What a gloomy day it is. Fridays should have lots of sunshine, don't you think? Maybe the gloominess will help the work day go faster. More time doing work and less time wistfully staring out the window at sunshine, right?
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Thurs, Feb. 26- What happened to Paul in Lystra?
Acts 14:19, “They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.”
And here's the question of the day:
Fri, Feb. 27- Who was appointed to priests?
And here's the reflection of the day:
Today's reading from Acts 14 is all about power, specifically God's power. But we also see how power can be misused and misunderstood.
Paul and Barnabas are minding their own business, doing their preaching and teaching and healing as usual. They heal a man who was a cripple from birth, just like the disciples have healed many others along the way, but this time it's a little different. Generally speaking, the crowds typically misunderstand God's power, but they take the misunderstanding to a new level in this passage.
It's a new level because the crowd misunderstands their power and believes they are gods. Specifically, the crowd thinks Barnabas is Zeus and Paul is Hermes. And those who were worshipers of Zeus coming rushing out from their temple to offer sacrifices to Barnabas.
It would make for a good comedic scene from a movie, don't you think? Maybe something along the lines of a Monty Python movie?
But Barnabas and Paul are not amused. They are not gods--they are "do-ers and be-ers" of the Word, and it is GOD's power working through them. This is God's power which has been working for the good of humanity since the beginning of time. Though they try to explain the situation, the crowd doesn't listen. Preparations for sacrifice to them continue.
Power, even power for good, can be easily misunderstood. Power is likely to be misunderstood and even misused. The believers--both Jewish and Gentile--may improperly believe that God's power is actually magic. These unbelievable healings, done through Christ's power by the disciples, were sure to draw a crowd; and the crowd is sure to be paying more attention to the miracle and NOT to the accompanying explanation.
People easily confuse those who act for God as God. Those who preach and teach and heal are always in danger of people assuming THEY are the source of the power.
We all have "heroes of the faith"--mature Christians who taught us and challenged us and influence our walk with God. It is tempting for us to put THEM in God's place, to value their opinion more than God's. It is easy (and common) to put a favorite Sunday School teacher or pastor or youth group leader up on a pedestal.
But to give them credit for the differences they make in our lives is to take credit AWAY from God, just as giving the disciples the credit for the healing is to misunderstand God's power. We are all called to be instruments of God, to be a bearer of God's Word and God's power. And as we carry that power, we must each be careful to give God the credit, to pass the glory along to Him.
Remember to take your umbrella!
Allison
Showing posts with label sacrifices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sacrifices. Show all posts
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sacrifices Part 2
Good morning!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Feb. 16- Who was overlooked in the daily distribution of the food?
Acts 6:1, “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their [Hellenistic Jews] widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Feb. 17- What did Stephen see when he looked up to heaven?
And here's the reflection of the day:
I thought I'd do a little more with sacrifices today, since we are reading SO many chapters about this kind of sacrifice and that kind of sacrifice. I wanted to tell you a little bit about what I read about burnt sacrifices or offerings.
The priest is supposed to burn the whole offering on the altar. The verb "hiqtir" literally means "to turn into smoke." Now, the normal word for burn is "sarap," used for nonsacrificial incinerations. From a theological perspective, Balentine says, one can conclude that the act of burning is mostly concerned with the transformation of something into smoke, and not so much the actual burning up of the offering (p 25).
What is placed on the altar was an animal. And this ritual transforms it into smoke, and the smoke rises as a "gift," a food offering specifically and intentionally given to God. The intention of the gift is to provide a "pleasing odor to the Lord."
Fast forward to the book of Revelation. . . "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:8)."
Just as the smoke from the burnt offerings was a pleasing odor to the Lord, so too our prayers are a pleasing odor. The prayers of the saints fill the heavens above. . . my prayers and your prayers, filling up golden bowls in heaven.
Pretty cool, huh?
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Feb. 16- Who was overlooked in the daily distribution of the food?
Acts 6:1, “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their [Hellenistic Jews] widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”
And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Feb. 17- What did Stephen see when he looked up to heaven?
And here's the reflection of the day:
I thought I'd do a little more with sacrifices today, since we are reading SO many chapters about this kind of sacrifice and that kind of sacrifice. I wanted to tell you a little bit about what I read about burnt sacrifices or offerings.
The priest is supposed to burn the whole offering on the altar. The verb "hiqtir" literally means "to turn into smoke." Now, the normal word for burn is "sarap," used for nonsacrificial incinerations. From a theological perspective, Balentine says, one can conclude that the act of burning is mostly concerned with the transformation of something into smoke, and not so much the actual burning up of the offering (p 25).
What is placed on the altar was an animal. And this ritual transforms it into smoke, and the smoke rises as a "gift," a food offering specifically and intentionally given to God. The intention of the gift is to provide a "pleasing odor to the Lord."
Fast forward to the book of Revelation. . . "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:8)."
Just as the smoke from the burnt offerings was a pleasing odor to the Lord, so too our prayers are a pleasing odor. The prayers of the saints fill the heavens above. . . my prayers and your prayers, filling up golden bowls in heaven.
Pretty cool, huh?
Allison
Monday, February 16, 2009
Happy Monday!
Good morning!
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Feb. 15- If someone cannot afford to bring a lamb for their sin offering what must they bring?
Leviticus 5:7, “Anyone who cannot afford a lamb is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the Lord as a penalty for their sin.”
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Feb. 16- Who was overlooked in the daily distribution of the food?
And here's the reflection of the day:
I preached about the tabernacle on Sunday--how God came down and dwelled among them. And I tried to make the connection between the tabernacle and Jesus Christ, who came down and was Emmanuel--God-with-us. Then I explained how, once Jesus ascended, God came down and dwelled among them again in the Holy Spirit, and how we are tabernacles for the Holy Spirit, who lives inside us. Many YOTB-ers expressed their appreciation for a big picture sermon on something that can easily get lost in the details. I have a feeling a sermon on Leviticus is on the horizon. . .
To that end, today's reflection is on Leviticus.
Our friend Samuel Balentine explains that Lev 1-6 mainly concern the role of priests in sacrifices. Lev 6-7:38 concern the role of the laity in sacrifices. So, it would seem important to understand why sacrifices were so important.
Today, we probably think of a sacrifice as something of value that we'd rather keep unless forced to let it go. But Leviticus looks at sacrifices a little differentlly. In the Hebrew, the word "gift" is used. "Gift" is the word used to describe any offering presented in the sanctuary of the tabernacle.
Offerings come in many different shapes and sizes--large and costly or small and ordinary. The critical part is that it is VOLUNTARY and SPONTANEOUS. It is a sacrifice, but it is something willingly given, not reluctantly given up like we normally think of sacifice. Balentine says, ". . . they happily offer something that they know to be worth more as a gift to God than as a personal possession" (Balentine, Leviticus, 28). This gift--this sacrifice--allows them to grow closer to God's side.
Is this how you think of sacrifice? Have you ever willingly sacificed something? unwillingly sacificed something? Is it really a "sacrifice" if it is given unwillingly? Let me know what you think!!
Have a splendid day!
Allison
Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Feb. 15- If someone cannot afford to bring a lamb for their sin offering what must they bring?
Leviticus 5:7, “Anyone who cannot afford a lamb is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the Lord as a penalty for their sin.”
And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Feb. 16- Who was overlooked in the daily distribution of the food?
And here's the reflection of the day:
I preached about the tabernacle on Sunday--how God came down and dwelled among them. And I tried to make the connection between the tabernacle and Jesus Christ, who came down and was Emmanuel--God-with-us. Then I explained how, once Jesus ascended, God came down and dwelled among them again in the Holy Spirit, and how we are tabernacles for the Holy Spirit, who lives inside us. Many YOTB-ers expressed their appreciation for a big picture sermon on something that can easily get lost in the details. I have a feeling a sermon on Leviticus is on the horizon. . .
To that end, today's reflection is on Leviticus.
Our friend Samuel Balentine explains that Lev 1-6 mainly concern the role of priests in sacrifices. Lev 6-7:38 concern the role of the laity in sacrifices. So, it would seem important to understand why sacrifices were so important.
Today, we probably think of a sacrifice as something of value that we'd rather keep unless forced to let it go. But Leviticus looks at sacrifices a little differentlly. In the Hebrew, the word "gift" is used. "Gift" is the word used to describe any offering presented in the sanctuary of the tabernacle.
Offerings come in many different shapes and sizes--large and costly or small and ordinary. The critical part is that it is VOLUNTARY and SPONTANEOUS. It is a sacrifice, but it is something willingly given, not reluctantly given up like we normally think of sacifice. Balentine says, ". . . they happily offer something that they know to be worth more as a gift to God than as a personal possession" (Balentine, Leviticus, 28). This gift--this sacrifice--allows them to grow closer to God's side.
Is this how you think of sacrifice? Have you ever willingly sacificed something? unwillingly sacificed something? Is it really a "sacrifice" if it is given unwillingly? Let me know what you think!!
Have a splendid day!
Allison
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