Friends,
A young boy asked his father, “How can I believe in the Holy Spirit when I never see Him?” The father, who was an electrician, said, “I will show you.” The boy went with his father down to a power plant in their town. There, he showed his son the generators. “This is where the power comes from to heat our stove and give us light. We cannot see the power, but it is in that machine, and in the power lines.” “I believe in electricity,” said the son. “Of course you do, but you don’t believe in it because you can see it. You believe in it, because you can see what it can do. In a similar way, this is what takes place with the Holy Spirit. We may not see Him, but we see what He can do.” Jesus says a similar thing to Nicodemus in John 3, when he tells him, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (3:8)
We come to a memorable section of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (5:18-20). Some might argue that it is the most important message in the letter, especially as it relates to Christian living. I would be remiss if I did not mention what it is not first, and that is -- an argument for acapella singing in assembly. I have heard the argument…and have made it myself...and I am not necessarily saying it is wrong to do so. But, I believe that this does not respect the context in which it is written, as this passage (along with v.21) describes five ways that we should be filled with the Spirit of God. Paul also shares in Romans 8:16ff that the Spirit helps us, and works with our spirits to help us know we are God’s children and to empower us. It is only by His power that we are able to live in harmony with one another. Paul shares a very important message for believers that are seeking to live as spiritual people.
Paul’s imperative is “to be filled with the Spirit” plural, meaning “Y’all.” This is something that is able to take place for all Christians, and not just a select few. And this is opposed to being “filled with the spirits” (alcohol), which Paul calls dissipation. Dissipation literally means a loss of self-control, which is just the opposite of the Spirit, who offers “the fruit of self-control.” God’s desire is for Him to be “in control”…Satan’s way is to be “out of control.” The drunk makes a fool of himself and calls attention to himself, whereas the Christian glorifies God and is a witness for Christ.
Referencing the John 3 passage once again, Christians experience a “water and Spirit birth” (3:5). We are baptized, cleansed in order to walk in a newness of life…a life filled with God’s personal power at work in our lives…a life filled with His Spirit. As John mentions, we are baptized once, whereas we are able to be “continually cleansed” when we ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:7). This is closely related to the fact that we are able to be continually filled with the Spirit. When we are cleansed, the Spirit is able to fill that void where sin once was residing. For any English enthusiasts, this is a present tense verb – “keep on being filled with the Spirit.” And passive voice, as we do not fill ourselves, but it is God who “fills us.” Once again, this is to be controlled by God’s power…our mind, our emotions, our will under His guidance. When our lives are made full by the Spirit, we are able to experience His fruit – love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23). We Christians are able to experience contentment, confidence in spite of circumstances around us. Instead of rising and falling with the temperature of the issues around us like a thermometer, when we are “filled with the Spirit”, He…like a thermostat…helps to determine the spiritual temperature of the circumstances. There is a significant difference between these two.
Spirit-filled people have songs in their hearts and on their lips. Through singing or listening to Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs from our hearts, we give glory to God and exemplify Christ. The Spirit is revealed in our eyes, smiles…in our lives. A famous preacher once said, “When speaking of heaven, let your face light up, let it be radiated with a heavenly gleam, let your eyes shine with a reflected glory…but, when you speak of hell, then your ordinary face will do.”
We must remember that Paul is a prisoner when he writes these things. Yet, he is thankful for what God is doing in him and for him. It is not so ironic that the words “gratitude” and “grace” have the same word root. As Paul indicates, if we have experienced the grace of God, then we ought to be grateful for what God brings to us. As the saying goes, “if God brings you to it, He can bring you through it.” When Spirit-filled people find themselves in difficult situations, they give thanks to the Father, in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Spirit to resolve any fears, anxieties, or worries that seek to undermine their spirits. Being thankful to God is a great secret to a happy home and good relationships.
I want to finish with this – “standing on the deck of a ship in mid-ocean, you can see the sun reflected from its depths. From a little boat on a mountain lake, you can see the sun reflected from its shallow waters. Looking into a small mountain spring, you can see the same great sun. Look into the dew drops of the morning, and there it is again. The sun has a way of adapting itself to its reflection. The ocean is not too large to hold it, nor is the dew drop too small. So, God’s Spirit can fill any person, whether their capacity is like the ocean or the dew drop. Whatever be the capacity, there is opened up the possibility of being filled up with the fullness of God.” Perhaps, you are feeling empty -- being filled is just humble submission away…all we have to do is ask. We are not going to be able to put aside the distractions and difficulties of this life by tackling them on our own, but inasmuch as we allow God to fill us and battle for us are we going to be able to find success in the spiritual battle, and greater faith.
Blessings, Don
Showing posts with label Christians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christians. Show all posts
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Monday, December 24, 2012
New Beginnings
Friends,
It is apparent at this point that we all have made it through the end of the world…whew. :-) We can now count on “business as usual”. For the Mayans, they consider this a time of “new beginnings.” I think this is an appropriate theme for today. We are going to consider some "new beginnings." This time of year, people focus on the birth of Jesus. Today, we care going to consider how Jesus got here…that is, His lineage. Now, this is not for everyone…some folks would just as soon read Leviticus as go through the genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. But, genealogies are important, and we should spend some time discerning some of the important pieces of information from them…particularly Matthew’s. Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, a Jewish tax collector by trade…and probably not a friend of Simon the Zealot before they both became acquainted with Jesus. His gospel, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is one of four eyewitness accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus, and it is written primarily to the Jewish people…but it is for all of us to understand. This is exemplified in part by the fact that Jesus’ family tree begins with Abraham, the father of Israel, the nation of the Jews. Matthew opens his gospel with a careful account of the birth of Jesus Christ and the events that accompanied it. The virgin birth of Jesus, by Mary, through the Holy Spirit is a central doctrine for those who are Christians. We know that Jesus was born in the flesh, but His was a situation that was surrounded with questions and concerns.
Dr. Len Broughton was a medical doctor before God’s call came for him to be a minister. As a medical student, he rejected the virgin birth of Christ. Later on, he began to practice medicine out in a country town. One Sunday, he decided to go to a church meeting. The doctor would say shortly thereafter, "that country preacher knocked more skepticism out of me in half an hour than that which I had received during all of my years at medical school." This is how he did it. In his sermon, he said, "if there is anyone here troubled about the mystery of God becoming man, I want to take you back to the first chapter of Genesis and the first verse. The opening words are… 'In the beginning, God…'". I felt like he was looking directly at me when he said, "let me ask you this: Do you believe that God was in the beginning? Do you believe that before the beginning began that God was?" I said to myself, "yes, I do believe that." He proceeded, "if you believe that God was ahead of the beginning, you believe the only mysterious thing in the universe." Dr Broughton considered, "if I can believe that, God knows that I can believe anything else the Bible says. I had gone to school and traveled through the mysteries of reproduction and cell formation. I now believed the One supreme mystery of the mysterious universe… 'In the beginning, God'…and the greater mystery included all lesser mysteries."
What has happened in recent decades? People have quit believing “the mystery.” The philosophies and theories of man have more so become the standard by which men measure themselves. (And we see how well this has been working in our society). I thank God that He saw fit to introduce “the mystery within the mystery”…the birth of His Son, born of a virgin. We are all part of a grand genealogy that began with our father Adam and flowed through Abraham, David and down to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was all intentional…it was all critical for us. Far be it from us not to accept God’s mystery as it is…the mystery of birth, the mystery of His life. Praise the Lord for a day when we can magnify the precious life that God has given us.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=OvZW58LQg_k
Blessings, Don
It is apparent at this point that we all have made it through the end of the world…whew. :-) We can now count on “business as usual”. For the Mayans, they consider this a time of “new beginnings.” I think this is an appropriate theme for today. We are going to consider some "new beginnings." This time of year, people focus on the birth of Jesus. Today, we care going to consider how Jesus got here…that is, His lineage. Now, this is not for everyone…some folks would just as soon read Leviticus as go through the genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. But, genealogies are important, and we should spend some time discerning some of the important pieces of information from them…particularly Matthew’s. Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, a Jewish tax collector by trade…and probably not a friend of Simon the Zealot before they both became acquainted with Jesus. His gospel, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is one of four eyewitness accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus, and it is written primarily to the Jewish people…but it is for all of us to understand. This is exemplified in part by the fact that Jesus’ family tree begins with Abraham, the father of Israel, the nation of the Jews. Matthew opens his gospel with a careful account of the birth of Jesus Christ and the events that accompanied it. The virgin birth of Jesus, by Mary, through the Holy Spirit is a central doctrine for those who are Christians. We know that Jesus was born in the flesh, but His was a situation that was surrounded with questions and concerns.
Genealogies were very important for the Jews, for without them they could not prove their tribal allegiances or their rights to inheritances. Anyone who would be claiming to be “Son of David” would have to prove it. It was necessary for Jesus to establish His rights to David’s throne. So, this list of names is a vital part of the gospel record. It is also significant that the genealogy shows that Jesus is indeed a part of history…it is truly "His-story." All of Jewish history prepared the way for His birth. God, in His providence, accomplished His great purpose in bringing His Son into the world. The genealogy also illustrates God’s wonderful grace. It is unusual to find the names of women in Jewish genealogies, especially since names and inheritances came through the fathers. Yet, in this list, there are four references to women from Old Testament history…Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. Each of these women would seem to represent some form of marital irregularity, but each one was vindicated by God’s blessings for their faith. (Not that a child being born to a betrothed virgin is irregular :-)...we can certainly see the reason for the connection). What it signifies is that Jesus came through human heritage…and although that heritage was imperfect, He was perfect. It also reveals that it would require more than human pedigree to make Jesus the heir to David’s throne. This is why His divine heredity is so critical.
Finally, the fact that Matthew omits some names from his genealogy shows that he is not as interested in a chronology, but a theology of Jesus’ ancestry. In vv.16, 18, Matthew makes it clear that Jesus’ birth was different from that of any other Jewish boy named in the genealogy. He points out that Joseph did not “beget” Jesus, but that Joseph was “the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” It is important to note that betrothal was significant to the Jewish people at that time, being equivalent to…that is, having the same authority as…marriage. The significant exception was that the man and woman did not live together. The man and woman were recognized as husband and wife, and at the end of their betrothal period, the marriage was fulfilled. If somehow a betrothed woman became pregnant, it was considered adultery. But, the Lord revealed the truth by His angel to Joseph so that he would not punish or divorce Mary when he discovered that she was with child (fulfills Is. 7:14).
Jesus was the most unique of all children ever born. Being eternal God (John 1:1, 14), He existed before Mary and Joseph or any of His earthly ancestors. If Jesus had been conceived and born just as any other baby, then He could not be God. It was necessary for Him to enter this world through an earthly mother without the need of an earthly father. So, by a miracle of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, a virgin (Luke 1:26 -38). Some philosophers, and even some religious leaders, have sought to discredit this virgin birth, yet it is Biblically accounted, true, understood and accepted by faith and foundational to Christianity. Jesus came to mankind to be Savior…Jehovah is Salvation, Christ…God’s anointed One and Immanuel, which describes who He is…God with us. Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior.
Dr. Len Broughton was a medical doctor before God’s call came for him to be a minister. As a medical student, he rejected the virgin birth of Christ. Later on, he began to practice medicine out in a country town. One Sunday, he decided to go to a church meeting. The doctor would say shortly thereafter, "that country preacher knocked more skepticism out of me in half an hour than that which I had received during all of my years at medical school." This is how he did it. In his sermon, he said, "if there is anyone here troubled about the mystery of God becoming man, I want to take you back to the first chapter of Genesis and the first verse. The opening words are… 'In the beginning, God…'". I felt like he was looking directly at me when he said, "let me ask you this: Do you believe that God was in the beginning? Do you believe that before the beginning began that God was?" I said to myself, "yes, I do believe that." He proceeded, "if you believe that God was ahead of the beginning, you believe the only mysterious thing in the universe." Dr Broughton considered, "if I can believe that, God knows that I can believe anything else the Bible says. I had gone to school and traveled through the mysteries of reproduction and cell formation. I now believed the One supreme mystery of the mysterious universe… 'In the beginning, God'…and the greater mystery included all lesser mysteries."
What has happened in recent decades? People have quit believing “the mystery.” The philosophies and theories of man have more so become the standard by which men measure themselves. (And we see how well this has been working in our society). I thank God that He saw fit to introduce “the mystery within the mystery”…the birth of His Son, born of a virgin. We are all part of a grand genealogy that began with our father Adam and flowed through Abraham, David and down to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was all intentional…it was all critical for us. Far be it from us not to accept God’s mystery as it is…the mystery of birth, the mystery of His life. Praise the Lord for a day when we can magnify the precious life that God has given us.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=OvZW58LQg_k
Blessings, Don
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Friends,
The late newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst, invested a fortune collecting art treasures from around the world. One day Mr. Hearst found a description of some valuable items that he felt that he must own. So, he sent out an agent to find the treasure. After months of searching, the agent reported that he had finally found the treasures. Where were they? They were in Mr. Hearst’s warehouse! Hearst had been frantically searching and spending money for treasures that he already owned. Had he read his catalogue, he would have saved himself a lot of money and trouble. How often is it that we humans do much the same thing (?)…but more so with regard to spiritual realities. We look for ways to relieve stress, anxiety, worry, fear, anger, sorrow…and the answer is easily within reach…but, yet seems so far away. Sometimes, I wish life wasn’t so complicated…that the answers were always easily within reach, but they are not. We don’t always have the answers we want…in fact, we may have a lot of questions from time to time. The Lord can help us with these questions, so we pray. We have to trust in the Lord. We have to rest in Him and in His Spirit.
In communicating with the Ephesian Christians (1:15-23), Paul prays for them. He knows that they need prayer…just as we also need prayer. Sometimes, this seems like it is the only solution for us…yet, it is a good one. Paul desires that the Ephesian believers not take for granted the blessings they have in Christ. He reminds them, and us, of the elevated position that we have in Christ. The atheist claims there is no God for us to know, and the agnostic does not know if there is a God for us to know. But, Paul had met God personally in Jesus Christ, and he says that man can only truly know God…through Christ. Under the old law, willful ignorance of God led mankind to corruption and condemnation. Ignorance led to idolatry, which led to indecency and immorality. It has been this way since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Conversely, we who believe in the Lord must grow in our knowledge of God…as our Creator, Sustainer, Governor, Savior and Judge…as well as Father, Friend and Guide. The better that we know Him, the more fulfilling He will be for us.
Paul reminds Timothy that the believer has a holy calling (2 Timothy 1:9). As believers, we are called out of the darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Some philosophies offer no hope…but, Paul wants believers to understand the great hope that is our because of our calling in Christ Jesus. Our hope in Christ assures us of a great future! It is not as the world says -- “hope so,” which is wishful thinking…but it is truly blessed assurance. Hope encourages us to be pure, faithful, obedient…looking ahead...so that one day, we shall be with Him. Paul wants us to trust in the Lord so that he can open the eyes of our hearts…to give us enlightenment to see the spiritual realities around us. And Paul is referring to God’s inheritance in us (not ours in Christ). It is remarkable that God sees us as part of His great wealth! This is something. One day, God will get glory from His church at Christ’s return.
According to this Good News, Paul challenges Christians’ faith to be vibrant, strong. He enlists a number of words in order to get his point across – power (dynamic), work (energy), mighty and strong. He is saying that this divine, dynamic, and eternal energy is available to us. We Christians need such power for several reasons. By nature, we are too weak to appreciate and appropriate God’s wealth; “The Spirit (indeed) is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). The enemy seeks to rob us of spiritual wealth…and we allow him to do a pretty good job at times. Yet, God’s personal power living in us…His Spirit…enables us to use His wealth. As chapter 6 indicates, we are in a spiritual war against terror, evil. We can never defeat the evil one with our power…but, only through the power of God’s Spirit and in His Word! God’s full power was seen in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ…this was His great plan. Jesus Christ is Savior, but He is also Sovereign – the ruler, authority over all…even His (and our) enemies. We must trust in this.
Paul goes on to share that because we are believers, we are in the church, Christ’s body – He is the Head. This is the significant and undeniable connection between Christ, Christians (Ephesians 4:4-5). Christ is our spiritual Head…and the head controls the body. And we are members of His body, united together in one Spirit. And this is why…it is not ever a question (at least for me) as to whether or not I am going to be with or a part of the body, whenever it assembles. If Christ is truly “the head,” then there should be no ambiguity. I am (part of) the body…now, how am I going to do (be) my part? That is truly the question. We live in a culture where it is much about what “I want”, not what “what can I do to serve” and strengthen the body. We need to get back to the purpose for our existence.
It is imperative that we live with our spiritual eyes wide open…enlightened, and our enlightenment is going to come from Jesus Christ, and His Spirit. He will illuminate our natural minds so that we can see spiritual realities. If we are willing to submit to His will, He will help us to understand the great wealth that we have in God and through His Word, through prayer and through fellowship with the saints. The Lord also gives us wisdom to understand it. When we are faced with a decision…that decision should be evident if we are in tune with God’s purposes and power. It is not a decision as to whether we fellowship…we do it! Or, to give…we do it. Or to fulfill our responsibilities…we do it! And this is not a burden, but a blessing. We must live out our enlightenment…our salvation! We have been called…not to be ordinary, but enlightened people. We must live with the eyes of our hearts opened…as special people with a special purpose, and seek to make a difference in this world.
Blessings, Don
The late newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst, invested a fortune collecting art treasures from around the world. One day Mr. Hearst found a description of some valuable items that he felt that he must own. So, he sent out an agent to find the treasure. After months of searching, the agent reported that he had finally found the treasures. Where were they? They were in Mr. Hearst’s warehouse! Hearst had been frantically searching and spending money for treasures that he already owned. Had he read his catalogue, he would have saved himself a lot of money and trouble. How often is it that we humans do much the same thing (?)…but more so with regard to spiritual realities. We look for ways to relieve stress, anxiety, worry, fear, anger, sorrow…and the answer is easily within reach…but, yet seems so far away. Sometimes, I wish life wasn’t so complicated…that the answers were always easily within reach, but they are not. We don’t always have the answers we want…in fact, we may have a lot of questions from time to time. The Lord can help us with these questions, so we pray. We have to trust in the Lord. We have to rest in Him and in His Spirit.
In communicating with the Ephesian Christians (1:15-23), Paul prays for them. He knows that they need prayer…just as we also need prayer. Sometimes, this seems like it is the only solution for us…yet, it is a good one. Paul desires that the Ephesian believers not take for granted the blessings they have in Christ. He reminds them, and us, of the elevated position that we have in Christ. The atheist claims there is no God for us to know, and the agnostic does not know if there is a God for us to know. But, Paul had met God personally in Jesus Christ, and he says that man can only truly know God…through Christ. Under the old law, willful ignorance of God led mankind to corruption and condemnation. Ignorance led to idolatry, which led to indecency and immorality. It has been this way since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Conversely, we who believe in the Lord must grow in our knowledge of God…as our Creator, Sustainer, Governor, Savior and Judge…as well as Father, Friend and Guide. The better that we know Him, the more fulfilling He will be for us.
Paul reminds Timothy that the believer has a holy calling (2 Timothy 1:9). As believers, we are called out of the darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Some philosophies offer no hope…but, Paul wants believers to understand the great hope that is our because of our calling in Christ Jesus. Our hope in Christ assures us of a great future! It is not as the world says -- “hope so,” which is wishful thinking…but it is truly blessed assurance. Hope encourages us to be pure, faithful, obedient…looking ahead...so that one day, we shall be with Him. Paul wants us to trust in the Lord so that he can open the eyes of our hearts…to give us enlightenment to see the spiritual realities around us. And Paul is referring to God’s inheritance in us (not ours in Christ). It is remarkable that God sees us as part of His great wealth! This is something. One day, God will get glory from His church at Christ’s return.
According to this Good News, Paul challenges Christians’ faith to be vibrant, strong. He enlists a number of words in order to get his point across – power (dynamic), work (energy), mighty and strong. He is saying that this divine, dynamic, and eternal energy is available to us. We Christians need such power for several reasons. By nature, we are too weak to appreciate and appropriate God’s wealth; “The Spirit (indeed) is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). The enemy seeks to rob us of spiritual wealth…and we allow him to do a pretty good job at times. Yet, God’s personal power living in us…His Spirit…enables us to use His wealth. As chapter 6 indicates, we are in a spiritual war against terror, evil. We can never defeat the evil one with our power…but, only through the power of God’s Spirit and in His Word! God’s full power was seen in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ…this was His great plan. Jesus Christ is Savior, but He is also Sovereign – the ruler, authority over all…even His (and our) enemies. We must trust in this.
Paul goes on to share that because we are believers, we are in the church, Christ’s body – He is the Head. This is the significant and undeniable connection between Christ, Christians (Ephesians 4:4-5). Christ is our spiritual Head…and the head controls the body. And we are members of His body, united together in one Spirit. And this is why…it is not ever a question (at least for me) as to whether or not I am going to be with or a part of the body, whenever it assembles. If Christ is truly “the head,” then there should be no ambiguity. I am (part of) the body…now, how am I going to do (be) my part? That is truly the question. We live in a culture where it is much about what “I want”, not what “what can I do to serve” and strengthen the body. We need to get back to the purpose for our existence.
It is imperative that we live with our spiritual eyes wide open…enlightened, and our enlightenment is going to come from Jesus Christ, and His Spirit. He will illuminate our natural minds so that we can see spiritual realities. If we are willing to submit to His will, He will help us to understand the great wealth that we have in God and through His Word, through prayer and through fellowship with the saints. The Lord also gives us wisdom to understand it. When we are faced with a decision…that decision should be evident if we are in tune with God’s purposes and power. It is not a decision as to whether we fellowship…we do it! Or, to give…we do it. Or to fulfill our responsibilities…we do it! And this is not a burden, but a blessing. We must live out our enlightenment…our salvation! We have been called…not to be ordinary, but enlightened people. We must live with the eyes of our hearts opened…as special people with a special purpose, and seek to make a difference in this world.
Blessings, Don
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Walking with the Spirit (Considering Galatians), Pt. 7
Friends,
Well...better late than never...and it was almost "never." (Not really...but, if one procrastinates or is distracted long enough, it might seem like it :-). However, on to the concluding message from Paul's letter to the Galatians. Paul has spoken about the connection of living spiritually versus living according to the flesh in chapter 5. Paul continues with this theme in chapter 6...and instead of sounding combative, he has a much more conciliatory tone, as at the end of chapter 5. Apparently some have asked the question, "How do we deal those Judaizers (or Gentile Christians, for that matter) who repent of the attitudes and activities of the flesh?" Paul may be thinking about Jesus' message in the Sermon on the Mount, regarding approaching all matters of discerning judgment with humility and love. He offers an interesting expression, "you who are spiritual should restore him gently." But, for those of the Spirit, this must be done with humility...and I believe that he is speaking with regard to the contrast between pride and humility. If those who are "spiritual" are not careful, they will be tempted to be unspiritual, that is prideful, concerning how they go about their business. Once again, Paul appeals to love...as in "the law of Christ," and this, as it is in this letter, runs opposed to the Law of Moses. We must not be prideful or arrogant as it relates to helping others who are in need, or else, we may do more harm than good.
We must not overvalue ourselves, neither should we undervalue ourselves, in relationship to principle of living the Christian walk and serving others. We cannot fool the Lord who is able to evaluate matters accurately with regard to our spiritual walk (vv.7-8). Living according to the flesh will keep us distracted and hinder us from being the servants that God not only wants, but requires for us to be. God has gifted each of His children in a unique way to serve Him...and all believers need to fulfill their service to Him...and especially to those who belong to the body of Christ. I believe this is the principle behind Paul's unusual statement in v.6. regarding instructing and instruction -- if we have been blessed, we need to be a blessing. If we can maintain our spiritual walk as we should...taking time to rest, recuperate as we need...we will not only be a blessing, but we will receive blessings.
In the final eight verses of this letter, Paul apparently takes control of the steering wheel, so to speak. He writes with his own hand, rather than have his amanuensis (secretary) compose for him, as has been the case throughout the letter. Paul claims no professional ability as it relates to his writing, and indeed, seems to be poking fun at himself (v.11). Basically, this section is a recapitulation of everything he has shared up to this point. He does not want the free believers in the Galatian churches...primarliy Gentiles...to be influenced by those who would claim that circumcision (as well as the rest of the principles of the Law) is essential in order to be acceptable to God. The key, once again, is not concerning matters that bind us humans...the Law, the flesh...but it is concerning the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, where all of these other matters find their place and are laid to rest. The Law was not sufficient, but being a "new creation" in Jesus is. The Galatian believers must come back to investigating and appropriating the spiritual matters that they once believed...and not allow themselves to be held captive by doctrines and other matters that are going to take them away from spirituality, and ultimately, eternity. And finally, if anyone would be of a mind to question Paul's credibility (as did some "believers" in Corinth) in writing these matters, he reminds them that he bears scars...physical and emotional...on Jesus' behalf. These marks for Jesus are of a far greater benefit in proving Paul's conviction for truth, perhaps, than anything he could say. Nonetheless, the two walk hand in hand. Paul concludes by appealing to the grace of Jesus Christ for their spirits, a wonderful expression of peace and hope.
Once again, nothing is gained for us today in making the same mistakes as a significant portion of the early believers. Although, I believe that we could concur with the wise sage, Solomon, who shared that "there is nothing new under the sun" in this regard. We must learn and understand that Laws and regulations are not going to produce spirituality in us, but indeed, they take away from it. They hinder our ability to walk as free persons in Christ in much the same way as the flesh also hinders the spiritual walk (and Paul has connected the two). This does not mean that we must not be people of principle...we should be so. But, we must appeal to the same law that Paul appeals to in this letter...the law of love...the law that Jesus Himself commended during His last few days on earth (John 13:34-35, 15:12, etc.). Then, in turn, all other principles gain their proper perspective and place in relationship to the whole of the Christian walk. And as Paul says, early on in the letter, it is this perspective that will make the difference...then and now...as to whether churches grow and prosper or decay and decline.
I hope this series has been a blessing to you...have a great day.
Blessings, Don
Well...better late than never...and it was almost "never." (Not really...but, if one procrastinates or is distracted long enough, it might seem like it :-). However, on to the concluding message from Paul's letter to the Galatians. Paul has spoken about the connection of living spiritually versus living according to the flesh in chapter 5. Paul continues with this theme in chapter 6...and instead of sounding combative, he has a much more conciliatory tone, as at the end of chapter 5. Apparently some have asked the question, "How do we deal those Judaizers (or Gentile Christians, for that matter) who repent of the attitudes and activities of the flesh?" Paul may be thinking about Jesus' message in the Sermon on the Mount, regarding approaching all matters of discerning judgment with humility and love. He offers an interesting expression, "you who are spiritual should restore him gently." But, for those of the Spirit, this must be done with humility...and I believe that he is speaking with regard to the contrast between pride and humility. If those who are "spiritual" are not careful, they will be tempted to be unspiritual, that is prideful, concerning how they go about their business. Once again, Paul appeals to love...as in "the law of Christ," and this, as it is in this letter, runs opposed to the Law of Moses. We must not be prideful or arrogant as it relates to helping others who are in need, or else, we may do more harm than good.
We must not overvalue ourselves, neither should we undervalue ourselves, in relationship to principle of living the Christian walk and serving others. We cannot fool the Lord who is able to evaluate matters accurately with regard to our spiritual walk (vv.7-8). Living according to the flesh will keep us distracted and hinder us from being the servants that God not only wants, but requires for us to be. God has gifted each of His children in a unique way to serve Him...and all believers need to fulfill their service to Him...and especially to those who belong to the body of Christ. I believe this is the principle behind Paul's unusual statement in v.6. regarding instructing and instruction -- if we have been blessed, we need to be a blessing. If we can maintain our spiritual walk as we should...taking time to rest, recuperate as we need...we will not only be a blessing, but we will receive blessings.
In the final eight verses of this letter, Paul apparently takes control of the steering wheel, so to speak. He writes with his own hand, rather than have his amanuensis (secretary) compose for him, as has been the case throughout the letter. Paul claims no professional ability as it relates to his writing, and indeed, seems to be poking fun at himself (v.11). Basically, this section is a recapitulation of everything he has shared up to this point. He does not want the free believers in the Galatian churches...primarliy Gentiles...to be influenced by those who would claim that circumcision (as well as the rest of the principles of the Law) is essential in order to be acceptable to God. The key, once again, is not concerning matters that bind us humans...the Law, the flesh...but it is concerning the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, where all of these other matters find their place and are laid to rest. The Law was not sufficient, but being a "new creation" in Jesus is. The Galatian believers must come back to investigating and appropriating the spiritual matters that they once believed...and not allow themselves to be held captive by doctrines and other matters that are going to take them away from spirituality, and ultimately, eternity. And finally, if anyone would be of a mind to question Paul's credibility (as did some "believers" in Corinth) in writing these matters, he reminds them that he bears scars...physical and emotional...on Jesus' behalf. These marks for Jesus are of a far greater benefit in proving Paul's conviction for truth, perhaps, than anything he could say. Nonetheless, the two walk hand in hand. Paul concludes by appealing to the grace of Jesus Christ for their spirits, a wonderful expression of peace and hope.
Once again, nothing is gained for us today in making the same mistakes as a significant portion of the early believers. Although, I believe that we could concur with the wise sage, Solomon, who shared that "there is nothing new under the sun" in this regard. We must learn and understand that Laws and regulations are not going to produce spirituality in us, but indeed, they take away from it. They hinder our ability to walk as free persons in Christ in much the same way as the flesh also hinders the spiritual walk (and Paul has connected the two). This does not mean that we must not be people of principle...we should be so. But, we must appeal to the same law that Paul appeals to in this letter...the law of love...the law that Jesus Himself commended during His last few days on earth (John 13:34-35, 15:12, etc.). Then, in turn, all other principles gain their proper perspective and place in relationship to the whole of the Christian walk. And as Paul says, early on in the letter, it is this perspective that will make the difference...then and now...as to whether churches grow and prosper or decay and decline.
I hope this series has been a blessing to you...have a great day.
Blessings, Don
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Love Is the Answer (Now What Was the Question?)
Friends,
One of the funniest things about cartoons that I always enjoyed were the nonsense “noise” scenes, whether it was Foghorn Leghorn and Dog, Tom and Jerry, or Wiley Coyote and the Road Runner. When one of them would trying to awaken the other, or just be downright irritating, what did they do? They would pull out a pair of cymbals and clash them together, or take a mallet and mercilessly beat a gong with it. Now, if you do this with anyone more than once, they are going to become pretty irritated and riled up. And I believe that this is precisely why Paul chooses the apt illustration that he does to begin the 1 Corinthians 13. He says (paraphrased), “If you are able, by some gifting from the Lord, to speak with tongues, exercise great faith, be the best…whatever it is that you do…if you do it without love, then you are like a loud cymbal or gong going off.” (1 Corinthians 13:1). It is apparent that the Corinthians struggled with certain “negative” emotions. This is not too surprising given the high value that the ancient Greeks places on the intellect, and the fact that they diminished "emotions." Paul experiences this with the Athenians at Mars Hill as he tries to teach them concerning Christ with an illustration from their own highly-esteemed philosophers of the day (Acts 17:22ff). This was not to diminish the importance of the intellect, but to give it the proper perspective…a priority that we still need today. Paul understands that if that if the early believers are ever going to understand and experience a relationship with Jesus Christ, that love is going to be at the center of it...and this it is not just a feeling, but a commitment.
This is one of the most recognizable and significant passages in the New Testament. It has been interesting to me how people have routinely pulled this message out of context in order to make it stand alone to describe any number of relationships…husband and wife, parent and child, Christian and Christian, Christian and non-Christian. Yet, in context, it is clearly a description of how Christians are to treat each other as it relates to their spiritual gifts and opportunities for growth. It is apparent that some of the Corinthians are acting in an arrogant, condescending manner toward some of their brothers and sisters in Christ. The damaging attitudes on display are to the effect – “I am a better Christian than you, because I have this spiritual gift and it is better than your spiritual gift.” Paul says, “This is all wrong!” The first three verses of chapter 13 are routinely ignored, because so much attention is given to verses 4 and following…yet the first few are so descriptive. In essence, Paul says, 9. For all of the knowledge of the Word we might gain, convictions we might hold, opinions we might express…if these matters are not tempered God’s Spirit of love, then it is not worth anything. It is necessary that our love for the Father and the Son and His family be the primary focus of our lives. We cannot allow ourselves…our opinions, our wants, our selfishness…to get in the way of the greater good and the wholeness of the body. This is wisdom, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Love is powerful. When we exercise love in our lives, certain qualities make themselves evident. We will strive to have attitudes and actions that are patient, kind, not jealous or arrogant, but thoughtful, humble, seeking to do what is right by and for others. These are very important qualities. By genuinely pursuing these qualities, it makes all of our relationships fulfilling in their own way. If this is the case, then matters in our lives begin to make sense that may not have been making much sense previously. If we are committed to understanding and applying these matters to our lives, then we have captured the spirit and understanding of Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 13.
Paul goes on to shares that…all things pass away, including you and me, but not love – it remains forever. God is love…and His love never fails. Faith will eventually no longer have a place…when we see the Father, and the Son, faith will be no more. Hope will one day be fulfilled and no longer relevant…when we have gone to be with Christ, our hope will have been completed. Love is truly the greatest of these qualities -- is eternal! God is characterized by love…as are His children. It is not a question, “If we should or will love,” but an imperative, “We will love”…it is a choice, an action. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor, act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less." Love is essential…if we who are in Christ truly walk according to God’s love, we will live forever. Love is action...it means taking a risk to help another. Of all the fruits of the Spirit, love is the greatest virtue. Do you love those people the Lord has placed in your life? Today in prayer, thank Christ that He is love and that the greatest example of love is His dying on the Cross for you.
Blessings, Don
P.S.: I will get back to Galatians soon. :-)
P.S.: I will get back to Galatians soon. :-)
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