Entrusted with the Message

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Here's the question of the day:
Paul, Timothy, and Silas were gentle among the Thessalonians like what? (I Thess 2)

And here's the reflection of the day:
1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.

It's that time of year again. Time to recruit Sunday School teachers. This is always a difficult time of year for churches. Often, the same people teach year after year after year. And the congregation relies on those same people to always teach. But sometimes life happens and schedules change. Then the church is thrown into a bit of chaos as they scramble to cover all the positions needed.

I just had a conversation with someone about teaching Sunday School. This was someone who has taught it before but found it difficult and frustrating. I mentioned that not everyone has the gift of teaching. That's kind of obvious, right? And possibly the worst thing a congregation could would be to put someone in a place where he or she is not particularly gifted. It frustrates that person as well as cheats the students of a positive educational experience.

But sometimes I wonder how many people never volunteer to teach NOT because teaching isn't their gift but instead because they are afraid. Afraid of what, you might be asking. Well, afraid of not being a good teacher, afraid of not knowing enough, and afraid that people will find out they don't know as much (about God, the Bible, the church, etc) that they lead people to believe.

But I Thessalonians 2 reminds us that "we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel." Paul, Timothy, and Silas carried the gospel around the world not for their own glory "but to please God who tests our hearts."

God approved and entrusted them (AND US) with the message of the gospel. And if we don't feel up to (worthy enough? smart enough? articulate enough? fill in your own neurosis) the task, then maybe instead of bowing out of our duty to serve, perhaps we should live a more obedient life in order to feel more worthy; or learn more stuff so we do feel smart enough; or practice public speaking so we're not so afraid. God is always pleased with efforts in any and all of these areas.

Perhaps if we could think of teaching (or any of the "work" in the church) more in terms of pleasing God (and "not to please people") we might find Jesus casting out our fear and replacing it with love. . . and a desire to please God.

Back to the Grind

I'm ba-ack! And it's time to get blogging again. Hold on to your hats. . . here we go!

Here's the question and answer from Monday:
If the disciples are quiet, what will shout out instead? (Luke 19)
Luke 19:40 40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

And here's the question and answer from Tuesday:
Who is Job’s complaint directed toward? (Job 21)
Job 21:3-4 Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. 4 "Is my complaint directed to man? Why should I not be impatient?

And here's the question of the day:
What does God promise to his people, his saints? (Psalm 85)

And here's the reflection of the day:
I just spent 15 minutes trying to come up with another way to rephrase a sentence. I came up empty. So, I'm just going to copy and paste it here instead:

In other words, Psalm 85, especially vv. 8-13, captures the reality that Christians already know and experience in Jesus Christ, but that exists amid the ongoing brokenness of the world and the sinfulness of persons and of our society. (J. CLINTON McCANN, JR. NIB Commentary on Psalms)

Psalm 85 is one of our Year of the Bible readings for today. (The others are from Job and I'm just not feeling up to tackling him today. So he will wait.) So, in case you don't have your Bible close at hand, here are the verses that quote is referring to:

Psalm 85:8-13
8 I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints-- but let them not return to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. 12 The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. 13 Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

Peace, love, faithfulness. . . sounds a little like the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), doesn't it? Galatians goes on to tell us that "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (Gal 5:25). Christians who have been crucified with Christ know what true peace, love, faithfulness are because they are righteous--they are in right relationship with God.

The way of life Psalm 85 is talking about--what it is characterized by--is how the Hebrew poets recognized a special way of life in relationship with God. Christians further define that as life in Christ. A life lived in Christ is a live full of forgiveness and hope and joy. . . life lived in "the reality that Christians already know and experience in Jesus Christ."

In this way, we know what awaits us after death. In this way, we have a foretaste of the kingdom of God. But it is only a taste because "that [reality] exists amid the ongoing brokenness of the world and the sinfulness of persons and of our society."

"Thus, as Mays points out: “The vision has an eschatological reach. It needs the coming of God himself to realize it fully (vv. 9, 13). The psalm therefore is a judgment on any easy satisfaction with life under the conditions created by human character and a summons to look for and pray for the time and life created by the character of God.” (McCann)

God is the missing piece in the puzzle. And we look forward to the time when God will end the brokenness and sinfulness of this world, replacing it with peace and righteousness. Mays, in the above quote, pushes us to resist "easy satisfaction" with a life lived according to the world's standards.

Ah, there's the rub, as Shakespeare would say. "Easy satisfaction" is so, well, easy and comfortable. And easy, don't you think? What methods do you try to avoid "easy satisfaction" in your life? How is your life being created by the character of God?

Let me know!
Allison

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