instead of words of God's assurance being uppermost in my mind, that spot is generally occupied by something else--things I am worried about or afraid of, I'm ashamed to say.
Now, Moses had a specific "them" in mind as he was talking to the Israelites, and you can read about that as the chapter goes on. But we can take a little liberty with this passage. Fill in whatever is your worst fear for "them."
Do not be afraid or terrified of "them"--FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. These are the words I wish were tattooed in my brain. These are the words that I hope you will keep hidden deep in your hearts.
I hope now that I've had time to think on it and meditate on it, I hope-hope-hope these words will come to mind in my time of need. (Which actually will be at 9:00am, so if you read this before then, PLEASE pray for me!)
And I hope-hope-hope the next time God calls you to face a fear, these words spring into your mind.
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Mar 29: How does Psalm 36 describe “the sinfulness of the wicked”?
Psalm 36:1-4 There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. 3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. 4 Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Mar 30 What must we do if we are to be heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ and share in his glory? (Rom 8)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Today's reflection is going to be short and sweet. (In case you haven't noticed it, pastors sometimes have the bad habit of making that which is blessedly simple terribly difficult. I'll try to avoid that, at least for now.)
Some pieces of Scripture are distracting. But they're distracting in a good way. I began my reading and didn't make it past Deuteronomy 31:6 where Moses commends the Israelites, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
If I could pick a passage of Scripture to have seared into my brain, this would make my top 5 list of possibilities. I'm afraid instead of words of God's assurance being uppermost in my mind, that spot is generally occupied by something else--things I am worried about or afraid of, I'm ashamed to say.
Now, Moses had a specific "them" in mind as he was talking to the Israelites, and you can read about that as the chapter goes on. But we can take a little liberty with this passage. Fill in whatever is your worst fear for "them."
Do not be afraid or terrified of "them"--FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. These are the words I wish were tattooed in my brain. These are the words that I hope you will keep hidden deep in your hearts.
I hope now that I've had time to think on it and meditate on it, I hope-hope-hope these words will come to mind in my time of need. (Which actually will be at 9:00am, so if you read this before then, PLEASE pray for me!)
And I hope-hope-hope the next time God calls you to face a fear, these words spring into your mind.
Allison
Sunday, March 29, 2009
How to Be a "Hallelujah"
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Let us pray: Holy God, sometimes your Word is not one we want to hear because it challenges us—or makes us uncomfortable. Open our minds and our hearts to truly listen to your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Romans 5:1-8
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance (produces) character; and character (produces) hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of the Lord endures forever, Amen.
INTRODUCTION
I was once at a funeral and the minister said she had heard a quote, and that she liked that quote so much that she tried to make it her life’s goal. And this was the quote: “To be a Christian is to be a hallelujah from head to toe.”
She wanted to be a “hallelujah” from head to toe—when she smiled, she wanted “hallelujah” to radiate from eyes and her heart. When she laughed, she wanted “hallelujah” to overflow from deep inside her. When she helped someone, she wanted pass the “hallelujah” on to them.
You’ve probably never heard this quote before; I know I never had. But I’m going to guess that, if you think about it hard enough, you can probably think of someone you know who is a “hallelujah from head to toe”—someone who is a never-ending stream of peacefulness and strong character and endless hope.
#1
Now, you might think that Christmas is the best time of year to work on being a “hallelujah.” At Christmas, everyone is happy and perky, at least for short periods of time. We can even be happy and perky for extended periods of time, if we absolutely have to. But being a “hallelujah” takes more than just perkiness.
I actually think Lent is the perfect time to work on becoming a “hallelujah from head to toe." Lent is a time of darkness—because we know at the end of Lent is crucifixion and death. Each week we extinguish another candle to symbolize the growing darkness as Jesus moves ever closer to the cross, and each week we have prayed for those whose lives are filled with hopelessness and darkness. Lent is a perfect time to work on being a “hallelujah” because “hallelujahs” happen even in darkness.
So to be a “hallelujah” is to walk through the valley of the shadow of death all the while knowing “all will be well.” To be a “hallelujah” is to feel the darkness surrounding you but knowing in your heart that, in the end, “all will be well.” To be a “hallelujah” is to look into someone else’s darkness and to remind them “all will be well.”
Anybody and everybody can say “hallelujah” during the good times. But the road to being a “hallelujah from head to toe"—much like the road to be a faithful Christian—is long and hard and painful.
Being a “hallelujah” takes hard work. It takes focus and concentration. It’s not something that can be achieved overnight. It is something that takes practice—day after day, trying . . . striving . . . struggling to be a “hallelujah” even in the middle of darkness.
#2
I know it sounds hard; it may even sound impossible to be a “hallelujah.” But it’s not. You can do this; you can be a “hallelujah” because God has already done the hard part: Romans 5 says while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. That means that Christ defeated death for you; Christ has overcome the darkness for you. In Jesus Christ, God has poured out his love into your heart through the Holy Spirit, who has also been given to you.
Because Christ died for you, you have peace with God through Jesus Christ. That means no amount of darkness and no amount of pain can defeat you. All you have to do is hang in there and persevere. And when you persevere, it will build your character. And as your character grows, you will always have just enough hope to keep going, to persevere.
And when you get the hang of perseverance, and when your character has grown, and when you know you have enough hope, you can be a “hallelujah.” In any situation, you can be a “hallelujah”—in the darkness, in the light, you are a “hallelujah.” In the face of the greatest pain and the greatest heartbreak, you can remind yourself and others through the peace we have with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and that “all will be well.”
CONCLUSION
I wish I could give each one of you a pearl. And when you go through a time of darkness, I wish you could hold that little pearl in your hand and know that when something painful comes into your life, God’s peace will help ease that pain, just like an oyster coats the irritating grain of sand until it is no longer painful. That little pearl would remind you that God’s peace will help you to persevere through the darkness.
We can persevere because God has done the hard part for us: while we were still sinners, completely undeserving of his grace, he died for us. Jesus has won victory over darkness for us. Though darkness still exists and sometimes surrounds us and sometimes even begins to overwhelm us, darkness will never destroy us, because Jesus has conquered darkness.
Out of all our pain and out all our darkness can come something beautiful. When we persevere through pain and darkness with hope, we can become a “hallelujah.”
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen
Let us pray: Holy God, sometimes your Word is not one we want to hear because it challenges us—or makes us uncomfortable. Open our minds and our hearts to truly listen to your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Romans 5:1-8
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance (produces) character; and character (produces) hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of the Lord endures forever, Amen.
INTRODUCTION
I was once at a funeral and the minister said she had heard a quote, and that she liked that quote so much that she tried to make it her life’s goal. And this was the quote: “To be a Christian is to be a hallelujah from head to toe.”
She wanted to be a “hallelujah” from head to toe—when she smiled, she wanted “hallelujah” to radiate from eyes and her heart. When she laughed, she wanted “hallelujah” to overflow from deep inside her. When she helped someone, she wanted pass the “hallelujah” on to them.
You’ve probably never heard this quote before; I know I never had. But I’m going to guess that, if you think about it hard enough, you can probably think of someone you know who is a “hallelujah from head to toe”—someone who is a never-ending stream of peacefulness and strong character and endless hope.
#1
Now, you might think that Christmas is the best time of year to work on being a “hallelujah.” At Christmas, everyone is happy and perky, at least for short periods of time. We can even be happy and perky for extended periods of time, if we absolutely have to. But being a “hallelujah” takes more than just perkiness.
I actually think Lent is the perfect time to work on becoming a “hallelujah from head to toe." Lent is a time of darkness—because we know at the end of Lent is crucifixion and death. Each week we extinguish another candle to symbolize the growing darkness as Jesus moves ever closer to the cross, and each week we have prayed for those whose lives are filled with hopelessness and darkness. Lent is a perfect time to work on being a “hallelujah” because “hallelujahs” happen even in darkness.
So to be a “hallelujah” is to walk through the valley of the shadow of death all the while knowing “all will be well.” To be a “hallelujah” is to feel the darkness surrounding you but knowing in your heart that, in the end, “all will be well.” To be a “hallelujah” is to look into someone else’s darkness and to remind them “all will be well.”
Anybody and everybody can say “hallelujah” during the good times. But the road to being a “hallelujah from head to toe"—much like the road to be a faithful Christian—is long and hard and painful.
Being a “hallelujah” takes hard work. It takes focus and concentration. It’s not something that can be achieved overnight. It is something that takes practice—day after day, trying . . . striving . . . struggling to be a “hallelujah” even in the middle of darkness.
#2
I know it sounds hard; it may even sound impossible to be a “hallelujah.” But it’s not. You can do this; you can be a “hallelujah” because God has already done the hard part: Romans 5 says while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. That means that Christ defeated death for you; Christ has overcome the darkness for you. In Jesus Christ, God has poured out his love into your heart through the Holy Spirit, who has also been given to you.
Because Christ died for you, you have peace with God through Jesus Christ. That means no amount of darkness and no amount of pain can defeat you. All you have to do is hang in there and persevere. And when you persevere, it will build your character. And as your character grows, you will always have just enough hope to keep going, to persevere.
And when you get the hang of perseverance, and when your character has grown, and when you know you have enough hope, you can be a “hallelujah.” In any situation, you can be a “hallelujah”—in the darkness, in the light, you are a “hallelujah.” In the face of the greatest pain and the greatest heartbreak, you can remind yourself and others through the peace we have with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and that “all will be well.”
CONCLUSION
I wish I could give each one of you a pearl. And when you go through a time of darkness, I wish you could hold that little pearl in your hand and know that when something painful comes into your life, God’s peace will help ease that pain, just like an oyster coats the irritating grain of sand until it is no longer painful. That little pearl would remind you that God’s peace will help you to persevere through the darkness.
We can persevere because God has done the hard part for us: while we were still sinners, completely undeserving of his grace, he died for us. Jesus has won victory over darkness for us. Though darkness still exists and sometimes surrounds us and sometimes even begins to overwhelm us, darkness will never destroy us, because Jesus has conquered darkness.
Out of all our pain and out all our darkness can come something beautiful. When we persevere through pain and darkness with hope, we can become a “hallelujah.”
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen
Happy Sabbath Day!
Happy Sabbath Day! First, I'll post the questions and answers. Then I'll post the sermon later on.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sat, Mar 28: What are the Israelites supposed to build once they “crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you”? (Dt 27)
Deuteronomy 27:2-3 When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the LORD your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
And here's the question of the day:
Sun, Mar 29: How does Psalm 36 describe “the sinfulness of the wicked”?
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sat, Mar 28: What are the Israelites supposed to build once they “crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you”? (Dt 27)
Deuteronomy 27:2-3 When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the LORD your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
And here's the question of the day:
Sun, Mar 29: How does Psalm 36 describe “the sinfulness of the wicked”?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Funeral Reflection
Reflection on Romans 7
I don't really have much to offer in terms of scholarly research for this little post. It really is a reflection more than explanation.
Today I went to my Aunt Dorothy's funeral. She was one of my grandfather's sisters. I knew of her and know I met her when I was younger, but other than her love of strawberries, I don't know much about her.
Funerals are fascinating things, particularly if you only know about the person, but don't know them well. I always wish I had known people better by the end of a funeral. And this was another one of those funerals.
Aunt Dorothy was a pillar of faith, one of the "salt of the earth." Her minister, friends, and families all talked about the depth of her love and the meaningful ways she impacted their lives, particularly influencing their spiritual journeys with God.
When I read Romans 7, it made me think of Aunt Dorothy and the spiritual role model she was for people--I think she (and others) must have found delight in God's law in her inner being (v22). How else could she have been as wonderful as she was? Even the great saints in the church do what they know they shouldn't do AND don't do what they should do. But their delight in God's law is so great as to help them overcome the sin which is living in them (v17).
Thanks be to God for Aunt Dorothy, the great saints of the church, and for all the ways they point us toward God!
Allison
I don't really have much to offer in terms of scholarly research for this little post. It really is a reflection more than explanation.
Today I went to my Aunt Dorothy's funeral. She was one of my grandfather's sisters. I knew of her and know I met her when I was younger, but other than her love of strawberries, I don't know much about her.
Funerals are fascinating things, particularly if you only know about the person, but don't know them well. I always wish I had known people better by the end of a funeral. And this was another one of those funerals.
Aunt Dorothy was a pillar of faith, one of the "salt of the earth." Her minister, friends, and families all talked about the depth of her love and the meaningful ways she impacted their lives, particularly influencing their spiritual journeys with God.
When I read Romans 7, it made me think of Aunt Dorothy and the spiritual role model she was for people--I think she (and others) must have found delight in God's law in her inner being (v22). How else could she have been as wonderful as she was? Even the great saints in the church do what they know they shouldn't do AND don't do what they should do. But their delight in God's law is so great as to help them overcome the sin which is living in them (v17).
Thanks be to God for Aunt Dorothy, the great saints of the church, and for all the ways they point us toward God!
Allison
Part 1
I have to head out to a funeral in a little bit (my great Aunt Dorothy), so I'm going to post the questions and answers now and reflect when I get back this afternoon. Thank you for understanding.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 27: Jesus died and rose again. Is it possible that he could die again? (Rom 6)
Romans 6:9 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 28: What are the Israelites supposed to build once they “crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you”? (Dt 27)
See you soon!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 27: Jesus died and rose again. Is it possible that he could die again? (Rom 6)
Romans 6:9 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 28: What are the Israelites supposed to build once they “crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you”? (Dt 27)
See you soon!
Allison
Friday, March 27, 2009
Don't forget. . .
IF YOU'RE READING THIS BLOG. . .
YOU'RE INVITED TO A
Year of the Bible Potluck Dinner
TODAY at 6:00p at the Frankfort Church.
TODAY at 6:00p at the Frankfort Church.
(3326 State Route 18 Hookstown PA 15050)
Bring a dish to share and your Bible!
Today is a New Day
One of my favorite lines from Anne of Green Gables is when Anne's teacher, Miss Stacey, counsels Anne that "Today is a new day, with no mistakes in it." So, I'll forgive myself for not getting to the blog yesterday and move on ahead with today: no guilt, no recriminations.
I hope, if (when!) you get behind in your reading, you don't beat yourself up but instead of just think of today as a new day and start reading again!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, Mar 26: How does God demonstrate his own love for us? (Rom 5)
Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Mar 27: Jesus died and rose again. Is it possible that he could die again? (Rom 6)
And here's the reflection of the day:
There are some curious "laws" included in our reading from Deuteronomy 25 today, so I thought I'd do a little extra reading and share the interesting stuff I found with you.
These laws concern what is called "levirate marriage." But it doesn't have anything to do with the Levites; "levir" is Latin for "husband's brother." So, this set of laws (25:5-10) "gives formal approval to measures aimed at coping with a situation in which a woman was widowed without having a son to assume the male role within the household" (Clements, NIB Commentary).
Clements believes that this idea of a brother marrying his brother's widow was practiced on an ad hoc basis and probably wasn't a well-established practice, or even legally enforceable.
The requirement is that a widow could not marry outside the family, and it was intended "to ensure that the property of the deceased husband remained within his family's control" (Clements). Its purpose to provide the possibility of a male heir, named for the deceased brother, who would eventually take control of the family's estate and keep the father's line going. (You can go back and read a narrative illustrating this law in Gen 38:12-30.)
Now, remember what Leviticus 18:16 said: "16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness." It is generally understood that this holiness code law (which seems to forbid levirate marriage) was probably written much later than Deuteronomy 25 and reflects the fact that the practice of levirate marriage was never widely adopted (Clements).
Perhaps the most interesting part of this clump of verses is the husband's brother's ability (sort 0f) to opt out of levirate marriage. Now, what reasons could a husband's brother have to NOT marry his brother's widow? It seems there are two: 1) the husband's brother might be in the position to acquire the estate himself and add it to his own property, instead of letting it stand in his brother's name. And 2) if he married his s-i-l, "the value of his own property might be diminished and his status in the community lessened if a major entitlement remained in the name of his dead brother" (Clements).
The brother can opt out of this levirate marriage, but he must endure a ceremony that bears a strong resemblance to a public shaming. The removal of the sandal and the spitting in the face is meant to symbolize the brother's failure to uphold the integrity of family and its estate. "The sandal was the token of 'walking over' a piece of land as a sign of ownership. Its removal signified that the owner of the sandal had not shown proper regard for his (extended) family's property" (Clements, again!).
This ceremonial act of shaming had a power influence on social behavior. But this is clearly a social matter and not a judicial matter that requires the court's interference.
Though the OT emphasizes the need for the husband's family to care for the widows and orphans among them, the NT emphasizes the role of the church/faith community in the care of widows and orphans. It's interesting to watch as society changes and the varied approaches to handling problems that, like the poor, are always with us.
In our contemporary world, single-parent families are common. Whether as a result of divorce or death or a myriad of other reasons, many individuals in our world create a life for their children on their own, sometimes with financial help from the the extended family, sometimes not.
We like to think of marriage as a sacred institution and family given to us by God. But it's interesting to note that, at least in biblical times, economics was just as important as the creation mandate.
Being one who is not married, I cannot give my own first hand impressions of this idea. What do you think? How much is marriage today a matter of economics? a matter of affinity and love? Maybe a better question is how much a matter of staying married or marrying again quickly or not divorcing a matter of economics?
Tell me what you think!
Allison
I hope, if (when!) you get behind in your reading, you don't beat yourself up but instead of just think of today as a new day and start reading again!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, Mar 26: How does God demonstrate his own love for us? (Rom 5)
Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Mar 27: Jesus died and rose again. Is it possible that he could die again? (Rom 6)
And here's the reflection of the day:
There are some curious "laws" included in our reading from Deuteronomy 25 today, so I thought I'd do a little extra reading and share the interesting stuff I found with you.
These laws concern what is called "levirate marriage." But it doesn't have anything to do with the Levites; "levir" is Latin for "husband's brother." So, this set of laws (25:5-10) "gives formal approval to measures aimed at coping with a situation in which a woman was widowed without having a son to assume the male role within the household" (Clements, NIB Commentary).
Clements believes that this idea of a brother marrying his brother's widow was practiced on an ad hoc basis and probably wasn't a well-established practice, or even legally enforceable.
The requirement is that a widow could not marry outside the family, and it was intended "to ensure that the property of the deceased husband remained within his family's control" (Clements). Its purpose to provide the possibility of a male heir, named for the deceased brother, who would eventually take control of the family's estate and keep the father's line going. (You can go back and read a narrative illustrating this law in Gen 38:12-30.)
Now, remember what Leviticus 18:16 said: "16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness." It is generally understood that this holiness code law (which seems to forbid levirate marriage) was probably written much later than Deuteronomy 25 and reflects the fact that the practice of levirate marriage was never widely adopted (Clements).
Perhaps the most interesting part of this clump of verses is the husband's brother's ability (sort 0f) to opt out of levirate marriage. Now, what reasons could a husband's brother have to NOT marry his brother's widow? It seems there are two: 1) the husband's brother might be in the position to acquire the estate himself and add it to his own property, instead of letting it stand in his brother's name. And 2) if he married his s-i-l, "the value of his own property might be diminished and his status in the community lessened if a major entitlement remained in the name of his dead brother" (Clements).
The brother can opt out of this levirate marriage, but he must endure a ceremony that bears a strong resemblance to a public shaming. The removal of the sandal and the spitting in the face is meant to symbolize the brother's failure to uphold the integrity of family and its estate. "The sandal was the token of 'walking over' a piece of land as a sign of ownership. Its removal signified that the owner of the sandal had not shown proper regard for his (extended) family's property" (Clements, again!).
This ceremonial act of shaming had a power influence on social behavior. But this is clearly a social matter and not a judicial matter that requires the court's interference.
Though the OT emphasizes the need for the husband's family to care for the widows and orphans among them, the NT emphasizes the role of the church/faith community in the care of widows and orphans. It's interesting to watch as society changes and the varied approaches to handling problems that, like the poor, are always with us.
In our contemporary world, single-parent families are common. Whether as a result of divorce or death or a myriad of other reasons, many individuals in our world create a life for their children on their own, sometimes with financial help from the the extended family, sometimes not.
We like to think of marriage as a sacred institution and family given to us by God. But it's interesting to note that, at least in biblical times, economics was just as important as the creation mandate.
Being one who is not married, I cannot give my own first hand impressions of this idea. What do you think? How much is marriage today a matter of economics? a matter of affinity and love? Maybe a better question is how much a matter of staying married or marrying again quickly or not divorcing a matter of economics?
Tell me what you think!
Allison
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Where does the time go?!
Well, Wednesday got away from me (unexpectedly this time!) and I chose to finally go to bed rather than to blog. My apologies. . .
DON'T FORGET:
YOTB POTLUCK DINNER
FRI, MAY 27 AT 6:00p
Bring a dish to share and your Bible!!
Here's Tuesday's question and answer:
Tues, Mar 24: When the Israelite army approaches a city’s gates in order to attack it, what should they do first? (Dt 20)Tues, Mar 24: When the Israelite army approaches a city’s gates in order to attack it, what should they do first? (Dt 20)
Deuteronomy 20:10-12 10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.
And here's Wednesday's question and answer:
Weds, Mar 25: Complete this sentence: “Be sure to bury him that same day, _________________________________________________________(Dt 21)
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse.
BONUS POINT: Give yourself a bonus point if you know how this passage connects to the Easter story!
And here's the question of the day:
Thurs, Mar 26: How does God demonstrate his own love for us? (Rom 5)
Sorry, friends, the phone won't stop ringing and I have some other pressing things to take care of. (It's actually been almost an hour since I started this post.) I'll try to come back and reflect later on today.
Allison
PS P-I-T-T, Let's go PITT!
Here's Tuesday's question and answer:
Tues, Mar 24: When the Israelite army approaches a city’s gates in order to attack it, what should they do first? (Dt 20)Tues, Mar 24: When the Israelite army approaches a city’s gates in order to attack it, what should they do first? (Dt 20)
Deuteronomy 20:10-12 10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.
And here's Wednesday's question and answer:
Weds, Mar 25: Complete this sentence: “Be sure to bury him that same day, _________________________________________________________(Dt 21)
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse.
BONUS POINT: Give yourself a bonus point if you know how this passage connects to the Easter story!
And here's the question of the day:
Thurs, Mar 26: How does God demonstrate his own love for us? (Rom 5)
Sorry, friends, the phone won't stop ringing and I have some other pressing things to take care of. (It's actually been almost an hour since I started this post.) I'll try to come back and reflect later on today.
Allison
PS P-I-T-T, Let's go PITT!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Resurrection: Optional or Mandatory?
One of the disadvantages of doing the "Year of the Bible" is that we're not necessarily reading texts which match the liturgical seasons. For instance, as we go through Lent, it would be lovely to be reading through one of the gospels. I imagine it's because the date of Easter bounces around so much that one cannot set a reading schedule to match the liturgical calendar exactly.
So, it's a happy day (for nerdy pastors like me) when what we're reading each day does fit with the church season. So I'm glad we're in Romans as we approach Easter. It's not exactly a retelling of the Passion story, like you'd read in the gospels, but it's a theological "sorting out" of what Jesus' death and resurrection means. But, first things first.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Mar 23: How many witnesses is it necessary to have in order to put someone to death? (Dt 17—I know, what a macabre question!)
Deuteronomy 17:6 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Mar 24: When the Israelite army approaches a city’s gates in order to attack it, what should they do first? (Dt 20)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Romans 4 deals with an issue that for some is mandatory but for others is optional. Throughout history, in the Western world, it has "often been thought quite acceptable, sometimes even desirable, sometimes actually mandatory, that one should disbelieve in the resurrection of Jesus" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans). There are many reasons people choose to disbelieve this--mainly for "scientific" reasons concerning the "real facts of the world" (Wright).
Perhaps to address this concern, Paul uses Abraham and Sarah as examples of faithful believers who believed God could defy reality (or what today we'd call "science") and bring new life out of that bodies which were "as good as dead" (v19). But, the new life that Jesus receives, after his crucifixion and death, is "not merely a resuscitation into the same sort of bodily existence as before, but a new dimension of bodily existence" (Wright). Abraham and Sarah were resuscitated, in a way, through the new life of Isaac. But it was the same bodily form. Jesus was resurrected to new life, in a new bodily form.
Wright also points out that, for Paul, it is not possible to be a Christian and to disbelieve in Jesus' resurrection. It simply cannot be. To call oneself a Christian but to deny the resurrection is a heretical hybrid. There is plenty of room for discussion about how it happened and what exactly happened and how we should tell this part God's story to a scientific world that won't believe something until they see it for themselves. But for Paul, to disbelieve the resurrection is to render the rest of one's faith null and void.
It seems especially appropriate in this time of Lent to consider the so-called "impossibility" of the resurrection. This time of year, leading up to Easter, is precisely the right time to ask ourselves this question: do we, deep down in our heart of hearts where we cling to bedrock truths, believe in Jesus' resurrection? Perhaps the better question is this: have we thought about it enough to realize how "impossible" such an event is and how silly (and daring) it is for us to believe in it?
It is easy to pay lip-service to Jesus' resurrection, to glibly agree without much thought. To do this is almost as bad as to deny the resurrection. But it is not just to the deny the resurrection; it is to deny the One "who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead" (v24).
So, when was the last time you thought about the resurrection? Might it be time to think about it again?
Allison
So, it's a happy day (for nerdy pastors like me) when what we're reading each day does fit with the church season. So I'm glad we're in Romans as we approach Easter. It's not exactly a retelling of the Passion story, like you'd read in the gospels, but it's a theological "sorting out" of what Jesus' death and resurrection means. But, first things first.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Mar 23: How many witnesses is it necessary to have in order to put someone to death? (Dt 17—I know, what a macabre question!)
Deuteronomy 17:6 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Mar 24: When the Israelite army approaches a city’s gates in order to attack it, what should they do first? (Dt 20)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Romans 4 deals with an issue that for some is mandatory but for others is optional. Throughout history, in the Western world, it has "often been thought quite acceptable, sometimes even desirable, sometimes actually mandatory, that one should disbelieve in the resurrection of Jesus" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans). There are many reasons people choose to disbelieve this--mainly for "scientific" reasons concerning the "real facts of the world" (Wright).
Perhaps to address this concern, Paul uses Abraham and Sarah as examples of faithful believers who believed God could defy reality (or what today we'd call "science") and bring new life out of that bodies which were "as good as dead" (v19). But, the new life that Jesus receives, after his crucifixion and death, is "not merely a resuscitation into the same sort of bodily existence as before, but a new dimension of bodily existence" (Wright). Abraham and Sarah were resuscitated, in a way, through the new life of Isaac. But it was the same bodily form. Jesus was resurrected to new life, in a new bodily form.
Wright also points out that, for Paul, it is not possible to be a Christian and to disbelieve in Jesus' resurrection. It simply cannot be. To call oneself a Christian but to deny the resurrection is a heretical hybrid. There is plenty of room for discussion about how it happened and what exactly happened and how we should tell this part God's story to a scientific world that won't believe something until they see it for themselves. But for Paul, to disbelieve the resurrection is to render the rest of one's faith null and void.
It seems especially appropriate in this time of Lent to consider the so-called "impossibility" of the resurrection. This time of year, leading up to Easter, is precisely the right time to ask ourselves this question: do we, deep down in our heart of hearts where we cling to bedrock truths, believe in Jesus' resurrection? Perhaps the better question is this: have we thought about it enough to realize how "impossible" such an event is and how silly (and daring) it is for us to believe in it?
It is easy to pay lip-service to Jesus' resurrection, to glibly agree without much thought. To do this is almost as bad as to deny the resurrection. But it is not just to the deny the resurrection; it is to deny the One "who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead" (v24).
So, when was the last time you thought about the resurrection? Might it be time to think about it again?
Allison
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Perfect King
Hello! Glad you stopped by today. Let's get down to business. . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Mar 22: Deuteronomy 15 describes something called the “Year of Jubilee.” What do you think of it? Why do you think God commanded it?
This is really more of an opinion question based on what you've read about the Year of Jubilee. There isn't exactly a right or wrong answer.
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Mar 23: How many witnesses is it necessary to have in order to put someone to death? (Dt 17—I know, I know, what a macabre question!)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Ancient Israel basically had four types of administrators to run their society: priests, judges, kings, and prophets. Throughout the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), we have heard lots and lots and lots about the role of the Levites (sons of Levi), who were designated as the priests of Israel.
Deuteronomy 17 mentions the role of the king for the first time. Remember, up until this time, Moses and the elders/judges have been the ones keeping track of everyone as Israel wandered through the wilderness, while the Levites took care of the tabernacle (the place where God's presence dwelled).
But now that they are on the edge of the Promised Land, ready to take possession of it, God reveals to them a new plan for their administration. Once they are settled, they will be more than a community of faith; they will become a whole nation. And a whole nation needs strong leadership, leadership in the form of a king, right? The writers of Deuteronomy seem to think of a king more as a concession rather than something indispensable, though other places in the Bible seem to think that a king IS a necessity (Clements, NIB Commentary on Deuteronomy).
The writers of Deuteronomy give us an outline for "A Perfect King." His power is modest: he should not have a lot of personal resources (horses, wives, etc), he is to study the law "all the days of his life" so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees," and he should not consider himself better than others. (If you know anything about Israel's history, you know that very few kings actually live up to these standards, creating a terrible succession of very IMPERFECT kings.)
The role of the king of Israel was VERY different from the typical king of the day. Generally, the kings claimed they were appointed by God, "chosen and supported by an act of divine will, enabling kings to exercise a form of 'divine' rule on earth" (Clements). Human kings acted on behalf of--and in the place of--God. So kingship in ancient Israel was a theocracy, where the "anointed of God" had a divine rule over his people. What this means is that whatever a king did, he could claim it was by divine authority and is unquestionable.
Societies "received" their kings, rather than choosing them. Kingship had the potential to be a powerful and inherently oppressive form of government. It didn't have to be that way. Certainly, the writes of Deuteronomy sought to put safeguards in place against such corruption.
When the Bible talks about kings and leaders, it doesn't really assassinate someone's character, but neither does it gloss over one's mistakes. What the Bible wants to emphasize is that kings (and all leaders, whether civil leaders or church leaders, which are essentially the same thing for them) are "simply servants of a higher power and a more perfect justice" (Clements).
In our day, it's a little harder to hold leaders to this accountability, at least our "worldly" leaders. Though it is nice when politicians remember that they work for the people who elected them, I don't want to equate taxpayers with a "higher power." That alone is the position which God holds. Maybe it is time for more believers to be involved in both church government AND the civil government. In that way, we know that at least some of our leaders are in the same vein as Deuteronomy's idea of a good leader: one who will "follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."
Just a thought!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Mar 22: Deuteronomy 15 describes something called the “Year of Jubilee.” What do you think of it? Why do you think God commanded it?
This is really more of an opinion question based on what you've read about the Year of Jubilee. There isn't exactly a right or wrong answer.
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Mar 23: How many witnesses is it necessary to have in order to put someone to death? (Dt 17—I know, I know, what a macabre question!)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Ancient Israel basically had four types of administrators to run their society: priests, judges, kings, and prophets. Throughout the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), we have heard lots and lots and lots about the role of the Levites (sons of Levi), who were designated as the priests of Israel.
Deuteronomy 17 mentions the role of the king for the first time. Remember, up until this time, Moses and the elders/judges have been the ones keeping track of everyone as Israel wandered through the wilderness, while the Levites took care of the tabernacle (the place where God's presence dwelled).
But now that they are on the edge of the Promised Land, ready to take possession of it, God reveals to them a new plan for their administration. Once they are settled, they will be more than a community of faith; they will become a whole nation. And a whole nation needs strong leadership, leadership in the form of a king, right? The writers of Deuteronomy seem to think of a king more as a concession rather than something indispensable, though other places in the Bible seem to think that a king IS a necessity (Clements, NIB Commentary on Deuteronomy).
The writers of Deuteronomy give us an outline for "A Perfect King." His power is modest: he should not have a lot of personal resources (horses, wives, etc), he is to study the law "all the days of his life" so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees," and he should not consider himself better than others. (If you know anything about Israel's history, you know that very few kings actually live up to these standards, creating a terrible succession of very IMPERFECT kings.)
The role of the king of Israel was VERY different from the typical king of the day. Generally, the kings claimed they were appointed by God, "chosen and supported by an act of divine will, enabling kings to exercise a form of 'divine' rule on earth" (Clements). Human kings acted on behalf of--and in the place of--God. So kingship in ancient Israel was a theocracy, where the "anointed of God" had a divine rule over his people. What this means is that whatever a king did, he could claim it was by divine authority and is unquestionable.
Societies "received" their kings, rather than choosing them. Kingship had the potential to be a powerful and inherently oppressive form of government. It didn't have to be that way. Certainly, the writes of Deuteronomy sought to put safeguards in place against such corruption.
When the Bible talks about kings and leaders, it doesn't really assassinate someone's character, but neither does it gloss over one's mistakes. What the Bible wants to emphasize is that kings (and all leaders, whether civil leaders or church leaders, which are essentially the same thing for them) are "simply servants of a higher power and a more perfect justice" (Clements).
In our day, it's a little harder to hold leaders to this accountability, at least our "worldly" leaders. Though it is nice when politicians remember that they work for the people who elected them, I don't want to equate taxpayers with a "higher power." That alone is the position which God holds. Maybe it is time for more believers to be involved in both church government AND the civil government. In that way, we know that at least some of our leaders are in the same vein as Deuteronomy's idea of a good leader: one who will "follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."
Just a thought!
Allison
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday Stuff
Though I should be outside enjoying the beautiful weather, instead I'm going to enjoy the hockey game (go Pens!) and take a nap--my favorite spiritual discipline!
So here are the questions/answers and I've included the sermon from this morning as the "reflection" of the day.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sat, Mar 21: Romans 2:6 says God "will give to each person according to what he has done." What do you think this means?
Romans 2:7-8 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
And here's the question of the day:
Sun, Mar 22: Deuteronomy 15 describes something called the “Year of Jubilee.” What do you think of it? Why do you think God commanded it?
And instead of a reflection, here's Sunday's sermon.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Let us pray: Holy God, sometimes your Word is not one we want to hear because it challenges us—or makes us uncomfortable. Open our minds and our hearts to truly listen to your Word, to hear how you instruct us with great love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
INTRO TO SCRIPTURE
The Bible is the story of God. And part of that story –the part the Year of the Bible folks have been reading in the Old Testament—is about God’s relationship to Israel, his chosen people. The Israelites were stuck in slavery in Egypt and God liberated them; God set them free. God set them free and helped to build them into their own nation, a nation set aside and made holy by God. He came down from the mountain and dwelled among them in the tabernacle, something no other god in any other religion ever did. God came down and lived among them.
And God went with them in the tabernacle, as they wandered for years and years and years on their way to the Promised Land that God had given to them. There were a few bumps in the road along the way—particularly an incident with some Moabite women that included some idolatry and adultery—but, in our Scripture reading this morning, the Israelites have finally made it to the Promised Land.
They are actually standing on the edge of it, looking down over it. Now it’s make it or break it time. This is what they’ve been preparing for for generations! Moses knows how important it is NOT to screw this up.
The Israelites need to be reminded of who they are and whose they are. They need to be reminded of why God called them to this place and what God expects of them in return.
So, with all that being said, our Scripture reading today is from Deuteronomy 4:1-9.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Deuteronomy 4:1-9
1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
3 You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, 4 but all of you who held fast to the LORD your God are still alive today.
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."
7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.
The grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of the Lord endures forever, Amen.
INTRODUCTION
Now, we all know people who love to argue. Perhaps they’re our friends, perhaps we’re related to them. We all know people who love to argue. They can argue about whether the Penguins or the Flyers will win this afternoon’s game; they can argue about whose March Madness bracket is the best; they’ll argue about Mac versus PC; gas stoves versus electric stoves; coke versus pepsi; mayonnaise versus miracle whip; about whether to stop for directions or not. We all know people who can argue about ANYTHING IN THE WHOLE WORLD, even things we never would have imagined were POSSIBLE to argue over. I suspect that maybe we even have a few “arguers” here amongst us this morning.
So, if you want to get these folks stirred up, try throwing out this question: “Should the 1o Commandments be removed from all courthouses across the country?” Ask that question, then stand back and watch the fireworks. The question of the 10 Commandments and whether they should or should not be displayed in the local courthouse is a topic that is sure to get even those of us who DON’T particularly care for arguing involved in the argument.
#1
So, it’s ironic really that the Bible itself does not have an opinion about whether or not the 10 Commandments should be hung in the courthouse or not. Our Scripture passage from Deuteronomy is just one of the examples where the Bible talks about the 10 Commandments—which Deuteronomy includes as part of the “decrees and laws”—but doesn’t mention anything about the physical placement of them.
The truth is, as much as we might like to argue about where they should go, God is not so much concerned about whether or not the 10 Commandments are being hung “out there” somewhere so much as He is concerned about whether all of his “decrees and laws” are “in here.”
That’s what’s at the heart of this passage: God is interested in making sure that his laws are “in here;” he wants to make sure that his laws are something that we will not forget; and that his laws are something that we will teach to our children and our children’s children.
The New Testament book of Hebrews tells us that God says, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Hebrews 8:10). God has written his laws on our hearts—they are inside of us.
We all know what is right; we all know what is wrong. Call it your conscience, call it Jiminy Cricket sitting on your shoulder, call it whatever you want. I call it God’s laws and decrees, the 10 Commandments, which God has written “in here” on the tablet of your heart. That’s what God is concerned about.
#2
Let me clear something up: just because God wants us to follow his laws, it doesn’t mean that God is some Divine Police Man, sitting in a speed trap waiting to catch us breaking the law. God’s law is very different by the civil laws we live with each day.
God’s laws and decrees are not just a list of rules that God wants us to remember and follow and never break; by knowing God’s law “in here,” we know who God is and what God’s will is. He doesn’t want us to memorize a big list of rules—he wants us to remember the story of a God who saved his people from slavery, who was faithful to the people who did nothing but whine and complain in the wilderness, and was still faithful to his promise to bring them into the Promised Land.
This is what verse 9 is talking about when it says, “. . . do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.”
God doesn’t want them to forget their story; he doesn’t want it to slip from their hearts. The Israelites have a great story, a story to tell the nations. Theirs is a story about God and his steadfast faithfulness . . . it is a story about a loving God who reveals himself piece by piece in his law . . . it is a story about a God who is merciful, slow to anger and quick to forgive. It is a story about a God who keeps his promises.
CONCLUSION
And the story of God continues. It continues through the whole Bible: it continues as Jesus approaches Jerusalem on his way to the cross. The story continues even as Jesus dies on the cross. But this story does not end in death, for we know that Jesus rose on the third day, and so the story continues. The story of God continues even today.
This is your story. These are your laws and your decrees; this is your God. God is calling you to be a part in this story just like the Israelites. This story will live on in you and as you pass the story on to others—your children and your children’s children.
Everything you need to know about God and God’s will is “in here”—he has written it all on your hearts. God simply asks for you to continue the story: to love God and to love your neighbors.
There’s a whole world full of people who have never heard God’s story and they need someone to tell it to them. And we’ve got a church full of kids that need to hear God’s story; they need to hear it over and over again, until they know that they are a part of that story. The only thing left to do, then, is to decide if you want to pass the story on or let it end with you.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
So here are the questions/answers and I've included the sermon from this morning as the "reflection" of the day.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sat, Mar 21: Romans 2:6 says God "will give to each person according to what he has done." What do you think this means?
Romans 2:7-8 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
And here's the question of the day:
Sun, Mar 22: Deuteronomy 15 describes something called the “Year of Jubilee.” What do you think of it? Why do you think God commanded it?
And instead of a reflection, here's Sunday's sermon.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Let us pray: Holy God, sometimes your Word is not one we want to hear because it challenges us—or makes us uncomfortable. Open our minds and our hearts to truly listen to your Word, to hear how you instruct us with great love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
INTRO TO SCRIPTURE
The Bible is the story of God. And part of that story –the part the Year of the Bible folks have been reading in the Old Testament—is about God’s relationship to Israel, his chosen people. The Israelites were stuck in slavery in Egypt and God liberated them; God set them free. God set them free and helped to build them into their own nation, a nation set aside and made holy by God. He came down from the mountain and dwelled among them in the tabernacle, something no other god in any other religion ever did. God came down and lived among them.
And God went with them in the tabernacle, as they wandered for years and years and years on their way to the Promised Land that God had given to them. There were a few bumps in the road along the way—particularly an incident with some Moabite women that included some idolatry and adultery—but, in our Scripture reading this morning, the Israelites have finally made it to the Promised Land.
They are actually standing on the edge of it, looking down over it. Now it’s make it or break it time. This is what they’ve been preparing for for generations! Moses knows how important it is NOT to screw this up.
The Israelites need to be reminded of who they are and whose they are. They need to be reminded of why God called them to this place and what God expects of them in return.
So, with all that being said, our Scripture reading today is from Deuteronomy 4:1-9.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Deuteronomy 4:1-9
1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
3 You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, 4 but all of you who held fast to the LORD your God are still alive today.
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."
7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.
The grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of the Lord endures forever, Amen.
INTRODUCTION
Now, we all know people who love to argue. Perhaps they’re our friends, perhaps we’re related to them. We all know people who love to argue. They can argue about whether the Penguins or the Flyers will win this afternoon’s game; they can argue about whose March Madness bracket is the best; they’ll argue about Mac versus PC; gas stoves versus electric stoves; coke versus pepsi; mayonnaise versus miracle whip; about whether to stop for directions or not. We all know people who can argue about ANYTHING IN THE WHOLE WORLD, even things we never would have imagined were POSSIBLE to argue over. I suspect that maybe we even have a few “arguers” here amongst us this morning.
So, if you want to get these folks stirred up, try throwing out this question: “Should the 1o Commandments be removed from all courthouses across the country?” Ask that question, then stand back and watch the fireworks. The question of the 10 Commandments and whether they should or should not be displayed in the local courthouse is a topic that is sure to get even those of us who DON’T particularly care for arguing involved in the argument.
#1
So, it’s ironic really that the Bible itself does not have an opinion about whether or not the 10 Commandments should be hung in the courthouse or not. Our Scripture passage from Deuteronomy is just one of the examples where the Bible talks about the 10 Commandments—which Deuteronomy includes as part of the “decrees and laws”—but doesn’t mention anything about the physical placement of them.
The truth is, as much as we might like to argue about where they should go, God is not so much concerned about whether or not the 10 Commandments are being hung “out there” somewhere so much as He is concerned about whether all of his “decrees and laws” are “in here.”
That’s what’s at the heart of this passage: God is interested in making sure that his laws are “in here;” he wants to make sure that his laws are something that we will not forget; and that his laws are something that we will teach to our children and our children’s children.
The New Testament book of Hebrews tells us that God says, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Hebrews 8:10). God has written his laws on our hearts—they are inside of us.
We all know what is right; we all know what is wrong. Call it your conscience, call it Jiminy Cricket sitting on your shoulder, call it whatever you want. I call it God’s laws and decrees, the 10 Commandments, which God has written “in here” on the tablet of your heart. That’s what God is concerned about.
#2
Let me clear something up: just because God wants us to follow his laws, it doesn’t mean that God is some Divine Police Man, sitting in a speed trap waiting to catch us breaking the law. God’s law is very different by the civil laws we live with each day.
God’s laws and decrees are not just a list of rules that God wants us to remember and follow and never break; by knowing God’s law “in here,” we know who God is and what God’s will is. He doesn’t want us to memorize a big list of rules—he wants us to remember the story of a God who saved his people from slavery, who was faithful to the people who did nothing but whine and complain in the wilderness, and was still faithful to his promise to bring them into the Promised Land.
This is what verse 9 is talking about when it says, “. . . do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.”
God doesn’t want them to forget their story; he doesn’t want it to slip from their hearts. The Israelites have a great story, a story to tell the nations. Theirs is a story about God and his steadfast faithfulness . . . it is a story about a loving God who reveals himself piece by piece in his law . . . it is a story about a God who is merciful, slow to anger and quick to forgive. It is a story about a God who keeps his promises.
CONCLUSION
And the story of God continues. It continues through the whole Bible: it continues as Jesus approaches Jerusalem on his way to the cross. The story continues even as Jesus dies on the cross. But this story does not end in death, for we know that Jesus rose on the third day, and so the story continues. The story of God continues even today.
This is your story. These are your laws and your decrees; this is your God. God is calling you to be a part in this story just like the Israelites. This story will live on in you and as you pass the story on to others—your children and your children’s children.
Everything you need to know about God and God’s will is “in here”—he has written it all on your hearts. God simply asks for you to continue the story: to love God and to love your neighbors.
There’s a whole world full of people who have never heard God’s story and they need someone to tell it to them. And we’ve got a church full of kids that need to hear God’s story; they need to hear it over and over again, until they know that they are a part of that story. The only thing left to do, then, is to decide if you want to pass the story on or let it end with you.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Finding Truth in the Middle of Extremes
Good morning/afternoon/evening! I know I saw this a lot but I REALLY am glad you stopped by again. Sometimes I wish I could be there next to you as you read the day's chapters from the Bible--just in case you had a question or wanted to talk about something. But alas, this is the closest I'm going to get, so I'll try to make stopping by here as worth your while as I can!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 20: What will happen if the Israelites turn away and worship and bow down to other gods? (Dt 11)
Deuteronomy 11:16-17 6 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 21: Romans 2:6 6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done." What do you think this means?
And here's the reflection of the day:
As we've been reading through the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Old Testament), we've seen the theme of God's righteousness over and over again. Leviticus tells us, "Be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy." Hence, all the rules and the regulations given to the Israelites in order to help them be just as holy as they can possibly be.
Believers are called to live according to a higher standard--morally, ethically, and in faithful obedience to God's commandments. It is even the duty of believers to share those standards with others and encourage them to live up to said standards. And sometimes, we can get a little carried away with our good intentions. Pretty easily, we can get so wrapped up in the importance of moral standards that we're imposing on others that we lose sight of whether we ourselves are living up to those very same standards.
In Romans 2, Paul has a discussion on moralizing. We might prefer a more relaxed attitude toward moral and ethical behavior and this, as Wright points out, makes us "all too eager to read Romans 2 as a denunciation of moralism and then to feel self-righteous because we are not self-righteous" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans).
Paul believed that morals mattered to both corporate society and to the individual. Disregarding these morals is sure to lead to disaster. He does not object to people having high moral standards; only when one failed to practice what one preached did Paul have an objection. Wright points out that Paul's point "was the hypocrisy of denouncing faults while secretly practicing them oneself."
And it all comes down to the final judgment, which Wright calls "excellent news for millions in our world, as it was in Paul's." He says this because judgment is "a promise that wrongs will be put to rights, offering a strong and sure hope that can sustain those who suffer oppression and injustice. But in Jesus the Messiah this hope has come forward into the present."
The final judgment has been warped in many ways over the years of reading and preaching. It has been watered down into "vague hopes for a better life hereafter and vague warnings about possible unpleasant consequences of wrongdoing" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans). But it also has been "artificially pumped up into shrill hell-fire denunciations and casual self-satisfied salvation-assurance" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans).
The truth of the final judgment lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Wrongs will be righted, and hope will be offered to the hopeless. God's perfection righteousness will be extended to those who sought, all the days of their lives, to be holy, because the Lord God Almighty is holy--doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Have a great day!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 20: What will happen if the Israelites turn away and worship and bow down to other gods? (Dt 11)
Deuteronomy 11:16-17 6 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 21: Romans 2:6 6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done." What do you think this means?
And here's the reflection of the day:
As we've been reading through the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Old Testament), we've seen the theme of God's righteousness over and over again. Leviticus tells us, "Be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy." Hence, all the rules and the regulations given to the Israelites in order to help them be just as holy as they can possibly be.
Believers are called to live according to a higher standard--morally, ethically, and in faithful obedience to God's commandments. It is even the duty of believers to share those standards with others and encourage them to live up to said standards. And sometimes, we can get a little carried away with our good intentions. Pretty easily, we can get so wrapped up in the importance of moral standards that we're imposing on others that we lose sight of whether we ourselves are living up to those very same standards.
In Romans 2, Paul has a discussion on moralizing. We might prefer a more relaxed attitude toward moral and ethical behavior and this, as Wright points out, makes us "all too eager to read Romans 2 as a denunciation of moralism and then to feel self-righteous because we are not self-righteous" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans).
Paul believed that morals mattered to both corporate society and to the individual. Disregarding these morals is sure to lead to disaster. He does not object to people having high moral standards; only when one failed to practice what one preached did Paul have an objection. Wright points out that Paul's point "was the hypocrisy of denouncing faults while secretly practicing them oneself."
And it all comes down to the final judgment, which Wright calls "excellent news for millions in our world, as it was in Paul's." He says this because judgment is "a promise that wrongs will be put to rights, offering a strong and sure hope that can sustain those who suffer oppression and injustice. But in Jesus the Messiah this hope has come forward into the present."
The final judgment has been warped in many ways over the years of reading and preaching. It has been watered down into "vague hopes for a better life hereafter and vague warnings about possible unpleasant consequences of wrongdoing" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans). But it also has been "artificially pumped up into shrill hell-fire denunciations and casual self-satisfied salvation-assurance" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans).
The truth of the final judgment lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Wrongs will be righted, and hope will be offered to the hopeless. God's perfection righteousness will be extended to those who sought, all the days of their lives, to be holy, because the Lord God Almighty is holy--doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Have a great day!
Allison
Friday, March 20, 2009
"Friends, ROMANS, countrymen, lend me your ear"
Hello, Friday! I hope you had a great week and are looking forward to a nice weekend. Today we begin Romans so I'm including a little intro in this posting. I hope it helps.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thur, Mar 19: Why did the people on the island of Malta think Paul was a god? (Acts 28)
Acts 28:3-6 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Mar 20: What will happen if the Israelites turn away and worship and bow down to other gods? (Dt 11)
And here's the reflection of the day:
NT Wright, a biblical scholar, calls the book of Romans Paul's "masterpiece." It is a masterpiece that no one can ever fully understand. And if one claims to, then one is a fool!
The best way to understand a whole book is to understand its parts and basic themes. The basic shape of Romans is this:
Section 1, chaps 1-4: The gospel unveils the fact that, in Jesus, Israel's God has been true to his covenant with Abraham and "has thereby brought saving order to the whole world" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans). In the face of rebellion, God has, "through the surrogate faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah, created a worldwide--that is, a Jewish and Gentile--family for Abraham, marked out by the covenant sign of faith" (Wright).
Section 2, chaps 5-8: God did what the covenant was meant to do: to address and solve the problem of sin. "All this is the result of God's astonishing, unchanging, self-giving covenant love expressed completely and finally in the death of Jesus" (Wright).
Section 3, chaps 9-11: Wrights writes that this section highlights the tragedy of God's righteousness, specifically that Israel fails to believe in the Messiah. In God's plan, the rejection of Jesus by Israel is still used for the good by the extension of salvation to the whole world. Paul hopes that his Jewish friends will see the blessing the Gentiles are enjoying and will come to share in covenant membership. Therefore, Gentile Christians are warned against anti-Jewish arrogance.
Section 4, chaps 12-16: The community that is created by this gospel "must live as the true, renewed humanity, in its internal and external life" (Wright). Paul seeks to bring together Jews and Gentiles into one worshiping body in Christ.
Wright identifies the major theme of Romans as God's righteousness. "God's gospel unveils God's righteousness"--Paul's own summary 1:16-17. Paul explores God's righteousness in the context of Judaism as well as Paul's own exploration of God's righteousness in the Gentile world.
As you begin to explore Romans in the upcoming weeks, I hope this post will be helpful.
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thur, Mar 19: Why did the people on the island of Malta think Paul was a god? (Acts 28)
Acts 28:3-6 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Mar 20: What will happen if the Israelites turn away and worship and bow down to other gods? (Dt 11)
And here's the reflection of the day:
NT Wright, a biblical scholar, calls the book of Romans Paul's "masterpiece." It is a masterpiece that no one can ever fully understand. And if one claims to, then one is a fool!
The best way to understand a whole book is to understand its parts and basic themes. The basic shape of Romans is this:
Section 1, chaps 1-4: The gospel unveils the fact that, in Jesus, Israel's God has been true to his covenant with Abraham and "has thereby brought saving order to the whole world" (Wright, NIB Commentary on Romans). In the face of rebellion, God has, "through the surrogate faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah, created a worldwide--that is, a Jewish and Gentile--family for Abraham, marked out by the covenant sign of faith" (Wright).
Section 2, chaps 5-8: God did what the covenant was meant to do: to address and solve the problem of sin. "All this is the result of God's astonishing, unchanging, self-giving covenant love expressed completely and finally in the death of Jesus" (Wright).
Section 3, chaps 9-11: Wrights writes that this section highlights the tragedy of God's righteousness, specifically that Israel fails to believe in the Messiah. In God's plan, the rejection of Jesus by Israel is still used for the good by the extension of salvation to the whole world. Paul hopes that his Jewish friends will see the blessing the Gentiles are enjoying and will come to share in covenant membership. Therefore, Gentile Christians are warned against anti-Jewish arrogance.
Section 4, chaps 12-16: The community that is created by this gospel "must live as the true, renewed humanity, in its internal and external life" (Wright). Paul seeks to bring together Jews and Gentiles into one worshiping body in Christ.
Wright identifies the major theme of Romans as God's righteousness. "God's gospel unveils God's righteousness"--Paul's own summary 1:16-17. Paul explores God's righteousness in the context of Judaism as well as Paul's own exploration of God's righteousness in the Gentile world.
As you begin to explore Romans in the upcoming weeks, I hope this post will be helpful.
Allison
Thursday, March 19, 2009
YOTB Potluck Dinner
.................................
Please bring. . .
1. a dish to share
2. your Bible (for a game or two!)
3. and your "stump the pastor" questions--IN WRITTEN FORM!!
(Allison will be feverishly figuring out the answers while everyone else eats!!)
**You are especially invited if you cannot usually make it to worship or Bible Study with us! We want to make sure know you're not alone on this reading journey!
.................................
You are INVITED!
If you live in the Frankfort Church area (or can get there quickly!), you are invited to a POTLUCK DINNER ON
FRIDAY, MARCH 27
AT 6:00PM AT THE CHURCH.
If you live in the Frankfort Church area (or can get there quickly!), you are invited to a POTLUCK DINNER ON
FRIDAY, MARCH 27
AT 6:00PM AT THE CHURCH.
Please bring. . .
1. a dish to share
2. your Bible (for a game or two!)
3. and your "stump the pastor" questions--IN WRITTEN FORM!!
(Allison will be feverishly figuring out the answers while everyone else eats!!)
**You are especially invited if you cannot usually make it to worship or Bible Study with us! We want to make sure know you're not alone on this reading journey!
.................................
"Now we've come. . . to the end of the road. . . "
Oh, Boyz-2-Men, how I loved thee, back in the day.
Well, we've come to the end of the road in Acts. It's kind of disappointing, don't you think? I love hearing about the missionary journeys that Paul takes and the situations he encounters along the way. But Romans is right around the corner and that is another fascinating book of the Bible to read.
But, first things first. . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Wed, Mar 18: Based on Psalm 33, what do you think it means to fear the Lord?
There's not necessarily a write or wrong answer, but according to the Psalm, to "fear" God is to revere and to love:
Psalm 33:8 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.
Psalm 33:20 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
And here's the question of the day:
Thur, Mar 19: Why did the people on the island of Malta think Paul was a god? (Acts 28)
And here's the reflection of the day:
We've reached the end of the road in Acts. Seems an apt way to phrase that--Acts is full of roads Paul walked along and seas across which Paul sailed. He went so many places, preached to so many people, and he healed so many diseased-ridden bodies.
How could Luke possibly end this tremendous story? What could possibly be the ending of such a tremendous journey? It if were a movie today, there would be fireworks and standing ovations and a ship sailing off into the sunset with Paul at the helm, sailing for a tropical island where everyone was a believer and there was no more evangelizing to be done because he had done it all.
But that's not Luke's style. We think the story of the legendary Paul deserves a Hollywood ending. But Luke knows that would simply distract from the story--the story of God.
Robert Wall included this as the conclusion to his commentary on Acts:
Paul “welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God . . . with all boldness” (28:30-31 NRSV). The final sentence of Acts is a summary, not a climax. Paul is simply being Paul, ever faithful to his prophetic vocation. But this is Luke’s point. His conclusion does not intend to contribute new information to his biography of Paul or to frustrate his readers by leaving out important information.
The ending to Acts does what good endings to excellent stories must always do: facilitate a transition that moves readers from the narrative world to their own considerably more complicated real worlds. These parting images of Paul linger on in our collective imagination to stimulate further reflection on what it means to continue what Paul began to do and to say in Rome. We are his successors. While times and places will continue to change, the church’s prophetic calling is to “proclaim the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness.” The church must simply be the church.
What do you think of this? Tell me!
Allison
Well, we've come to the end of the road in Acts. It's kind of disappointing, don't you think? I love hearing about the missionary journeys that Paul takes and the situations he encounters along the way. But Romans is right around the corner and that is another fascinating book of the Bible to read.
But, first things first. . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Wed, Mar 18: Based on Psalm 33, what do you think it means to fear the Lord?
There's not necessarily a write or wrong answer, but according to the Psalm, to "fear" God is to revere and to love:
Psalm 33:8 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.
Psalm 33:20 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
And here's the question of the day:
Thur, Mar 19: Why did the people on the island of Malta think Paul was a god? (Acts 28)
And here's the reflection of the day:
We've reached the end of the road in Acts. Seems an apt way to phrase that--Acts is full of roads Paul walked along and seas across which Paul sailed. He went so many places, preached to so many people, and he healed so many diseased-ridden bodies.
How could Luke possibly end this tremendous story? What could possibly be the ending of such a tremendous journey? It if were a movie today, there would be fireworks and standing ovations and a ship sailing off into the sunset with Paul at the helm, sailing for a tropical island where everyone was a believer and there was no more evangelizing to be done because he had done it all.
But that's not Luke's style. We think the story of the legendary Paul deserves a Hollywood ending. But Luke knows that would simply distract from the story--the story of God.
Robert Wall included this as the conclusion to his commentary on Acts:
Paul “welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God . . . with all boldness” (28:30-31 NRSV). The final sentence of Acts is a summary, not a climax. Paul is simply being Paul, ever faithful to his prophetic vocation. But this is Luke’s point. His conclusion does not intend to contribute new information to his biography of Paul or to frustrate his readers by leaving out important information.
The ending to Acts does what good endings to excellent stories must always do: facilitate a transition that moves readers from the narrative world to their own considerably more complicated real worlds. These parting images of Paul linger on in our collective imagination to stimulate further reflection on what it means to continue what Paul began to do and to say in Rome. We are his successors. While times and places will continue to change, the church’s prophetic calling is to “proclaim the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness.” The church must simply be the church.
What do you think of this? Tell me!
Allison
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Better late than never, right?
Hello! Hope I didn't miss too many people this morning. Wednesdays are Bible Study days and I'm always studying up until the last minute even in the "wee small hours of the morning," hence why my posts are usually late on Wednesdays.
However, this morning I slept through my alarm. So not only did I not get my extra studying in but I didn't blog either. And yet, Bible Study was great--better than some of the times I had my act together. Isn't the Holy Spirit, funny? Hmmm. . . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Tues, Mar 17: Who spoke out of the fire on the mountain? (Dt 4)
Deuteronomy 4:11-12 1 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
And here's the question of the day:
Wed, Mar 18: Based on Psalm 33, what do you think it means to fear the Lord?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Throughout the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), we hear Moses, speaking for God, admonishing the Israelites "to fear God, to revere God's name, and to offer service and gifts" at the appropriate time. These are the principles which informed their worship and their faith.
But here in Deuteronomy 6, there's a new concept into their worship. It's a demand really, if you want to be honest. It's a love demand. Israel is to love God.
Now, it's a funny thing to try to love "a power that may hurl one swiftly to destruction and may take away everything that one possesses" (Clements, NIB Commentary). In fact, God is love-ly: "God becomes the supreme expression of love, motivating, inspiring, and making possible a deeper understanding of the nature of love in the lives of human beings."
Love lies at the heart of worship. Love is the leaven of faith. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart. . . "
It's easy to get lost in the rules and regulations of the Law. But at the center of the Law is love. The reason for the rules and the regulations is love--God's love for us AND our love for God. Two greatest commandments: love God and love thy neighbor.
Have a love-ly day!
Allison
However, this morning I slept through my alarm. So not only did I not get my extra studying in but I didn't blog either. And yet, Bible Study was great--better than some of the times I had my act together. Isn't the Holy Spirit, funny? Hmmm. . . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Tues, Mar 17: Who spoke out of the fire on the mountain? (Dt 4)
Deuteronomy 4:11-12 1 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
And here's the question of the day:
Wed, Mar 18: Based on Psalm 33, what do you think it means to fear the Lord?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Throughout the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), we hear Moses, speaking for God, admonishing the Israelites "to fear God, to revere God's name, and to offer service and gifts" at the appropriate time. These are the principles which informed their worship and their faith.
But here in Deuteronomy 6, there's a new concept into their worship. It's a demand really, if you want to be honest. It's a love demand. Israel is to love God.
Now, it's a funny thing to try to love "a power that may hurl one swiftly to destruction and may take away everything that one possesses" (Clements, NIB Commentary). In fact, God is love-ly: "God becomes the supreme expression of love, motivating, inspiring, and making possible a deeper understanding of the nature of love in the lives of human beings."
Love lies at the heart of worship. Love is the leaven of faith. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart. . . "
It's easy to get lost in the rules and regulations of the Law. But at the center of the Law is love. The reason for the rules and the regulations is love--God's love for us AND our love for God. Two greatest commandments: love God and love thy neighbor.
Have a love-ly day!
Allison
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
In honor of St. Patrick
Patrick sang this hymn when the ambuscades were laid against him by King Loeguire (Leary) that he might not go to Tara to sow the faith.
I arise to-dayThrough the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of Doom.
Christ to shield me to-day
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise to-day
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
-The Deer's Cry, Early Irish Lyric Poetry, translated by Kuno Meyer
Mockingbird.creighton.edu
(accessed 03.17.09 from www.homileticsonline.com)
I arise to-dayThrough the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of Doom.
Christ to shield me to-day
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise to-day
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
-The Deer's Cry, Early Irish Lyric Poetry, translated by Kuno Meyer
Mockingbird.creighton.edu
(accessed 03.17.09 from www.homileticsonline.com)
"Earth's crammed with heaven. . ."
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Mar 16: Whose descendents live in Seir? (Dt 2)
Deuteronomy 2:4 4 Give the people these orders: 'You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful.
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Mar 17: Who spoke out of the fire on the mountain? (Dt 4)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Moses gives quite a speech here in Deuteronomy 4. It's a "rally the troops" kind of speech, meant to stir the emotions and to touch the heart.
The purpose of the speech is to a) remind the Israelites of who they are, b) remind the whose they are, and c) remind them of the kind of danger they are facing.
The speech comes in two parts: vv 1-20 and vv 21-40. The first part declares that the Lord has made a covenant with the Israelites in the form of the 10 Commandments. Covenants, however, are conditional, and the second part of the speech highlights the conditions of the covenant. This condition specifically surrounds the second commandment, a theme the whole way through the chapter.
Generally, when the Bible talks about "idolatry," it generally means crafting an object and worshiping it as though it were divine, like God. Now, it's not terribly clear why exactly there's such a problem about this. Some scholars suggest, as Clements points out, creating images of God were closely linked to the use of imagery in certain cultic fertility rituals. Apparently, it was too close for comfort for the Isrealites to create images of God because it was too much like the "world" around them.
Besides, what picture of God is going to truly do justice to the Lord Almighty? Moses reminds the Israelites that God, in all of his awe-full glory, had been revealed in the fire and smoke on Mt. Sinai. Clements says, "an image made out of stone or wood could convey nothing of the true majesty of God. It was more appropriate and meaningful to recall the unimaginable glory of fire and smoke filling the heavens than to suppose that a man-made artifact could conjure up divine power."
We certainly think of idolatry a little differently today, don't we? Like Paul, we tend to think of idolatry more as worshiping someone or something instead of God. It's more like the tenth commandment because we "idolize" or COVET things.
I would guess one of the biggest forms of idolatry is actually, as Clements says, "to believe that God can be kept 'in one's pocket.'" When we lose sight of God's transcendence and mystery, God becomes flat and ordinary. Each day, we should be searching, even in the midst of the ordinary, for the sight of God, present with us.
It all reminds me of a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. . .
Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes of his shoes,
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
If we could just see "every common bush afire with God," I don't think we would EVER forget God's transcendance and mystery.
Keep your eyes peeled for God at work in your life!
Allison
Mon, Mar 16: Whose descendents live in Seir? (Dt 2)
Deuteronomy 2:4 4 Give the people these orders: 'You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful.
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Mar 17: Who spoke out of the fire on the mountain? (Dt 4)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Moses gives quite a speech here in Deuteronomy 4. It's a "rally the troops" kind of speech, meant to stir the emotions and to touch the heart.
The purpose of the speech is to a) remind the Israelites of who they are, b) remind the whose they are, and c) remind them of the kind of danger they are facing.
The speech comes in two parts: vv 1-20 and vv 21-40. The first part declares that the Lord has made a covenant with the Israelites in the form of the 10 Commandments. Covenants, however, are conditional, and the second part of the speech highlights the conditions of the covenant. This condition specifically surrounds the second commandment, a theme the whole way through the chapter.
Generally, when the Bible talks about "idolatry," it generally means crafting an object and worshiping it as though it were divine, like God. Now, it's not terribly clear why exactly there's such a problem about this. Some scholars suggest, as Clements points out, creating images of God were closely linked to the use of imagery in certain cultic fertility rituals. Apparently, it was too close for comfort for the Isrealites to create images of God because it was too much like the "world" around them.
Besides, what picture of God is going to truly do justice to the Lord Almighty? Moses reminds the Israelites that God, in all of his awe-full glory, had been revealed in the fire and smoke on Mt. Sinai. Clements says, "an image made out of stone or wood could convey nothing of the true majesty of God. It was more appropriate and meaningful to recall the unimaginable glory of fire and smoke filling the heavens than to suppose that a man-made artifact could conjure up divine power."
We certainly think of idolatry a little differently today, don't we? Like Paul, we tend to think of idolatry more as worshiping someone or something instead of God. It's more like the tenth commandment because we "idolize" or COVET things.
I would guess one of the biggest forms of idolatry is actually, as Clements says, "to believe that God can be kept 'in one's pocket.'" When we lose sight of God's transcendence and mystery, God becomes flat and ordinary. Each day, we should be searching, even in the midst of the ordinary, for the sight of God, present with us.
It all reminds me of a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. . .
Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes of his shoes,
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
If we could just see "every common bush afire with God," I don't think we would EVER forget God's transcendance and mystery.
Keep your eyes peeled for God at work in your life!
Allison
Monday, March 16, 2009
(Brief!) Intro to Deuteronomy
Hello, again! I thought that since we're starting Deuteronomy, I'd provide a little introduction to the book for you. But first, here are the questions and answers I know you're waiting for.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, March 15: God tells Moses that he will not enter the Promised Land, but his assistant will. Who is his assistant? (Deut 1)
Deuteronomy 1:37-38 37 Because of you the LORD became angry with me also and said, "You shall not enter it, either. 38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Mar 16: Whose descendants live in Seir? (Dt 2)
And here's the reflection of the day:
**Before I go any further, I want to attribute the following information to Ronald Clements, author of the Deuteronomy section of the NIB Commentary. (I don't know what I would do without my shelves of commentaries when it comes to this blog!)
Clements writes that Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the "books of Moses," otherwise known as the Pentateuch. These five books are the foundation of the whole Old Testament. These books "provide the basis for the heirs of Abraham, who are also viewed as persons bound in covenant to the Lord God, through the revelation given to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Horeb), to govern their lives as the people of God." After all, that's what God's law is all about, right?
The word "Deuteronomy" means "second law." This is a proper title for this book because it describes it the giving again of the law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai in Exodus; in Deuteronomy, it's "the law given by Moses in the plains of Moab immediately prior to the crossing of the river Jordan and Israel's entry" into the Promised Land.
But Deuteronomy is more than just a book of law (Dt 5; 20). There are also sections of narrative (chap 1-3) that summarize the story of Israel's life in the wilderness. It also has series of exhortations and warnings (chap 6-11), blessings and curses (chap 27-28), and poems (chap 29-33).
Chapters 1-3 are not just an intro to Deuteronomy but also an introduction to the books of Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings, the narrative history lived under the law of God. These are known as 'the Former Prophets' and follow the monarchy that develops in Israel. Keep this in mind when we begin to read through the Former Prophets in another, starting with Joshua in April.
Finally, here's a brief outline of the book of Deuteronomy:
I. Deut. 1:1-3:29 Introduction to Israel's Story
II. Deut. 4:1-11:32 The Commandments of God
III. Deut. 12:1-26:19 The Deuteronomic Law Code
IV. Deut. 27:1-30:20 Epilogue
V. Deut. 31:1-34:12 Appendix
I hope this helps you a little bit as you begin the adventure in Deuteronomy!
Have a great day!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, March 15: God tells Moses that he will not enter the Promised Land, but his assistant will. Who is his assistant? (Deut 1)
Deuteronomy 1:37-38 37 Because of you the LORD became angry with me also and said, "You shall not enter it, either. 38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Mar 16: Whose descendants live in Seir? (Dt 2)
And here's the reflection of the day:
**Before I go any further, I want to attribute the following information to Ronald Clements, author of the Deuteronomy section of the NIB Commentary. (I don't know what I would do without my shelves of commentaries when it comes to this blog!)
Clements writes that Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the "books of Moses," otherwise known as the Pentateuch. These five books are the foundation of the whole Old Testament. These books "provide the basis for the heirs of Abraham, who are also viewed as persons bound in covenant to the Lord God, through the revelation given to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Horeb), to govern their lives as the people of God." After all, that's what God's law is all about, right?
The word "Deuteronomy" means "second law." This is a proper title for this book because it describes it the giving again of the law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai in Exodus; in Deuteronomy, it's "the law given by Moses in the plains of Moab immediately prior to the crossing of the river Jordan and Israel's entry" into the Promised Land.
But Deuteronomy is more than just a book of law (Dt 5; 20). There are also sections of narrative (chap 1-3) that summarize the story of Israel's life in the wilderness. It also has series of exhortations and warnings (chap 6-11), blessings and curses (chap 27-28), and poems (chap 29-33).
Chapters 1-3 are not just an intro to Deuteronomy but also an introduction to the books of Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings, the narrative history lived under the law of God. These are known as 'the Former Prophets' and follow the monarchy that develops in Israel. Keep this in mind when we begin to read through the Former Prophets in another, starting with Joshua in April.
Finally, here's a brief outline of the book of Deuteronomy:
I. Deut. 1:1-3:29 Introduction to Israel's Story
II. Deut. 4:1-11:32 The Commandments of God
III. Deut. 12:1-26:19 The Deuteronomic Law Code
IV. Deut. 27:1-30:20 Epilogue
V. Deut. 31:1-34:12 Appendix
I hope this helps you a little bit as you begin the adventure in Deuteronomy!
Have a great day!
Allison
Sunday, March 15, 2009
"These are a few of my favorite. . . sins"
Wow! Can you believe it? This is my 100th post. The time is flying by. Today we begin Deuteronomy and later in the week we'll begin Romans, though for my reflection this morning I'm going with Psalm 32.
I'm so glad you've made it this far in the Year of the Bible!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sat, March 14: How many towns in all, should be given to the Levites? (Num 35)
Numbers 35:7 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands.
And here's the question of the day:
Sun, March 15: God tells Moses that he will not enter the Promised Land, but his assistant will. Who is his assistant? (Deut 1)
And here's the reflection of the day:
So this morning I have a song running through my head, as always. And it's the song, "These are a few of my favorite things. . ." from the "Sound of Music." But instead of "favorites things," I would substitute the word "sins" ("These are a few of my favorite sins. . .").
We all have a favorite sin: some little sin that we think we cannot help but succomb to it. It's probably a sin we're particularly good at. . . you might even say it's a sin at which we even accel. When we sin, we sin boldly when it comes to our favorite sin.
But it is also probably a sin which grieves us greatly every time we commit it. It's a sin we really, really, really wish we could conquer, but it seems to be the vulnerable spot in our otherwise sturdy "armor of God" (see Eph 6:13-18).
Each Sunday at Frankfort Church, we share in a corporate confession of sin. It's one of the very first things we do in our worship service. Part of the reason we do this is parallels the theme we heard about in Leviticus: "Be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy." Just as the Israelites made their sin offerings before entering the tabernacle, so too we should confess our sin and receive God's mercy and forgiveness. You can't be close to God without confessing your sin.
That's what Psalm 32 is talking about. The author of the psalm talks about how distant he feels from God because he kept "silent"--meaning he hadn't confessed his sin to ask for forgiveness. And that's what it feels like to allow unconfessed sin to separate us from God. The psalmist says day and night God's hand was heavy upon him and he was without strength. You see, you can't be close to God without confessing your sin, ALL of it, even your favorite sin.
God is our hiding place; he will protect us from trouble and surround us with songs of deliverance, if only we will confess our sin. God's love for us is unfailing. So rejoice in the Lord! Be glad!
Enjoy a little musical flash back with Maria and the Von Trapp kids!
Have a great Sabbath day!
Allison
I'm so glad you've made it this far in the Year of the Bible!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sat, March 14: How many towns in all, should be given to the Levites? (Num 35)
Numbers 35:7 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands.
And here's the question of the day:
Sun, March 15: God tells Moses that he will not enter the Promised Land, but his assistant will. Who is his assistant? (Deut 1)
And here's the reflection of the day:
So this morning I have a song running through my head, as always. And it's the song, "These are a few of my favorite things. . ." from the "Sound of Music." But instead of "favorites things," I would substitute the word "sins" ("These are a few of my favorite sins. . .").
We all have a favorite sin: some little sin that we think we cannot help but succomb to it. It's probably a sin we're particularly good at. . . you might even say it's a sin at which we even accel. When we sin, we sin boldly when it comes to our favorite sin.
But it is also probably a sin which grieves us greatly every time we commit it. It's a sin we really, really, really wish we could conquer, but it seems to be the vulnerable spot in our otherwise sturdy "armor of God" (see Eph 6:13-18).
Each Sunday at Frankfort Church, we share in a corporate confession of sin. It's one of the very first things we do in our worship service. Part of the reason we do this is parallels the theme we heard about in Leviticus: "Be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy." Just as the Israelites made their sin offerings before entering the tabernacle, so too we should confess our sin and receive God's mercy and forgiveness. You can't be close to God without confessing your sin.
That's what Psalm 32 is talking about. The author of the psalm talks about how distant he feels from God because he kept "silent"--meaning he hadn't confessed his sin to ask for forgiveness. And that's what it feels like to allow unconfessed sin to separate us from God. The psalmist says day and night God's hand was heavy upon him and he was without strength. You see, you can't be close to God without confessing your sin, ALL of it, even your favorite sin.
God is our hiding place; he will protect us from trouble and surround us with songs of deliverance, if only we will confess our sin. God's love for us is unfailing. So rejoice in the Lord! Be glad!
Enjoy a little musical flash back with Maria and the Von Trapp kids!
Have a great Sabbath day!
Allison
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Hello, Saturday!
Good morning/ afternoon/ evening to you! Glad you stopped by today.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, March 13: What did Moses give to the “Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph”? (Num 32)
Numbers 32:33 3 Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan-- the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, March 14: How many towns in all, should be given to the Levites? (Num 35)
And here's the reflection of the day:
In Acts 25 we pick up again in the middle of Paul's trial proceedings, proceedings which seem fairly long and drawn out. Not much "due process" going on here, I must say.
But it seems to be of Paul's own actions that things are dragging on and on. He's moved from judge to judge, court to court. No one seems sure of what he actually did wrong, yet he has angered so many people, he can't just be freed. (Sounds a little bit like Jesus' trial, doesn't it?)
We might assume that Paul's request for a change of venue in Rome and a different magistrate (this time the emperor) is simply a way for him to get a fair trial, away from Festus and his ulterior motives. BUT, if you look at the last couple chapters of Acts a bit more closely, you remember Acts 23:11: The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
So, Paul's decision to use his Roman citizenship to his advantage is not because he is concerned about winning his trial; it is because he know the Lord has plans for him to go to Rome. This makes it a theological point, rather than a legal maneuver. As one commentary says, "Rome is the city of Paul's destiny because it is in the script of God's plan of salvation" (NIB Commentary on Acts).
Paul's life story is the story of a faithful God and a faithful servant. Ours can be that kind of story too. When our personal decisions are given divine importance and seen as a part of God's plan for our lives, our story becomes the story of a faithful God and a faithful servant. When the actions we take--or choose NOT to take--and the words we say--or do NOT say--are considered in light of the plans God has for each one of us, our story becomes the story of a faithful God and a faithful servant. If we can see our lives as a part of God's story, we realize that there are no inconsequential decisions or meaningless interactions.
No matter how trivial we think the moment is, it is a chance to be a part of God's plan of salvation in the world.
Keep your eyes open for "trivial" moments today!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, March 13: What did Moses give to the “Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph”? (Num 32)
Numbers 32:33 3 Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan-- the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, March 14: How many towns in all, should be given to the Levites? (Num 35)
And here's the reflection of the day:
In Acts 25 we pick up again in the middle of Paul's trial proceedings, proceedings which seem fairly long and drawn out. Not much "due process" going on here, I must say.
But it seems to be of Paul's own actions that things are dragging on and on. He's moved from judge to judge, court to court. No one seems sure of what he actually did wrong, yet he has angered so many people, he can't just be freed. (Sounds a little bit like Jesus' trial, doesn't it?)
We might assume that Paul's request for a change of venue in Rome and a different magistrate (this time the emperor) is simply a way for him to get a fair trial, away from Festus and his ulterior motives. BUT, if you look at the last couple chapters of Acts a bit more closely, you remember Acts 23:11: The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
So, Paul's decision to use his Roman citizenship to his advantage is not because he is concerned about winning his trial; it is because he know the Lord has plans for him to go to Rome. This makes it a theological point, rather than a legal maneuver. As one commentary says, "Rome is the city of Paul's destiny because it is in the script of God's plan of salvation" (NIB Commentary on Acts).
Paul's life story is the story of a faithful God and a faithful servant. Ours can be that kind of story too. When our personal decisions are given divine importance and seen as a part of God's plan for our lives, our story becomes the story of a faithful God and a faithful servant. When the actions we take--or choose NOT to take--and the words we say--or do NOT say--are considered in light of the plans God has for each one of us, our story becomes the story of a faithful God and a faithful servant. If we can see our lives as a part of God's story, we realize that there are no inconsequential decisions or meaningless interactions.
No matter how trivial we think the moment is, it is a chance to be a part of God's plan of salvation in the world.
Keep your eyes open for "trivial" moments today!
Allison
Friday, March 13, 2009
Happy Friday the 13th!
Can I tell you a secret? There's a lovely little tool on this blog that allows you to write a post at one time but schedule it to post at another time. SO . . . since I have a meeting early tomorrow, I'm writing this now at 8:30p on Thursday (while I watch "Bones") but will set it to post at Friday at 7:00a.
Remember what I blogged about yesterday? About having a daily routine to fit in our Year of the Bible readings? Well, I know my schedule will be disrupted tomorrow, so I am making time today to do my reading.
At any rate, on to the questions and answers . . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, March 12: What did the men take an oath to not do “until we have killed Paul”? (Acts 23)
Acts 23:12-13 12 The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot.
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, March 13: What did Moses give to the “Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph”? (Num 32)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Throughout Numbers, we actually get to see two generations of Israelites as they journey through the wilderness toward Canaan, the Promised Land. And some things never change.
This second generation is following the example their parents set for them: grumbling. . . dissatisfaction . . . whining. You know, human stuff.
Specifically, the Reubenites and Gadites saw that the east of the Jordan were good enough for them. Better than the Promised Land, in fact, at least in their opinion. So they saw this non-Promised Land and thought, "This is good enough for us. Let's just camp out here." So, they ask the leaders--Moses and Eleazar among others--if they can just stay put and skip the rest of the journey.
The Hebrew verb "to cross" (v5) means more than just to travel somewhere, especially when it is associated with the Jordan (NIB Commentary, Numbers). But that same Hebrew word is used throughout Joshua 3, mainly in the context of conquest. So, what the Reubenites and Gadites are REALLY asking is to be excused from the conquering that is going to happen on the way to Canaan. Perhaps it is fear that is holding them back. What Moses hears them saying is that they want to inherit the land without being a part of the holy war to earn it.
But the thing about holy war is that everyone needs to participate in it (see v10-15). Moses reminds them of the lack of faith in the first generation and how the Lord's anger burned against them. Moses is demanding the second generation fully participate in the holy war. For some tribes not to be a part of it is to endanger the inheritance of land for ALL the tribes.
They come to a compromise: the tribes of Reuben and Gad will fortify cities for their families and livestock and a fighting force will join the rest of the army. Once the war is over, they will go back to their land east of the Jordan, rather than inheriting land in Canaan. Moses turns this proposition into law, including a punishment (no one making it into Cananan) if they backtrack on their oath.
The phrase that caught my attention in this passage is in verse 11: "Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly. . . " Moses is talking about the first generation of Israelites, but he might as well be talking to us today, don't you think?
Our punishment is not usually as great as the Israelites' punishment, but our sin is no less great than theirs. I squirm when I begin to think of all the ways I have not followed God wholeheartedly in my own life. And I squirm to think of the impact my disobedience has had on the lives of so many others, just as the disobedience of some Israelites affected all the Israelites.
That's the thing about sin--it doesn't just hurt the one who does the sinning; it also hurts those around the sinner. So, maybe the next time I am contemplating sinning (because frankly, often we DO have time to consider whether to sin or not), I'll consider how the consequences of my sin will affect others and not just myself. I bet I'll choose not to sin a little more frequently if I can relate it to "love thy neighbor." I'm much more likely to think twice about hurting others than I am about hurting myself.
Like Porky Pig used to say, "That's all folks!" Have a good day!
Allison
Remember what I blogged about yesterday? About having a daily routine to fit in our Year of the Bible readings? Well, I know my schedule will be disrupted tomorrow, so I am making time today to do my reading.
At any rate, on to the questions and answers . . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, March 12: What did the men take an oath to not do “until we have killed Paul”? (Acts 23)
Acts 23:12-13 12 The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty men were involved in this plot.
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, March 13: What did Moses give to the “Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph”? (Num 32)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Throughout Numbers, we actually get to see two generations of Israelites as they journey through the wilderness toward Canaan, the Promised Land. And some things never change.
This second generation is following the example their parents set for them: grumbling. . . dissatisfaction . . . whining. You know, human stuff.
Specifically, the Reubenites and Gadites saw that the east of the Jordan were good enough for them. Better than the Promised Land, in fact, at least in their opinion. So they saw this non-Promised Land and thought, "This is good enough for us. Let's just camp out here." So, they ask the leaders--Moses and Eleazar among others--if they can just stay put and skip the rest of the journey.
The Hebrew verb "to cross" (v5) means more than just to travel somewhere, especially when it is associated with the Jordan (NIB Commentary, Numbers). But that same Hebrew word is used throughout Joshua 3, mainly in the context of conquest. So, what the Reubenites and Gadites are REALLY asking is to be excused from the conquering that is going to happen on the way to Canaan. Perhaps it is fear that is holding them back. What Moses hears them saying is that they want to inherit the land without being a part of the holy war to earn it.
But the thing about holy war is that everyone needs to participate in it (see v10-15). Moses reminds them of the lack of faith in the first generation and how the Lord's anger burned against them. Moses is demanding the second generation fully participate in the holy war. For some tribes not to be a part of it is to endanger the inheritance of land for ALL the tribes.
They come to a compromise: the tribes of Reuben and Gad will fortify cities for their families and livestock and a fighting force will join the rest of the army. Once the war is over, they will go back to their land east of the Jordan, rather than inheriting land in Canaan. Moses turns this proposition into law, including a punishment (no one making it into Cananan) if they backtrack on their oath.
The phrase that caught my attention in this passage is in verse 11: "Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly. . . " Moses is talking about the first generation of Israelites, but he might as well be talking to us today, don't you think?
Our punishment is not usually as great as the Israelites' punishment, but our sin is no less great than theirs. I squirm when I begin to think of all the ways I have not followed God wholeheartedly in my own life. And I squirm to think of the impact my disobedience has had on the lives of so many others, just as the disobedience of some Israelites affected all the Israelites.
That's the thing about sin--it doesn't just hurt the one who does the sinning; it also hurts those around the sinner. So, maybe the next time I am contemplating sinning (because frankly, often we DO have time to consider whether to sin or not), I'll consider how the consequences of my sin will affect others and not just myself. I bet I'll choose not to sin a little more frequently if I can relate it to "love thy neighbor." I'm much more likely to think twice about hurting others than I am about hurting myself.
Like Porky Pig used to say, "That's all folks!" Have a good day!
Allison
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Curious Case of Numbers 31
If the charge is dereliction of duty, then I am guilty as charged! ("Father, forgive me for I have sinned; it's been 48 hours since my last blog posting." :0) Everything's OK--just got a little busy.
I hope by now you've gotten into some kind of routine or schedule for your reading. For example, I usually do my reading in the AM while I'm eating breakfast. Then I blog about it, hopefully before the work day begins. Usually this works, except when my schedule is full in the AM. I'm sure you have similar difficulties in your day-to-day schedules.
What I need to do is anticipate these little interruptions in my life (as much as one CAN anticipate interruptions--who was listening to Lori's sermon on Sunday?!) especially when they're scheduled. God's Word is so important that it needs to be a priority in our lives. So I do hereby vow to blog ahead of time when I know an interruption in my normal schedule is coming.
I hope that you too are making adjustments for the interruptions in your life.
So, I'm back now, and I've got lots of questions and answers from the last couple of days:
Tuesday's question and answer of the day:
Tues, March 10: What two people did God say would be left after all the other Israelites had died in the desert? (Num 26)
Numbers 26:65 65 For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
Wednesday's question and answer of the day:
Weds, March 11: While the Israelites are observing the sacred assemblies and preparing offerings, what one thing are they NOT supposed to do? (Num 29)
Numbers 29: “do no work”
Thursday's question of the day:
Thurs, March 12: What did the men take an oath to not do “until we have killed Paul”? (Acts 23)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Numbers 31 is a curious case, don't you think? Dozeman says this: "The book of Numbers is violent. The open versed characterize the numbering of Israel at Mt. Sinai as a registration for the draft, focusing on males who are eligible for war (Num 1:3). The march through the wilderness is a military expedition, with each tribe representing a division (Num 11:13-28) led by the ark (Num 13:1-14), culminating in the slaughter of Israelites (Num 14:39-45)" (NIB Commentary, Numbers).
With so many incidents of war, it seems Numbers needs a careful theological consideration. Is Numbers glorifying war? Are the ethics that the Israelites follow in war (see Deut. 20) the same ethics that we should follow in war? You probably already have some (strong) opinions about war, both about what the Bible says about it and war in the world today. In this post, I just want to share some info with you that might help you to understand what's going on in Numbers 31. And then maybe we'll talk a little about what holy war is.
It's a puzzling story, this Numbers 31. Generally speaking, "holy war" in the Old Testament is guided by the directions given in Deuteronomy 20. Specifically this means they are called to kill all the males of the town they conquer but may keep the women, livestock, and assorted valuables as booty. Which is what the Israelites did in this passage.
So they return home triumphant. God indeed gave them victory in war over the Midianites. As they reach the Israelite camp, they expect Moses, Eleazar and the leaders of the congregation to meet them with great praise and acclaim. And they are met by the leaders, but the leaders are full of anger, not praise.
Imagine the surprise of the army. They did what they were supposed to do; they followed the rules. What could they have possibly done wrong?
It turns out that the women of Midian had seduced the earlier generation of Israelites into apostasy. It was especially the women that Moses was interested in punishing for their part in leading the first generation of Israelites astray! Hence why Moses was so angry: because the women who caused the problem in the first place survived and were still a threat to the second generation of Israelites. Usually a holy war was waged in order to remove temptation from the Israelites; here the temptation to sexual sin and idolatry still existed. That's also why the virgins were spared, because they had not been an active part of the temptation.
So that's what's going on in this chapter of Numbers. Now, read on if you want to know more about whether "holy war" should still be the norm for today or if "holy war" is something temporary.
I know this whole notion of "holy war" is bound to stir up a variety of emotions. Much from this book of Numbers is foreign to our post-modern experience. The days of holy war in the Christian Church are long over; even today we look back on wars in the Bible and the Crusades with disapproval and shame.
One commentary I read says this about "holy war" in the Bible, particularly Numbers: "It is important to see that the holy war is portrayed as only a temporary measure in the Bible, confined to the conquest of Canaan. . . . No later texts in the prophets or elsewhere ever urge Israel to take up a holy war again. The holy war as an act of violence does not provide a continuing paradigm for the actions of God's people" (Dennis Olson, Numbers, p 178).
The goal of the holy war against Canaan is to eliminate all the inhabitants who could tempt Israel to follow other gods. It was meant to establish a boundary between the Israelites and "the other." It was to preserve their purity as a people. Remember God says, "Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy."
But this strategy failed because Israel "continued to wage battles against the enemies of God's will, but it became more and more a battle of words, persuasion, obedience, and education through devotion to God's word of Scripture" (Olson, Numbers, p. 178).
So, does this help you sort through the issue of war, at least in the Bible? Does it explain why God used war in the Old Testament in Israel's journey to the Canaan, the Promised Land? How or should "holy war" guide our ethics concerning war? What do you think?
Post a comment below or check a reaction box. Let me know what you think!
Allison
I hope by now you've gotten into some kind of routine or schedule for your reading. For example, I usually do my reading in the AM while I'm eating breakfast. Then I blog about it, hopefully before the work day begins. Usually this works, except when my schedule is full in the AM. I'm sure you have similar difficulties in your day-to-day schedules.
What I need to do is anticipate these little interruptions in my life (as much as one CAN anticipate interruptions--who was listening to Lori's sermon on Sunday?!) especially when they're scheduled. God's Word is so important that it needs to be a priority in our lives. So I do hereby vow to blog ahead of time when I know an interruption in my normal schedule is coming.
I hope that you too are making adjustments for the interruptions in your life.
So, I'm back now, and I've got lots of questions and answers from the last couple of days:
Tuesday's question and answer of the day:
Tues, March 10: What two people did God say would be left after all the other Israelites had died in the desert? (Num 26)
Numbers 26:65 65 For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
Wednesday's question and answer of the day:
Weds, March 11: While the Israelites are observing the sacred assemblies and preparing offerings, what one thing are they NOT supposed to do? (Num 29)
Numbers 29: “do no work”
Thursday's question of the day:
Thurs, March 12: What did the men take an oath to not do “until we have killed Paul”? (Acts 23)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Numbers 31 is a curious case, don't you think? Dozeman says this: "The book of Numbers is violent. The open versed characterize the numbering of Israel at Mt. Sinai as a registration for the draft, focusing on males who are eligible for war (Num 1:3). The march through the wilderness is a military expedition, with each tribe representing a division (Num 11:13-28) led by the ark (Num 13:1-14), culminating in the slaughter of Israelites (Num 14:39-45)" (NIB Commentary, Numbers).
With so many incidents of war, it seems Numbers needs a careful theological consideration. Is Numbers glorifying war? Are the ethics that the Israelites follow in war (see Deut. 20) the same ethics that we should follow in war? You probably already have some (strong) opinions about war, both about what the Bible says about it and war in the world today. In this post, I just want to share some info with you that might help you to understand what's going on in Numbers 31. And then maybe we'll talk a little about what holy war is.
It's a puzzling story, this Numbers 31. Generally speaking, "holy war" in the Old Testament is guided by the directions given in Deuteronomy 20. Specifically this means they are called to kill all the males of the town they conquer but may keep the women, livestock, and assorted valuables as booty. Which is what the Israelites did in this passage.
So they return home triumphant. God indeed gave them victory in war over the Midianites. As they reach the Israelite camp, they expect Moses, Eleazar and the leaders of the congregation to meet them with great praise and acclaim. And they are met by the leaders, but the leaders are full of anger, not praise.
Imagine the surprise of the army. They did what they were supposed to do; they followed the rules. What could they have possibly done wrong?
It turns out that the women of Midian had seduced the earlier generation of Israelites into apostasy. It was especially the women that Moses was interested in punishing for their part in leading the first generation of Israelites astray! Hence why Moses was so angry: because the women who caused the problem in the first place survived and were still a threat to the second generation of Israelites. Usually a holy war was waged in order to remove temptation from the Israelites; here the temptation to sexual sin and idolatry still existed. That's also why the virgins were spared, because they had not been an active part of the temptation.
So that's what's going on in this chapter of Numbers. Now, read on if you want to know more about whether "holy war" should still be the norm for today or if "holy war" is something temporary.
I know this whole notion of "holy war" is bound to stir up a variety of emotions. Much from this book of Numbers is foreign to our post-modern experience. The days of holy war in the Christian Church are long over; even today we look back on wars in the Bible and the Crusades with disapproval and shame.
One commentary I read says this about "holy war" in the Bible, particularly Numbers: "It is important to see that the holy war is portrayed as only a temporary measure in the Bible, confined to the conquest of Canaan. . . . No later texts in the prophets or elsewhere ever urge Israel to take up a holy war again. The holy war as an act of violence does not provide a continuing paradigm for the actions of God's people" (Dennis Olson, Numbers, p 178).
The goal of the holy war against Canaan is to eliminate all the inhabitants who could tempt Israel to follow other gods. It was meant to establish a boundary between the Israelites and "the other." It was to preserve their purity as a people. Remember God says, "Be holy because I the Lord your God am holy."
But this strategy failed because Israel "continued to wage battles against the enemies of God's will, but it became more and more a battle of words, persuasion, obedience, and education through devotion to God's word of Scripture" (Olson, Numbers, p. 178).
So, does this help you sort through the issue of war, at least in the Bible? Does it explain why God used war in the Old Testament in Israel's journey to the Canaan, the Promised Land? How or should "holy war" guide our ethics concerning war? What do you think?
Post a comment below or check a reaction box. Let me know what you think!
Allison
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Paul, Tevye, and Tradition
Well, it's back to the grind for me. Vacation over. :0( But I am glad to be back and sleeping in my own bed again. Lots of phone calls and emails and visits to catch up on. But first, questions and answers for you . . .
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, March 9: What was the name of the man who came down from Judea, took Paul’s belt and bound himself? (Acts 21)
Acts 21:10-11 0 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, March 10: What two people did God say would be left after all the other Israelites had died in the desert? (Num 26)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Paul is at it again, in Acts 22, stirring up the people and getting himself into scrapes. Paul continues to be a radical. We tend to think that a radical is an agent of change, one who is interested in throwing the current establishment and its traditions out the window.
But the root of "radical" is from the Latin root radix, which actually means root. To be a radical is not to change everything for the sake of change; it is actually to return to one's roots.
Paul believes that his mission to those "unclean Gentiles" is directly tied to the roots of Israel's faith (Willimon, Acts, 163). Paul was eager to include the whole world into God's plan of salvation. But in the religious world, the "unclean Gentile" tradition prevailed over the "share the faith" tradition. Paul is challenging the traditions which develop as the product of human invention rather than the hand of God.
Sometimes the radical change that is needed should encourage us to return to our roots and to evaluate our traditions in light of the roots of faith. The issue at hand is not so much about whether or not our traditions honor the past, but rather "which tradition is worth our whole mind and soul and strength?" (Willimon, Acts, 164). Think about your church for a moment. What are its traditions and rituals? Do they honor the past or do they honor God? Can they do both faithfully?
And for as much as Paul does not care for some of the religious traditions, he does not seem to mind using some of the political traditions in his favor, namely by invoking his right as a Roman citizen to a trial, rather than immediate punishment. Think about your own life--what traditions do you follow? Who or what do they honor?
I've mentioned in the past how a song frequently pops into my mind. Today it is "Tradition" sung by Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof." In case you need a refresher, here's the song with the lyrics:
Traditions are meant to guide us and to call us back when we begin to get lost. Can you think of some new traditions to create in your life? in your family? in your church?
Have a great day!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, March 9: What was the name of the man who came down from Judea, took Paul’s belt and bound himself? (Acts 21)
Acts 21:10-11 0 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, March 10: What two people did God say would be left after all the other Israelites had died in the desert? (Num 26)
And here's the reflection of the day:
Paul is at it again, in Acts 22, stirring up the people and getting himself into scrapes. Paul continues to be a radical. We tend to think that a radical is an agent of change, one who is interested in throwing the current establishment and its traditions out the window.
But the root of "radical" is from the Latin root radix, which actually means root. To be a radical is not to change everything for the sake of change; it is actually to return to one's roots.
Paul believes that his mission to those "unclean Gentiles" is directly tied to the roots of Israel's faith (Willimon, Acts, 163). Paul was eager to include the whole world into God's plan of salvation. But in the religious world, the "unclean Gentile" tradition prevailed over the "share the faith" tradition. Paul is challenging the traditions which develop as the product of human invention rather than the hand of God.
Sometimes the radical change that is needed should encourage us to return to our roots and to evaluate our traditions in light of the roots of faith. The issue at hand is not so much about whether or not our traditions honor the past, but rather "which tradition is worth our whole mind and soul and strength?" (Willimon, Acts, 164). Think about your church for a moment. What are its traditions and rituals? Do they honor the past or do they honor God? Can they do both faithfully?
And for as much as Paul does not care for some of the religious traditions, he does not seem to mind using some of the political traditions in his favor, namely by invoking his right as a Roman citizen to a trial, rather than immediate punishment. Think about your own life--what traditions do you follow? Who or what do they honor?
I've mentioned in the past how a song frequently pops into my mind. Today it is "Tradition" sung by Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof." In case you need a refresher, here's the song with the lyrics:
Traditions are meant to guide us and to call us back when we begin to get lost. Can you think of some new traditions to create in your life? in your family? in your church?
Have a great day!
Allison
Monday, March 9, 2009
"Hey, Jealousy. . ."
I'm glad you stopped by today. I hope you are finding great encouragement as you read through the Bible. God is at work in you through His Word!
Well, it's Monday again. My vacation is rapidly coming to an end, but I will be glad to get back to church. It is Lent, after all, and I've got plenty of work to do.
Here's the answer from yesterday:
Sun, Mar 8:
Numbers 22:21 21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Numbers 22:28 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, March 9: What was the name of the man who came down from Judea, took Paul’s belt and bound himself? (Acts 21)
And here's the reflection of the day:
The two stories in Numbers 25 illustrate external threats to Israel. The first is Balak's desire to curse Israel, and through it we see God's protective power even when Israel is unaware of it. And the second story involves Israel's participation in idolatry, which recalls the "Golden Calf Incident" and produces the same consequences.
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of this story is God's jealousy. It is a clear theme in today's readings as well as in most of the Bible.
Jealousy involves "divine passion," according to Dozeman, stressing that God is very much involved in Israel's life and story. He has little tolerance--strike that--NO tolerance for allegiance given to anyone other than Himself. Though scholars and preachers may try to water down the degree to which God is intolerant of this, the Bible remains clear. Dozeman continues, "God is not casual about our commitments. God is jealous about how we worship (Num 25:1-5) and how we live (Num 25:6-18)."
How do you feel about that? Are you giving God a lot to be jealous about?
Allison
Well, it's Monday again. My vacation is rapidly coming to an end, but I will be glad to get back to church. It is Lent, after all, and I've got plenty of work to do.
Here's the answer from yesterday:
Sun, Mar 8:
Numbers 22:21 21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Numbers 22:28 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, March 9: What was the name of the man who came down from Judea, took Paul’s belt and bound himself? (Acts 21)
And here's the reflection of the day:
The two stories in Numbers 25 illustrate external threats to Israel. The first is Balak's desire to curse Israel, and through it we see God's protective power even when Israel is unaware of it. And the second story involves Israel's participation in idolatry, which recalls the "Golden Calf Incident" and produces the same consequences.
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of this story is God's jealousy. It is a clear theme in today's readings as well as in most of the Bible.
Jealousy involves "divine passion," according to Dozeman, stressing that God is very much involved in Israel's life and story. He has little tolerance--strike that--NO tolerance for allegiance given to anyone other than Himself. Though scholars and preachers may try to water down the degree to which God is intolerant of this, the Bible remains clear. Dozeman continues, "God is not casual about our commitments. God is jealous about how we worship (Num 25:1-5) and how we live (Num 25:6-18)."
How do you feel about that? Are you giving God a lot to be jealous about?
Allison
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Lucky Eutychus
Hello, weekend! And hello to you too. Glad you stopped by. You've made it another week through the Bible. Congratulations!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 6: Which leader of one of the 12 tribes of Israel owned the staff which “budded, blossomed and produced almonds?” (Num 17)
Numbers 17:8 8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 7: What was made out of bronze and put up on a pole? (Num 21) Bonus Point: What organization used this image as their symbol?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Do you think of Sunday as the first day of the week or the last day? Do you know what I mean? Does Sunday begin a new week or does it finish the week off?
As a pastor, Sunday feels like the last day of the week for me. All week long, all I do leads up to worship on Sunday. Maybe for you, it feels like the end of the week too. It feels like a final day of rest, especially if you have to go to work on Monday. Others may feel like Sunday is the beginning of the week, that worship marks the beginning of the new week and provides energy for the new week.
During Creation, God worked for six days and on the seventh, he rested. God created the Sabbath, a day that was holy, a day set apart for God. All through Leviticus and Numbers, we hear about the festival and holy days. And the Sabbath is always one of them. To this day it is still a deeply beloved tradition in the Jewish tradition.
In Acts 20, we see the first reference to sabbath in the Christian church. In verse 7 it refers to "the first day of the week" where they gathered to "break bread" and "hold a discussion with" the congregation in Troas. This is the first time sabbath is referred to in the New Testament. And it seems that Sabbath is meant to be seen as the first day of the week, not the last.
It is meant to be a continuing memorial of Jesus' resurrection and his appearances to the disciples. In fact, you can find parallels with resurrection throughout the story: gathering, teaching, and breaking bread and fellowshipping over a common meal.
Perhaps the most overt reference to resurrection is with poor Eutychus, whose name ironically means "lucky." Eutychus is part of the congregation gathered to hear Paul teach. They've eaten and Paul is speaking for a long time. Imagine it: a stuffy room filled with people, long past bedtime. Anybody could fall asleep. It is unfortunate that Eutychus chose to sit, rather precariously, on the sill of an open window. He dozes off for a bit and falls to the ground.
It's a comical scene really. How many of us have dozed off during church? How many of us have gotten caught, either by the person we're sitting with or the even the pastor?! And how many of us have a private little giggle when we read about Eutychus and his ill-chosen seat?
Well, Eutychus' story takes a turn for the worse when he is "picked up dead." Paul (perhaps feeling a little guilty for not being the most exciting preacher/teacher in the world) rushes down the stairs to him, announcing, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him" (v10).
Here is another resurrection reference; though he is dead, he will be alive. And this continues the healing-teaching cycle that Paul is so concerned about.
Paul is the broker of God's life-giving power and miracles. But the point is not to dwell on the miracle; the point is that Paul resumed the preaching and teaching. Miracle and teaching go hand in hand. Paul even downplays the miracle by returning to teaching right away. The message is the center of the story, the center of the faith.
It is easy to get distracted by good works and looking for miracles, but what sustains us, what gives us life and breath and faith is the Word.
Have a good day!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 6: Which leader of one of the 12 tribes of Israel owned the staff which “budded, blossomed and produced almonds?” (Num 17)
Numbers 17:8 8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.
And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 7: What was made out of bronze and put up on a pole? (Num 21) Bonus Point: What organization used this image as their symbol?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Do you think of Sunday as the first day of the week or the last day? Do you know what I mean? Does Sunday begin a new week or does it finish the week off?
As a pastor, Sunday feels like the last day of the week for me. All week long, all I do leads up to worship on Sunday. Maybe for you, it feels like the end of the week too. It feels like a final day of rest, especially if you have to go to work on Monday. Others may feel like Sunday is the beginning of the week, that worship marks the beginning of the new week and provides energy for the new week.
During Creation, God worked for six days and on the seventh, he rested. God created the Sabbath, a day that was holy, a day set apart for God. All through Leviticus and Numbers, we hear about the festival and holy days. And the Sabbath is always one of them. To this day it is still a deeply beloved tradition in the Jewish tradition.
In Acts 20, we see the first reference to sabbath in the Christian church. In verse 7 it refers to "the first day of the week" where they gathered to "break bread" and "hold a discussion with" the congregation in Troas. This is the first time sabbath is referred to in the New Testament. And it seems that Sabbath is meant to be seen as the first day of the week, not the last.
It is meant to be a continuing memorial of Jesus' resurrection and his appearances to the disciples. In fact, you can find parallels with resurrection throughout the story: gathering, teaching, and breaking bread and fellowshipping over a common meal.
Perhaps the most overt reference to resurrection is with poor Eutychus, whose name ironically means "lucky." Eutychus is part of the congregation gathered to hear Paul teach. They've eaten and Paul is speaking for a long time. Imagine it: a stuffy room filled with people, long past bedtime. Anybody could fall asleep. It is unfortunate that Eutychus chose to sit, rather precariously, on the sill of an open window. He dozes off for a bit and falls to the ground.
It's a comical scene really. How many of us have dozed off during church? How many of us have gotten caught, either by the person we're sitting with or the even the pastor?! And how many of us have a private little giggle when we read about Eutychus and his ill-chosen seat?
Well, Eutychus' story takes a turn for the worse when he is "picked up dead." Paul (perhaps feeling a little guilty for not being the most exciting preacher/teacher in the world) rushes down the stairs to him, announcing, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him" (v10).
Here is another resurrection reference; though he is dead, he will be alive. And this continues the healing-teaching cycle that Paul is so concerned about.
Paul is the broker of God's life-giving power and miracles. But the point is not to dwell on the miracle; the point is that Paul resumed the preaching and teaching. Miracle and teaching go hand in hand. Paul even downplays the miracle by returning to teaching right away. The message is the center of the story, the center of the faith.
It is easy to get distracted by good works and looking for miracles, but what sustains us, what gives us life and breath and faith is the Word.
Have a good day!
Allison
Friday, March 6, 2009
You Can Do Magic. . . Or Can You?
Hello! Thanks for stopping by.
I reflected on the passage from Acts 19 and thought this would be an appropriate video to get us started off today.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
In Psalm 29, what one word appears in 10 of the 11 verses? (Hint: not “the”!)
"Lord"
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Mar 6: Which leader of one of the 12 tribes of Israel owned the staff which “budded, blossomed and produced almonds?” (Num 17)
And here's the reflection of the day:
In today's passage of Acts, we see another misuse of power. The life-changing power of the gospel--the power that Paul had--is not magic. It is not magic or sorcery. God's power is not a commodity for Paul to dispense in order to manipulate human life. Instead, it is a mark of his spiritual authority, given to Paul, by God. Paul's uses this power on his missionary journeys in order to show that power comes not from ourselves but is given by God.
As Christians, who are prone to talking about our faith, we must be careful when we speak of God's power, particularly related to healing and wholeness. God's power is determined by our dependence on Jesus, not on ourselves. God gives his power to us in order to serve God's purposes, not our own.
Paul did all he could to teach that the power to heal came from God, not from him. Without proper teaching, the passing around of handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him can sound a lot like superstition. And it certainly seems that the seven sons of Sceva were possibly misusing God's power in their attempts at healing.
And some people seem to have learned their lesson, as scrolls of sorcery were destroyed and confessions of "evil deeds" were made public. Paul must have been doing something right because people were beginning to confess their sin and "the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power."
Can you say the same about your church or yourself? Are we doing a good job about teaching the source of power or do people in our congregations think of, say, baptism or communion, as lucky charms?
Have a great day!
Allison
I reflected on the passage from Acts 19 and thought this would be an appropriate video to get us started off today.
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
In Psalm 29, what one word appears in 10 of the 11 verses? (Hint: not “the”!)
"Lord"
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Mar 6: Which leader of one of the 12 tribes of Israel owned the staff which “budded, blossomed and produced almonds?” (Num 17)
And here's the reflection of the day:
In today's passage of Acts, we see another misuse of power. The life-changing power of the gospel--the power that Paul had--is not magic. It is not magic or sorcery. God's power is not a commodity for Paul to dispense in order to manipulate human life. Instead, it is a mark of his spiritual authority, given to Paul, by God. Paul's uses this power on his missionary journeys in order to show that power comes not from ourselves but is given by God.
As Christians, who are prone to talking about our faith, we must be careful when we speak of God's power, particularly related to healing and wholeness. God's power is determined by our dependence on Jesus, not on ourselves. God gives his power to us in order to serve God's purposes, not our own.
Paul did all he could to teach that the power to heal came from God, not from him. Without proper teaching, the passing around of handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him can sound a lot like superstition. And it certainly seems that the seven sons of Sceva were possibly misusing God's power in their attempts at healing.
And some people seem to have learned their lesson, as scrolls of sorcery were destroyed and confessions of "evil deeds" were made public. Paul must have been doing something right because people were beginning to confess their sin and "the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power."
Can you say the same about your church or yourself? Are we doing a good job about teaching the source of power or do people in our congregations think of, say, baptism or communion, as lucky charms?
Have a great day!
Allison
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